knew about this challenge a few years back but always chanced upon articles on inktober, saw others' artworks based on its prompts or suddenly recalled about it on the 364 days that did not entice me enough to start the daily ink-ing challenge in the month of October...
yup, i'm that particular about dates that the only date that i will be inspired and motivated enough to join the inktober bangwagon has to be 1st October, the first day the event starts every year... =P
And the miracle coincidence happened this year... but i really don't like to make art only to have them lying around to collect dust or to take up unnecessary storage space @ home sweet home...
so i added a criteria 2 to the challenge... the drawings must be able to be gifted out as hatchday / appreciation card for people who love me... 😍 ...
well, i realised that it wasn't that viable to meet criteria 2 for all the prompts as i drew on... so some of the drawings became an extension of things related to me; things i saw, things i like, things i used etc...
inktober #1. Fish - 1st Octinspiration from my P3 art lesson on zentangle fish...
inktober #2. Wisp (of smoke) - 2nd Oct
didnt even know the meaning of 'wisp' until i googled it... =P
(5 Jan) to Ai Rin for being the nicest and most supportive colleague to everyone in school... =)
inktober #3. Bulky - 3rd Oct
(1 Nov) our youngest A is a quarter century this year... all the best in all that's to come... =)
inktober #4. Radio - 4th Oct
(26 May) to Cherandy on her hatchday
inktober #5. (Leaf) Blade - 5th Oct
(18 Oct) hatchday card for the lady with the greenest fingers i know... =)
inktober #6. Rodent - 6th Oct
inktober #7. Fancy (ball theme cupcakes) - 7th Oct
keeping today's drawing much much simpler and using cheat code (teeth are cut from white paper) cos it was a super busy & tiring day yet i didnt want to stop the routine of completing the daily challenge on the day itself...
inktober #9. Throw - 10th Oct
from my memory of accompanying the As to watch pokemon cartoon when they were little, jigglypuff has always been my favourite cos it puts every one to sleep with its singing... today i found out that it has a pre-evolution, Igglybuff, which evolves when it reaches a certain point of happiness...
jigglypuff = sleep + happiness
jigglypuff is me in pokemon form !!! 😂😂😂
(29 May) to Julia on her hatchday
inktober #10. Hope - 12th Oct
even bothered to set up props for this... wahahaha...
i HOPE to 胡 a 大三元 in our next game.... "hint hint"
(8 Dec) Happi Hatchday to the lady who got 'bao-toe' to have played mahjong thrice this birthday week....
inktober #11. Disgusting - 12th Oct
this drawing took the least time to complete cos i was disgusted at the pic that i had to look at for reference...
inktober #12. Slippery - 14th Oct
from memories of ice-skating days back in secondary school... nah, not that professional to be in fancy attire... were in t-shirt, jacket & jeans all the time cos it was so so so very cold la...
inktober #13. (Sand) Dune - 15th Oct
used up the 2nd ink pen...
inktober #14. Armor - 17th Oct
inktober #15. Outpost - 18th Oct
the only outpost image i could relate to... the only k-drama that i watched the whole series thrice... by weekly installment, marathon and then with him... then they had to split and we split too... haiz...
(3 Dec) gave Mdm Zakiah this card because i remembered we had a fan squeal discussion about our desire / dream of visiting the film's many filming locations in South Korea & Greece... =) ... Sending you lots of love & health blessings... hugs hugs...
"lead"-tober #16. Rocket (& baby Groot) - 19th Oct
chose this "Rocket" just because i like baby groot... =)
"lead"-tober #17. Storm (from the 90s) - 20th Oct
from my memory of cartoon watching with the As again...
Storm has to be WHITE... =P
more and more deviations from the intent of inktober and also from criteria 2 which i set for myself at the beginning of the challenge... wahahaha....
inktober #18. Trap - 21st Oct
my heart in the love till death trap that you set on I.II.MMXI
inktober #19. Dizzy - 21st Oct
inktober #20. Coral - 22nd Oct
i miss seeing corals... i miss diving... so this card went to the person whom i think i have the highest chance of luring to go diving with me... =)
Happi 27th 蔡三宝... 😘😘😘
inktober #21. Sleep - 23rd Oct
has been relying on these to sleep since March...
sticker + inktober #22. Chef - 27th Oct
more time was spent conceptualizing, trial & error than the actual drawing... =S
hatchday present for the man who always cook for us, jio us out for food, help me send things here there everywhere... =D
chocolate-tober #23. RIP - 31 October
home-made halloween tiramisu cake @ the chuas'
lost steam 2/3 into the challenge... that's it... completed 23 out of 31 prompts = 74% achievement for my first inktober attempt..."Good Job" i say... =P
loving this game much cos it a combination of my favourite brainless swiping game element + festive home decor component... =)
managed to only snuggle a little with snowie before travelling up north to the chuas to help in prepping for our halloween party... =)
30 October (Fri)
what a cute & yummy welcome to school this morning from huishan... =)
then a 3 page long of love note from sweet sweet Ai Rin 'slided in'....
so paiseh to let her 挂心了...
finally had the chance to have my lunch at my pre-covid almost daily go-to after school for lunch kopitiam ... due to safe distancing, the number of available sitting has been halved and it is always so crowded and i hate having to hold a tray of food while i wait for available sitting so i havent been able to have my 'no need to think' lunch for a while le... =S
popped into ntuc to stock up.. =)
29 October (Thurs)
it's really amazing grace that goodies will appear on my table to welcome and energise me to school every other day... wahahaha
then huishan included me in her calories giving ritual... she gives, i take... wahahaha
see the calories in the form of thick, sweet condense milk oozing out of the cookie?!?!?! ... i luv.... wahahaha
managed to be back on my nap routine this afternoon... happiness !!!
still busking in the love from colleagues so went to source for love to gift out during work week to celebrate YEAR END SCHOOL HOLIDAYS !!! and the best place to source them out is from The Purple Parade website where many more 'new to me' social enterprises are highlighted...
28 October (Wed)
love note from Nilli early in the morning brightened up my super busy work day today!!!
27 October (Tues)
more hatchday 💓... 10Q Julia...
MX conducted a sharing on showing kindness today and only informed me about an hour before the session... lucky for her, Sylvia and I were free at that timing and managed to capture some pics ....
this is my favourite pic cos she looks so cute... =)
had lunch with huifang after school...
and redeemed my 2 free hatchday drinks from Koi to share with her... happy happy... =)
26 October (Mon)
brownie kept giving me the disapproving look as i binged watched on my drama... wahahaha...
browsed grab food multiple times throughout the day yet nothing caught the attention of my fussy tummy... it was 4pm before my tummy decided to make do with prata + ham... =S
finally had the appetite for yummy coffee swiss roll that huishan bought for me... =)
pretty pretty tin of cookies from Alvin...
24 October (Sat)
八早九早就被 joyce 叫起来去吃 belated hatchday 早餐 ... =P
then i accompanied her to atas market to buy beef and pork for her home cook steak & pork chop dinner...
chanced upon the key ingredients for tiramisu cake
and it shall be tiramisu cake for our halloween party next week... =)
came home at close to 2pm and carried on with my sleep for another 4 hours ... in serious re-charge from the emotional drain yesterday...
mangoes mangoes mangoes !!!
23 October (Fri)
today is a bad bad bad bad day to have session #3with Miss Goh... i was tired, i was drained even before the session started...
i thought i was prepared for today's session on the empty chair - i had nothing to say to him cos why bother wasting any more breathe when nothing can change anything...
when Miss Goh briefed me on what the format was; saying thank you, saying goodbye, saying i love you, saying i wish you well, saying i forgive you... i couldn't say it... i realised that i wasnt that 大方 to forgive & forget the pain, the hurt, the disappointment... I is 放眼看...
cried till eyes pain, head pain...
came home took nap
woke up still felt and looked like nonsense...
put eye mask to reduce the puff...
ate painkillers... gonna sleep it off...
thankful that tomorrow is Saturday...
22 October (Thurs)
PAM's McParty this morning... =D
today was another personal professional development day... accompanied by Disney songs... =)
happy happy.... SWB bought cookies from APSN for all the staff to welcome everyone back after the marking exercise... =)
Demetria packed me a bak kwa sandwich.... yum yum...
walked one round of daiso @ novena square while waiting for mx to be done with her medical appointment... grumbled about the small small outlet with nothing to buy yet could still spend $14... haix...
$4 went to these 2 drawer organisers that fit perfectly... =D
mx got a Chamomile tea wand from Tea Ideas for me... new innovative way of drinking tea...
came home to these on the work desk in the living room...
looking forward to having mangoes tmr... happiness !!!
21 October (Wed)
breakfast with PAM to start a great day @ work
decided that today shall be personal profession development in drawing skill mastery day with 周华健... =P
mini magnam to end a productive day of completing 2 inktober challenges... =)
19 October (Mon)
card #7 with liza
top on the list is definitely 蔡 mummy... the fact that she's around is enough for me to motivate myself to be well enough so that she doesnt have to worry about me...
then are the As... for the effort that they go through to help with 蔡 mummy and to be home every Sunday for our weekly chuas' gathering of more yummy food, dessert & laughters...
next are the pups... they make the home and the bed less empty... bonus *they are great cuddlers too...
