Delayed.

Our plane is landing right now in New Orleans.
Problem is, we're not on it.
Our flight from MPLS to Milwaukee got canceled this morning,
and we got stuck here.
It's 84º in NOLA today,
and only 41º here.
(with 40mph winds)

I had wanted an extra day in New Orleans
so that Meryl and I weren't just there for the convention,
and we'd be able to spend a little time in the city.
My "working vacation" just got whittled down to "working".
oh well.

I had a client who wanted a sexy grim reaper tattoo,
and although my first thought was this,
this is what we ended up with:



I hope everyone has a great Halloween weekend,
packed to the brim with treats.
If you're looking for something more on Saturday night,
Todd and I have some paintings at Cult Status Gallery,
and the opening night party goes till 1 am.
If you make it down there,
take a couple photos for me,
cause hopefully I'll be in New Orleans.

American Tattoo

American Tattoo

American Tattoo

American Tattoo Master

American Tattoo Master

American Tattoo Master

American Tattoo Master

On a Stick.

Oh man.
This weekend was non-stop.
After working the convention all day Friday,
I got home late,
went to bed later,
woke up early, ran the 5k with Meryl (and Ryan and Rebecca!),
and went back to the convention.
I wasn't tattooing Saturday,
but I helped out and stayed busy.

I gave out lots of stickers:



but didn't sell prints very well:



Ben Rettke took "Tattoo of the Day" Saturday,
for a super dope version of Alice in Wonderland's Mad Rabbit.

Sunday I worked the booth solo,
since Todd was home with his daughter,
and Ben went home sick.
I spent 6 hours on this gnome riding a turtle,
and it won "Tattoo of the Day" that night!
That means Identity Tattoo took it home all three nights.



I'm super flattered by those wins,
and grateful for all the help I had at the convention
(especially Meryl),
and for all my rad clients getting tattooed
and entering them in the competitions.

I'm also grateful that it's over now,
and going back to work tomorrow is going to be a relief.
I have some availability before Meryl and I head down to New Orleans,
so let me know if you need a new tattoo in October.

(and yes, the gnome has a panties on a stick)

dead birds ARE sexy

(and the judges agree)

Who's more tired than me?
I tattooed a full 9.5 hours today,
it's 1:30 am,
and I'm waking up super early to go run a 5k tomorrow.
I know, I'm an a-hole.
I can't help it.

First day of the Minneapolis Tattoo Convention down,
and other than being beat, I'm pretty excited.
I got to do two really fun pieces,
and Matt's dead swan took Tattoo of the Day.
Here's an unbelievably hurty looking photo Meryl got of it.



And a shot of the booth while Todd and I tattooed.



Thanks to Matt and Mr Shoemaker for being the two best clients ever,
and for both sticking around to enter their pieces in the contest.
(Matt actually left, and then came back)

I'm not tattooing tomorrow,
(but I'll be attending the convention all day)
and will be back to tattooing Sunday.

And now for a cat nap before I'm off to go run.

Pre-convention Preview

The Minneapolis Tattoo Convention starts tomorrow.

Identity Tattoo got some fancy banners printed up,

and is kicking off the show dressed for "Not Casual Friday", of course.

I'm doing two dead bird tattoos,

and a gnome riding a turtle.

It really doesn't get any more fun than that.

It'll be 84˚ out tomorrow,

so I won't blame you for not wanting to be inside a hotel convention hall.

But if you do go, stop by to say hello.

I'll have three prints for sale,

including the one shown above.

A dead swan, a dead peacock, and some dead crows.

Cause you know...

Dead Birds Are Sexy