Tattoo Day Spin off - meaning of tattoo

sassylilmama
sassylilmama Posts: 1,493 Member
edited October 1 in Chit-Chat
Everyone is showing off their tattoos but no one is saying what they stand for, if its just something they like or what so do tell!

Mine has my kids names in stars as they are the stars of my life and the bubbles are my personality. The butterfly is for the baby we lost, it was a way to help me get over the loss and always have a concrete way to have him/her with me.

Replies

  • Janie5605
    Janie5605 Posts: 182 Member
    I have 3 sets of footprints on my feet.

    I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy and placed him for adoption. I love him to death and see him semi-regularly (have moved away since so it's hard to maintain visits) It was a harder then normal process because of my ex, the sperm donor, and the foot prints represent my two sisters and my birthson and how they will always be by my side walking through all the hardships I may face...will be adding a set of combat boot prints for my husband shortly.
  • beckyl325
    beckyl325 Posts: 6
    I have several tattoos...

    two of them really have no significance. I was just 18 and wanted to rebel lol :tongue:

    I do however have two that mean a great deal to me. This first is an eagle I have on my right arm. My father loved the eagle. He decorated the whole house with eagles. so when he passed away from illness, I got that to symbolize him.

    I also have a purple cancer ribbon on my left wrist. I got that after my grandfather lost his battle to pancreatic cancer a few years ago.

    Great thread PS! I'm interested to read what others say!
  • SunshineKisses_2012
    SunshineKisses_2012 Posts: 471 Member
    I have three tattoos (no pictures posted on here):

    The first one is an open heart with a yin/yang sign in the middle. I actually drew it and had it tattooed on me when I was 20. It symbolizes balance and love.

    My second one is on my left forearm. It's a scroll work designs with flowers and inside the scroll work it says "inspire". I want to live my life to inspire others to go further and do better. Not just health-wise, but spiritually and in their actions as well. My tattoo artist in California (a long time friend) and I put it together.

    My third one (not the last one I will get) are stars starting at about the third rib on my left side and going down to my hip bone. There are a total of 7 stars, one for every 2 years I have known my best friend. We have known each other for longer now, but she is the sister God never gave me. We have seen a lot in each other's lives, hit a rough patch or two, and I know she will be in my life until the day I die.

    I'm planning another one - my son's footprints, but I don't know where those are going to go yet. I also want a cross somewhere, but I haven't solidified a design or placement. I will also add to the stars. :)
  • Jennjenn1974
    Jennjenn1974 Posts: 350 Member
    I have the Eye of Ra (Egyptian Sun God) on my left shoulder. I am in the process of having my next tattoo designed. Not sure when I will be getting that one...but hopefully soon :)
  • ♥Faerie♥
    ♥Faerie♥ Posts: 14,053 Member
    I have wings on my back....well, since I am a Faerie and all...

    Have two nautical stars on each collarbone, these stars originally were meant for sailors to find their way back home from sea, so I have them to guide me if you will....

    Have scrollwork on the inside of my right wrist, to cover scars there that were from a bad time in my life, (I am left handed)

    Have a sparrow with a crown, a vintage print, and a yellow vintage rose on my left arm going up over my shoulder, representing my Grams, who was my all.....

    In between the sparrow and rose I have the last line of Anne Sexton's suicide note..."At Night the Bats Will Beat on the Trees, Knowing it All, Seeing What They Sensed All Day".....She is one of my favorite poets, and her writings got me through a lot of hard times....

    I have another vintage print of dogwood flowers on the inside of my right arm, again for my Grams, she always loved the dogwoods, but I had them colored in turquoise, one of my fave colors, along with a single Honeybee, (I am a beekeeper)

    And lastly, I have the outlines done of my newest tat, a vintage Latin illustration of the Honeybee on my right shoulder/arm....this print was done in 1867......and its to represent my Honeybee Hive...
  • Avalonis
    Avalonis Posts: 1,540 Member
    I have a superman tat with flames on my left shoulder.

    People think it's because I think I am superman... but its actually because I am a closet nerd.
  • sweetjanet2k
    sweetjanet2k Posts: 28 Member
    I have four tattoo, but the one with the most significant meaning is the one shown as my profile picture. I lost my dad to pancreatic cancer on 8/28/10 and the tattoo is a fleur de lis made of purple ribbons. Purple is the color for pancreatic cancer and we both shared a love for the New Orleans Saints.
  • TheNewLK
    TheNewLK Posts: 933 Member
    I have a nautical star on each shoulder.....each one of my cousins also does to symbolize our grandfather......stars on the bottom of my back means crap I was drunk and under the influnce of substances so im lucky thats all i go.....my butterfly on my shoulder I got when I was 16 and i just liked butterflies....sorry there is no deeper meaning to that one
  • HollyLLillis
    HollyLLillis Posts: 113 Member
    I'm interested in what others will write too... I love tattoos and I have three butterflies on my ankle that only signify that I like butterflies, lol (but I could say they signify my three children :)) but I plan to have two more soon, one will be a broken heart with the saying "tears fall forever inside a broken heart", which will be in honor of those in my family I have lost which is both my parents, my brother and my sister. My brother was killed when he was 27 (he had a one month old son at the time) my sister just passed from cancer, my parents from health problems as they got older... as of now I have one sister, so it's just her and I left in our immediate family. Since my name is Holly I plan to have a holly leaf also but not sure where.
    Has anyone been confronted by others who find any tattoo offensive? I'm surprised at the people who are bold enough to tell me that I am desecrating my body... I don't pass judgement on others and it surprises me how people can be so bold and rude. I find tattoos beautiful and meaningfull, if that makes me a bad person then I'm a bad person.... :flowerforyou:
  • liftingbro
    liftingbro Posts: 2,029 Member
    I have one of a crow on my shoulder, you can see part of it in one my pics on my profile.

