For The Love of Jesus

August 19th 2010 - Port Richey, Fla.

Michael Watts was unemployed and broke, but kept coming home to his grandmother’s house with new tattoos. Coincidentally, jewelry began disappearing from grandma’s jewelry box at about the same time.

When first confronted by his grandmother about the missing gold and diamonds, Michael denied everything, but after a call to the Pasco County Sheriff’s office and the ensuing interrogation, Mr. Watts cracked and spilled the beans.

The jewelry valued at over $3400, including gold bracelets, a 1/2 caret diamond ring, and earrings was hocked at a local mall to pay for the tattoos.

The three tattoos were of a Christian fish, on his left ankle, a colorful “Jesus Saves” on his right forearm, and an outline of Jesus on his left forearm with the words “There is a light that never goes out”.

Watts, 2o, was charged with grand theft and resides in his new home at the local jail in lieu of $2000 bail. No word if granny ponied up the two grand to set James free.

For more amazing acts of stupidity visit 101 Tattoo Facts and be sure to check the lighter side of NASA at Mars Has a Tramp Stamp.

I Like Tennis, Computer Games, and Long Walks on the Beach…

This newsworthy story goes back to June of 2009 and bares a second look or two. It comes as no surprise to many that 19-year-old Anna Morgan of Zena, Russia is a rising porn star, or that she is endowed with natural DD breasts, or even the fact that the Russian online company MyMMOShop.com is paying her $500,000 to tattoo their company logo on her breasts. What’s most interesting is how the company generates income.

The company sells play money for real money. You heard it right. In exchange for your hard earned cash they will give you WOW Gold, the currency used to purchase things in the popular MMO game, World of Warcraft. And equally interesting is the fact that they are able to throw 500 G’s at young Anna for rental space-business is good.

The intimate details of the deal are that the budding starlet must not alter or cover up the tattoo for two years, and at 50 to 100 feature films a year, (yikes)the company is sure to get plenty of exposure. God bless capitalism.

For more breathtaking snippets visit 101 Tattoo Facts and be sure to check out the horrifying true tattoo story The Eggplant and the Grub Worm.

Do I Make You Horny Baby?

19-year-old Jason James Hughes, facing third-degree criminal sexual conduct charges and a charge of possession and consumption of alcohol by a minor, is accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old.

The alleged victim reported the incident to police in late December, a week after the encounter, said Cedar Springs Police Chief Roger Parent. The Chief also reported the tattoo was not a factor in identifying the suspect although I strongly believe that it may play a role in sentencing.

In addition to the stylish devil horns poised above his eyebrows, Hughes also sports a tattoo of a blood-splattered meat cleaver on the side of his neck, also clearly visible. His best defense strategy at this point appears to be a benie cap and a turtleneck.

In other stupid criminal news:

Royce Spottedbird Jr., 23, of Butte, Mont, apparently thought it was a good idea to have his name tattooed on his neck. However, fearing an outstanding warrant when he was pulled over in a routine traffic stop in April, gave the officer a false name.

When he had no explination as to why "Royce Spottedbird Jr." was permanently plastered across his neck, he was arrested for obstruction of justice and eventually pleaded guilty. The interesting thing about the whole incident is the fact that there was no warrant.

For more amazing tattoo facts visit 101 Tattoo Facts or for a story of another deadly tattoo blunder visit the The Eggplant and the Grub Worm.

Children and Spiders and Needles...Oh My!

We last brought you the news of a nine year old tattooing his father, but that isn’t the record for the youngest tattoo artist-that distinction belongs to 5 yr. old Emilie Darrigade.

In this addition of our a-fathers-love-knows-no-bounds segment we introduce you to 3 yr. old Ruby Dickinson of Whales, as she soon attempts to be the youngest tattoo artist, subjectively speaking.

Like other aspiring toddlers, she learned her trade from her father Blane, who runs a tattoo parlor, and gives young Ruby lessons with a toy kit after nursery.

