Travelers Notebook : Christmas Layout

My Cina Christmas

How was everyone's christmas!!! 🌲
(Yea this is a backlog HAHA it's OK la. Christmas is 12 days right!)

My day started with tong yuens cooked by my MIL 😂

Not that I mind since I love the super kao ginger soup! But 1st time leh!

My Christmas as a wife & I can has tong yuen.

Don't know what brand she bought but the sesame is 😩 (this is also the 1st time tong yuen is bought. At home it's made frm scratch. So it's a bit ...😶)

My MIL much older than my mom but she follows less traditions hahaha 😂

 

 

Wanted to go family mart to see see but it was sooooooo jam! (Totally underestimated the Christmas crowd)

So we ended up eating this 😂😂😂

(Should have known by seeing the tong yuen, it's a sign that my Christmas is gonna be a cina ah pek one)

😛 I'm one of the few that doesn't eat meat (or got la but don't really) at BKT. I prefer all the fu chuks, tao fu poks, yao zha kuai, mushrooms and veggies.

In other words, (as my bro says) I like vegetarian BKT. 😂

But no leh! The soup must be use pork one!!! 😂 though I also don't mind vegetarian one la!

And I also like my bowl to be flooded with soup. Like soup is the base, rice is topping 😂😂😂

Give face la. Must have a bit of rice for show. Hahahahaha

The shop next to the BKT.

Lazy to move from my spot. So here's a kns photo of it.

The main reason was the outlook.

The door and all its whiteness!
Looks so...."hidden gem"?

Like if there's an article "top 20 hidden gems", this might be shortlisted Hahahaha

The 2 guys keeps staring back at me cause I was staring at them waiting for them to go away to get a good shot.

Aih' they smoke so long geh?!

Anyway, sent this to ms.ng to ask what does it say (banana woes)

It says "Mee" wor! 😳

Dinner 😂😂😂😂

Damn nonsense our day (and full of mono whatever saturated fats. Only this part feels like Christmas. That I'm fat from eating haha)

I don't care what everyone says about how unhealthy the soup is for instant noodles. I whack em all!

Maybe that's why my hair is so thin 😩
But I hardly eat! I think I only see maggi like once in 3 -4 months?!

Which I assume is not a lot?! 😦
Last time during college, I see those guys eat it every other day when they have no money. Don't know how man. They had loads of hair despite that though!

Finally closed the sales for Christmas! Means the end of all my packaging 😂

I nvr wrapped so much in my life!

And it showed how much I hoard cause even with alllll those packing. I still have a lot of ribbons and stuff 😂😂😂

Still taking orders for cny but definitely not gonna wrap like this man! Will faint!

From that packaging to this 😂😂😂

Diff ppl wanted diff things and some even started customizing the faces 😂😂😂

Okayla. Whatever makes you guys happy & buy more!
#needthemoney
#customerisalwaysright

Even did origami 😂😂😂
So hardworking yes?

Actually just to finish up all my stuffs la. Might as well. But still...a huge box of origami papers ! Gah!
I should start wrapping presents using the origami papers!

Sold tons of fruitcake this year thanks to social media 😳

Shocking what FB can do seriously.

My mom says she needs to restock her Martel Hahahaha

Well! Today I can has my family mart!

50% off (was it 50%?!) for soft serve if you like their FB page.

No wonder so many ppl were ordering matcha!

But the place was much much smaller than I expected!

But I guess having a lil bit of Japan is better than nothing at all 😁

Stabilo x Cristjen_lai portrait drawing workshop

And it's time for .....
*drumroll*
#bulatgoestoworkshops
#stabilomy

😂😂😂
drama haha #syioksendiri

It has been a while!! I love attending workshops but ..the wallet has been pretty erm...sahara desert-ish lately (can u believe I have 3 weddings this month alone? Give angpao till pain 😂 💸)

Super blessed to be able to attend this one☺️

Portrait drawing by christjen_lai (that's his insta handle btw) using Stabilo point 88.

Doesn't the drawing look insane!?

Forgive me...but the post might prolly sound all over the place cause I didn't take enough photos + it has been a few days + kinda forgot how to Dayre hahahahahah 😂

As usual!
Materials!

We were all given a few pcs of photostated portraits, eraser, pencil, tracing paper and of course, Stabilo point88 in 12 colours!

I brought my own since I have! Don't waste.

So firstly, we traced the portrait on the tracing paper.

#cheatone 😂

I really got a shock honestly. Cause I wanted to know the tips (tricks?) to drawing a portrait (need to lvl up for my live drawings, in case ma)

But here I am, tracing 😂 that being said, the teacher doesn't trace yea.

I mean, he traced to show us la but he can do live portrait drawing 😁

Anyway I asked him how come trace...I mean, how is that helping? Copying ma.