    It's meaning is that's my last name and our family Crest. Yes, I'm Irish.
  • brph26
    brph26 Posts: 207 Member
    Mine is my zodiac in the pic.

    I do want to get a ladybug shortly (for sentimental reasons), just not 100% sure where I want to put it yet.
  • ilookthetype
    ilookthetype Posts: 3,021 Member
    I have a tattoo!

    When I was 18 I rebelled (and sorely paid for that rebellion), but I got a Chi Rho tattoo on my hip.

    The Pagan Meaning/Use: Used to mark especially important passages (The Chi-Rho symbol was also used by pagan Greek scribes to mark, in the margin, a particularly valuable or relevant passage; the combined letters Chi and Rho standing for chrēston, meaning "good." - from wiki)
    The Christian meaning is: (also from wiki)
    1. Chi-Rho symbol was used as military symbol under Roman emperor Constantine.
    2. It is formed by superimposing the first two letters in the Greek spelling of the word Christ ( Greek : "Χριστός" ), chi = ch and rho = r, in such a way to produce the monogram ☧. Although not technically a cross, the Chi Rho invokes the crucifixion of Jesus as well as symbolizing his status as the Christ.


    BUT I got it mostly because a band I love (The Psalters) used it as their symbol and their philosophy was: We are Americans, we might not always like what our government does/says but we are Americans, this means we have hosts of opportunties and rights other people don't have. We should stand firm in our belief, tell the gov't what we believe, but never take our status for granted, to use our American citizenship to help the world.
  • Dtho5159
    Dtho5159 Posts: 1,054 Member
    I have 2 so far.

    The first one is my profile pic and is just something I liked.. At the tattoo place, the design they had, had creepy faces so I just had it done without them lol. This one is on my upper back right side.

    The second I have is a heart on my right ankle colored red and has ALEX in it. Alex is my 6 year olds name and red is his favorite color.

    I have several more ideas: I want something with my daughters name, puzzle pieces symbolizing autism awareness, nautical stars, a memorial for my dad, another sun with a rainbow, the boston red sox symbol (Im a 4th generation (on both sides) die hard sox fan)
  • Kityngirl
    Kityngirl Posts: 14,304 Member
    <-- Phoenix on my shoulder covers up a tattoo I got with my ex husband. I took a lot of time designing it and it is so very fitting, rising from the flames and such. Have the sign of leo that I designed on my neck and back as well.
  • CorrieV1976
    CorrieV1976 Posts: 320 Member
    I have 6 tattoo's - One is something my son made for me. It is his initials with fire behind it - I also have EEyore on my ankle holding a big heart that says Bubba - that is my other son's nickname and he is totally like EEyore... I have a tattoo of my puppy who got me through all the hard times when I was living 7 years of hell. A butterfly on my foot....was just because, an american flag just below my neck - got that a month after 9-11 and a devil girl on my shoulder which is probably my favorite and really has no meaning -- it was just really really cute. Here are a couple of them

    24756_390700472176_627477176_5441424_3792141_n.jpg
    6380_158533217176_627477176_3885877_1416588_n.jpg
  • beckyl325
    beckyl325 Posts: 6
    I have a superman tat with flames on my left shoulder.

    People think it's because I think I am superman... but its actually because I am a closet nerd.

    I love this :)
  • b00b0084
    b00b0084 Posts: 729 Member
    I have a cross on my forearm, it says 'L.T.J.J' across, and 8-12-02 going down. It is for the 4 classmates of mine that lost their life in a car accident.
    On my back between my shoulder blades I have two hearts over lapping made out of forget me not flowers. In one flower I have my sons first and middle name, in the other I have my daughters first and middle name. I placed my daughter for adoption, and she is in a different state, so this is my way of keeping my kids together.
  • Triquetra
    Triquetra Posts: 270 Member
    I have a frog hanging onto a piece of grass on my right ankle....to me this symbolizes "the kids keep me hopping and someday I'm gonna croak" :laugh: , really I just like frogs
  • b00b0084
    b00b0084 Posts: 729 Member
    I have a superman tat with flames on my left shoulder.

