Wednesday, February 29, 2012

More of Japan!

We are actually back to work and settling back in but I did just want to do one more Japan post before we move on. It's nice to be home but I do miss Japan already! However we do get to go back in June, so I can't be too much of a brat about it.

So where to start... Tattoos! The most important thing of all! As I said in my last post, we did finish my phoenix this trip and I am so damn happy with it. I wanted to wait till it was healed before I posted pics. I also finally got some decent shots of Matt's front after his last session. So here they are in all their glory! Sorry these are mostly just repeats of instagram pics.

Shoki! 
Here is a better photo of my back piece. I am so in love with it, I have already forgotten the pain and want to do more! 
Phoenix is finished and so lovely :)
Matt's last day of tattooing I decided to take it easy. I was planning on going sightseeing but I was sore, it was raining and I wanted to get back to Yellow Blaze early to make sure I was there for when Matt and Shige finished. So I did some washing, eating and lazing around watching Boardwalk Empire. Which, I might add, is an awesome show, so get on that ASAP!!

View from Yellow Blaze balcony on our last day, it was a rainy day that day
Walking back to the hotel, in the rain. I normally hate photo's of myself but I thought I managed a half "arty" type one here and thought it looked pretty cool?
Watching Boardwalk also included eating lots of yummy snacks. I also bought lots of nice new socks, some of which are pictured here (Japan has the nicest socks)
So this trip we didn't get a lot of time to sight see (we had a lot of tattoo appointments) but we made sure we made it out most days, especially the days we weren't getting tattooed. So our second to last day was all about eating and walking around Yokohama, taking it all in. Some pics of our second to last day (again, instagram rips, sorry)...

It's almost criminal to be eating this when there is so much nicer Japanese food around but I love Sizzler ok?
And this is what I ate, not all of it but you get the idea :P
On the eternal hunt for books, I like looking too but not for as long as  this guy. 
And so our last day I was feeling a little sad, I never want to leave Japan but I REALLY didn't want to leave this time. We had such an awesome trip, we always do but yeah I am always sad to leave. But we had a really nice last day and waked around and did some window shopping and by the time we did all that it was time to head to the airport. 

The Foreigners Cemetery, it was closed, so next time I want to go in. 
I just loved these houses (actually I think one is a cafe and one a museum but you know what I mean), they are so cute:



I nearly bought one with a big Kappa on the back, next time.
Just cute flower arrangements in Motomachi Street
I've decided we need one of these kind of puppies. They are so beautiful. Kinda like a cross between a dingo and fox (well that's what I think)
Ok, I know, I have a million photo's of this shrine but I love it


Woodblock print hunting. I want them all!
And that is about it for Japan (well it's not) but it is for this post.

In shop news. Matt and I will be heading to the Sydney Tattoo Expo next Friday, Saturday and Sunday.(9th, 10th and 11th March). Looking forward to that, however I am not looking forward to getting on another plane so soon though. Should be fun, so head on down if your on town! Matt is already booked out for the 3 days, so can't fit anything else in, sorry.

That's all..



Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Japan Times!

Well, I have been up since 4am (partly because I am so sore (or uncomfortable) and partly because I went to bed far to early last night. I don't have much else to do, so I have no excuse but to blog! Of course it has been too long, yet again. But since Matt and I have both quit facebook, twitter and all other forms of social networking (except for Instagram!- that will NEVER happen), I need to be more up to date with this blog!


So we arrived in Japan last Sunday and we are having an amazing trip (I think I say that every time) but how can I not, it's Japan!! First thing we did (what we always do) is went out for Japanese food! To our favorite restaurant Dalian (it's in China Town, Yokohama).


Gyoza (dumplings) and a chilli noodle dish (can't remember but it was delicious)!
Ahhhhhh China Town, how I love thee
Valentines Day dinner- Freshness Burger. The best damn fast food you will EVER eat in your life! 


Ok, I just realised this post is fast becoming all about the food (you can see where my priorities are) :P So Monday Shige finished my left sleeve (The Phoenix) and it looks so beautiful. I realised I've been going on so much about my new back piece that I haven't given my phoenix enough credit. I absolutely love it of course and after 1 and half years it's cool to have both sleeves and chest finished. But I think that is pretty quick to knock all that out in that amount of time, especially since I have to come to Japan to get tattooed! 


