Positive Message Archives - Matt Hodel Tattoo

What to name the Property?

My wife and I bought some property a while back. It’s in the Saint Francis Mountains and it’s pretty rugged country. We are 40acres I next to us my buddies got some property. Together with my buddy we have 88 acres. There’s no fence lines so you need a compass to get around. You also…

Tattoo Apprentice or Unpaid Labor

My thoughts on Apprenticeship. The the book “Grit” by author Angela Duckworth, she talks about passion. Through here scientific research she has found that passion is fostered. It starts with interest. “Is it a drag that passions don’t come at us all at once, as epiphanies, without the need to develop them? Maybe. But the reality…

I’ve wanted this tattoo for 35 years.

When my buddy went off to the Navy he came back with some of the coolest tattoos. In 1988 I didn’t know tattoos could be so personal. I thought tattoos were just Eagles and flags and anchors that you picked off the wall. I had no idea that you could bring in your own image…

Be a Leader.

Hot Springs Arkansas

Went on a vacation with the family. The spent a lot of time at the theme park. I tried to go but it was too hot in the theme park, I did take Lady on a few hikes. It was still hot but being in the woods is a different hot that asphalt hot. Here…

Ultimate Warrior

Best tattoo ever.

Motorcycle. It’s a better way to see.

Some of my motorcycles through the years. If you own multiple motorcycles, you know they mark points in time. Looking at these pics of my old motorcycles. It’s like looking at different personalities I had. All good times Now that I’m older I definitely like dirt more. There’s something about riding a dual sport that…

Shop Race Day

Great day to go racing!

Camping trip!

I rode into town to get cell service so I want to take a quick moment to share some pics of our camping trip! Also I ran into a client named Joe!! I tattooed his chest 4 years ago. Small world for sure.

The Impossible Cover Up

It is wiser the take the energy of a tattoo and work with it rather than fight it. Some cover ups cannot be blasted over. Sometimes you just need to massage a new tattoo into it. This dark tribal design wasn’t going to be covered easily. So I used the old tattoo as the texture…

Summer time is too hot for the big tent.

Tent Maintenance. I need to get the tent repaired. It’s a very durable canvas tent but without some TLC it will fall apart. So we went camping this weekend. It was awesome. 60 degrees at night. The shade keeps the campground cool till 11am even on the really hot days. It’s tucked away behind a…

Dragons and Cranes

The process.

KC Roadtrip!!!

I got my supercharger on my Xterra finished but I don’t like it. I don’t have the intake manifold that the supercharger used. I used the intake manifold for the Naturally Aspirated engine. In theory it works. I Just wasn’t comfortable with it. Also there is a “supercharger solenoid valve” that is connected to the…

Behind the Scenes.

This is a tattoo in progress. I wanted to share some stages of the design process. I post a finished pic soon.

Attaching a Halfsleeve Tattoo!

Mike came back to finish a sleeve! I knew he would. That’s why I designed his halfsleeve to seamlessly connect to whatever he wanted to do next. It’s almost like I planned it this way! Clients are not always ready to get a whole sleeve but I am ready for when they are. When I…

I am a Certified Business Coach

I am officially a Certified Coach Being a business owner is one of the loneliest positions to have. I had tried my best to network with other business owners but I always felt like I wasn’t successful enough to hang in there league. Everyone else had a secret edge that I didn’t know how to…

I ripped my TENT!!!

I ripped my slightly used canvas tent. Pretty bummed but I fixed it!! Watch the video and learn how to cook pork steak on an open fire, dig a hole, fill a hole, and have fun in the country!

Missouri Auctions have a lot of Camo People

Pat and I went to an auction. I was hoping to get a four wheeler but no go! I did score a few goodies. I got a wood burning stove for 30$. Watch the video! Did people pay too much money for jeeps and guns???

Hanging out at the Campground

Me and Lady spent the day at the property this weekend. It was a great day for being outside. Watch the video and see what we got done!

Brewington Cemetery

Brewington Cemetery, Iron County, Missouri Have you ever wondered who was buried in those little cemeteries along the back roads of Missouri? My good friend Pat is the caretaker of a small cemetery called the Brewington cemetery. He doesn’t know when it was started but his father took care of it back in the 50s…

Why Discipline Is More Important Than Motivation

Motivation V. Disipline Motivation- the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way. Disipline-the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience Now that you know the text book definition of each term, which do you think is more important? Both terms can be beneficial when…

Tattooing my Oldest Daughter

What is it like Tattooing my Daughter? When Emma was little she always wanted a tattoo. She would sit for hours and make me draw butterflies and koi fish and daisies and monsters and even food items like pancakes. I drew on her, with a marker, up and down her arms. I don’t ever remember…

The Grand Reopening of Randy Adams Studio Party.

Matt Van Cura Inherits a Legacy. Technically Matt purchased the shop from the legendary tattooist Randy Adams. Randy is the fellow with the hat on backwards in the photo above. If you got tattooed in the 80’s in Fort Worth, Randy did it. I know Randy from the covers of old 80’s Tattoo magazines. He…

The Arkansas “Little Grand Canyon”

The Ozarks has its Grand Canyon but if you head south to the Ouachitas you’ll find the Little Grand Canyon. The latter is one natural wonder you may have overlooked in Arkansas. This feature off of White Oak Lake is a peaceful spot and not to mention beautiful! Let’s go explore this underrated wonder. From…

Meditation

Benifits of Meditation: What is Meditation Good For? Some reading this may already be familiar with meditation, others not so much. I believe meditation is a practice commonly over looked or ignored. I’m sure everyone has heard of it before, maybe tried it once and gave up? But have you ever really looked into the…