Name and blog name: Kem // Chronicles of a Sweet Tooth
Age: 29
Occupation: Practice Manager of Dental Department
Age of first tattoo: 20
Favorite tattoo: My Tooth Crest
Featured tattoo/location: 3/4 "sea" sleeve
Artist/shop/location of feature tattoo: Left arm // Scott Shickman // The Mercy Seat Kansas City MO // Scott has done all of my tattoos
1) Tell us about your featured tattoo- is there a background story about why you chose it, or maybe a special meaning?
For as long as I have lived, I have wanted to be a mermaid. Watching Disney's the Little Mermaid, is probably where the obsession began. That, and my sweet cousin had a swimming pool. We would pretend that we were mermaids, without a care in the world. As I grew up, I knew that I couldn't be a mermaid, so I thought I could commemorate that in an art form, to be that constant reminder to dream. One of my favorite quotes is "The cure for anything is salt water: Sweat, Tears, or the Sea." PS my artist told me I would make it into a full sleeve within a couple of years, and he was totally right! I already know what I am going to fill the last 1/4 of my left arm with :)
2) Do you have any other tattoos? If so, what do you have and where?
I have quite a collection. That is what I tell people, I collect art in the form of tattoos.
1. Bows on my ankles. I am a girly, girl through and through. These were a spur of the moment tattoos. Scott, my artist, was working on drawing up the sleeve for my right arm, and he wasn't quite finished, so instead of wasting a session, we just did these bows. I love them, and probably get the most compliments on them.
2. Society's Finest Thigh Tattoos. These have dual meanings. First, it is the name of my husband and friends car club. Secondly, I think it is the most clever words to describe someone with tattoos. So many people, these days, are turned off by tattoos, and think that I probably don't have a job, that I am uneducated, and basically the scum of the earth. Well, little do they know, I am Society's Finest! I am college educated, hold a very prestigious job, and am way better than scum!
3.Cherries on my Calves. These have no meaning at all. I love cherries and wanted calf tattoos :)
4. Left arm 3/4 sleeve. The meaning was a long one, but I loved how it turned out. Especially the compass rose. I always have to be reminded to focus back to "True North" or my "True Self", to not get caught up in what others think/say/do
5. Beginning of Right arm sleeve. So far, on my right arm, I have my Tooth Crest. I have a CRAZY sweet tooth. I mean CRAZY! Ha, I even named my blog after my sweet tooth. Since I work in the dental field, thank goodness right(?), I thought I would dedicate an arm to my love of sweets! The tooth crest says "Brush the teeth you wanna keep", which is totally the truth. The top part of my arm is a whimsical tea party featuring well dressed animals and will be filled in with cupcakes, cookies, candy, and tea! I have a great deal of English Heritage, so to pay homage to that, Scott and I incorporated this idea of an over-the-top tea party juxtaposed against this tooth with a toothbrush. I love how it is coming together. It is my work in progress!
6. Chest piece. I wanted my chest piece to be beautiful and feminine. (This is actually a cover up!) I had cherries on my chest, that we just couldn't get to work into a good layout, so we just covered them. This was the first big piece I did, and wanted a little dedication to my parents. We choose swallows to carry a banner for them. My parents and I have had ups and downs, but without them, I wouldn't be here, so that is my little reminder to carry them with me.
7. Lip Tattoo. I played roller derby with Kansas City Roller Warriors for 5 years. Some of my team mates decided we should get the inside of our lips tattooed with our skate names, you know, to commemorate our 'time served'. It has no started a trend in most of KCRW skaters to get it done. I love it!
3) Do you plan on getting more?
Until I run out of skin :) Although, I will never get my neck or face tattooed, that is just personal preference. I would love to get my knuckles tattooed, but right now, my life (read: Job) won't allow that.
4) How do your family and friends feel about your tattoo(s)? Have you run into any adversity or negativity because of them? Do you have a significant other? Does he/she have tattoos?
Most of my friends are tattooed/heavily tattooed. Really it is just part of the culture I surround myself with. As everyone that has been interviewed here before, I do run into the adversity, or the down side of being tattooed. Surprisingly it has come with pin-up modeling. There are some hardcore fans out there that HATE tattoos, and make sure that they comment on my photos that they hate my tattoos. I have had people say things like "Pretty girl, but horrible tattoos." or "Beautiful, but why did she ruin the photo with tattoos?" Ha, ha, right, cause I can't take off my tattoos people! Why even say that? It's not like commenting on an outfits, that I could change, it is commenting on something, that I have chosen to do, that can't/won't be reversed. It makes me laugh.
My husband has tattoos, and I love them. His first piece was his chest piece. Go big, or go home was his motto. All of his tattoos are by Scott Shickman too. We are kind of loyal to him :)
5) What's the most interesting experience you've ever had in regards to your tattoos?
I think I just covered that regarding comments made by pinup fans. Some people love them, some people hate them. I just like to remind the people making these comments, that I appreciate their feedback, and thanks so much for liking my photos, but my tattoos are mine, and I have no plans of changing them ;)
6) Any advice for those interested in getting tattooed but haven't gotten one yet?
My only advice is "Cheap work ain't good, and good work ain't cheap." ~ Sailor Jerry
