Linds--your post went through 3 times. I don't know what the problem is on your end, but your post is here! :)

Great ideas, ladies! Gives me something to think about!

Gosh, I got busy and hadn't checked this forum. Sorry it's taken so long to answer.

Precisely. Many years ago while thumbing through one of the ex's Tattoo mags I came across a pic of a woman's tattooed foot. It started just below her ankle and went along the outside of the foot and across the foot just above the toes. It was flowering ivy of some type. For YEARS I have considered it and checked into it, however, tattoos on the foot can be tricky as they can be damaged by shoes if worn to soon, can fade if not done properly for the foot, etc. So, I've waited.

But I want my ultimate reward to be inked again. I'm not settled on the flowering ivy though but my right foot does indeed symbolize my new start.

I have two tattoos (left ankle, right foot). I found out later that those can be the most painful places to get tattooed (w/ bones right under), but it really didn't seem that bad. I've been keeping them in places that shouldn't alter much as I lose. When I'm at goal, I plan to get something beautiful and large (not huge, but detailed) on my back. I have a few ideas for that one. I think it's a great idea to celebrate you successes, if that's your kind of thing.

Lower back will be cool!!!!! Also a pierced belly hehhehehe

A nice butterfly or a fairy if you're into that.

I got a tattoo to celebrate my weight loss last June. I never considered myself "hip" or "cool" enough for a tattoo (I was in the CHESS club in high school for god's sake) and there was never anything that meant so much to me I would want to tattoo it forever on my skin.

Losing 60 lbs and feeling fabulous was definitely something I wanted to celebrate forever, to remind myself how hard I worked and something to remind myself every day that losing weight is much easier than keeping weight off.

I also thought about a pheonix or a butterfly or a bluebird of happiness. I started looking into Japanese characters, I wanted something that said "transformation" but when I started talking to Japanese speakers, it wasn't that simple.

A Chinese friend turned me onto Chinese proverbs. I found a bunch I loved and I picked my favorite saying that also had the most beautiful characters. My tattoo is 4 traditional Chinese characters of an old Chinese proverb "Dripping water eats through stone." Just to remind me of the hundreds of tiny changes I made and do on a daily basis to accomplish something enormous. Even a tiny drop of water can wear away a rock.

You can see my tattoo here (it looks huge, but it was taken in extreme close-up, it's barely 3 inches long, right down the middle of my back, the top is about an inch below a normal shirt collar):

http://gloriana.myphotoalbum.com/vie...attoo_finished

Here are some of the other choices I considered:

http://gloriana.myphotoalbum.com/vie...album03&page=1

The great proverb site I used:

http://www.oneaday.org/archives.html

It updates daily, this proverb was added after I got mine. I love this and would probably have chosen this one if I had seen it (not that I don't love mine! this one just says it perfectly)

http://www.oneaday.org/2005/08/heave...e_changed.html

Getting tattooed didn't hurt that badly at all :)

Sorry guys, didn't mean to post the same message 3 times! I figured out it was on my end... lol obviously!

I have three tattoos that with modest clothing can't be seen. I have two originals that were drawn for me. The first on my right shoulder is from a favorite earring which is a celtic heart. The intertwining lines make the heart. The second was a moon and two stars for my two kids-it's on my left shoulder. There are a lot of moon-sun-star design out there but the tattoo artist drew mine from a picture that I brought in. The third is in the middle of my upper back but can be covered with a tank top. It matches the exact same one on my hubby's arm. It is a rose with two locks because our love is here to stay(well most days anyway). I have been thinking about getting one on my lower back for awhile. I had been looking at a morning glory design and thought it was decided and then I saw a lotus flower (I know I posted it before but I thought I would go more in depth as to why) I like how they grow in adverse conditions. I have not had the easiest of lifes and I love the deeper meaning. Once I lose the weight it will be overcoming one more obstacle and I thought it would be fitting for me .

My daughter has several tattoos and piercings--my favorite is a rose bud and leaf design going around her left ankle--she did a variation and picked blue roses. Best time to get a tattoo on your foot is spring-summer so you can wear flip-flops while it heals.

Ladies,
Speaking as one who has many tats (7), I can tell you, if the artist is good, it will only feel like it does when you knick yourself shaving (your legs). I do recommend however, think twice about covering scars. I have a tat of the outline of TX with the words "Pure Texas Meat" (don't laugh, was a dare, ex-hubby said I wouldn't drop my drawers for the artist, little did he know I thought the artist was HOT!:devil: ) on my left butt cheek. It hurt like heck when he hit the stretch marks (from where I spread when I was pregnant). He was kind and warned me when he was getting close so I'd be prepared.

He told me when I got my first one, the further away from your heart, the less painful it will be, and if you can watch it being done, it will hurt less. I can tell you, I have 2 on my ankles, 1 on my outer calf, 1 on my thigh, 1 on hip, 1 on butt cheek, and 1 on left shoulder blade, other than the one hitting my stretch marks, the one on my shoulder blade is the only one that hurt. All of mine can be hidden if I so choose, and all but the butt cheek one shows when I wear a bathing suit.

All of mine are girlie. The ankles, one is yellow rose (obvious), other is heart ripping thru skin (flash), calf is different colored morning glories I had him draw up from a picture for me (its about 6 inches long), thigh and hip are of unicorns (I was into them at the time, still think they are beautiful but oh well), TX on cheek, and Garfield and Pooky on my shoulder blade because Garfield is my hero, and everyone needs a teddy bear.;)

See, I know if I break down and get one tat, I will wind up with something Texas-related on my body somewhere. It's some undeniable law of nature for us Texans, it seems. :lol: Kinda like how when I lived in Virginia people understood me saying I wasn't gonna stay the second I told them where I'm from.

You could get a cute little turtle---"slow & steady wins the race"

I have three tats and am long over due for some new ink, but I haven't had time to really decide what I want. The next one will definitely be in celebration of achieving my goal of a healthy body. Hopefully I'll get it together by Summer, as it's so much easier to let a tat heal without a lot of clothing over it :)

My others are on my left shoulder (knotwork pentacle) back of my neck(7 circuit labyrinth) and left calf (stylized trillium)