Client of the Month: Kaity Loper

Some people wear their hearts on their sleeves. Kaity Loper decided to dedicate an entire leg to hers.

For October's Client of the Month, we're highlighting Kaity Loper, whose colorful collection of heart-themed tattoos by Ink & Dagger artist Bryn Riihimaki is as playful as it is personal. From a lava lamp filled with hearts to sentimental tributes to her grandmother and beloved dog, every piece brings something different to the collection while staying true to one recurring theme.

What started with a Valentine's flash tattoo has grown into an ongoing collaboration filled with creativity, nostalgia, and a whole lot of heart.

And for Kaity, the collection represents something bigger than the tattoos themselves.

It All Started With a Chicken

Kaity's introduction to Ink & Dagger began the way many tattoo journeys do: scrolling through Instagram.

After discovering some of the studio's artists, she came across Bryn Riihimaki's Valentine's flash collection. One design in particular caught her attention: a big chicken.

"I really love the big chicken and just loved that design," Kaity recalls.

She submitted an inquiry, connected with Bryn, and soon found herself in the chair for her first tattoo at Ink & Dagger.

Despite the chicken's painful placement on her shin, Kaity remembers the experience as one of her easiest tattoo sessions. Between getting to know Bryn, chatting with other artists, and enjoying the atmosphere of the studio, the time seemed to pass a little faster.

"I just had a lot of fun getting to know Bryn and all the other artists," she says. "The energy was so enjoyable."

By the end of that first session, Kaity was already thinking about what might come next.

She showed Bryn a Pinterest board filled with girly, traditional-inspired imagery, and the two began tossing around ideas for future tattoos. Somewhere in that conversation, a theme started to take shape.

Maybe, Kaity thought, she wanted to do more hearts.

As it turned out, a lot more.

A Whole Lot of Heart

The inspiration behind Kaity's heart-themed leg came during a significant transition in her life: her divorce.

"I wear my heart on my sleeve," she explains. "I wanted to start collecting tattoos that I loved and found really cutesy. I wanted to incorporate hearts into some things that were very sentimental."

For Kaity, having a theme just made sense.

"It doesn't feel very me to not have a theme," she laughs. "I just have to."

What began as a loose idea quickly turned into a creative opportunity for Bryn. After Kaity shared inspiration from her Pinterest board, Bryn put together an entire flash sheet dedicated to hearts.

From there, Kaity started choosing her favorites.

The resulting collection is full of unexpected interpretations of the same simple symbol. There's a colorful moth with hearts decorating its wings, a dragonfly with tiny heart details, a decorative folding fan, and a lava lamp where the flowing lava takes the shape of hearts.

Each design has its own personality, but together they create a collection that's unmistakably Kaity.

"I just think how she's incorporated the hearts into everything is so creative," Kaity says. "She does these subtle details that really amplify the whole design."

Some pieces are simply things she loves. Others carry memories and meaning that aren't immediately obvious.

And a few are especially close to her heart.

Georgia, Her One True Love, and a Heart-Shaped Locket

Of all the tattoos on Kaity's leg, one stands above the rest: a pair of heart-shaped lockets featuring her late dog, Georgia, and a little lizard.

Georgia passed away a few years ago after being diagnosed with cancer, and Kaity describes her as her spirit animal.

"She was just my spirit animal, and she passed away kind of quickly," Kaity shares.

Georgia had one particular obsession: hunting lizards.

Every time they went outside, Georgia knew exactly where to look. Even after her cancer diagnosis, when Kaity and her family planned a special final week filled with things Georgia loved, there was only one activity she really wanted to do.

Hunt lizards.

After Georgia passed, Kaity noticed something strange. For nearly a year, she didn't see a single lizard.

Then, a little over a year later, she finally spotted one. At that same moment, a wind chime she had gotten in Georgia's honor began to ring.

It was a small moment, but one that stayed with her.

When Kaity started thinking about how to honor Georgia with a tattoo, she loved the idea of a heart-shaped locket. But something was missing.

"I didn't want her to be in there alone," she explains. "So she had to have her one true love, which was a lizard."

Bryn brought the idea to life with two golden heart-shaped lockets tied together by a delicate blue ribbon. One holds Georgia's portrait, while the other features a little lizard.

Now, Kaity carries a reminder of her girl wherever she goes.

"It brings me so much joy to look down and see my girl."

And when asked which tattoo she would keep if she could only choose one, the answer was easy.

"It would have to be the Georgia tattoo. It just means so much to me."

