Tattoos, Travel & Studio Life in Toronto
Hi everyone!
It's finally hot in Toronto! I'm writing to you from the studio and it's 28c outside! So exciting. Basically we didn't have spring here. A few days ago it was winter and now it's summer, but I'm not mad about that
Before we jump into this roundup I want to let you know about a few things...
First thing, I'm going back to naming this newsletter after the month I'm writing about. It just makes more sense to my brain. I tried it the other way. Don't like it.
Second thing is just to say a huge thank you to all the people wanting to get tattooed this summer. I'm so excited about the projects I have coming up and can't wait to get started. To anyone that wants to get tattooed, my books will be open 1-2nd August for Fall bookings.
Third thing, well I just mentioned it, but in case you missed it my books will only be open Sat to Sun in this next round of booking!
Ok now that's all done let's get into what I've been up to in April. Between travelling, guest tattooing in the UK, and working on lots of floral tattoo projects in Toronto, April ended up being a very full month...
I actually spent the majority of April not in Toronto. Most of you know that I'm actually from the UK, and I go home to see my family at least a couple times a year. So that's what I was doing for three weeks of last month. I did my usual guest spot with the awesome crew at Tommy Gun Tattoo, and got to celebrate my Nan's 89th birthday while I was there 🥰. I painted her this...
I also decided to combine a trip to Rome into this visit! I went with my Mum and Brother and had the most amazing time....
This was my first time in Rome, and I loved it! There’s something beautiful around every corner you turn, and it’s a super walkable city. We hit the big sights like ya do (the Forum, Colosseum, Vatican, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain) but my favourite parts were some of the smaller things we saw and did like...
- Eating delicious pistachio croissants in a different cafe every morning.
- The Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary, which I nearly missed! Turns out we had been walking past it and admiring the ruins from across the street, the whole time. It wasn’t until our last morning that I realised it was the cat sanctuary. Luckily we had time before our flight home to spot 12 cats chilling amongst the ancient ruins.
- The Rose Garden. It had just opened for the season when we got there, and still it was stunning, it must be incredible now.
- Going into every bookstore we found. My brother's a big reader too, Mum was so sick of us by the end 😂. I really liked Otherwise bookshop. I may have bought the Italian version of Heated Rivalry because it had a sprayed edge and inside cover art
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Limoncello spritz, which might be my drink of the summer now.
- The Capuchin Crypt. Where the skeletons of 3700 Capuchin friars decorate a series of small chapels. It's both fascinating and macabre. My client told me about this place just before I went.
- Visiting the oldest public library in Europe, the Biblioteca Angelica (heads up there’s a Caravaggio painting in the church next door if you go).
- Eating so much Cacio e pepe, who knew cheese and pepper pasta could be so incredible.
- Art - everywhere, go in every church, you'll see something incredible.
Croissants // Otherwise Bookstore // Rose Garden
Capuchian Crypt // Biblioteca Angelica // Raphael Rooms in Vatican
Also this is a bit random, but I picked up this guide book on our first day there, and it was incredibly helpful for imagining how the ruins looked in their time. It has these overlays so you can actually figure out what you’re looking at. I highly recommend something like this if you go. I found it in the Colosseum gift shop, and can't find it online anywhere now I'm back in Canada so pick it up when you're there. ....
Rome Guide book
Anyway, now let's get back to tattoos. I’ve realised this newsletter has accidentally become a really nice way to document healed tattoos, large scale projects, and the kinds of custom floral tattoos I love creating most..
Tattoos I Made in April...
I have been horrible at posting on social media so this newsletter should be full of tattoos you've not seen before!
Chris // Sleeve Outlines
I'm so freaking excited about starting Chris's sleeve tattoo!!! It's going to be epic. Can't wait for our next session in the summer...
Healed // Octopus Tattoo
Walker // Magpie Sleeve Work in Progress
Walker and I got a little more done on her sleeve in this shorted session in April. We worked on the inside of her arm (tender areas). So here's a look at the linework healed up 🙂...
Jiwan // Matching Swallow Tattoo
I tattooed Jiwan's upper arm 4 years ago now, with a piece for his three children, and this month he and his wife came by for matching tattoos! Jiwan decided to extend that tattoo I did for his children with his swallow...
Healed // Rabbit Tattoo
Katie // Matching Swallow Tattoo II
And Katie chose to put her smaller delicate swallow tattoo on her thigh....
So pretty. She also baked this beautiful loaf of bread for me 🥹, look how perfect it is! Well was. I devoured it.
Wanita // In Progress Floral Sleeve Tattoo
I'm soooo excited to start a floral sleeve tattoo for Wanita!!! It's going to be so pretty.
Jenny // In Progress Snake and Floral Sleeve Tattoo
Another session on Jenny's sleeve! It's looking so so good. I can't wait to finish this one up!!!
Yawen // Koi & Water Lily Tattoo
I got to finish up Yawen's lower leg tattoo just before I left for the UK. Her linework is all healed from her previous session, and we managed to do all the details in this session as she sits so darn well. It wraps her whole leg btw 🙂...
UK Guest Spot
Jenny // Meaningful Fox Tattoo
I tattooed Jenny a loooong time ago (when I still lived in Plymouth) and we did a piece for each of her children. Well since I left she's had her third little one, so obviosuly we had to honour him with this fox tattoo...
Lizzie // Freehand Peony Tattoo
I tattooed Lizzie's upper arm a year ago and she wanted to fill a space just below that piece with some more florals 🥰 so we freehanded this addition (other tattoos not by me)...
Healed // Peony Tattoo
And this is her peony tattoo one year settled in....
