girl cousins.

being the only girl sandwiched by brothers, these girls are the closest things i ever had to sisters...

they belong to my dad's cousin howard and his wife holly

but growing up, they were the only other bennions in san diego

and they were all GIRLS

{so foreign. so exciting.}

and just like the backstreet boys {brian aj, howie, nick, and kevin}, i only know them in order {hanna, haley, heidi, and heather}

this is my 666th blogpost. yikes.

posted with love.

lauren.

talk about a trip down memory lane...

apparently, this go around was all about reminiscing.

meet lauren.

best friend from sixth grade and beyond.

we met the day before school started... walking around the new school grounds with our families... it was there, near the monkey bars that we learned we'd both be in mrs. litsey's class.

and then the first day of school started, and we were both scared out of our minds to be friends.

UNTIL

i won the weekly golden ticket drawing and got to "go early to lunch with a friend." i chose lauren.

the rest is history.

and still, after all these years {19 of th to be exact - oy.} we still email funny stories and memories from elementary, middle, and high school.

we met for delicious drinks and for face-to-face laughs AND to meet her sweet baby boy.

we could laugh for hours. she's just the greatest.

kyle & bristyl.

when i was 12, bristyl was 5.

i babysat her and her three sibs {which eventually turned in to five before long} on friday and saturday nights while her parents went on dinner and costco dates.

3 hours. $8.

we ate spaghetti-o's for dinner and swam in the pool

all. day. long.

i let her make me up like a clown in the play room

and she let me curl her mushroom head, page boy haircut.

{it was really cute circa 1993}

AND NOW SHE'S MARRIED!

crazy?

totally.
i can't believe it.

cannot form the words to describe the bizarre-ness of this sweet little girl being married

{and doing married things}

but... hooray for bristyl and kyle.

super duper hooray in the biggest, best, happiest, loveliest way.

what would you do if the temple of your dreams looked like THIS on your wedding day?

probably nothing, because you're blissfully in love.

but still. whoa.

the bride, sister-of-the-bride and i went designer dress shopping a couple months ago, took pictures of the priciest, most beautiful gowns... the a genius mother worked this out of her brain.

and how 'bout these sweet sisters?

sierra, the tall glam-dawg soccer player, taryn the tiny fashion-forward wonder, and maeci the sweetest of all sweets.

{i should point out the fact that taryn's skirt was $7 from the macy's kid's department. handmade top... pieced together, and a perfect replica of a dolce & gabbana's advertisement. i told you, fashion forward genius.}

bride + groom + babysitter

at the most gorgeous estate

with a 360 view of the san diego valley

and these flowers?

it's all about who you know, i tell you.

i made that.




happy times.
lots of love.
for.ev.er.

Vampir

Here's another in progress piece, a fancy vampire lady on Stefan from Germany, who was raised in Transylvania.
For reals.

To be continued in August...

We're going to the States in a few days.
And there's water damage in the kitchen.
Our timing is great, as always!

wasn't me.

it wasn't my submittal...

but it very well could be.

*sigh*

Rain Rain Go Away...

Well we've had a shitload of rain over most of new zealand this last week,Otago got a heavy hit & turned much of the place into a massive dirty swimming pool,Floods were plenty... Not good riding weather. So to kick off what you can do with this winter weather here are some things i recommend...

Although it's pissing down outside,It's always good to keep your liquids up.

Cause outside over the fence the silver stream may have turned into a raging torrent of water! 

No1 mission is to clean the bike & think of sunnier days!

 

Or maybe work on an old school bike... Like my haro sport from the 90's

Maybe you have an old standard to slap together,Some one i know has 3 of these,Greedy bastard!

Take your pitbike out for a blast & get the fucker dirty as! Rain isn't always bad,You just gotta find shit to do in it!

Do some random art,Alcohol will help you with this,Don't even finish it... Makes ppl wonder what the fuck it's all about.... 