MX... she had pulled me out of some spiraling dark moments by checking in on me oh so often... lured me out with promises of yummy food and gives me 'work' that i enjoy doing to occupy my alone time...
cy, mab, liza, lene, joyce, zhuan, laurice who will fit me into their busy schedule...
洪妈妈 for her love & care through still making it her responsibilities that home sweet home is still as clean as ever and for stocking up the fridge so that i continue to enjoy my fruits, drinks and greens...
Grateful to be this blessed !!! 😍
18 October (Sun)
postponed hatchday treat from joyce and didnt go back to woodlands today cos totally no energy to travel out... the only window of energy from my medication was used to fill my tummy with comfort food... i was craving for rice + fried stuff without the cold drink...
rice burger with fries from mos burger to the rescue... =)
painful weekend but thankful it was the weekend where i could just doze in and out of sleep with the pups... =)
17 October (Sat)
sleep-in morning with the pups...
ordered dim sum for dinner... paired it with a cup of hot tea to make my tum tum feel better...
16 October (Fri)
today is a super bragging day...
1st brag : my art room my art room my art room
i gave the art room an OVERHAUL when i took over the room in 2017... lots of effort and energy were used to move everything & anything around the room single handedly and this included shifting the tables, stools and shelves into different formations to create the teaching space & feel that i like for my kiddos...
All the artworks & posters on the wall, lanterns from the ceiling lights were all put up by me & my most trustworthy Mr Ladder... =P
so was super excited when i saw that it was pretty enough to be one of the venues used as the back drop for this video that is official released today !!!
2nd brag... my friend my friend my friend receiving an award from President Halimah
SHE is the WINNER of the LEADER of GOOD category in the President's Volunteerism & Philanthropy Award 2020... How INSPIRING is that ????
i finally found the energy to go cut my hair !!!
also received the notification that home improvement program will start in about one month's time...
exciting and has been shopee - ing in the last few hours for plastic drop sheet, bathroom mirror & shelf, clothes hooks... and checking out painters and professional cleaners...
15 October (Thurs)
netflixing with my sleepy buddies... 💓
14 October (Wed)
i'm collecting lots of love as fats around my tummy tum tum from more and more colleagues ... wahahaha...
gobbling down the "mian jian kueh" that Demetria bought for me... thankfully for this love cos i was super hungry (didnt eat dinner last night) yet no time to even sit down at my place to catch a breather as Wed's schedule is packed with 8 periods + 1 lesson extension ...
caught Julia & Huifang going on lunch date and tagged along to Genki Sushi... heee... then came home and took a 3 hours+ nap nap... shiok !!!
prata & ham dinner with mango from 洪妈妈 💓
13 October (Tues)
met up for lunch with my 猪朋狗友 for the last 25 years...
was grateful that most of my 吃 喝 玩 乐 was with him, ailing, yuan, xiuting & siew mei when we were much much younger... our roller blading days, our diving days, our ktv days, our supper nights, our cycling trips, our 双零寺 days ...
now mainly are eating days so we 'purposely' went for an hour of prawning as my hatchday activity... wahahaha...
i caught NONE while he caught 4... even though we were both using the same disgusting worm bait...
it was nostalgic as we recalled that our last prawning session was on 2 Dec 2008, the day he collected his previous car which had already been scraped in 2018...
12 October (Mon)
Happy to see these Children's Day gift that were left on my table ... Thank you Huishan... Thank you Mrs Kumar...
The PAM department bought a hatchday cake for the October babies; Mr Rudy and me ... 谢谢 u all oh... =)
Anqi did a full portrait of me while i ja-ga them before their oral examination...
hatchday gift from Cherandy...
she saw the pups' toilet paper roll in their waste cleaning basket was 'exposed' last Thursday and bought this super matchy with home sweet home colour scheme container for it...
put it to use immediately upon reaching home... even before i switched on the internet... thank you very de much oh... I love it...
chiong & completed inktober daily challenge #10 & #11 which were supposed to be completed last weekend but i was too busy & tired playing... =P
11 October (Sun)
lene QC-ed and failed this pic for 'publicity'... but i really wanna post on our hatchday lunch together @ sushiro, cwp this afternoon... wahahaha...
to all the hatchdays every year together... =)
she ordered this jelly cake and had it delivered to woodlands home sweet home this afternoon...
my first jelly cake... so so so pretty... i likey...
she also got me a mask... =)
10 October (Sat)
a durian hatchday (moon)cake for me from mab... super yummy !!!