Ryan // Peony & Dahlia Sleeve
Ryan came down from Bristol to plymouth for the day to get started on this sleeve project! We're going to be adding in a black background eventually so this is just a starting point, but I wanted to make sure it makes sense as a singular piece while we're between sessions 🙂...
Summer // Teddy Bear Tattoo
I love this little bear Summer asked me to tattoo 🥹. It's a meaningful one for her and a little different to what I'm often asked for. Such a GD cute idea...
Healed // Teacup Tattoo
And I got to see her upper arm all healed up! We did what you can see here in two different sessions, so the main teacup and rose is 18 months healed and then some of the outer flowers, the doves and the teabag are one year healed. And the umbrella tattoo isn't by me (but is very cool)...
Emily // Floral Chest Tattoo
I love tattooing Emily. She's just someone I get on with really really well, we always have good chats and I leave a session with a tonne of book recommendations, which is always a winner 😂. I first tattooed her when I still lived in the UK, and she's trusted me with a project nearly every time I've guested since leaving 🥹. Such an honour.
Healed // Chrysanthemum Matching Feet Tattoo
The left foot had a couple tiny touch ups (hence the redness) and the right foot had nothing needed, funny how it goes like that sometimes...
Matt // Meaningful Family Tree Tattoo
I tattooed Matt right up until I left the UK ten years ago, and this month I got to tattoo him again! Wild right. He's now the Dad of two lovely lads and wanted a tattoo that honoured them and his wife. The concept was his idea and he trusted me to design this for him. There's tonnes of little meanings in this one, even the rays on the right side represent the birth months of his children.
Healed // Geometric Sleeve
Talking of his previous tattoos, here's his sleeve 10 years healed!!! It's held up so good. It's amazing to see how much my style has changed over time, but also not really that much...
Sarah // Peony Cover Up Tattoo
Sarah wanted to coverup just the letters and numbers in her 15 year old tattoo, so we freehanded these peonies and blossoms, and said bye to her ex.
In other news
In April I…
- Met my friend Brian in London. He's a 94 year old Chelsea Pensioner. He was my neighbour when I was growing up and I was obsessed with his and his late wife's dog, Digby, and we still keep in touch.
- Went to the Beryl Cook exhibition in Plymouth. She's an iconic Plymouthian painter and seeing her work celebrated like this made me very happy. I have on of her prints up in the studio!
- Actually found an incredible Hokusai exhibit at the Palazzo Bonaparte Rome!!! The breadth and level of detail of his work is mind blowing.
Brian // Mum with one of the Beryl Cooks statues // drawing in the Hokousai exhibit
Malone…
- Was such a good girl while I was away. By good girl I mean she woke J up multiple times every night to play.
- Got a new coat from Stacy before I left!!! It’s so pretty! It was for her dog Bijou but didn’t fit, so now she’s all set for next winter.
- Got a new toy and some treats from my trip (of course she’s so bougie she only eats treats imported from the UK 🙃).
I’ve been reading…
Not much tbh, I always have way less time when I'm travelling than I think I'm going to, but I did get through...
Bound // Ali Hazelwood - I think this is an audiobook only release? It wasn't my favourite tbh, it was fine, but not amazing.
Assassin's Blade & Crown of Midnight // Sarah J Maas - My client convinced me to try the Throne of Glass series again. I started it a couple years ago, but stright after ACOTAR and Crescent city and I just couldn't get into it. But I'm putting my trust in the recommendation. I audiobooked these two.
Murder Bimbo // Rebecca Novak - This wasn't really what I was expecting, it's an unhinged sapphic love story, with an unreliable narrator, who's retelling the story in three ways to three different people. Interesting, entertaining, unlikable characters. I still don't know if I liked it or not 😂.
My goodreads if you want to follow.
I’ve been watching…
The Great British Pottery Throw Down s9 - This is a tradition when I’m home that I watch the newest season with my mum. It’s the ultimate comfort show.
Love on the Spectrum - I’ve somehow missed out on watching any of this so I’ve had 4 seasons to binge, so not much else has been watched!
I’ve been drinking (matcha update)…
Forget-Me-Not (Toronto) // Banana Bread Matcha - This one's been on my list for a long time, and one morning Stacy and I decided to do a spontaneous side quest to finally try it. It did not disappoint. I wish there was one on the east side though, it's so far to go 😂
Hitotoki (Toronto) // Strawberry matcha & treats - Stacy sent this to the studio for me one day 🥰 heavenly, and so pretty too. I would 100% get all of these again (photo below).
Blank Street (London UK) // Lemon Loaf Matcha - I always struggle finding good matcha in the UK, so before I jumped on my train to Plymouth I had to grab one. I took a risk with this lemon loaf combo, but it was aaaaaamazing. I'm gunna have to get some lemon curd for my homemade matchas now.
UK // Banana Bread Matcha from Emily - I was absolutely dying for a good matcha when I was in Plymouth and Emily surprised me with this during my guest spot and I could've cried from happiness.
Te Amo (Rome) // Matcha Bubble Tea - When in Rome, do as you always do??? Right? Anyway, this was great 🙂. It's right by the Pantheon if you're in need 😂.
Forget-Me-Not (Toronto) // Hitotaki (Toronto) // Te Amo (Rome)
And that's all the news I have for now. If you're interested in getting a tattoo with me in Toronto, you can find booking information and my tattoo portfolio on my website. I'll next be taking bookings on 1-2nd August. I specialise in custom floral, botanical and blackwork tattoos created in my private Toronto tattoo studio.
Have a wonderful rest of your May!!!
Lu
Ps. Read more monthly tattoo recaps: