Hello hello hello,
Happy December!! Are you all excited for the holidays? I hope you’re all more prepared than I am. I’m honestly a bit in denial that it’s happening next week 🤣.
So let’s stick with that theme and dial it back to November shall we?? Ya know back when we didn't have to thinks about gifts, and treats, and how many Christmas movies we can fit in to our evenings.
My November was a bit of a mixed bag, from spending the last of my time in the UK with my family, to being ill with a cold, to seeing some great art in Toronto. I've got a recap of what I've been upto outside of tattooing later on in this newsletter. But, for now, let's get into the fun stuff.
Here's a round up of all the clients I tattooed this November 🥰…
Ps. My books will next open on 4-6th February for Spring bookings, don't forget to add it to your calendar!
Tattoo Time
Josh
Josh and I made a start on his other arm this month 🥳. He's been getting laser treatment on some tattoos he doesn't love for a long while, and we were finally able to make a start on covering them with this falcon.
Some areas of his laser treatment has left some scarring, which is why the top wing looks particularly angry, but it will settle down as it heals.
I also got some more healed photos of his other arm, you can check out more angles HERE.
4 to 6 months healed...
Sandra
Next up I quickly added these small, but super meaningful stars, to Sandra's arm. She jumped onto a sitting with her sister, which I'm always happy to do if we have the time, especially for something so important to her.
I did some of the tattoos you can see healed in these photos too… the bat skull and the peonies around her upper arm piece (by another artist) 🥰.
2 years healed...
Vivian
Sandra's sister Vivian wanted to add to the absolutely adorable portrait of her cat on her thigh (by another artist).
She just wanted to add some florals that would flow with her leg a little bit more, so we added some flowers with specific meaning for her, as well as some flowy lines that match in with her upper arm tattoo! More angles HERE.
18 months healed...
Kim
I got to finish up the last part of Kim's half sleeve in November too 🥰.
We freehanded these peonies into the last space she had, and I love how they fit. We subtle included some wave shapes to honour her family in Jamaica.
We did the lower flower in June so it's around 5 months healed here 🌿. And the inside of her arm was by another artist.
Karen
This was a super fun small session tattoo I did for Karen. I love a peo-knee 🥰🌿!
We freehanded this one to fit perfectly, it's so pretty!
Jojo
Jojo wanted to fill in some space on her arm, between the pokemon tattoo I did 2.5 years ago (one of my all time favourites) and some tattoos she has by other artists. This is a work in progress project, but I love her elbow-dala 🥰. Excuse the marker on the point of her elbow, couldn't get it off 😂.
2.5 years healed...
Laura
I'm so obsessed with this work in progress piece for Laura. We made a good start, but shins are super painful and Laura was finding it hard not to twitch so we made the descision to do it over two sittings. I cannot wait to get this one finished sooooon! 🥰
Yvonne
Yvonne filled in a cancellation spot (via my newsletter) with an awwwesome tattoo idea. It was so cool that I actually made a video all about it, check it out HERE.
SO much fun 🥳. I can't even explain how much I loved designing this.
Mary-Anne
Mary-Anne was feeling like her tattoo needed a little extra something, so we freehanded a new lily and some hellebore to her healed piece 🥰. I made a video of the design process of this tattoo HERE.
This is going to settle in perfectly once it heals. Her existing tattoo is almost a year healed here 🌿…
Bell Healed
Bell popped by for healed photos in November too! Here's a look at how her Alice in Wonderland inspired piece has settled in over the last 7 months 🥰🌿.
Wanita
Wanita and I made some great progress on her butt tattoo, we've extended it way further on the left up to her ribs. But it's a WIP so for now here's a look at a healed section.
I also made a video of Wanita's tattoo story HERE.
Emily
GD am I excited about Emily's backpiece!!!!!!! I don't get asked for dragons very often and had the most fun designing this up for her. I can't wait to continue with it next month!
Crystal
Talking of backpieces! Crystal and I also made an epic start to her ornamental backpiece. I actually get to work some more on this one this week and can't wait!!!
