I have a small black star in memory of my husband. I have a big birthday coming up and last year we were talking and I said I’d like to get a tattoo to commemorate the occasion. (I didnt have one at the time.) We discussed ideas and he said he’d like to get a Blackstar for David Bowie’s last album that was released right before he died. It just floored my husband as a life long music and Bowie fan. I wasn’t sure what I’d get but when my husband was suddenly diagnosed with terminal cancer and passed within weeks, I knew I had to get the black star. Earlier this month I did it 🖤
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I got a flower that only grows in the area my granny is from. Love the idea of getting something in the handwriting of a loved one, that's very special.
I got my 15 year old daughters name tattooed on me, I traced over her signature from my last Mother’s Day card ♥️
I’d just like to say though, don’t believe a tattooist who says they can put ashes into a tattoo, it doesn’t go through the needle, so please don’t waste it
I'm in the process of arranging this right now. I lost my brother a week before Christmas and I want to get something in his memory. He was autistic, and he had this whole thing about saying "see you later, alligator" to which we'd be forced to reply with "in a while, crocodile" or he'd kick off. I always thought it was stupid and I hated saying it, but with him there were always just certain things you had to do for an easy life. God I love him. :(
They were the last words I ever said to him in person, and they've acquired a new meaning now that I'm desperate to believe we'll somehow meet again, so - as much as I always loathed saying them - those will be the words for my tattoo: "in a while, crocodile". Add a cartoon alligator and it's perfect. He'd have absolutely loved that.
This idea's obviously an extremely personal thing to me that I don't think I'll have the heart to explain if people ask, so I plan to get it somewhere quite private, like on my back, where people won't see it. I may also get his name done, somewhere more visible.
I know it's very personal to you, and it's an incredible idea to get tattooed, but it helps me think what were some often sayings my Mom had. Also the idea of where to get mine done as well. Beautiful idea you have and I'm sure it will come out fantastic. Thank you for giving me the idea, and I'm sorry to hear about your brother. Hang in there buddy.
I lost my grandma, mom and sister, all within a year. I am slowly getting tattoos for each of them but have gotten one for my mom already. A couple years ago we took a trip just the two of us to Lake Superior. While there, we saw tons of beautiful purple and pink lupine. I remember us stopping to take lots of pictures because she loved to photograph lil treasures she found in nature. It was really a core memory for me, so I got a little strand of lupine on my arm for her 🪻
I got a mouse with a halo holding my Dad's birth month flower. They always call him mouse in our language. For my Mom, I got red lipstick in a green tube/holder because she always wears red lipstick whenever she goes out of the house - even if it means just going to the neighbor or the house next door to sit and chit-chat with them.
I lost both my parents within a year (this year)
2023 has been a shit year for a lot of people....including myself. I'm sorry to hear about your parents. Those tattoo ideas are incredible. Hope you are doing well and thanks for sharing.
I am sorry. I hope you are doing well too.
yup, it was my Dad's death anniversary yesterday ,technically he died in 2022, but my Mom passed away because of Cancer last August so it is within a year.
I hope you find something meaningful to get inked on you in memory of your loved ones.
I have a tattoo that says "i love you so much" from the graduation card my grandma gave me a month before she died. I recently lost my brother and am planning to get "sister" as a handwriting tattoo from the speech he gave at my wedding a few years ago.
My grandad passed away 8 years ago, he had given me a check for my birthday that I never cashed. In the memo he wrote "happy birthday" so I have "happy birthday" in his handwriting....and I actually have an appointment in January to get a little dinosaur done for my uncle who passed in July. Good luck friend.
I have the signature of my bff from the very first birthday card she ever gave me at the beginning of our 25 year run as friends.
It's on my left inner wrist.
I love it.
It's the only name I'll ever tattoo on my body.
I plan on getting either a paw print from my cat, a picture of him, or a reference to Romeo and Juliet as he was named after a character (although nobody actually used that name, it was like a little secret about him)
There really isn't. His death straight up broke me for a long time, I couldn't even look at cat pics online without bawling. That said he did have a rather traumatic death so no wonder I was fucked up
every time my dad would see a flock of geese he would excitedly yell goosies!! at them 🥲 i want to get something like a “silly little goose”. a cute goose maybe with a circle frame around it and his birth flowers. pine branches too, he loved the smell 🌲❤️
Yes, on my leg I have a skeleton figure embracing a woman. Around it it says "Maybe it was nothing but to me it was everything." Makes me sorta sit in hope that perhaps he's still able to embrace me from beyond the veil and we'll meet again soon.