Mr. Dickinson is importing an ink gun from the U.S. that has been specially designed to be used by small hands and Ruby will be getting the miniature tattoo kit for her 4th birthday. Ruby is said to be excited and can’t wait to attempt a spider tattoo on her father’s leg.

In a vote of confidence, Blain says that she is nearly able to draw a complete version of her favorite design, but adds, “I'm under no illusions that she'll do a Van Gogh, after all she's only three-and-a-half”. We wish them all the best.

For more amazing tattoo facts visit 101 Tattoo Facts or if you prefer not to be one of those facts visit Angel Heart Tattoo.

9 Year Old Tattoos Dad

Kayden Brodsky dreamed of being a tattoo artist since he was in the first grade and on August 8th, 2010 he got his wish when he tattooed his father, as a birthday present. The tattoo of a triceratops went off without a hitch at the family’s Hollywood, Ca tattoo shop, Kayden’s Creations.

Kayden’s father, Andy, was first tattooed by his father when he was 15, followed by a self portrait soon after, and with his current tattoo design he’s able to boast 3 generations of family art on his body.

I wanted to show a picture of the finished tattoo but the lame Daily News out of L.A. wanted 15 bucks for the pic, and no offence young Kayden, but it wasn’t worth that much. It is quite an accomplishment for someone so young, and you dad has plenty of free space left to practice on, so I have no doubt that your dream will come true.

For more amazing tattoo fact than you care to know visit 101 Tattoo Facts or if you don't want to be one of those facts visit Angel Heart Tattoo.

And All I Got Was This Lously Tattoo

Pledging to “protect and guard” bachelorette Ali Fedowtowsky’s heart, contestant Kasey Kahl was grilled on Monday’s “Men Tell All” special about his new tattoo in honor of his might be love.

Persuaded by the producer to get the permanent love token, Kasey was said to be hesitant until executives told him that Ali would love the gesture, and then proceeded to show him 30 tattoo designs for women that reflected his love and commitment.

Kasey was known for his painfully embarrassing serenading on the show, and his love tattoo was no different-Ali, not impressed, promptly axed him, leaving only the memory of what could have been…and a bad tattoo.

Kasey’s parting words of wisdom as his 15 minutes of fame come to an end-- “There are a lot of guys who are bad and who are cheaters and I just hope that my honesty will be an inspiration to women and help them realize that there are guys out there who are genuine.” He means genuine as in getting inked because the producers of the show said she would dig it.

To find more than enough tattoo info go to 101 tattoo facts or visit me at Angel Heart Tattoo

Free Beer For Life

A Scots brewer has sparked controversy and outrage by offering anyone who get a tattoo design of their logo free beer for life. BrewDog, the Scottish brewing company famous for making excessively potent beer is opening a pub in Aberdeen, Scotland and are planning the promotional stunt on the opening night.

Co-founder and managing director of Brew Dog, James Watt said: “We’re going to have a tattoo artist in the pub on the opening night and we’re offering free beer for life to anyone who will have the BrewDog logo tattooed on their body”. He went on to say that he and his business partner were considering it as well.

The pub will aptly named The Brew Dog Bar and is set to open in September of 2010, but not with the blessing of the local licensing board, who were a bit dismayed over the idea and put it this way-“Think about an 18-year-old going in there on opening night thinking it would be a great laugh to get a tattoo for free beer. “He’s going to live for the next 60 years or so with this stupid tattoo, provided he doesn’t end up with health problems due to the amount of free alcohol he’s consumed.”

BrewDog recently made headlines for producing the $700+ bottle of beer called, End of History, which is 55 per cent alcohol and served in full body animal skins. The brewers also offer the 41 per cent Sink the Bismark beer, and the 9.2 per cent Hardcore IPA.

For more great stories visit 101 Tattoo Facts or for information about an ankle and foot tattoos at your local pub.

Billy the Billboard

Billy the Human Billboard -AKA Billy Gibby- is an amateur boxer out of Alaska who is living his dream of being a fighter. What’s interesting about Billy is not that he’s a fighter, but how he pays the bills; selling advertising space on his body featuring the logos of corporate sponsors. Although this in itself is not new, Billy seems to have taken it to a new level.