    People think it's because I think I am superman... but its actually because I am a closet nerd.
    That is the same reason I want a marvin the martian tattoo!
  • b00b0084
    b00b0084 Posts: 729 Member
    I have a frog hanging onto a piece of grass on my right ankle....to me this symbolizes "the kids keep me hopping and someday I'm gonna croak" :laugh: , really I just like frogs
    That is awesome! My kid will make me croak someday too! lol
  • cpck1
    cpck1 Posts: 8
    I have a star on each wrist one has a smaller pink star inside representing my daughter and the other has a green star representing my son. They love them and when we go places they insist that they hold the correct hands. I also have a heart with wings on my lower back - no meaning i was rebeling. lol My latest and favorite is the one in my pic. The stars start at my hip and end right under my arm. I am considering extending them both over my shoulder somehow and down around my hip bone. I got these when i was going through my divorce. It was kind of a freedom thing.
  • neurochamp
    neurochamp Posts: 261 Member
    I have a Polynesian tribal-style dolphin on my right shoulder blade. My husband and I both got Polynesian tattoos while on our honeymoon in Moorea (small island closest to Tahiti in French Polynesia). I've always loved tribal tattoos, so I figured if I was going to get one, I should do it in Polynesia where this style originated.

    My husband got a band around his left arm with a bald eagle embedded in it (multiple meanings - he simply really likes the birds, likes them as an American symbol, and he loves the Philadelphia Eagles). I got a stylized dolphin on my right shoulder blade.

    In Polynesian symbolism, dolphins are a symbol of wisdom (I was working on finishing my Ph.D. at the time, so it seemed fitting), but dolphins are also very curious and playful - I like it as a reminder to never take life so seriously that I forget to enjoy it :smile:
  • CeejayGee
    CeejayGee Posts: 299 Member
    I have a pinup girl on my arm. It means....I like girls? LOL
  • jend114
    jend114 Posts: 1,058 Member
    I love wolves so that was my first tattoo, I have many more to come though
  • 42hockeymom
    42hockeymom Posts: 521 Member
    I've got 4. Two of them are just because they're pretty, a man in the moon on the upper part of my boob, and a fairy on my lower back. (A tramp stamp if you will but, I had it loooooong before they were called that so I say I started the trend) The two with meaning for me are the EMT star of life with a beautiful blue wreath around it underneath my knee on the side of my leg, because I worked in emergency medicine for many years and plan on going back, I have two Chinese charactors on my right wrist they represent pleasure and promise. My husband has the matching tattoo on his left arm. This means we promise to make each other happy forever. When a friend saw them and asked about them and we told him he said, "So what, is that like a sex thing?" Um well none of your bidness, ya perve! But we've been married for 24 years so we're doing something right, right?

    I want my next tattoo to reflect my daughters, so I know I want a monkey who plays hockey for my 14 yo, but my 21 yo is a little harder but I think it's going to be some version of a princess, cuz she is!
  • Snakey74
    Snakey74 Posts: 276 Member
    I have three...two have no meaning, just got something I thought was pretty.
    I have a kanji for joy on my ankle.
    I lost my best friend, Joy, 4-5-02. No one knows why. She just died in her sleep one night. Even the autopsy just says her heart stopped. Her parents had a very hard time dealing with the loss (as you can imagine), and took about 6 years to put a headstone on her grave. This drove me nuts, just going to a spot in the grass...nothing to mark where she was. It sucked, and didn't help with whatever closure I thought I needed. So I got the kanji that represents her name to help me with that.
    I still miss her every day. Every time I look at the tattoo, I think about her silly giggle and wonder what her life would be like now.

    My next tattoo is the word "love" written in my mother's handwriting on the inside of my left wrist.
  • JWeaser
    JWeaser Posts: 302
    Mine is for my father. He passed away on 12-31-05. I got this tattoo three weeks ago. My first car was a 68 Mustang we rebuilt together. I have two others but this is my favorite.
  • Meganne1982
    Meganne1982 Posts: 451
    My first tattoo is a swirly, tribally looking chain around my right ankle that I had the tattooist adapt from a doodle I made. Because I was young and silly and just liked the way it looked (still do).
    Next I got a small anarchy symbol (in my hand writing) on the inside of my left wrist for my punk rock ties as well as a reminder to myself to always live by my rules. Then I got a peace sign the same size (also in my hand writing) on the inside of my right wrist, to show the balance of my nature, because truly I'm a punk-rock hippie :)
    Next on the small of my back I got a tattoo of a drawing I did of an Om symbol with the John Lennon lyrics "We all shine on" wrapping around it (also in my handwriting)- as a tribute to my favorite musician and principles and beliefs I choose to live by.
    And lastly, between my shoulder blades I have a drawing I did of a slightly cartoonish swirly ivy vine. This is in reference to my love of nature and plants (vines being one of my very favorites), as well as a nod to my great-grandmother, whose name was Ivy.
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