I was 15. My life was not that of a normal 15 year old. Living in a not so "normal" environment, my sisters and I dealt with a lot as young children. We had to grow up very fast. My mother, although unconventional [to say the least], brought me to venice with a couple of my friends. I knew before I left the house that morning, I was getting a tattoo. I also knew she would say yes. I waited until we got there to ask her. We walked by a few shops until I secretly spotted the one that I thought [at 15] looked promising. Once I saw it I just walked right in... mom following behind me " what do you think you're doing?"-mom "I'm getting a tattoo"-me " oh you are?"-mom "yes, and he is doing it [ pointing to the oldest guy in there] " I needed to trust the guy permanently marking my young body. I walked over to him " I want a purple and pink heart, I want to draw it, and I want it on my ass"-me "ok"- him. He handed me a piece of paper and a sharpie. I doodled a heart about the size of a nickel and told him to fill it in with purple in the middle fading into pink. He used my doodle for the stencil. The entire process took about 15 minutes. It hurt more than I expected but I knew at that moment the needle first hit my skin that I was done for. My mother saw the look in my eyes and said " great, I've created a monster". Yes she did. The tattoo now has grown quite a bit and faded but I will never cover it up. It is a part of me and a reminder of who I am and who I always have been. Determined, strong willed, a rebel without a cause ;]

My next tattoo with be the next addition to my left sleeve. I am slowly but surely working on a traditional sleeve with my boyfriend. It is a combination of all the things that make up me as a whole. I have an old vanity set that was my grandmothers. My Nonnie was my favorite person in the world when I was a young girl. She was that person that walked in the room and lit it up. I would fight with my sisters and cousins at the dinner table to sit by her, and always won. Everyone in my family says I remind them of her. personality and looks. I am the only brunette out of 3 blonde hair blue eyed siblings. She was definatley a take no crap kind of woman! Thats why I am taking the hand mirror from her vanity set to add to my sleeve. The mirror which represents her, the mirror in which she once looked into, the mirror in which I now look into. It is beautiful silver with gorgeous baroque detail. I can't wait!!