From Prom Pics to Tattoo Picks: How I Found My Space

This part of my story still feels kinda surreal when I think about it.

I was out taking prom pictures of my daughter and her date. We ended up near this salon that I just loved the look of. The lighting, the decor, the whole place was perfect. So I walked in and asked if we could take some pictures inside.

That’s when I met Brie, the owner. Super sweet, totally welcoming it’s too bad we weren’t friends in high school. We would have been inseparable. As I was wrapping up, I noticed a stencil printer out of the corner of my eye. And I had to ask:

“Hey… do you tattoo?”

She kinda laughed and said, “Sort of.”

And I said, “Would you ever be open to having a tattoo artist in your space?”

She said sure.

I wasn’t even sure I was ready to fully dive into tattooing yet, so I told her not to save the space for me. I just needed to get the question out of my head and into the air, make it seem like it could actually happen.

A couple months passed. I kept going back and forth about whether I could actually make tattooing happen. Every time I’d save up money for that first month’s rent, something would hit. The car broke down. The cat got sick. The kids needed something. It felt like I was batting 1000.

And then one day… A sweet soul named Laura and I were talking about me getting a place to tattoo and said she wanted to pre-pay for some tattoos to help me get started in the studio….. WHAT!? I was honestly stunned.. It meant the world to me.

I messaged Brie and asked if the space was still available.

She said, “It sure is.”

And just like that, I sent her the money and I had a space.

My first tattoo in the studio was on Chrissy — she had actually helped me before. I was trying to make money for tattoo supplies by painting murals, and Chrissy gave me my first one. That led to more murals, which helped me get stocked up and eventually buy my professional machine. She really helped start things off for me. So it felt right that she was also the first person I tattooed in my new space.

Since then, so much has changed. I’ve been able to upgrade my machine, my setup, my skills my room, get better flooring — but I still think about those early days a lot.

Getting my first machine from Eli. The people who showed up for me when I was just starting. The “yes” from Brie. The surprise support from Laura. The way Chrissy believed in me over and over.

To anyone who’s ever trusted me with their skin — especially in those early days — thank you. You were part of the moment that made all the rest possible.