Do a portrait of a family member....

If you own a tattoo gun.... Take your art to skin... ( stay clean with this hobby though )

Tattoo a family member... Make em pay with alcohol & pain... & lots of money!!

If none of those things appeal to you,Then just sit back & think of warmer weather & better scenery!

 

Sunnier days are always better than rainy days?

Winters a good time for digging ya trails,But summers where it's at!

Bring back warm days & blue sky!

Stay safe over winter & don't forget to keep those liquids up!

Ha!

I did it, i conquered the storage rooms!

These were the last two rooms of the shop that still had "construction" written all over them, but now they're finally ready to be used for something other than storing tools, paint and yellow dust.
Maybe in the future this will be a screen printing room?
For now there's still a bunch of stuff in there that we have nowhere else to put, but it looks a hell of a lot better than before.*

It's taken me days, a lot longer than expected, but i finally sorted through everything, threw out a bunch of stuff, and organized and cleaned the rest

The Star Wars toys got their own corner

And the decks finally have a home too

The chandelier on the floor is going in the front room, by the way.
Pretty, right?

*There are no pictures of the second storage room, because *someone* hasn't put up any lights in there yet.
But i swear i cleaned that room too!

Flower Tattoo Art - How to Get the Perfect One For You

If you do not know yet, flower tattoo art is closely associated with creating attractive blossom patterns. Actually, such work of art is done by placing some markings in the body depending on the designs of tattoos that you have chosen. A very stunning tattoo art that makes use of flowers can guarantee you of a tattoo design that will not only look stylish and trendy, but at the same time, will bring a deeper meaning to you. Here are just a few of the other things you need to know regarding getting one for you:

First of all, look for a handsome pattern that will give you utmost pride as you wear such tattoo design on your body. Also, make it a point that there is a deeper meaning or story behind the design that you have personally picked. That way, when people ask you why you have chosen such beautiful designs of flowers, then you have a tale or story to tell, which will definitely give your body art a deeper meaning.

Also, make sure that you also look into the kind of shape that you will want to be drawn on your body. If you are a woman, you should instruct the local tattoo artist doing your markings that it should be something smaller considering you have a lighter and smaller built than a man. If you happen to be a member of the male population, then make sure that even though you are considering getting some flower designs as your body tattoo, you should find the flower tattoo art that will match your gender and will not lessen, but instead enhance your masculinity even more.

On the other hand, if you are a woman in search of an excellent flower tattoo art, make sure you ask your tattooist to do a tattoo which is exactly what you want from the smallest details of the size, the design, the colors, and several others. Such flower designs are actually symbolic of the true spirit and moral fiber of a person; and what is more, it can even bring out the feminine side of you upon wearing such flower tattoo designs. However, make sure that you have finalized all the details of the design you have chosen, so that when the local tattoo artist finally starts to draw or ink your tattoo marking, it will not be difficult for both of you since he already knows what you want.

Furthermore, if you prefer a flower tattoo design that depicts a religious meaning, representing your religious practices and beliefs, then it would be best to select the iris three-way petals as your tattoo design. Such design has actually been considered as a tattoo art that stands for the Holy Trinity, and with the colors symbolizing the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Last of all, you may also wish to have the flower tattoos in combination with birds, or in particular a hummingbird while enjoyably eating the flower's nectars from the flower designs drawn on your body.

If you want to get your body tattooed permanently with a Flower Tattoo Art, then it would be helpful if you know more about the various designs that go with such image. Just click HERE to know more about Tattoos.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Russell_Reugh

Lower Back Tattoos For Women - A Few Thoughts to Ponder Before Getting One

Ladies, if you are looking to get a lower back tattoo, here are few things to think about first. For some men, lower back tattoos on women can be a real turnoff. And besides being perceived as unattractive, your new ink may also trigger an intimidation factor in guys. The last thing you want to do is scare off your new prospect.