He said it's actually one of the faster way to learn. It's called ...muscle memory 😂 the more you trace, the more your muscle learns plus u will see things that u won't notice if u just look instead of tracing.

Tracing gives u more concentration and also more confidence ☺️

Okay. Fair enough 😂

Anyway, he said even famous painters from history (forgot who) traced. They use projectors to project on the wall / huge canvases.

Didn't know that.

So this means...anyone can draw 😂😂😂
With lots of hard work + patience.

After that we traced it again on Watercolour paper.

Can't believe we are using Watercolour paper 😅 feels so wasted + expensive. But he said the texture will help give depth or something like that.

There is no rule for the tracing!

Like me..I think I traced almost every thing. The highlight, the shadow 😂😂😂

He said it's fine. It just means I see more details in general.

Then we proceeded to mark the areas where we see the highlights (means the light parts) the shadows (the dark part)

I didn't do it but the next step is to actually number the areas.

So 1 being the lightest.
Till...whatever number for the darkest. That would really depends on how much your eye can distinguish.

For me...I just whack 😂😂😂 can't really tell.

But he says it's all about practice, so the more u draw, the more your eyes can see the differences.

That is also the reason why when u wanna pick portraits, u pick a more contrasting one. So that it's easier to see where are the highlights etc.

Or u can just adjust the contrast on photoshop before printing it out la 😂

Since we are all noobs 😂😂😂

Start with yellow!
Leave the highlights white and start shading.

Sounds easy right? 😂 but honestly quite intimidating cause it's pen (ink?) straight. Meaning no erasing. No undo button.

If it's pencil, then it isn't so bad.

If I already feel intimidated (cause in general I am not super good in colours) I can just imagine how the rest (esp those without art background / work) feel 😅

Btw, this is the teacher's work!
Damn nice Pls!

Mine and the teacher's!

Maybe not obvious but I can see the differences 😂 my strokes are so heavy! And I have some awkward shadow here and there as compared to his.

Thankful he was next to me, means I can refer to his work when I feel lost 😂 #cheatone

Why u must try to be as light as possible is because you can go darker but not lighter. That's why it can be a lillll tricky.

Unless you are doing other mediums like oil painting, then ok la (in his words yo. I nvr tried oil painting)

Also cause I have problems doing strokes. So he was kinda showing how to.

Mine can't seem to come out 😂 same with the woman sitting next to me.

It is how we angle the pen. I think if u use the point 88, u will know what I mean.

Also, one must be lighter (seriously, I thought I was doing qi gong) for a while. We both have stiff hands 😂

And lastly...the way we stroke, it wasn't even.

So yup...he actually asked us to practice drawing strokes 😂

Proceeded to the orange for the medium tones. Add the details.

Even more intimidating hahahahahahah 😂 cause it's so freaking bright??

And it's gonna be so hard to save if it's done wrongly.

Though that being said, he did say that if it's too dark (like a sudden too dark. Too much contrast suddenly) then u just gotta overall darken the whole thing😂

And then the dark parts!!

Nice?!?! 😱😱😱
It's the teacher's btw. Can you see his strokes? They really differ from area to area, I think depending on muscle or structure or something.

You can add background if you wanna have some contrast or to cover up your lines that came out of the drawing.

Can u see that he coloured the hair yellow first before colouring it black? It's actually a common technique so that the whole drawing feels "together". Learned it at another workshop 😂

And ta-dah!
Mine!!!

Filter 99 so that it looks presentable 😂😂😂 overall still pass right?!

It helps that the face was traced la. If not sure don't know look like what man.

I did ask him, that I can never capture a person's face 100%. He said there's bound to be some "off". What more I do cartoon drawing.

If the person is so anal about it looking 100% ...then just take a photo 😂😂😂

Thank you!! Made me much more confident & practice more!

Just realized my guy's eyebrows like he just did tatt!

MT tape expo @ Pavilion

🙌 banzai!! Hahaha
Now let's test my "tahan" skills 💪

The hanging washis!!!
So mesmerizing and seriously...felt like a waste hahaahahah 😂😂😂 (then again don't most decor feels like a waste sometimes? Haha sometimes I feel like so when I'm doing my wedding decor 😅)

They are just hanging!! Not even stuck to anything! Would be nice if they fall, I would gladly catch them like gems 😂

Of course, if rain gems then I will catch gems over washi tapes! #practical #reality

Washi heavennnnnnn! Hahahaha
So so much tapes!
Though most of them are nothing new (unfortunately)

But the bright side of it, means I won't be spending much since ..nothing new ma 😛

Can't say the same for some of the people whom I saw there hahaha some are really new to this tape thing and well...welcome to the dark side 😂

The first place that I attacked first was the "stick all you want with the washis provided" table.

Jengjengjeng.