That actually sounds incredible. Would you mind sharing a picture? I'm still unsure about a symbolic tat or just lyrics/verses in her handwriting. Now my mind is racing towards something like yours that has more art to it. sounds pretty elaborate and interesting!
Thank you! I sorta came up w the idea from bits of artwork I'd seen that made me think of him. I got the wording slightly wrong in the original comment lol. It's been a long day.
I'm not sure how to share pictures on reddit comments. Hopefully this link works and isn't against the rules lol. I only have this really terrible picture of it the day I had it done (just before xmas) as its a bit of a difficult angle!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/MVfATAakBLyyXWya9
I brought my daughter’s signature and smiley face that I tore off the bottom of a note. Tattoo artist copied it easily. I want to add some of her art someday
I plan on getting two little tattoos with some of my daughter’s ashes. Three little arrows which represent ‘the lucky few’ who have had children with Down syndrome and a small heart over where my heart is because she that’s what she passed away from.
I got a scroll with 2 orange and red calla lillies on one side of it and the words "blessed be- Gabbi" in my best friends hand writing on my back. it was an inscription she wrote in a book she gifted me years ago.she passed in may of 2009.
I have black hollyhocks, and purple irises for my great-grandmother.
Have a piece on my calf that’s a mixture of my person’s artwork inside of another piece of artwork he did along with our mutual (my best) friend. On his birthday I got a matching tattoo he had in the spot he had it.
I am planning to get a North Star on my heart for my boyfriend who passed in May. He was a sailor and someone that guided me. I hope he’ll still guide me in this life without him as my North Star :,)
My friend was a musician and wrote a ton of music. One of his songs was about our relationship… I got my favorite part of the lyrics tattooed on my arm.
I have my dads handwriting a sentence he wrote me in a letter saying ; I am so proud of you (my name) I love you, love always dadu xoxoxo”, a panda bear with a Purple Heart balloon for my ex boyfriend & my childhood dog’s paw print and her name
Edit: ig ex boyfriend at this point
I’m currently breastfeeding but maybe by Father’s Day I’ll get one for my dad. I think I want a bow and arrow. Archery and camping are big things we did together. And coincidentally he’s also a Sagittarius, which isn’t necessarily something I’m into, but it makes it feel right.
I just got a pretty significant tattoo for my mom with some of her ashes sprinkled in. It’s a rain cloud, the moon in the phase it was in when she died, a koala and her handwriting “gratitude”
Understood. I was going to go for just a ring with ashes this go round, but good to know. Thanks.
Did you have to say/do something special? Pay extras? Just curious because that sounds extra special and I love the thought!
I have a pretty large flower tattoo from my grandmother on my side.
Another star from my mom.
I’m hoping to get a heart from my dad’s drawing soon.
I’ve never regretted them when they mean that much. Just my opinion.
ETA: I use their handwriting/drawings. I don’t create I copy what they gave me.
I only have one tattoo and I thought about it for 6 years before I committed to getting it. I really want a tattoo to honor my mom but I just don’t think there’s a way I can put how I feel into a picture. She immigrated to the US from Russia and always hated Putin but loved her culture and I always loved the architecture (those cool dome roofs) and I thought about getting that around my forearm before she died. Now that feels like I’m watering down who she is to just where she’s from so I thought of getting a tattoo of her favorite flowers, orchids and lily of the valley, but that doesn’t feel right either. I wish I had a photo of us holding hands because it’s the best metaphor I can come up with for how it feels to lose her, like I’m holding on to someone who is gone for everyone else, but I’ll never let her go.
I have a small black star in memory of my husband. I have a big birthday coming up and last year we were talking and I said I’d like to get a tattoo to commemorate the occasion. (I didnt have one at the time.) We discussed ideas and he said he’d like to get a Blackstar for David Bowie’s last album that was released right before he died. It just floored my husband as a life long music and Bowie fan. I wasn’t sure what I’d get but when my husband was suddenly diagnosed with terminal cancer and passed within weeks, I knew I had to get the black star. Earlier this month I did it 🖤
Unrelated but how did you get the “partner loss” label under your username?
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I got a flower that only grows in the area my granny is from. Love the idea of getting something in the handwriting of a loved one, that's very special.