Now why would tattoos for women on the lower back potentially scare off some men you ask?

Perhaps because it expresses a sign of independence. It sends out a subliminal message to possible suitors that you are not in need. You are perfectly capable of taking care of yourself and you don't need a man for support. I know...this may sound silly but it is true. Men are wired to be the care providers for women or the knight in shining armor so to speak. Something as simple as a butterfly or fairy tattoo design may suppress this trait in men and may have them looking elsewhere for other partners.

But why would men find my lower back tattoo unattractive?

Well, there are a few reasons. First, a tattoo on a sexy part of the woman's body may send a signal to men that you are promiscuous or flirty. This, in itself, may suggest to men that you have had several sex partners in the past or that you are "very experienced." Some men may find this to be a huge turn on but others may find it to be a huge turn off. It just depends on the man.

Second, not all men feel comfortable about introducing Mom and Dad to a woman with a lower back tattoo. This is only because those men have a pretty good idea of what their parents find to be acceptable. For a lot of parents, tattoos on the lower back may convey the same suggestions of promiscuity.

Lastly, some men may just not prefer lower back tattoos on women. It's as simple as that. Some guys just see them as being unattractive. Then again, some men may find them to be incredibly appealing.

So what can you do?

If you are considering getting a tattoo and you are already in a relationship, run it by your (serious) boyfriend first. Bring it up casually in conversation. See what kind of response it provokes out of him. You might even say, "My friend got a tribal butterfly tattoo on her lower back...what do you think of that." This way at least you have some idea.

You could also just not really care what anybody thinks. If you want a tattoo, then get a tattoo. After all, that's what a tattoo is about, right? It's an open and free form of expression. Why should you care what anybody thinks? Just be sure that the tattoo you get is the right one and has special meaning to you and you only. Don't get something that you will regret 10, 20, or even 30 years down the road.

To discover the greatest lower back tattoos for women, be sure to visit http://www.tribalbutterflytattoos.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Stanwick

Beauty of Flower Tattoo Designs

Flowers are perhaps the among the strongest object used to symbolized women and tattoos are not any different. For centuries, women have been coming up with more creative and illustrious flower tattoo ideas to add to those that are already in existence. One of the main reasons for this is flower tats will never be out of style in any day and age. What this means is, these tattoos and ideas will be around and tattooed by women all over the globe in years to come yet.

When it comes to flowers, there are really no limitations as to what can be tattooed. No matter what, flower tats will almost always look great on a woman especially when tattooed by an experienced tattoo artist/tattoo parlor using quality tattooing techniques. What this means is there are really no right or wrong when it comes to flower tat ideas. It is more a question of whether these designs suit the woman in question. We do have some flower tattoo ideas to help out women out there wanting to get one (or even in multiples).

First of all, the most obvious would be to choose between a black inked flower tat or a colored flower tat. While flower tats can still look good in black, flowers do bring out the life in these flowers especially when the flower tattoo ideas and designs are in 3D.

Next, flower tattoo ideas can also revolve around the type of flower itself. Although the most common and popular flower used in tattoos are roses, there are also many other flowers that have been tattooed and actually with great results to boot. They can include (but not limited) to orchids, sunflowers, morning glories, lilies and sunflowers.

Flower tattoo ideas can also come in the form of the number of flowers used in the design. For instance, a single rose may look good but when coupled with another bud, it can have adverse effects. On the same note, bouquets or bunches of flowers can also have positive effects. These flower tat ideas may also include other objects or even an image of a person on it. Guns, skulls, sun, women or body part can go well with these flower tats.

Among the most overlooked of flower tat ideas lies in the form of the placement of the tattoos in itself. Having the flower tattooed on the appropriate part of the body can accentuate that body part in question. It really comes down to the issue of how revealing the tattoo is intended to be and for whom the tattoo is targeted at (private or public).

The next tip or advice we have where flower tattoo ideas are concerned lies in the tattoo artist/parlor itself. An experienced and skilled tattoo artist can give you great ideas on the actual design or/and placement of the tattoo based on individual characteristics/personalities and other factors.

The above are only a handful of flower tat ideas and tips to help all those with interest and intentions in acquiring one. The best thing about them is they are constantly evolving in line with the current fashion and trends. In other words, one can almost never go wrong with a beautiful flower tattoo design!

FREE Tattoo Ideas

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Y.

Dragon Tattoos For Men Design

Dragon Tattoos For Men

Tattoos for men ussually very extreme, for example is a dragon tattoos above, this design for men. if you a man you can make this design in your body. may be many woman will like with you :)

Tatto Lettering Tribal Design

Tattoo Lettering Design For Ideas

Tattoos is good design if the people like the art design. some people willing make the art their design just for hobby , how about you ??? the tattoo lettering above may be will make you like a tattoos design.

do you see what i see??

linds...this one is for YOU

Lady bird

Allan has been working on some really fun projects lately, but since they're all pretty big, it'll be a while before we see the finished results.
So for now you'll have to settle for some in progress pictures.
It's better than no tattoo pictures at all, right?

Here's our homegirl Anne, getting comfortable in the rather cold shop (i swear, it's like friggin November here at the moment...)

Fancy bird lady has some fancy leg chains

Another very late night at the office...

Very much in progress as Allan still needs to add flowers, so i'm afraid Anne hasn't seen the last of the liners yet

you WON'T believe this!

what a weekend! tammy, bonnie and i decided to run off to the beach this weekend. china beach to be exact. it's the beach that the american soldiers were sent to during the Vietnam war for their R&R. we heard it was one of the most beautiful beaches in vietnam, so naturally, we had to check it out!

we arrived in danang on friday night and were off to our "beachfront" hotel. ya right. strike one. we arrived at the gold coast hotel to find that it is most certainly NOT on the beach. sucks, but fine, we can deal. the beach is down the road a km or so. so we check in and go up to our rooms. seconds later we hear a scream from bonnie's room. we run over and there she is chasing a cockroach! we live in vietnam so we can deal with a cockroach or two but don't love them. so bonnie squishes mr. cockroach and we decide we need a drink...or 5. so we sit at the hotel bar and have some gin and tonics....while watching MILLIONS of cockroaches walk the sidewalk in front of us. we decide that maybe this is not what we wanted so in the morning, we would look for a different hotel for satuday night. fine.

we go up to the rooms, walk in and OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! there is a cockroach ON THE BED!! near the PILLOW!!!! STRIKE 600!! we're out of here!! so we go down stairs and tell the staff that we're leaving and they just can't believe it and think we should stay in a different room because they can "guarantee" there will be no cockroaches in the other rooms...i asked who told the cockroaches to stay out of some rooms and not others..."did you put a do not enter sign on the doors of these rooms?" i ask. we were SO mad! so it's midnight and we're looking for a new hotel. we ended up staying at the Life Resort and it was absolutely AMAZING! we were pretty well the only ones there and the staff was so great. it made up for the crappy roach hotel for sure.

but don't fret. this is not where the story ends. on sunday morning, we get a text message from jetstar saying that our flight has been delayed from 4:45 pm to 12:10 am!!!!!!!!!!!!!! that's only a small delay...CRAP! so the great staff helped us get on a vietnam airlines flight early in the afternoon and we were in business class! we had like full out relclining chairs and everything. too bad the flights only an hour long!

so, now i'm back home with a super sun burn. i say in the sun for maybe 20 or 25 minutes on saturday and i am burned to a crisp! OUCH!

aside from the crazy drama, it was a beautiful beach and a nice weekend getaway. sometimes you just need to get out of the city. next weekend we are off to dalat with the staff. the owners of our school are paying for a trip to dalat so we have that to look forward to. anyway, enjoy the china beach pics...it was so nice!!!