State Of The Art Tattoo Convention

This year we will be working at the State Of The Art Tattoo Convention in Derby. It falls on the 16th and 17th July and has a great selection of artists attending. For all the details visit the site here.

Managed to finish Niran's dragon half sleeve and really happy with the result, it's mostly healed in the photo, just a couple of little details and a small section of the body is fresh.

And Matt came in today so I got a picture of his healed samurai and it all looks good.

One Word- "Ouch"!

So we are really enjoying our week off, although I feel like it is going way too quickly. We have been doing stuff around the house (we wouldn't normally have time to do), eating out a lot and just taking it easy. It's been really nice to spend some time at home, God knows we don't get to do that very often.

Yesterday I managed to talk Matt into tattooing me (so he almost had a week off). We were going to tattoo my head (yes, my head), since it is shaved at the moment I thought it might be a good opportunity? However, I couldn't think of anything to get there, so we decided on doing my palm instead. Ever since Matt had his done I have envied them, so I have pretty much annoyed him about getting them done ever since. I wanted a cuckoo clock originally but it just wasn't going to work for this. Matt came up with a cool lantern and I loved it. So cuckoo will have to go somewhere else instead, I am sure I will come up with some other crazy idea for where to put it. 

So here is some pics of my day today.

Literally minutes after, so excuse the ink, I had trouble rubbing it off. 

And just about finished in this shot. Matt still had some lines he wanted to do but I told him to fuck off (literally- sorry love) and that he and I were done for the day! I have never tapped out before but I swear it was the most horrible feeling in the world and I nearly did. It is finished though, matt just wanted to "retouch stuff", but there was no way I was doing any more today. I just hope I forget about the pain by the time I do the other one.

So fingers crossed it stays in!! I don't want to have gone through that for nothing, nor do I really want to go through any touch ups. 

Oh and I just have to put a shout out for our mate Malika, who is doing a guest spot again from around May 12th. Malika and her baby daddy Mitch are working with us for about 2 weeks in May. She has a couple spots still available for anyone wanting portraits or script. You can check out their work at Westside Tattoo (Brisbane) on facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Westside-Tattoo/144647928914380

New Hours

I'm holding down new hours at the shop these days, Tuesday to Saturday, noon till six, I'm at the shop. Call before you come, walk-ins welcome.

Rebel Waltz Tattoo
873 Notre Dame ave.
Winnipeg, MB

(204) 832 7633

Thanks,

Bram

Bank Holiday BBQ!

A bit short notice but I've been too busy to post this sooner, but on the 25th April we'll be having a BBQ at the back of the shop with everyone welcome. If you're in the area and want some burgers and what not then come on by, it's all free and we only ask you donate a little money which will go straight to www.barnados.org.uk.

Work wise, there's been a lot of good stuff in!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter everyone! I am really on a roll with this blogging thing! I am trying to be a bit more on top of it these days, keep you all interested (or bored, one of the two). I feel like maybe these blogs should have a little more about us, as well as tattoo's. I have been reluctant to right anything too personal since I have been doing this but now I am thinking that it isn't such a bad idea. Not that I am going to divulge my deepest darkest secrets on here but maybe just a little more about what we are up to, in and out of the world of tattoo's. 

So today is the first day of our 10 days off and I am just slightly excited about that. I am also a little sad today because today is the day we were supposed to go to Japan. Lately I have been so distracted with other things that have been going on (Hope for Japan day, renovations to our house and getting the new shop) but as that stuff is winding down it is really starting to hit me that we aren't actually going. That sounds a little melodramatic but you have no idea how excited I was to get back there and how excited I was for more tattooing! But August is just around the corner and how dare I complain about my holiday when such a devastating tragedy has happened to a country we love so much. But you can't help but be bitterly disappointed right?

So to distract myself yet again, we have decided to have a movie day! Got friends coming over and we are going to celebrate Easter by sitting on the couch and watching movies (ALL DAY). There will be chocolate and junk food too. What better way to spend the first day of vacation?

Oh and you need to see some tattoo's (it's ok, the blog won't become all about me, don't worry).

This one Matt did some time ago and I am yet to take some good photo's of it but you get the idea. I found the photo again yesterday and realised it isn't so bad a shot that I can't post it. But better photo is to come.

Rajin God of lightening, just an update. Rajin got some colour yesterday. Terrible photo, yet again.

Just a little bit of advise for those who are getting tattooed. Please look after them properly and follow healing instructions!! Tattoo's are expensive, we all know that, we pay for them too! Why not take care of your investment? Just a little pet peeve I have right now, people not taking care of their tattoo's!!

Ok, think that's all to report today. Happy Easter again!

Twice in a week?

Yep that's right, I am blogging again, for the second time in a week! Shocking, I know. But there are a few things to share.

First up, the T-Shirts have arrived! Our lovely Simone is modelling them for you:

And some tattoo's. Here is a phoenix Matt started last week:

Here is an unusual one. Lauren wanted a (Machine vs nature) themed tattoo. So Matt put a bunch of cogs with a bunch of lotus flowers. Not something Matt would normally do but I think it turned out great.

Also just wanted to let people know we will be closed over the Easter break. So from Good Friday until Wednesday next week. Jamie and Simone are back Wednesday (28th April). Matt and I are taking the whole week off, so will not be back until the 2nd of May. 

Have a great Easter break everyone!

Hope for Japan!

