TATTOOS: Halloween Tattoos and Art

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! It's the season of the spooky and fancy dress. Yes I am a day early - but I'm way too excited!

I love a bit of Halloween. I'm desperate for a house and kids so I can throw amazing Halloween parties with carved pumpkins, cobwebs everywhere (the fake ones, rather than the I haven't cleaned in a month ones), jelly eyeballs in cocktails and everyone dressed up as their favourite Halloween character.

LIFESTYLE: Look around my home

My little flat shared with my husband and two cats is my favourite place to be. It is filled with mementoes from our lives together. As we are currently looking for a new house to buy, it seemed the right time to share what my last rented flat looks like, before we take the leap to a grown up house!

I like to think of my flat as a cross between an art gallery and a natural museum. Of course we have the usual family photographs, especially from our wedding and bits and pieces from our travels.

TATTOOS: Review - London Tattoo Convention 2014

Ok so I'm a little behind on the old blog, but I'm having a catch up day and scheduling lots of tattoo goodness. New job means I am totally whipped most nights, so I'm having to change my schedule and start getting organised with weekend blogging and post scheduling.

So what better way to get back my mojo than with a review of the awesome London Tattoo Convention 2014.
Myself and hubby went to the convention for the first time this year. Of course we are by no means convention virgins, having been to Brighton earlier this year, and Bournemouth back in the day! But London Tattoo Convention is like no other tattoo convention, it really is the one that any tattoo lover needs to attend!

TATTOOS: Review - Things & Ink, issue 8: the illustration issue

As many of you will know I am a magazine lover, most likely from my journalism days where I studied and absorbed countless magazines.

 
But none get me as excited as Things and Ink. Maybe it's because it's a quarterly magazine so there is more build up and pre-promotion. But also because I love what it stands for.

Issue 8 sees the relaunch of the magazine under a new slogan "independent,  tattoo, lifestyle", which you can read more about here.

As always, there is a central theme, with this issue being illustration, which is perfectly depicted by their covers, which have been illustrated over by the super talented and dark, Danielle Rose. And what is tattoo culture without illustration. It is the key.

This issue is filled with so many inspiring people, and not its not all about the tattoos. Take Ella Masters for instance, her interview is about her personal artistic influences and her blog. Or nail artist Nancy Mc talking about her work and future.

Of course all the articles have a feature of tattooing, such as the amazing editorial beauty piece on Cally Jo, complimented with some of the most beautiful photography I've ever seen. For me, this piece sold the magazine to me. I'm lucky enough to have worked with Cally before she became tattoo famous, and interviewed her as part of my final major project at university (I got a first for that piece, so thanks Cally).

I also love the column by Reeree which explores tattoo journeys. Anyone with multiple tattoos, whether large scale or smaller designs will find this article interesting and thought-provoking.

And last but by no means least is the interesting Disney article debating whether tattooists like doing them or not. Of course, I'm pro Disney tattoo, but I do like a tattooists interpretation of them just as much as the original illustrations.

Overall, this issue is up there as one of their best and my favourite. 

You can buy yours here, and check out their blog for more tattoo articles.