Inspired by boxer Bernard Hopkins, having seen him enter the ring with a temporary tattoo ad for GoldenPalace.com, Billy thought, 'If he could do that, then maybe I could do the real thing”.

He reached out to the online casino, which was already famous for publicity stunts involving tattoos and the rest is tattoo history.
Since that inspirational day, Billy has collected 26 tattoos from corporate giants like Liberty Tax Service, Host Gator, and an impressive list of adult sites.

He one day hopes to go for a Guinness world record for the most corporate logos tattooed on a body if and when they create the category, which he is lobbying for, adding that he has been unsurprisingly featured in Bizarre Magazine and the San Diego Times and most importantly, here.

His fees for the placement of your logo, permanently printed on his body, range from $3,000 for a 6-inch by 1-inch chest tattoo, to $20,000 for a 6-by-1-inch forehead tattoo. What a deal, and if he ever does make it to the big time it could just be the best investment you ever made.

For more great stories visit 101 Tattoo Facts or for information about becoming the next human billboard visit Angel Heart Tattoo.

Should I Get A Tattoo?

This is a very simple chart that I found that will help you to decide whether or not you should get a tattoo. For more information on all types of tattoos or 101 tattoo facts hit the links.

Harold II (with an o)

Harold II or Harold Godwinson (1022-October 14 1066)

Harold II was the last Anglo-Saxon king of England before the Norman Conquest and ruled the throne for a whopping nine months. He gained the crown when his predecessor, King Edward the Confessor, became sick in 1065, and fell into a coma without making clear his preference for the succession.

On January 5th, 1066, he died, but not before he briefly regained consciousness and commended his widow and the kingdom to Harold's protection. The intent of this order is sketchy at best, as is the Bayeux Tapestry, which simply shows the half conscious Edward pointing at a man thought to represent Harold. His suspiciously hasty coronation took place one day later and he was crowned king.

In early January of 1066, hearing that Harold had been crowned King of England, William, Duke of Normandy, or as he was affectionately called, William the Bastard, began plans to invade England. Initially William could not get support for the invasion, but claiming that Harold had sworn on sacred relics to support his claim to the throne, after having been shipwrecked together some years earlier with Harold. William was given the Church's blessing and was backed by the Nobles.

In anticipation of the invasion, Harold rallied his troops on the Isle of Wight, but claiming unfavorable winds, William’s invasion fleet remained in port. On September 8th, with provisions running out, Harold disbanded the army and he returned to London, one day too soon. On that very same day, Harald Hardrada, with an “a”, of Norway, who also claimed his right to the English crown, joined forces with William and invaded England, landing the fleet at the mouth of the Tyne, and a battle ensued, lasting 36 days.

The last Anglo-Saxon king of England, and, only the 3rd to die in battle, lay lifeless on a blood stained field near Hastings, an arrow through one eye, the other gouged out, and missing an arm and half a leg. William the Bastard of Normandy was now William the Conqueror of England. (Not sure what happened to Harald, with an “a”) His next, most immediate problem was to positively confirm that the corpse before him was indeed his fallen rival, and former shipwreck buddy, Harold II – a task also made quite difficult by the dead man’s horribly mutilated face.

The answer came in the shape of Edith Swan Neck, King Harold’s former long-time mistress and newlywed wife, who identified her dead husband by the words “Edith and England” tattooed across his chest, just one of many such tattoos on his body. And thus, Harold II, the last Anglo-Saxon king of England before the Norman Conquest, tattoo enthusiast, master of bad timing, became the first corpse to be identified by a tattoo.

For more amusing tattoo facts visit 101 Tattoo Facts.

