With her blonde hair, wide eyes, and even wider smile, Sabina Kelley is a true pin-up icon. She began her career as a Vegas showgirl, before modelling for the likes of David LaChapelle and Bunny Yeager, and gracing the cover of Bizarre in 2008.

Since then, Sabina’s been busy taking Vegas by storm in her second career as a tattoo entrepreneur, co-owning Staytrue parlour with husband Kent, starting up Bombshell Tattoo Removal at Carey Hart’s studio inside the 4-star Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, and opening her own shop, Bombshell Tattoo Parlor.

Bizarre caught up with Sabina to talk about celebrity tatts, sneaking into a Lady Gaga show, and police chases.

Why did you open Bombshell Tattoo Parlor?
The new Bettie Page clothing store in the Fashion Show Mall, here in Las Vegas, offered me the chance to open a shop inside. The location suited me so well that I couldn’t pass up the opportunity! I run Bombshell Tattoo Parlor, and my husband runs Staytrue.

What was your opening party like?
I held it on the weekend of Viva Las Vegas, an annual rockabilly weekender held in April, and we had pin-up artist Olivia De Berardinis (see Bizarre 159) signing autographs. I also signed, and we did tattoos for the special price of (£28) each.

We were so busy, we had to carry the offer on the next day! Olivia has never drawn me, but it’d be a dream come true if she did. Her artwork is amazing!

Have you had any famous clients yet?
We haven’t had any huge celebrities in the new shop, but it’s only been open for a couple of months. We’ve had a lot of celebrities at Staytrue, including boxer Ricky Hatton, skateboarder Anthony ‘Ragdoll’ Scalamere, actor Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister, Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready, and IndyCar driver Paul Tracy.

What’s the interior of Bombshell like?
It’s 1950s-themed. We have seafoam-green walls in the waiting area, with a leopard-print 1950s couch, and pictures of beautiful tattooed women from the last century on the walls. The tattoo rooms have boomerang-print countertops and are covered in the tattooists’ artwork. Are you going to give up modelling to concentrate on your tattoo businesses?

I’m not ready to quit modelling, but owning and working in tattoo shops is my ‘plan B’ for when I can’t model anymore. It’s possible we’ll open a chain of Bombshell Tattoo Parlors inside all the Bettie Page clothing stores – we’re in negotiations right now – which would be amazing!

You have a tattoo removal business. Do you ever feel sad about getting rid of someone’s ink?
No – I give people the opportunity to get rid of their mistake or get a new tattoo that’s a million times better. The funniest tattoo I’ve removed was a tribal armband that had camouflage around it. The thing is, the guy wanted me to remove the camouflage and leave the tribal design, but the whole thing was hideous!

The weirdest tattoo I’ve removed was an entire sleeve – it was so crappy, I couldn’t even see what the design was supposed to be.

Do you ever hang out with Carey Hart and his wife Pink?
I’ve hung out with them and they’re incredible people. I’ve lasered Pink and I work with Carey Hart. Most of the times we’ve been together are work-related, or being at events, or Carey’s rock club Wasted Space.

Your husband, Kent, has tattooed you. What designs has he done, and where?
He’s done most of my ink, including a Bettie Page clown girl and the Virgin Mary on my back. He’s also done a cupcake, brass knuckles, an anchor with my son Kaiden’s name, a pirate ship, a bombshell with my daughter Savannah’s name, and flowers that cap my left shoulder.

On my right arm he tattooed a geisha, a black panther, cherry blossoms, and a lotus. I’ve also been tattooed by Mister Cartoon, Kat Von D, Franco Vescovi (El Toro Inkhouse, California), Japanese tattooist Horitomo, and Mimsy – who inks in a 1959 qualicraft caravan. All of my tattoos have meanings, but they’re personal so I don’t share them.

Do you think tattoos have become more acceptable on models?
Yes. When I started modelling there weren’t many girls with ink and people looked down on us; some photographers said they’d stop shooting me if I got more tattoos. But I think it’s dumb when a girl gets a tattoo because she thinks it’ll make her into a model. It definitely won’t. It’s still really hard to be a successful model and have ink – especially for mainstream jobs.

Have you tattooed anyone?
No. People have asked me to tattoo them, but I draw like a 5-year-old. I could tattoo a good stick figure with big boobs, but that’s about it!

Are there any new pin-up models we should look out for?
Ava Garter! She’s an amazing burlesque performer and a gorgeous pin-up!

If you could live in any era, what would it be?
The 1940s or 50s, because I’m in love with the fashion, cars, music and styles.

You’re a trained dancer. Do you still dance?
Yes. I started dancing when I was two; I was in a ballet company when I was in high school, and then I was a Las Vegas Showgirl in Jubilee! at Ballys hotel.

Now I’m working on some burlesque acts to headline my own show in Vegas. I can’t give out any details yet, but I promise it’ll be worth the wait!

Is it true you sneaked into a Lady Gaga show?
Haha, I did. I have no idea how my friend and I managed it! There were people scanning tickets and security checked our bags, but we just walked in like we were supposed to be there and no-one questioned us.

The show was sold out, and sneaking in was the only way we could see the show. We had a great night!

Have you ever received strange gifts from fans?
Yes – the strangest have been baby pictures of a fan, a fan’s dog tags, dead flowers with cologne sprayed all over them, and used stockings.

On Twitter, you wrote that there’d been a police chase in front of your house! What happened?
I woke up at 4am to hear someone riding a motorcycle in circles around our house. I peeked out of the window and saw a guy driving his car around the block, over and over again. The police were following him, but he kept ditching them.

Later that day, I found out the guy was trying to break into my neighbour’s house, and he’d called the cops and stood in his window with a shotgun. It scared the guy and he took off, just as the cops showed up, and he was trying to out-run them.

I wasn’t scared because stuff like that doesn’t usually happen in my neighbourhood, and two pitbulls guard the Kelley compound!

Where are the coolest, off-the-beaten-track places to go in Las Vegas?
I really like the Peppermill and The Boneyard at the Neon Museum. The Peppermill is an old school fireside lounge that’s on the strip; it’s been in a lot of movies and TV shows, and it’s romantic. The Boneyard is where the cool Las Vegas signs go when the casinos are torn down.

You have two children. How do you juggle working life with being a mum?
It’s really hard but, because I don’t have time to mess around, I try harder with everything I do. I have a great mother-in-law who helps me out while I’m working, and a supportive and loving husband who lets me travel the world. I love you, Kent!

It’s hard to go from working in Tahiti and being treated like a princess, to coming home to poopy diapers, homework and screaming kids. But it keeps me grounded, and I wouldn’t want me life to be any different. I’m a lucky girl!

For more about Sabina’s tattoo shops, take a trip to  Bombshelltattooparlor.com, and visit MySpace.com/StaytrueTattooParlor