It's Ok to be Sad.

        Today marks a day I have been dreading about. Today was the day I had to tell the teacher I volunteer for that I would be quitting. I never thought that volunteering in a classroom would bring out so many emotions in me. I've never been the type of person who gives hugs or cares a great deal about others, unless they are my friends. That sounds really terrible, but I think that is part of being a teenager. We can be self centered at times and that's ok. I started volunteering at an elementary school this past year because I really wanted to look well rounded when I started applying for college. I was expecting to help children but I wasn't expecting to fall in love with them. The students that come to my room are all so great. There are some that do make me raise my eyebrow but even those kids have a special place in my heart. I knew eventually I had to quit, but after being surrounded by so much love everyday I knew I had to stay a little while more. I was suppose to be done with volunteering back in December, but I made the commitment to stay for another semester. I just loved the classroom environment so much!

 This past month hit my like a ton of bricks. I recently found out that my schedule isn't compatible with my everyday life this semester. There were too many conflicts with timing and I just wouldn't be able to make the time for it anymore. Today I walked in to class and broke down. I walked into the craft closet with a box of Kleenex and cried. I could just imagine telling the kids I wouldn't be coming in anymore and them questioning why. I changed my schedule once and let's just say a few kids began to cry. When I came out the students were worried. They showered me with hugs and told me how pretty I was. It made me so happy that I began to cry again. I never thought that these kids would impact my life so much. I may help them with their reading and writing but they have helped me become such a better person. I can never repay them. I wish I could just stay around forever and become their own personal Miss Frizzle. That would be a dream. We could learn everything together and just have fun. It makes me so sad to leave but I guess all journeys must come to an end. 

On a side note, I am really considering minoring in education. YAY! 

My Tattoo Experience

As you might have heard I recently got tatted! ( Three cheers for me actually using that word and not cringing.) I was definitely scared at first but I love it! If you were wondering what I got here is a picture of the image I took in:

This is a Sadira, a part of Charmaine Olivia's silhouette collection from a few years ago. Charmaine Olivia has always been a favorite of mine and this was actually the piece that made me addicted to her work. The reason that I got this tattooed on me was because I always wanted something to symbolize my love for the desert while still being very feminine. I had this image up on my wall for a few years and  finally decided to take the plunge back in January. 

(For some reason my camera lens had white stuff on it causing the picture to have white patches in her hair. Don't worry! They aren't there in real life.) 

I did add my own personal touch to her version for multiple reasons. The main difference is that her breast is different, along with the flowers on her neck being changed a tad. The reason behind the breast being different was because I do work with children and I do plan to work with children in the future. I didn't want to have the breast on there because as we all know kids do ask a lot of questions if you know what I mean. In the end, I personally feel that it still holds true to the original image that I love so much.

I've gotten questions in my real life and even on the internet so here I am to hopefully answer most of your questions.

Who was your artist?

Michael Martinez. If you follow my instagram his page is linked under most of my images of the tattoo. He does great work!

Where is the shop located?

Chandler, Arizona

Did it hurt? 

Of course! In the beginning it felt like I had a sunburn and someone was lightly scratching it. After a few minutes my arm became numb to the feeling and everything went smoothly. Once you get use to it there is literally no pain. 

How long did it take?

Around three hours

What did I do to take care of it. (Aftercare) 

For the most part listen to whatever your artist tells you, even though it will vary depending on who you go to. I left the wrap on for a few hours. The week after I got it I washed it with delicate unscented soap. I used Aquaphor to moisturize a few times a day. I even made sure to let it breathe during the night for the first few nights. (I sleep extremely bundled up.)After a few weeks I began to just do my normal routine but I still moisturized it more than I would without having a tattoo. I also make sure to use sunblock whenever I know I will be in the sun. This is just what I did so take it with a grain of salt because this is my first tattoo experience. 

(This is a really terrible instagram picture but I enjoy it. Can't you tell I'm great at posing.? Hahaha ) 

If I missed your question or you have any other questions feel free to ask me in the comments or even on my tumblr: charmaynejay.tumblr.com

This is New

So this is new. I'm so sorry that I have been absent this past month...or shall I say year. Things have gotten a bit crazy and I must say it is time for an update. One thing you may have noticed if you follow me on instagram is that I got a tattoo! Yes...I in fact finally went through with getting a tattoo after talking about it so much. It is a silhouette of a piece made by Charmaine Olivia. I loved this silhouette so much that I just had to get it on my body! I got it done back in January and I am in love with it. I wanted something that reminded me of the desert while staying feminine and this does just that. I'll be making an aftercare video soon, as well as answering some questions that comes along with getting a tattoo so stay tuned!