Where Has The Summer Gone?

I can't believe August is just around the corner...amazing!!! Literally, the summer has just flown by...which can I just say good, I HATE HOT WEATHER!!! Autumn is my time of year and it's going to be great watching the leafs on the mountain turn. And then it's time for me to get to work on my own tattoo work, I like getting tattooed in cooler weather, and Jim and I have put the breaks on my leg long enough. I want this finished!!!! Only so I can move onto something else LOL

Here's a lil update for the Meeting Of The Marked convention in Oct. I am booked solid on the 29th and 30th, but still have an opening for Nov. 1st so if anyone is interested you should contact me ASAP.

OK enough with that...work has been jamin' I've takin on some great new projects; working on a drawing for a full back, Samurai and Tiger battling, which will be super exciting to start. Also starting sketch work for another back that I will be starting at the M.O.M. convention, a Tiger and Koi theme with Peonies. Doing some revisions to a sleeve of a theme that's new to me, a Masonic sleeve. I did a lot of research for this bad boy and according to my client this is going to be the sleeve of all sleeves. That's the sketch depicted above, I have a few additions I need to make, but other than that we are ready to rock and roll on this.

Updated my In Progress Gallery on my website http://tattoosbystacy.com A lil from Josh's sleeve, Jeremy's back, and Zakk's chest. I'll also be adding some healed pictures from Dale's thighs, she was down this weekend to add some flowers to her upper shoulder so while she was here we got some pics of her Tiger and Snake thigh and her other Phoenix and Chrysanthemum thigh.

Well my peeps that's it for now, I'm off to do my day off stuff, laundry, shopping, yadda yadda yadda, oh how domestic I can be. Stay cool and remember that sunblock!!!!!

SWEET 16!!

16 years ago, today I turned the Open sign on in a window and Chrome Gardens was born. When I first opened it was just me, answering the phones, tattooing, talking to clients, and then shortly after I brought on Larz "The Punkture God", also known as Larry, who was doing piercings for me and helping out. That first year was scary, but as time went on it got easier and easier, I met Linda in '96 and kidnapped her and straight away put her to work!!! We've had our share of artists come and go, some of the best times is when Bryan Campbell was with us. What a crazy motherfucker but talented, Bryan and I got our start together in the business and it was a joy to have him working along side me again. Having Janis here was a good time as well, and from that we have built an incredible friendship and bond. I love you Jan!!! When I reflect back through the years I can honestly say with no regrets I would never trade what I do, who I do it with or where I do it for anything in the world. I've made my own lil creative cocoon and I enjoy coming to the studio every single day! My clients make it fun for me, they keep me on my toes and without their support I would still be in Advertising...cringe to the thought of that sterile corporate environment!!!!! For the past year now I've had two awesomely fun people working with me, Jim and Mandy, they're top notch kids!! Mandy being my apprentice has racked my nerves some days but I love watching her progress into the talented tattoo artist she's become. Jim is a stand up guy and with a talent like his behind the machine I have no worries. They've made this past year a real pleasure and we're looking forward to many more. I can't begin to thank everyone the list is too long but you know who you are!! The Chrome Gardens family is a large one, people like Christian, Zakk, Jeremy, Rick, Dale, etc. have always been here to lend a hand when needed. It's great to have such a large support system in place, they got my back!Thanks everyone I love you all!!!! Raise your glasses to Chrome Gardens and another 16 Years!!

Here It Comes!

My lil ultra mini vacation in Rehoboth was fun, met some new people and connected with some old. HAHAHA sorry Sean, I couldn't resist. The weather was nice until Sunday hit and it was back into the 90's, and don't even get me started on yesterday. It seems to be more of the same this week as well, I am soooo grateful for air conditioning!!!

Working on Peg's Phoenix backpiece today, finishing it up is in the agenda. She certainly took the plunge...and we're discussing some further pieces for the future. I finished a sketch last week for a great client I've done a lot of work on, a lil fun thing, out of the norm for me, apparently a friend of hers got part of same concept but she wanted to push it just a lil further, which is always exciting for me. I've haven't done an Owl in oh so very long and I had been playing around with this concept for a while so when Amber contacted me it was like the gates opened and angels sang. LOL Well maybe more like voices in my head, but you get my meaning. I posted the sketch, I hope you enjoy.

Teaming up with Mandy again in a couple weeks to work some more on her mom Dales' Gypsy leg. Dale took her usual winter break but now that her skin is out and the weather has warmed up for that long drive from North Jersey it's time we got back to work. I promise to get some pics this time of our progress, we get so excited and Dale has so much energy after a session I forget. She's the only person I know who can get up after a 4 hr. long tattoo session and start clickin' her heals and stompin' her feet in a fit of musical frenzy. I am literally dazed after I get tattooed and just wanna crawl into the fetal position and sleep. I HATE the outline!!! but shading and color work never bother me the same, I really don't know too many Tattoo Artists that like getting tattooed, most of my friends in the industry I work on are babies like me. We hate it, it's a control thing I believe, just like Doctors make the worse patients.

Well it's 8:43 am and I have some work to do before I get into the studio, until next time my darlings!!! Peace, Love and MOTHERFUCKIN' TATOOS!!!!! \m/