The Best Ankle and Foot Tattoos

The Best Foot and Ankle Tattoos
Without question, ankle and foot tattoos are a trendy choice for women today. These unique designs are especially popular during the warmer seasons of the year, making these highly prized tattoos as beautiful as they are subtle, although extra care should be counted on before having one done.
The biggest obstacle is letting the foot and ankle totally heal. This may take up to four weeks. The reason for the added time is because almost all footwear will scratch and irritate the fresh image. Additionally, the ankle and foot tattoo is always moving and if either of these causes any harm, a quick touch-up may be needed later.
It's always better to have your foot or ankle tattoo done during the warmer times of the year, or even better, just take a few weeks off to kick back, relax, and go barefooted. As good as that may sound, most people with jobs just don't have the time, but with a little additional care you can minimize the damage.
A popular shoe selection that offers great protection is the topless sandal, although they can be fairly awkward at first .All you really need to do is use a little common sense and wear comfortable, relaxed fitting footwear, and keep strenuous activities to a minimum.
It is also highly advised that you further care for the new tattoo with a thin coating of Vaseline, followed by a sheet of glad wrap, then socks and shoes, if you are going to be moving a lot.
Another potential problem to watch out for is the chance of getting an infection. When you mix a pasty material within close proximity to the ground, the end outcome will be dirt, and a higher chance of getting an infection, but this is easily fixed with more frequent washings.
Like the rib or shoulder blades, tattoos on the feet may be slightly more painful to have done on account of the thinner skin over bone. The pain is different to each person, but the most widespread response is that it only hurts somewhat more than other tattoos.
Ankle and foot tattoos call for more thought in advance because of the additional care, both during and after the fact.
The layers of skin on the foot and ankle exfoliate more than any part of the body and will, from time to time, take out some of the tattoo. This means that there is a good chance that your foot or ankle tattoo will need to be retouched from time to time.
Ankle and foot tattoos are more difficult to ink because of the tender area and the thin skin, so a qualified artist is essential. Make sure to check the artist's qualifications and be sure to look at their portfolios to see examples of past foot and ankle tattoos they have done. It's easy to have an unwanted result if the ink is placed too deep or too shallow when working on the foot and ankle, either entering into the blood stream or scabbing off during the healing process... and remember to use a quality sunscreen when outside.
To get all the help you need when picking out a new tattoo visit me at Angel Heart Tattoo.

Longest Tattoo Session

The current recognized world record for longest tattoo session is 43 hours and 50 minutes,set by tattoo artist Melanie Grieveson of Australia and tattoo enthusiast Stephen Grady, the tattooed. Melanie became the Guinness record holder not only as the sole artist, but also the first woman to make the attempt.
About a month ago I wrote an article in Ezine.com entitled "101 Tattoo Facts" and in that article I incorrectly credited both Stephen and Melanie as the record setting tattoo artists. Melanie corrected me in a comment left on the article and I have since made the corrections and thank her. As I looked deeper into the accomplishment it became evident how hard the task was, being limited only to one five minute break every hour and considering the amount coffee that must have been consumed, that along is quite the feat. Besides the record, the marathon session was for a good cause, raising thousands of dollars for a local hospital.
There is another attempt (52 hours) up for review at the time of this post by Rockford, Ill. tattoo artist Jeremy Brown, but it hasn't been verified. I will post the update when I hear something and I'm sure Melanie will make sure of it's accuracy. Need help choosing a tattoo? Check out Angel Heart Tattoo.

More Dead Ink To Follow

The tattoo industry is one of the fastest growing today, and with any industry whose demand out paces the supply, the usual inevitable problems will occur, mainly a poor quality product and droves of uninformed impulsive buyers. The rub with tattoos is that you can’t return them and get you money back and are stuck with an inferior product for life, the option of a lawsuit, and/ or a couple thousand dollar removal bill.
So who is to blame, and how can the problems be fixed? The “who” question is an easy one; the owners of the tattoo studios are responsible for the “quality” of their product, period, and should meet an industry standard. It’s hard to blame the individual artists, unless they are also the owner, it’s up to the individual owners to evaluate the skills of their employees, and it’s their responsibility to offer an acceptable product. It doesn’t take an art critic to tell if someone has artist talent, and every potential tattooist should go through an extensive apprenticeship, mastering the required skills involved.
As far as making a bad tattoo choice, that is up to the consumer discretion, although the shop should at least offer their opinion, especially if it is a first tattoo, and more studios should have customers sign off on the design, such a wavier would avoided any controversy, as in the case of the girl with the 56 stars on her face.
Unfortunately, until the supply catches up to the demand, it is up to the consumer to find the truly qualified technicians and this can only be done by doing research and becoming and educated consumer, only then will you get an accurate representation the design you chose.
For more information on how to educate yourself on tattoo decisions visit Angel Heart Tattoo.