It's my HATCHDAY and it's also Children's Day which means it's a non-school day... WOOHOO !!!.... birthday off.... happiness to the max... sleeping in is the best starter on my special day... =D
got off the bed at 1115am to doll myself up a little
i'm looking good at 19 + twenty today... wahahaha...
received video call of 蔡 mummy singing me my birthday song while i was on the bus... i didnt have ear piece with me then could not play it too loud... 没头没尾 so asked the As to ask mummy to sing it again and help me record a full video of it instead... =D
yes, i'm 蔡家大宝贝.... heee.... thank you mummy 😘😘😘 .... she so cute hor ???
PAM + 2 gathering @ home sweet home after a super hot & energetic Children's Day celebration
*fyi, my slippers, work flats and sports shoes are among them... =P
7 October (Wed)
came home to these birthday hard boiled eggs from 洪妈妈... 😍
i'm blessed !
6 October (Tues)
Chicken rice Tuesday from Julia... big big pack with egg @ only $3....
first birthday gift this year ... =D
this is how i drank bubble tea when i dont wanna others to know... =P
zaza sent me 2 more cards to think deeply on...
card #6
my deep deep answer is: relationships with the Chuas, my friends & colleagues, having joy in my work & at work, my pups, my health, my finance... basically everything in my life is working at its best at this moment ... except my marriage... but i can feel i'm getting better at burying the pain from it... not best at it yet, but will be best at it in times to come... =)
5 October (Mon)
it really takes much self-discipline for me to kiss them goodbye and go to work every work day...
had the luxury to try cross-hatching for inktober#5 in school cos it's Happy Monday for me...
"Thanks for all the cookies and the inspiration to support social enterprise" ... so happy to receive this pic & text from XD... 😍
left school at dismissal to take a short nap before having the last lesson with J & J... gonna miss them much much yet looking forward to all my sleep-in Saturdays... =)
tried out the pretty pretty reusable ice cubes that i gotten from my last Daiso trip last Friday...
when a man says that he no longer loves you, no matter how hard it is, just let him go amicably... 男人自私起来, 什么都做得出... 爱你时, 当你是神, 什么都听你的, 不爱你时, 他是恶魔... 虽然心死了, 但只要活着, 疗愈后, 就还是可以一个人开开心心过接下来的每一天...
learnt so much about that particular octopus, its wits in protecting itself from the numerous shark attacks with kelp and shells & rocks, its witty & versatile trapping prey techniques, its ability to regrow a limb after the shark twisted and ripped it off (OUCH!!!), its sacrifice when it became a mother...
i luv my mummy & i really really miss diving...
4 October (Sun)
a day where my slipped disc miraculously snapped back into its correct position... hee... woke up and found that i can bend, can squat, nimble as before ...wahahaha....
happy happy so got off bed at 1.30pm to complete inktober #4
it's back @ woodlands day today... =D
favourite male pup - Ong Ong...
yummy dinner by Angela & JW
& equally yummy dessert from Artea...
3 October (Sat)
九早十早就 drill drill drill... it better be related to the Home Improvement Program of my toilets sweet toilets... =S
倍太子 J & 公主 J 读书 from 11 am to 5 pm... 累死娘娘我了...
so rewarded myself with my favourite buttermilk crispy chicken meal for dinner... =)
had the energy & discipline after dinner to 再画又画 on inktober challenge #2 & #3 ... so proud of myself... =D
2 October (Fri)
in the mood for more shopping so popped by City Square Mall right after school and was happy to chance upon the 'newly' opened Genki Sushi for lunch...
signed up for their free membership and was given 15% discount for this meal.. =)
went into Watson to help Michelle check out her item... couldnt find what she wanted ... ended up buying these...
one for me, one for lene...
& horror oh horror... based on my safety check-in check-out timing, i spent 2 hours 26 minutes in Daiso... came out $56 poorer... of which $18 went to these.... =P
first time set up Halloween corner in home sweet home... just because PAM + 2 will be visiting home sweet home after children's day celebration next Thursday & Patricia will be popping by on the 17th so gave me the mood to cutie spook things up a little @ home sweet home... hee
was in such a good mood that i even had energy to complete inktober #1...
1 October (Thurs)
my favourite month... a month of many many love loves... heee... and to kick start this fantastic month, made a necessary trip to NTUC right after school to stock up on loves for my tummy and the pups...
been decade since i last bought a magazine but the sudden passing of 小鬼, the placement of the magazine with him on the cover right next to the cashier lured me to fork out $2 ...
inspiration from my P3 art lesson on zentangle fish... 