Free washi. Who don't want?😂

I dam kiam ok. I even brought cards to roll some of the tapes to bring home 😅 #auntieleveliao

Everyone was practically sticking on everything!

Water tumblr, phone case, books, keychain, car keys, spects. Just to name a few 😂

Since no space around the wooden box with washis. Everyone just took whatever and plonked it in front of them.

Some actually just dragged the box nearer to them 😅 thankfully...didn't see or hear any arguments or what la. Cause it was like war!

And it was just 10.30am.

The limited edition Malaysian tapes!

Cuteeee 😍
No brainer on which tape I bought hahaha wanted to buy summore but it was rm19 per pc! Whathe🐟

Told myself I shall just buy one. Like...that's a bowl of semi atas lunch man.

So one. Thankfully managed to stop at one Hahahahah 😂 mind over heart.

Such pretty pretty pastels!!!!

Nope. Didn't buy also 😔
I mean how to settle for one la? When everything looked so pretty?

It's either all or none!

So none it is 😂

Kids series!
So cute!

Seriously, just spot the hidden animals in the jigsaw puzzle tape! Isn't that cute??

Hello kitty series!
Love the one with the year but ah..as usual, anything with hello kitty is expensive.

The hello kitty tapes that I own are bought when there was a clearance. Prices was slashed and it was buy 1 free 1.

Damn good deal.

Casa series!

As you can see (I think) they are clearing these. Not sure changing of designs or cause hard to sell.

It's the bigger washis that are targeted for larger surfaces such as tables, chairs, cupboards (I washi-Ed one of ah pek's shelves hahaha he's still using!) and even walls and floors!

😁 I don't mind washi-ing a part of my wall but ah.. Haha wait till I have my own place

Some of them! 😁

Wanna choose also choose die you.
But prolly useful if you wanna decor some stuffs for events. Just stick only, and it's quite friendly cause it's easily removed and can be re-stick.

One of the thing that I like about washi tapes. Quality is spot on.

Chalk series tape for you to test!

I just had to ok?😝

Quite nice isn't it?

The label ones can be cut individually and used. I think wedding also can la. Maybe to label bottles or what not?

Overall they had a few new tapes actually, but I forgot to take photos of them 😅 oops

The stamp!!
So cute. Really love the design with all the elements frm the limited Ed tape!

Yes, the sun bear, shuttlecock, hibiscus, the expo's pattern, wau (Malaysian kites) and..don't think they drew the last tape.

The last tape was a landscape water reflection. Not sure what this signifies....the KLCC fountain ka?

The "washi-ed" baskets for your shopping. Apparently flown in from Japan. Think they use it for every expo. Talk about recyling man ♻️

And the tapes damn tahan la means! 😳

Anyway, refused to hold on to one despite the staffs so kindly and attentively handed me one every time I walk pass.

Cause ah...that's how you end up buying more right?!

Cause instead of one hand, BOTH your hands are free. Free nvm, got space to put things.

Heck no!
#dangerousia

Snapped this cause there was this old couple (not that old la but maybe 50-60s?) in front of me choosing tapes and it's funny cause the husband was convincing the wife why they should buy so and so pattern 😂😂😂

He was showing his phone case as well which he washi-Ed with the free washis!! Quite cute la 😂

Sze too doing her thing during the workshop!

Since it's open air and I have nothing to do. So I just kepo stand there and watch la.

Ms.Er said she taught quite a lot. The only tip I listened on was that always find similar colour hues (same shade?) when sticking the washis on your TN.

Also, when packaging something, better to use a plain washi than a "noisy" washi tape.

😂 hard to listen la plus the organizers
were staring at me. Like why I no pay money but leeching there 😂

Anyway, didn't join the workshop cause I thought 100rm was a bit steep. Ms.er did cause ms.ng and I bought a spot for her as her birthday present! 😁

Quite nice actually cause there was stamps, washis, freebies of like stubs, stickers and the likes for you to choose.

They even let you use the Polaroid to take photos so that you can journal! That film ah, 2.50 per pc ok. Hahaha

After all that, they even got 2 washi tapes to be brought home as door gift.

If you're a beginner, worth la.

The washis they get to use!

The one open for public is like one box only.

For the workshop they had 2 boxes and the tapes are slightly different. More varieties and some are more premium too 😂 kept telling ms.er to stick more washis. Like stick to get the workshop's moneh worth 😂 #kiamislikethisok

Sze too's work from the workshop!

Which ah..she ripped it apart after that 😳 cause she said it's not nice enough. Doesn't pass her standard.

