STOUGHTON - You may associate Vivid Ink Tattoo Studio in Stoughton with tattoos, or the bold and unique items that they have carried along with crafting supplies.
There were some huge changes in December 2021 when Vivid Ink owner Crystal Begin and store manager Sarah Dixon moved the business into what was once the bowling alley in Stoughton.
That’s when they had a store that was big enough to expand their stock so they have something for everyone.
Vivid Ink now offers a lot for that crafty person out there.
So what made Begin get into all this other stuff other than tattoos?
“I’ve always been fairly artistic,” explains Begin.
“I admit I love going to a good craft store. There was nothing around here and I had a huge craft stash at home as most people do.”
“So I thought why don’t I just start bringing in craft stuff because I always believe in small towns, everyone is doing the same thing. Try and do something different and bring something different to the people and that’s what we’re trying to do.”
“We’re trying to be different and also enhance the town for the other businesses because everyone works as a team,” explains Begin.
There is something for everyone in this country craft store, including birthday or Christmas gift ideas for any age, from three to the young at heart. You can literally even purchase a birthday or celebratory cake to mail to a long-distance friend or relative.
In stock are games, models, educational toys, sketch books, paint-by-number, painting supplies and resin kits.
Begin has cut back on her tattooing but says her main focus right now is the craft store, which just recently got off the ground this past December in its much larger form.
“Times are dark so we want to bring happiness into people’s lives. That’s how it all started. We offer a variety of craft classes for friends to get together to visit and craft,” explains Begin.
Begin says she has many craft classes planned, as well as a pop-up marketplace for people to able to sell and share their crafts with others in the community.
And if it’s not craft supplies you’re looking for, they even have unique items for that hard-to-buy-for person and one of the biggest selections of body jewelry around. You’ve come to the right place for items for your pets including dog food and cat treats. Begin originally had Crystal’s Pet Shop about 10 years ago.
You’ll never see everything the store has to offer in one visit.
There are a lot of oddities scattered throughout the store. It’s almost like a museum in some corners.
Both Begin and Dixon still offer the tattooing in the tattoo parlor situated in the rear of the building.
That area is set up for a very relaxing time spent there as you may be in the chair for anywhere between three to five hours at a time. There’s a big screen TV with extra seating for a friend or spouse while they wait.
Begin has been tattooing for the past nine or 10 years after much encouragement from friends and family.
“I love tattooing and I love the people,” says Begin, who trained in Florida under an award-winning artist Caleb Morgan.
“There’s always so much to learn in the tattoo world as there is with any other art form. The minute you stop learning you might as well stop doing it.”
Begin goes on to explain:
“I design most of the tattoos I do specifically for that particular client so it is unique to them, although some people do send me their ideas for a tattoo.”
“We’d rather start from scratch and design a unique tattoo.”
“It’s up to us as tattoo artists to get as much information out of them so we can try and give them exactly what they are looking for in their design.”
There’s a lot of consultation that goes into the procedure before the final inking is done because that tattoo is permanent. Vivid Ink gets customers coming from all over including Moose Jaw, Regina, Saskatoon and Edmonton.
“I really like doing realistic animal portraits … that’s my favourite.”
“I’ve cut the tattooing business back quite a bit,” says Begin and adds “I basically only tattoo my regular clients now. I have so much going on right now but I still want to tattoo because I do love it. I’m still passionate about it.”
“I think I have a pretty good balance between the tattooing and the shop,” says Begin. “I have to juggle everything and I don’t want to spread myself too thin.”
“I definitely like the path we’re on. I like the direction we’re going. We’ve had a lot of positive feedback.”
They have invited several local crafters from the many different disciplines to give them their input as to what to bring in to help them build an amazing amount of stock with all the things you need from glue to material.
“After so many late nights getting the new store ready, now it’s time to sit back and enjoy it,” says Begin.
When Begin isn’t working at the new location of Vivid Ink or their other company Bully Blast & Paint Services, she enjoys her time off at their farm near Benson with the family and the animals, looking after the dogs, horses, cows, chickens, ducks, etc. It’s like a real Old MacDonald’s Farm.
“That’s my happy place,” says Begin.