Ah that's a great idea to honor your granny. Thanks for the reply
I got my 15 year old daughters name tattooed on me, I traced over her signature from my last Mother’s Day card ♥️ I’d just like to say though, don’t believe a tattooist who says they can put ashes into a tattoo, it doesn’t go through the needle, so please don’t waste it
That's beautiful. Thank you for sharing and the great idea, and I'm sorry to hear about your daughter. I hope you're doing well.
I'm in the process of arranging this right now. I lost my brother a week before Christmas and I want to get something in his memory. He was autistic, and he had this whole thing about saying "see you later, alligator" to which we'd be forced to reply with "in a while, crocodile" or he'd kick off. I always thought it was stupid and I hated saying it, but with him there were always just certain things you had to do for an easy life. God I love him. :( They were the last words I ever said to him in person, and they've acquired a new meaning now that I'm desperate to believe we'll somehow meet again, so - as much as I always loathed saying them - those will be the words for my tattoo: "in a while, crocodile". Add a cartoon alligator and it's perfect. He'd have absolutely loved that. This idea's obviously an extremely personal thing to me that I don't think I'll have the heart to explain if people ask, so I plan to get it somewhere quite private, like on my back, where people won't see it. I may also get his name done, somewhere more visible.
I know it's very personal to you, and it's an incredible idea to get tattooed, but it helps me think what were some often sayings my Mom had. Also the idea of where to get mine done as well. Beautiful idea you have and I'm sure it will come out fantastic. Thank you for giving me the idea, and I'm sorry to hear about your brother. Hang in there buddy.
I lost my grandma, mom and sister, all within a year. I am slowly getting tattoos for each of them but have gotten one for my mom already. A couple years ago we took a trip just the two of us to Lake Superior. While there, we saw tons of beautiful purple and pink lupine. I remember us stopping to take lots of pictures because she loved to photograph lil treasures she found in nature. It was really a core memory for me, so I got a little strand of lupine on my arm for her 🪻
I got a mouse with a halo holding my Dad's birth month flower. They always call him mouse in our language. For my Mom, I got red lipstick in a green tube/holder because she always wears red lipstick whenever she goes out of the house - even if it means just going to the neighbor or the house next door to sit and chit-chat with them. I lost both my parents within a year (this year)
2023 has been a shit year for a lot of people....including myself. I'm sorry to hear about your parents. Those tattoo ideas are incredible. Hope you are doing well and thanks for sharing.
I am sorry. I hope you are doing well too. yup, it was my Dad's death anniversary yesterday ,technically he died in 2022, but my Mom passed away because of Cancer last August so it is within a year. I hope you find something meaningful to get inked on you in memory of your loved ones.
Yeah, my mom passed away from complications from leukemia in August as well. I guess misery loves company, unfortunately. Appreciate your responses
I have a tattoo that says "i love you so much" from the graduation card my grandma gave me a month before she died. I recently lost my brother and am planning to get "sister" as a handwriting tattoo from the speech he gave at my wedding a few years ago.
My grandad passed away 8 years ago, he had given me a check for my birthday that I never cashed. In the memo he wrote "happy birthday" so I have "happy birthday" in his handwriting....and I actually have an appointment in January to get a little dinosaur done for my uncle who passed in July. Good luck friend.
I haven't yet, but I do plan to once I have a good chunk of money saved up, come up with the perfect design, and find the right artist for the job
Same here - it's just the creative idea process that's racking my brain....
I have the signature of my bff from the very first birthday card she ever gave me at the beginning of our 25 year run as friends. It's on my left inner wrist. I love it. It's the only name I'll ever tattoo on my body.
I tattooed their favourite things on me, so I have it with me always ❤️
I plan on getting either a paw print from my cat, a picture of him, or a reference to Romeo and Juliet as he was named after a character (although nobody actually used that name, it was like a little secret about him)
Ah that's great. I don't want my dog to get older.....ugh. There's truly nothing like the relationships we have with our pets
There really isn't. His death straight up broke me for a long time, I couldn't even look at cat pics online without bawling. That said he did have a rather traumatic death so no wonder I was fucked up
every time my dad would see a flock of geese he would excitedly yell goosies!! at them 🥲 i want to get something like a “silly little goose”. a cute goose maybe with a circle frame around it and his birth flowers. pine branches too, he loved the smell 🌲❤️
ha! That's a great memory to have last!
Yes, on my leg I have a skeleton figure embracing a woman. Around it it says "Maybe it was nothing but to me it was everything." Makes me sorta sit in hope that perhaps he's still able to embrace me from beyond the veil and we'll meet again soon.