Childhood Memories and Unexpected Favorites

Georgia's lockets aren't the only sentimental pieces in Kaity's collection.

Another recent addition is a wooden spoon featuring her grandmother's handwriting and the words "Until next time."

The design is a tribute to her grandmother and the memories Kaity carries from childhood.

"She would hate it if she saw it," Kaity jokes. "But it means a lot to me."

It's these personal touches that make the collection so special. A design that might seem playful or unexpected to someone passing by can hold an entirely different meaning to the person wearing it.

And sometimes, a tattoo doesn't need a deeper explanation at all.

Kaity never expected to have a decorative fan or a matchbook tattooed on her body. But once Bryn created the designs, they just made sense.

"I never thought I would have a fan or a matchbook, but when I look at them, I'm like, 'Oh absolutely, those were always supposed to be there.'"

That feeling has become one of Kaity's favorite parts of collecting tattoos: discovering pieces she didn't necessarily know she wanted until she saw them.

Finding Her Creative Match With Bryn

As Kaity's collection has grown, so has her relationship with Bryn.

Some tattoos begin with specific ideas Kaity brings to the table. Others come from Bryn's flash designs, with the two making adjustments to suit Kaity's vision.

It's a balance of collaboration and creative freedom that works for both of them.

"She really understands my vision, and I trust her," Kaity says.

What Kaity appreciates most is the amount of thought Bryn puts into every design, including details that might seem insignificant to someone else.

"Down to which shade of blue should go in the tattoo, she really cares about all of these subtle differences."

And after spending so many hours together, Bryn has gotten pretty good at knowing when Kaity needs a break.

"I'm also a bit of a complainer during my tattoos," Kaity admits with a laugh. "She knows when I'm at my limits, which is nice."

While she jokes that the best part of getting tattooed is when everything is finally healed, her actual favorite moment happens much earlier in the process.

It's seeing Bryn's first draft.

"My favorite part is when I have talked to Bryn about an idea, and then the moment I finally get to see the first draft," she says. "It's so cool to see what she comes up with and get a little sneak peek."

For Kaity, that element of surprise is part of what keeps the experience exciting.

Feeling More Like Herself, One Tattoo at a Time

Although Kaity works in a corporate, white-collar environment, her growing tattoo collection has become an important part of how she expresses herself.

Having the tattoos on her leg gives her the flexibility to cover them when needed. But outside of work, she loves being able to show off the colorful artwork that feels so true to her personality.

"Anytime I'm going out with friends or I’m out in public with my tattoos showing, I feel like a more authentic version of myself."

She once described the feeling to Bryn in a way that perfectly captures what tattoo collecting has become for her.

"Every time I get a new tattoo, it's like a scratch away, and it's just something that's always been there."

Rather than feeling like she's adding something unfamiliar to her body, each new piece feels like revealing another part of herself.

And other people have taken notice.

Kaity says she regularly receives compliments on her leg, particularly on the quality of the tattoos, the bright colors, and the little details throughout each design.

People might initially notice the playful aesthetic, but the closer they look, the more there is to discover.

No Rush, Just More Hearts

For now, Kaity doesn't have a master plan for finishing her leg.

She's enjoying the process of collecting designs as inspiration strikes, whether that's a sentimental idea she's been holding onto or something unexpected Bryn dreams up.

"I'm just enjoying adding as we go," she says. "I'm really liking the process of just collecting things I want and care about."

There's no deadline, no predetermined list of designs, and no pressure to fill every inch of space.

Just a growing collection of things she loves.

And while Kaity's leg is already full of personality, she's also excited about the possibility of getting tattooed by more Ink & Dagger artists in the future.

For anyone considering their first tattoo at the studio, her advice is simple: come with an idea, but be open to the creative process.

"I would tell them that it's so much fun and not intimidating at all," she says. "Everyone's really welcoming and fun to talk to."

She also encourages clients to trust their artists when it comes to placement, style, and design decisions.

As for Kaity's own collection, there's still plenty of room for more memories, unexpected favorites, and, of course, hearts.

What began as a way to celebrate the things she loves has become a colorful reflection of who she is, where she's been, and the memories she wants to carry with her.

And with Bryn helping bring each new idea to life, Kaity's heart-themed collection is still very much a work in progress.

Interested in starting your own tattoo collection? Explore Bryn Riihimaki's work and connect with the artists at Ink & Dagger Tattoo in Roswell, Georgia, to bring your ideas to life.

Submit an inquiry form here.