I have a tattoo on my lower left side. Its of a real Morpho butterfly that I found in a butterfly book.

(this is just an online picture, but this shows the type of butterfly)

I had been planning my tatto since I was 16 and got it when I was 20. I've always been mesmerized by butterflies and wanted a real butterfly, not a cutesy cartoony one. I brought a butterfly book to my artist and she traced it, even the crooked antena. I wanted it smaller, but found out that if she shrunk the design, it would look cartoony because it was so detailed.

My artist uses only new needles for each person...throwing out all used ones. I had to wait an extra two hours because she forget her needles at home! I was nervous already!!

It hurt, but it wasn't the worst pain I've felt. They do a few lines, then wipe...so its not a constant pain. I think the worst part were the color fill ins.

I think the most annoying part of my tattoo experience was that I had to go back for my color...when I did, I found out that she quit (and later died in a sky diving accident!! ) So someone else did my color...it turned out great, but I would have prefered my artist have done the whole thing.

I love my tattoo -almost 5 years later- its as pretty as it was when I first had it done and I still am so glad I had it done.

I do want another one. I really want a cat's profile...all black and prissy. I've found what I want, I just need to figure out where to put it. I don't like people to see my tattoo unless I want them to, people too often judge you incorrectly. I think most people that know me are shocked that I have one.