You’re late for a very important date with a tattoo needle. via Facebook

Is there anyone who doesn’t like Alice in Wonderland? We’d just like to know if somehow one of the most beloved and mind-bending fairy tales of all time isn’t really your cup of tea that makes you very tall or very small. If though, you are a fan of passing through the looking glass and want people to know that forever, Brooklyn tattoo parlor Tattoo Wonderland has a deal for you: 25% off an Alice-themed tattoo through the month of January. But, because you read Brokelyn, there’s a possibility to make that discount even better. (more…)

Get the owl. People will think you’re wise AND you’ll scare mice. via Sara Antoinette

Afraid of post-Halloween let-down? Trick yourself into believing Halloween lasts forever by commemorating the holiday on your body. Here’s three places you can immortalize that black cat or full moon in ink for only $31. (more…)

Drink and ink.

You have to hand it to Sailor Jerry: Where other alcohols try to lasso your brand loyalty by offering a night or two of free drinks, the nautical rum company goes for the lifetime loyalty by offering free tattoos. They’re back in Brooklyn this Saturday, offering free Sailor Jerry tattoos at a “pop-up tattoo shop” held at Public Assembly, done by actual tattoo artists from Three Kings, and not just that sketchy guy behind the bar with a paperclip and shaky hands.

The PR rep for the company tells us they’re going to have a dartboard of Sailor Jerry’s famous naval tattoo designs, and whatever image your dart lands on is what you have to get. But as a reward, you get some free rum afterwards.  (more…)

Ryan Malarkey, a 23-year-old designer, says she spent “probably close to $10,000″ on ink. Photo (c) Paul Nathan / Generation Ink.

How many people do you know with epic tattoos? Of those people, how many of them are in a pretty much constant state of fiscal-overdrawnery and/or unemployment (AKA: “freelancing”)? Do they live in Williamsburg? Do they wish they did? They might be in photographer Paul Nathan’s new coffee table book, “Generation Ink: Williamsburg, Brooklyn,” featuring portraits of walking canvases who have spent upwards of $10,000 on their ink. Who are these people, where did they get $10,000 and why did they spend it on tattoos? And who are you to judge? You have a Louis Vuitton bag but are a month behind on rent! Oh, wait, that’s me. Did these people get their money’s worth? And what’s your number? (more…)

Gristle’s flash sheet this week.

Summer is in full swing, and while you’re probably feeling more sunburned than spooked, this Friday is the 13th, and who knows what might happen? Might as well get a cheap tattoo to commemorate your fun, reckless summer, as Friday the 13th has become a regular special day in the tattoo industry. Bring in your own self-designed unlucky mermaid or ghostly shipwreck to Citizen Ink, or pick out a sketch from a shop’s flash sheet — like the ripe red cherries with a “13” tag from Gristle or the barbecue pit labeled “13” from Asylum. Here are five places that are offering specials this Friday, which is the last Friday the 13th until September of 2013! (more…)

Only god will juge you. And all of the internet.

We go out of our way to save some money, but even we must admit there are those things that a person should not scrimp on. Invasive medical procedures is a wonderful example. Also, tattoos. Tattoos are forever (or for-until-you-can-afford-laser-removal) and, as such, shouldn’t be something you make decisions about based on today’s Groupon. We’ve heard some awesomely bad tattoo stories and here are a few. Recall these cautionary tales the next time that “Become A Work Of Art For As Little As $50” ad shows its face on your Facebook side bar. We love tattoos and we love saving money, we’re just not sure the two should ever occupy the same thought space. (more…)

Way less annoying that KONY2012 posters.

Here we have another example of two entrepreneurial Brooklyn groups joining forces to tag team a big social issue and pin it to the mat, with the help of your donations, of course. The Greenpoint-based company Temporary Tattoo Project is a philanthropic organization that uses top tattoo artists (from places like Three Kings, NY Adorned and Brooklyn Tattoo) to create temporary body art. The tattoos are then sold to raise money for Flying Kites, another Greenpoint-based group that is building a home and school for abandoned, orphaned and abused children in Kenya. And to triple down on the benefit, Groupon is offering a deal today: donate $10 and get a stylish temporary tattoo; for eveyr $50 Groupon raises, the project will be able to support a child for another three months.

Check Greenpointers for more info, including an interview with the Temporary Tattoo Project’s founders and why they consider this tattoo charity “relevant to our generation.”

The world is ending! Maybe! Probably not! Time to put some permanent damage on your body anyway? Sara Antoinette of Brooklyn Tattoo on Smith Street is following up her offers for cheap Thanksgiving and Halloween tattoos with a one to commemorate the : 2012, aka the possible end of the world. Choose from the flash sheet pictured and she’ll ink you up for $40-$50 depending on the size, until the end of January. To make an appointment, stop by the shop at 99 Smith St. any day except Wednesday or Sunday, or email sara.antoinette(at)gmail.com. You’ll have to pay up front, because, you know, it’s not really cool to skip out on the check just because the world is ending.

Give someone many tattoos to choose from with a gift set.

Here’s something for your tattoo commitment-phobe aunt, cousin or hairless cat: just four and half months ago Brooklyn-based designer Tina Roth-Eisenberg, better known to design enthusiasts as Swiss Miss, launched Tattly, a provider of artistic, design-y temporary tattoos. How do they stand up to the hard Brooklyn life? An early design, “What to Focus On” (a personal favorite), stuck on for more than a week, including a camping trip to Colorado, and even then I had to scrub it off! Gift sets with themes like The Zoo, Grown Up and Hand Drawn include several different designs. The Dumbo-based Tattly says it best: “Who said forever is better?”

$25 for a gift set; Cog & Pearl and online.

Tattoo with a side of potatoes.

Thanksgiving means bus rides to Jersey, arguing with your veggie friends over that dead bird in the oven and awkward family convos where your grandmother tells you she’s “mostly OK with the gays now.” Why not have something new to debate this year: a tattoo! Sara Antoinette Martin of Brooklyn Tattoo on Smith Street is offering $40 tattoos from the flash sheet from today through mid-December. That “AMNESTY’ one will make your veggie friends happy, at least. (more…)