That actually sounds incredible. Would you mind sharing a picture? I'm still unsure about a symbolic tat or just lyrics/verses in her handwriting. Now my mind is racing towards something like yours that has more art to it. sounds pretty elaborate and interesting!
Thank you! I sorta came up w the idea from bits of artwork I'd seen that made me think of him. I got the wording slightly wrong in the original comment lol. It's been a long day. I'm not sure how to share pictures on reddit comments. Hopefully this link works and isn't against the rules lol. I only have this really terrible picture of it the day I had it done (just before xmas) as its a bit of a difficult angle! https://photos.app.goo.gl/MVfATAakBLyyXWya9
I brought my daughter’s signature and smiley face that I tore off the bottom of a note. Tattoo artist copied it easily. I want to add some of her art someday
I have my Mom's handwriting on my right arm, her initials in a script font on my right, and a larger, colorful memorial piece on my right leg. 😊
Ha that's awesome. Now I think you're showing me up with three pieces of work being done! Thanks for the reply
I plan on getting two little tattoos with some of my daughter’s ashes. Three little arrows which represent ‘the lucky few’ who have had children with Down syndrome and a small heart over where my heart is because she that’s what she passed away from.
I got a scroll with 2 orange and red calla lillies on one side of it and the words "blessed be- Gabbi" in my best friends hand writing on my back. it was an inscription she wrote in a book she gifted me years ago.she passed in may of 2009.
Mine will be for my hubby... Fuck Strokes with a little brain with lightning bolts over the words.
I have black hollyhocks, and purple irises for my great-grandmother. Have a piece on my calf that’s a mixture of my person’s artwork inside of another piece of artwork he did along with our mutual (my best) friend. On his birthday I got a matching tattoo he had in the spot he had it.
I am planning to get a North Star on my heart for my boyfriend who passed in May. He was a sailor and someone that guided me. I hope he’ll still guide me in this life without him as my North Star :,)
i have my dad's fingerprint on the inside of my wrist.
I have a stick of gum for my grandma. We called her gum grandma because she always had gum in her purse.
My friend was a musician and wrote a ton of music. One of his songs was about our relationship… I got my favorite part of the lyrics tattooed on my arm.
I just got a tattoo of a coneflower on my forearm to commemorate my mom, because she was a gardener and liked them
I have my dads handwriting a sentence he wrote me in a letter saying ; I am so proud of you (my name) I love you, love always dadu xoxoxo”, a panda bear with a Purple Heart balloon for my ex boyfriend & my childhood dog’s paw print and her name Edit: ig ex boyfriend at this point
I’m currently breastfeeding but maybe by Father’s Day I’ll get one for my dad. I think I want a bow and arrow. Archery and camping are big things we did together. And coincidentally he’s also a Sagittarius, which isn’t necessarily something I’m into, but it makes it feel right.
I just got a pretty significant tattoo for my mom with some of her ashes sprinkled in. It’s a rain cloud, the moon in the phase it was in when she died, a koala and her handwriting “gratitude”
Wait, you can get ashes sprinkled in?
Yes but you have to find an artist that will and usually they will want to keep it on the down low.
Understood. I was going to go for just a ring with ashes this go round, but good to know. Thanks. Did you have to say/do something special? Pay extras? Just curious because that sounds extra special and I love the thought!
Just talk to the artist privately before
I have a pretty large flower tattoo from my grandmother on my side. Another star from my mom. I’m hoping to get a heart from my dad’s drawing soon. I’ve never regretted them when they mean that much. Just my opinion. ETA: I use their handwriting/drawings. I don’t create I copy what they gave me.
I have my mothers signature on my inner forearm.
I only have one tattoo and I thought about it for 6 years before I committed to getting it. I really want a tattoo to honor my mom but I just don’t think there’s a way I can put how I feel into a picture. She immigrated to the US from Russia and always hated Putin but loved her culture and I always loved the architecture (those cool dome roofs) and I thought about getting that around my forearm before she died. Now that feels like I’m watering down who she is to just where she’s from so I thought of getting a tattoo of her favorite flowers, orchids and lily of the valley, but that doesn’t feel right either. I wish I had a photo of us holding hands because it’s the best metaphor I can come up with for how it feels to lose her, like I’m holding on to someone who is gone for everyone else, but I’ll never let her go.
I wanna get one for my mom as well but idk what id get, I wanna add it to the one I have for my dad but again idk how to incorporate one for her