What a day we had yesterday! 35 tattoo's and 31 people got tattooed. I have no idea how many people actually came through the door but I know it was a lot. Before we go any further I just want to say thank you so much to ALL the people who showed their support yesterday. Thank you to those who got tattooed and thank you to those of you who stopped by and made donations. What an awesome turn out we had, we had people lining up from 8:30am to get tattooed! I also want to say I am so sorry to those who missed out, we ended up having to turn a lot of people away and I feel bad about that. But the guys tattooed from 9:30am till around 6:30pm, they worked their butts off and it just wasn't possible to do too much more. But we aren't going anywhere and I encourage those people to still come back and see us again another time!

So we made a grand total of $2851.60!! Not bad considering tattoo's were only $80 each. I am pretty damn proud of those efforts for just one day! I will be donating the money as soon as Monday and every cent will be going to the Japan relief effort.

Here is a bunch of pics from yesterday:

This jar was full to the brim by the end of the day, well done people!

Tash pretending to tattoo Tom (who got his first tattoo yesterday- actually 2 tattoo's for his first)- well done! Don't know how much damage that finger is going to do though.

Jamie (AKA Mango) tattooing Ty.

A bunch of lovely ladies waiting to be tattooed

Sorry but the ice box (eski) has to make it in here, who has a coffin to keep drinks in? US, that's who! I am so keeping this at the shop permanently. Don't know where I will put it but it stays! I might even put pillows and blankets in it and use it as a bed.

Our two best workers for the day!! Thanks so much to the lovely Tash and Amy, who spent the whole day helping out! Love you guys!!

Kris getting his neck tattooed by Mango.

Mango is pretty damn happy about that hannya on Justin

Simo's cute little Japanese flowers

Matty did this rose on Sally's neck

Peoni, done by Simo!

Hope for Japan tattoo that Jamie did

Best tattoo of the day goes to Kris, done by Jamie. STOKED!

Our mate Scotty (AKA Too Good), done by Matty.

Kokeshi Doll by Simo

Fire beard dragon by Jamie.

All the wonderful people who donated their time, money and skin for the Japan- LEGENDS! THANK YOU!

Our awesome crew (missing Amy) but we are done! Time to go out for dinner and a drink! Good job guys! x

That's all for now...

Times, they are a changing

What a week! With our house undergoing some small renovations and us getting the keys to the the new shop, we have been burning the candle at both ends. I have been running around like a headless chook, between the new shop and the house but it has all been worth it. We are so excited to finally be able to move some stuff next door and the shop is looking way less cluttered. We actually have a proper kitchen, in which to prepare food (instead of doing it in in the reception area). Last night we moved Jamie and Simo's room around a lot and it's looking so much better, can't believe we hadn't thought of doing it earlier. Anyways, I have posted some snaps of the new and improved shop! Enjoy!

So we put the couch/coffee table where Jamie used to be, near the fireplace.

And put Jamie over the other side of the room, where the couch used to be under the big mirror.

And the big drawing desk has been put next door, so Jamie could set up a station there instead.

Also thought it might be fun to show the new shop. Excuse the mess, we are still organising. But this is what will be the new drawing room. We still need a heap of furniture we are bringing from home but you get the idea. Also this is pretty much what our shop used to look like, before we got to it. PS All the drawings on the wall are about 1/2 of what Matt has on the go at the moment. Shit, he really does work hard!

So damn excited to have this balcony all to ourselves now. Can't wait to deck it out with furniture, so we can sit outside in Summer.

On the tattoo front I have posted a couple of pics but yet again I have been so busy and not really around to take many shots. But Matt did finish a couple of big jobs this week, I gotta get the guys to come back to the shop for pics. So will post them soon.

This is a hand tattoo Matt did last Saturday (Matt didn't do the rest of the arm). So this is Jimmy's tribute to his baby girl Ava, her name and a bloody big rose to go with it! Sweet!

And here is a phoenix 3/4 sleeve Matt started on Friday on Nick. Just the outline for now.

Aaaaaannnnd, you guessed it, I am gonna mention the open day again! Sorry to harp on but it's important to keep you all interested! So, this time next week people!!!! Please come down and show your support, we can't forget Japan, they still need our help!!

For those people who read our blog and live elsewhere in the world, check out the Tattooers for Japan website for shops that are getting involved and get yourself involved!

http://tattooersforjapan.com/links.html

Or get yourself a print from Uncle Allan @ Conspiracy Inc. They are selling 100 signed and numbered prints and all proceeds are going to the cause. Here is a link to where you can buy the prints but they are also donating proceeds from the sales of most the their other prints too. Get one, we did!

http://conspiracyinctattoo.blogspot.com/2011/04/uncle-allan-for-japan.html

Shige from Yellow Blaze Tattoo Yokohama has decided to donate all proceeds from prints and shirts, so if you ever wanted any Yellow Blaze merch, now is the time to get it!

http://www.yellowblaze.net/shop/index.html

Or get one of these "I Stand with Japan" t-shirts by Chad Koeplinger and Horitaka. Do it, they are just $35

http://www.horitaka.com/standwithjapan/

And finally check out the "HOPE for Japan" project. If your going to Ink Explosion or the Frankfurt conventions get involved!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_152660114796365&ap=1

Let's stay on this people, by no means is Japan back on it's feet again and we need to do all we can to help out!

Matt's input this week "For an enjoyable listen, please peruse "Radiohead- King of Limbs" and "Raekwon- Only built for Cuban links part II".

That will be all. Have a great weekend!

Hail Mary

Had a couple of Virgin Marys to tattoo last week, one designed by myself and one designed by Jo. Really enjoyed doing both and looking forward to finishing off the gangster version.