Inked Talk

The Sunday after Thanksgiving is a different experience for everyone.  Some of us are recovering from a weekend spent with weird relatives.  Others are still fighting the traffic and the weather to get home after a holiday trip.  Still others are trading in their autumn decorations for the greens and reds of Christmas.  A good number of us - even those of us who ventured out on Black Friday intending to get all of our holiday shopping done early this year - are still in the process of planning out the holiday gifts for family and friends.  So what is a good gift for a tattoo enthusiast?

Subscription to a Tattoo Magazine.  Who doesn’t like browsing through the latest issue of Skin & Ink or Tattoo Savage?  The tattoo fan on your Christmas list will look forward to getting his favorite magazine delivered to his door.  If you are unfamiliar with current tattoo publications, About.com offers this great guide to help you decide which one will make the best present.

Tattoo Apparel.  The two hottest names in tattoo-inspired apparel right now are Sailor Jerry and Ed Hardy.  The Ed Hardy lines feature everything from wallets and belts to  T-shirts and even a fragrance.  The Sailor Jerry line, while not quite as extensive, does feature the famous Sailor Jerry rum.  Can you ever go wrong with rum?

Books about Tattoos.  A search for “tattoo” on Amazon.com yields results numbering in the thousands.  While not all tattoo books make good gifts, a little research and foresight can make sure that you select a good one.  Some tattoo books that are best avoided are photo books or flash books which feature little more than pictures of tattoos and tattoo designs.  While these are useful when someone is looking for a little inspiration for their new ink, as a gift these may not be ideal unless you know the person is actively looking for some new body art.  A better option may be something a little more specialized.  Does the person on your shopping list like Japanese tattoos?  Bushido, Legacies of the Japanese Tattoo is an excellent choice.  Or what about a gift for someone that you know is just looking into getting their first tattoo?  Ink: The Not Just Skin-Deep Guide to Getting a Tattoo is a wonderful resource and would be a great gift for the not-yet-inked.  There are so many books on tattoos available and in print right now that finding an excellent gift for the tattoo enthusiast is easier than ever.

Gift Certificates to a Favorite Tattoo Shop.  Many tattoo shops, such as Milwaukee favorite and friend if Inked Talk Custom Tattoo, offer gift certificates.  Tattoos are pricey, but a gift certificate doesn’t have to cover the full cost of a tattoo.   They can typically be used towards the cost of a tattoo, or even shop merchandise like t-shirts or aftercare products.  Tattoo gift certificates are a great way to get something that a tattoo enthusiast will love, and a little support for a local tattoo shop is always appreciated.

Longtime friendships are a rare and beautiful thing, and a when a group of six New Jersey women - friends since grammar school - celebrated their milestone fiftieth birthdays this year, they decided to commemorate their friendship in a unique way:  they got matching tattoos.

Sue Tobjy, who already had six tattoos, suggested the idea to her friends about a year ago.   One of the women, Darlene Tremont, had three tattoos herself and was easily convinced. The other four weren’t quite as quick to warm up to the idea.

“Can’t we all get a piece of jewelry?” Kathy Sippie countered.

Jewelry just didn’t have the permanence that the women felt was appropriate to commemorate such a long standing friendship. Tobjy reassured her friends that the pain of getting a tattoo is worse than going to a dentist, but not as bad as childbirth. Eventually, the women all agreed, and they decided on shooting stars. The main star in the design is symbolic the women as a group, and the smaller stars represent their personalities. Jae Conner of Electric Lotus Tattoo and Piercing in Boonton, New Jersey did the tattooing.

The women are all 1977 graduates of Wayne Hills High School in New Jersey, and they have all remained very close over the years. They take a yearly vacation together, and they meet for dinner once a month.

“We can all relate to each other,” said Tobjy. “I know more about these girls, and we know each other’s lives, our families, everything. They’re in my life forever.”

“We’re all soul mates,” declared Lori Atieh.