Dead Ink

Every time I see this tattoo it cracks me up. I don't know what choir she is preaching to, but it certainly brings new meaning to the term bible study. Who knows what she was thinking, but one thing is for sure, when she has it removed it's going to be a real pain her ass.
The sad thing is that she is not alone, and is just one owner of millions, whose tattoos were dead on arrival the day they were created, or as I like to call them "dead ink". The new billion dollar industry of the future will be tattoo removal (it's already started) and if you know anything about the many, many, expensive and unbelievably painful laser treatments it will take to remove that monstrosity of biblical proportions, we all will be praying for her from a different point of view. If you are thinking about making the same mistake or interested in making an educated tattoo decision check out feminine tattoo design at Angel Heart Tattoo.

Coco Pops in Paris

Do you remember those tiny little tattoos that came out of the gumball machine, encased in a clear plastic ball, ready to be licked and applied to the horror of unsuspecting moms who shuddered at the thought of the idea growing into the real thing; and all for a mere thin dime?
Well, this carefully thought out marketing seed, undoubtedly plotted and planted by the ageless/old Coco Chanel has come full circle in the form of “Les Trompe L’Oeil de Chanel,” the same Coco who brought us the quote “Elegance does not consist in putting on a new dress.”
The hit of the 2010 Spring/Summer Chanel catwalk, these temporary transfer tattoos, designed for the weenies among us, appear to be the next best must have trend of the beautiful, but uncommitted, people crowd.
Confirmed by it’s popularity at the latest big event, the Karl Lagerfeld fashion show in Paris, the set of 55 temporary tattoos features floral, beading, and bangle patterns, and of course, the Chanel logo. Seen snaking their way up and down the slight, and powder white arms and legs of the monotone models at the following shows by Jean Paul Gaultier and Rodarte, it would seem that the couture gravy train is building steam and shows no sign of disappearing anytime soon, that is until it washed away.
These chic temporary wonders, conceived at the corner drugstore gumball machine, are only sold as a set and can be purchased for the inflation infected price of a mere thin $75 bucks. And what’s in store next from Ms. Coco-Chanel logo embroidered booty pop panties, I suspect, for the glutically challenged sophisticate wanting to make a grab-my-big- juicy-ass statement in overpriced top shelf style.

Way to gay, Tom.

December 16 2009

On a recent trip to China, Tom Arnold was dismayed, to say the least, upon learning the true meaning of a tattoo he had done thirty years ago.

You remember Tom, the sometime funnyman who gained notoriety suckling the teat of Rosanne Barr to semi-fame, during their short and tumultuous marriage.
Tom asked to have the words “love of mankind” tattooed on his leg after seeing the massacre at Tiananmen Square back in 1989.

He was in China on his honeymoon and scheduled a television appearance during the trip, and in a briefing prior to setting down for the interview found out that his “love of mankind” tattoo actually translated to “man love,” and a common proclamation of one’s homosexuality, in Chinese.

Tom explains, “I have a tattoo that I thought said Love of Mankind, which I got after the Tiananmen Square thing.”
“They said don’t mention that on Chinese TV. They also told me that it means man love” Tom should have thought a little more before getting a tattoo done.

December 18 2009

A restaurant in Lakewood Ohio is offering a lifetime 25% discount to anyone who tattoos a grilled cheese sandwich anywhere on their body. The owner of “The Melt Bar and Grilled,” Matt Fish, said the offer is open-ended and will allow anyone who bares the restaurants signature dish the discount for as long as they have the tattoo.

Coincidentally, the owners of “Voodoo Monkey Tattoo,” of nearby Cleveland, are offering a similar promotion, $25 dollars off the price of a grilled cheese tattoo. The owners are not related.