On Tuesday and Wednesday it was Matt's turn. I was supposed to start my back on Tuesday but thankfully Shige needed a little more time to finish off my drawing. So I had a few more recovery days in between (which I was rather thankful for). So Matt had another Oni added to his thigh on one day and the next day a whole bunch of black shading done on his front piece. I think most people know now that Matt has Shoki, riding the tiger over his front and I know I keep saying it but it is truly amazing! And with some black shading now, it's really starting to take shape!
Hard day for Matty too, obviously
I was getting ready to take some pics on our camera and the battery died but you can kinda see some progress here. 


Thursday was my turn again and we started my back piece. Her name is Tomoe Gozen (巴 御前). Here is a little insert I stole from "The Tale of the Heike" (to describe her). 

"Tomoe was especially beautiful, with white skin, long hair, and charming features. She was also a remarkably strong archer, and as a swordswoman she was a warrior worth a thousand, ready to confront a demon or a god, mounted or on foot. She handled unbroken horses with superb skill; she rode unscathed down perilous descents. Whenever a battle was imminent, Yoshinaka sent her out as his first captain, equipped with strong armor, an oversized sword, and a mighty bow; and she performed more deeds of valor than any of his other warriors"


Anyway, ever since I read about her, I wanted her to be my back piece. Obviously there is a lot more to her story but she's my hero and I wanted her to be riding a horse (since it's my favourite animal and I use to ride myself). The fact that I am born year of the horse is pretty cool too! 

So back to the tattooing, Thursday was a difficult day, we had a lot of tattooing to get through in one day and as Shige said "It was a difficult piece to do". But I won't go into detail about it, I got through it and that's all that matters!


This is me after Thursdays session. Walked into the hotel room and landed like this, done- haha


By Friday we were pretty sore and sorry for ourselves but we managed to scrape it together for a little shopping, walking around Yokohama and eating lots of food (again) :P


I am not sure what this building is but I like it!
Yokohama, your so cool :D
The dog outfits kill me. This is cowboy outfit. It has holster belt, jacket, check shirt, jeans and cowboy hat. Anyone who can get their dog to wear that (without sedation) is a genius!
Rad old school movie posters, so cool! Next time we are getting some!
Saturday we spent a beautiful day in Sankeien Garden, it's probably one of my favourite places to visit in Yokohama. It's beautiful and so peaceful there, I could spend days in there wondering around. 


So pretty! 
Bamboo
I took  million photo's of these, plum blossoms
So many friendly kittens, the one on my lap plucked the hell out of my jeans and pretty much ruined them (totally worth it for the cuddle though)
So many Koi Fish! We spent a good 1/2 hour daring each other to put our hands in (neither of us did- haha)
Sunday was a fun day. We got the train into Shinjuku and met up with our Danish mates Allan and Amalie. Went out for yummy lunch, did some shopping and ended with coffee and cake. Was a lovely afternoon! Amalie also had a great suggestion that I might need a little comfort for my tattoo sessions, I totally bit her idea and we went shopping for my comfort pillow (who is now known as Ted)!
I stupidly forgot to take any pics (I do that when I am caught up in the moment), so I ripped this one from Amalie's blog so go there to check out her blog too http://princessinferno.blogspot.com/ 


Ted!!!! The star of the show! 
Sunday night we had to rush back to Yokohama in time for dinner with our mate Benny, who was getting tattoo that day, as well as Shige, Chisato and Ayaka. There was so much yummy food and again I wish I had photo's but I totally forgot about it again. Ayaka was showing me scary Japanese ghost stuff on YouTube and Chisato was telling me ghost stories (anyone that knows me, knows I love the scary stuff). But I spent all night having nightmares about Japanese ghosts, haha (and Ayaka is 8- much more mature than me obviously) :P Now I know I am going to have obsession with Japanese ghost TV- hehe

Monday and Tuesday was time for me to finish off my outlining. So we had done my whole back on Thursday and Monday/Tuesday was going to be spent on the bum and thighs (each day, each side). I had two really good days, thank goodness and cruised through both days, just fine! I would like to take a moment to thank Ted (and Amalie for the idea) for getting me through, he really was a super star :P
YAY! Finished (with outline that is), still a long way to go. But so, so happy with it! Thank you Shige!! 
And now I must go because we have to get ready to take Matt to his appointment today. So more updates after he finishes his next few sessions. So bye for now.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Help needed for Saturdays

We've been getting really busy for the past couple of months so we've decided we need another set of hands to help us out on Saturdays.
The job requires you to talk to customers, answer the phone and take bookings, so you will need to have tattoos, some basic knowledge of tattoos and be good with customers. Also a good sense of humour and common sense!
If you're interested in working and having jokes from 11-6 on a Saturday with our shop crew, then call and ask for Joe Farrell on 0208 616 4473.