This great sentiment just came in:

My name is Nikki Lynn and these were done by Mark @ Exotic Ink in Conyers, GA.

The story behind them is 2 years ago when I was at a concert at Six Flags, there was a booth selling merchandise with “free hugs” on it. I bought a hat and t-shirt from them and wore them around the concert along with a few other people. There were tons of people that kept running up to me asking for hugs and it was so exciting. I still have that hat and shirt and occasionally wear them because I love getting hugs! I figured that if someone else was having a bad day, they could always use a hug, too. So I decided to get “free hugs” tattooed on my knuckles as a kind of permanent symbol since I can’t always wear my hat or shirt. :)

Samantha L. sends us these knuckle tattoos with the story as follows:

Attached are pictures of my tattoos on my thumbs, they’re a Bass Clef and a Treble Clef. I got them because music is my life and im going to music school. It was done at Homeward Bound in Redwood City, CA.

Photo Credit: D’Elle Photography

Leslie sends us these crafty knuckles, here is her story:

My hands were made to make crafts.  A couple years ago, I got into knitting.  This is my tribute to the craft.

Meredith S. has this to say about her knuckle tattoos:

Early last year, I gave away most of my shit, filled up a backpack and started footing it down the road. I was hanging out with a lot of other traveling kids, and a lot of them had knuckle tats. They said things like “wanderer” and “vagabond”; “game over” and “love / hate” like you see all the time. Some were more creative. “Wingnut” and “Lousybum” were always my favorites. So I thought to myself, if I get this done, what will I put? I wanted an eight letter word, and I narrowed it down to “kindness” or “grateful.” I would have really liked “grateful” because of my love for the Dead, but ultimately “kindness” was a really good reminder to me of what I want my hands and my actions to accomplish. These are my favorite tattoos.

Ashley J sent these knuckles in with the following story:

I got this tattoo because I’m a complete school junkie. I love every aspect of it. Learning new things, writing papers, studying, listening to lectures. I love the feeling of learning something that I never knew before, and would probably never need to know in my whole life. I expect to have atleast 4 or 5 different degrees by the time I finish school. None of them I really plan to do anything with or pursue any type of career in the fields I study. I just want to spend my life learning as much as I possibly can. Also, whenever I get asked what my standards are my only response is “I want a boy who will talk about calculus with me, and won’t get mad if I correct his grammar.” Whenever I tell somebody what I plan to do with my life, or what I look for in a boy, all I’ve EVER gotten back from them is “You’re such a…nerd.” And I realize they were right. I am. It’s a big part of who I am, and I’m extremely proud of it.

Sherry W. sends us these knuckles with a story:

RISK-FATE. thats what my knuckle tattoo says. in life, we all must take risks. just waking up, sometimes, is a risk. but i also have much faith. faith that if i take those risks, in the end, i will succeed, and thats fate. so everyday we ~risk fate~

TEX MEX, originally uploaded by Nathan Black.
I took this photo! I met this lovely lady on her way out of the Jackalope a little over a week ago. Those are her friends waiting for her in the back ground. They were getting a little impatient, waiting to get to the next bar.

Every time I think I’ve found all the knuckle tattoos in Austin, it turns out I’m wrong.