Jen
My last tattoo of November was Jen's beaut of a thigh piece. We're planning on adding onto this until her full leg is done, but due to some health issues we are going to have long waits between sessions (which is totally fine obviously). So we wanted the piece to look complete within this session. So pretty 🥰!
Non-Tattoo News
In November I…
- Spent the first week still in the UK with my family. I did some last things that I love to do, like visit the beach with my Mum. I also got to enjoy bonfire night with my niece and nephew before I left, although little Oscar hated the fireworks. And I finally got to check out my brother's beehives!
- Was able to visit my friend Fay in London just before I left, which was so great because she’s off on a new adventure to Australia for the foreseeable future, so I was so happy we got to have a (very brief) catch up before she headed to the other side of the world.
- Arrived back in Toronto to a snowstorm (and a perfect baby angel cat), and ended up with the second cold of the season (had one in the UK too) fun times.
- I did make it out to the printmaker David Blackwood's exhibit at the AGO. It's soooooo good, and I'd recommend anyone in town check it out.
- And if you do go you should also check out the Jesse Mockrin exhibition while you're there! I went back a little later in the month for some drawing time.
- I ended the month with the classic Wong family Christmas. I’m so grateful to be included in their celebration and I was gifted a really awesome fountain pen from Matt in the secret Santa (here’s it in action). Andrew also gifted me a really awesome book of botanical illustrations 🥰.
Malone…
- Forgave me for leaving her for another 3 weeks .
- Had a sleepover with Bijou (Stacy's dog) for the first time. She's obsessed with her but Bijou is terrified of Malone, but it went pretty well, although Malone was pretty sassy after.
- Has been super cuddly thanks to the colder weather 🥹.
I've been reading...
- Jesusland: Stories from the Upside Down World of Christian Pop Culture // Joelle Kidd - fascinating, as someone who grew up very secular it's really interesting to have an insight into a childhood that was very different to mine. It's interesting how there was a lot of shame about the same things, but these children had the added pressure of believing they were litterally going to hell for eternity for natural human urges is WILD, and something I never really considered that much. It was also specifically about life in Canada. Annnnd edited by Jen Sookfog Lee, who wrote Superfan!
- Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves // Sophie Gilbert - The most shocking thing about reading of this is how I wasn't shocked at all to read all the disturbing things that have happened to women over the last 50 years. And yes on a bit of an unintentional theme this month. TW. Heavy subject matter / S.A
- Out on a Limb // Hannah Boham-Young - a very adorable love story. I tried reading People Watching by the same author but it wasn't my cup of tea. Luckily Goodreads reviews suggested trying this book, and it was a winner.
- The Wedding People // Alison Espach - I really really enjoyed this. Much more than I thought I would. I wasn't sure about it in the beginning but I got sucked in and ended up binge listening to the audiobook. TW. suicidal ideation
- The Lantern of Lost Memories // Sanaka Hiiragi - I enjoyed this, a super interesting concept, but it does have some VERY heavy subject matter, much more than I expected, even though it is a book about death. TW. child abuse
- Vanishing world // Sakaya Murata - DO NOT READ THIS BOOK!!! I don't often talk about the books I didn't like so much in this newsletter anymore (you can find those on my Goodreads) but I wish someone had told me not to read this. It was honestly captivating until the last like 3% and the ending HORRIFIED me. NOPE.
I've been watching...
- Reruns of One Tree Hill 😂😂😂 I don't know why. It automatically started playing after I finished The Office for the millionth time so I rolled with it.
I've being drinking (matcha update):
- Matcha Matcha's white chocolate pistachio!!! Soooo good, I wish the pistachio was a little stronger, but still very good.
- Light Cafe had delicious matcha, and also a bloody great brunch too, a little hidden gem (close to the AGO!).
- I tried the Starbuck's sugar cookie matcha (with sprinkles obv). It was good, but suuuuuper sweet.
That’s all the news I have for now! Thank you so much for reading, for supporting, and for being here,
Lu
Ps. Don't forget my books will next open on 4-6th February for Spring bookings!!!