The idea for this tattoo came to me fully formed last November ...
It's no secret that I adore London. It was London which made me believe in the ridiculous Carrie-Bradshaw-esque notion of falling in love with a city. St Paul's Cathedral is at the centre of my London.
It was crossing the Millennium Bridge with my hands clasped round a coffee and that Dome in my sights when I couldn't keep from breaking into a wide wide smile.
St Paul's during the Blitz - photo by Herbert Mason
I've loved the photo of St Paul's during the Blitz by Herbert Mason for ... as long as I can remember.
It was used as symbol of resilience, to show that - even as late as 1940 - London could not be brought low by destruction. What was not then well known was that St Paul's was assiduously protected by local forces and citizens alike.
It's a beautiful image and a beautiful sentiment. But I digress (SHOCKING, I KNOW).
I chose a frame to anchor the image, to make it stand alone as a tattoo. The roses link it from my right arm to my right side to my left thigh. And just because I love traditional tattoo style roses.
Jeremy Gill from Tattoo Machine did all the work and he was amazing. I loved the drawing and when he freehanded the smoke? It was kind of terrifying. He really was moving the machine like he was using a coloured pencil. Blech.
I ended up bleeding quite a lot.
And despite all of that? it wasn't really all that painful.
Twelve days from now he's going to add the colour. I can't wait.
And so, Saint Paul joins my other darling tattoos:
1. Cupcake
2. Crown
3. Rose
4. Sugarskull
5. Jitterbug Perfume
6. In Omnia Paratus
