It was soon after I got my first tattoo back in February that I began thinking of this one. For me, getting a tattoo is a long process. I usually have an idea of an image or thought I’d like to begin with, and then I search FOREVER on Pinterest for something that looks like what I want. I end up changing my mind about a billion times, but often enough I find I keep coming back to the same one. I have a good friend who has some amazing tattoos that I admire, and she introduced me to the tattoo artist that has done both of my tattoos, as he did hers. She has a feather on her foot that I LOVE, so getting a feather kind of got stuck in my head. I toyed around with where I wanted it, with the inside of my right foot being where I wanted it most, and then the side of my ribs next. After discussing it with my tattoo guy, we decided that the ribs would have longer laster results. 

I went in couple of weeks ago with this image and knew I wanted the larger one right along my bottom bra line. He had asked that day if I want them both and I wasn’t 100% sure, so I got just the one that day. I was thrilled with the results and instantly loved it! The pain level was manageable and was only uncomfortable that first afternoon and a little bit the next day if I moved quickly. 

That night and next day I kept looking at it and knew I wanted that second one. I felt that the one looked great on its own, yet not complete in a way? I messaged my guy and immediately booked another appointment for about two weeks later. (I’m sure he thought I was NUTS. Ha.) When I went back in for my next appointment we discussed the placement of the second, smaller feather. I wanted it to look like it was falling above the first, sort of like it was in motion while the other one had already settled. I could not be more thrilled with the results! I love how light and airy they look, and the detail in each is just gorgeous. They look EXACTLY how I wanted them to look. I love them.

As for the meaning? Other than the fact that I just plain like the look of these feathers, there are two quotes that make me smile when I read them, and they have meaning for me personally. 

Lastly, my final inspiration for my feather tattoo was the classic Emily Dickinson poem, “Hope is the thing with Feathers.”

Hope is the thing with feathers

that perches in the soul,

and sings the tunes without the words,

and never stops at all.