Though it looks nice to me and everyone else (hahah the look of horror we had when she tore it was priceless. Esp the organizers faces hahahaha)

At that moment, I totally understood where she was coming from 😂 this one artist/perfectionist disease. Can't be cured and if you have it, welcome. We same same gang 😂🙊🙌

Taking photos at the workshop's table cause ..might as well la 😂

Seriously, the organizers were watching out for me cause they wanna make sure I don't end up using the washis from the workshop table 😂

Sibeh strict but I guess it's only fair since the ppl who joined the workshop paid for it.

Gachapon! 😁

Rm9 per coin.
Though the price is okay but I thought it was a bit steep la.

Cause no.1 the tapes are smaller? Unless the total meter length is the same as the normal size ones.

No.2 the tapes are not even special? It's actually normal design tapes that you can buy.

The only extra is, there is a bonus limited Ed tape in some balls. So if you kena means rm9 = 2 tapes (one the normal one, another is the limited Ed)

The limited washi tape designs that you can get from the gachapon!

And the good part is, you get to choose which design you want for the limited Ed if you win la.

Which...I did.
Well, technically I win but the tape isn't mine cause it's ms.er's coin hahahaha😂

How I won?

I just looked to see if the next ball had the winning paper inside 😂😂😂 the winning paper inside is the one u exchange it for the limited Ed tape!

😳😳😳
Sibeh packed man.

Lucky I was there early if not I would never stand a chance now. I mean how the heck are u gonna squeeze through that!?

Since draw liao, used the opportunity to take photos only la.

You can check #mtexkl on insta if you wanna see more photos! Though it's just repetitive photos of tapes la 😛

Or go and see the real thing at pavilion. Now till 7th August! 😁

How was the whole expo?

It was okay. But I was reallllly expecting more. This was a bit like a ...washi tape flea market? Hahaha not so of an expo.

Like a pop up I would say.

Cause I have googled past expos at Japan. It's crazy! They washi tape walls and floors and even the beetle and a bic🚲 don't think I saw wrongly la.

Even the expo at SG looked nicer.

But, that being said, I think this brought awareness and so much more ppl now know this exists 😂

Good luck people haha

Oh ya, my TN page filled with the free washis 😂

Anyway, spent a total of rm53.
Ms.ng who didn't go so she shopped via watsapped, rm7+ hahaha 😂
Ms.er ...3 digit. So let's not go there 😂

Anyway, some ppl really spent like crazy. The person in front of me spent like 700rm?!?!

😳😳😳

Im sure if I add all my tapes up, I have spent way more than that but I have never ever spent 700 on one bill for tapes.

Actually I think the highest I went was 120 😅 and that's scary enough for me.

Stabilo x VenieTee fashion illustration workshop

Today's all happy cause I'm here for another workshop! 😂
#bulatgoestoworkshops

As usual...I'm in my slippers cause I'm lazy (and a sloth) hahaha

And then when slowly, the participants (guests?? People?) start trickling in (ah pek always drops me off sibeh early. It's his nature haha) with their ootds. (Heck, even the guys are in nice ootds haha)

Then I regret and start pep talking to myself to at least wear my flats next time.

Though, after so many workshops...I can safely say it's a vicious cycle and I nvr learn 😂

So ok la. New rule for me.

Eff this 😂 life's too short to care about this.

Stabilo is starting to have collaborations with artists (I guess that would be the term?) to hold workshops!

Today's the first one and it is fashion illustration with venietee (you can search for her in Insta)

So of course, those are Stabilo stuffs and her works!

Super happy Stabilo invited me to join them for this session ☺️ so kind of them! #blessed

Next month's one will be brush lettering with ronnycakes! (Insta name)

Don't say I didn't share hor! 😁 #sharingiscaring
#stabilomy

The freebies!

So competitive workshops nowadays. Must provide the tools + food and everything must be insta worthy 😂

Anyway, notes (human figure sketches drawn by venie herself) and colour pencils and the likes!

Forgot to take photo of the food 😂
But Whupwhup in general is okay. We had sandwiches and tarts. The apple cinnamon tart was yummy! 😋

Isn't this cute? 😂
Super love it!

Would buy this if its for sale (print la, haha can't imagine how much it would be going for if it is original)

Close ups! 🙌

Seriously for a person that likes to see fashion & draw fashion, I don't dress up at all. I mean look at me and my slippers 😂

I have quite a number of dresses bought like a few years back and they have never seen the light cause I'm lazy to dress up.

But I don't wanna give them away! I bought them cause I love it!

How la u tell me.

So as you can see form the notes, those are croquis drawings.

Croquis drawing is quick and sketchy drawing of a live model. Croquis drawings are usually made in a few minutes, after which the model changes pose or leaves and another croquis is drawn.

As told by wiki 😂

So our job today was just to draw fashion on it! Didn't even have to draw the body 😂 not like the last workshop I went to.

So it really depends what u wanna learn / looking fwd to.

This is venie herself!

Erm, hahaha I seriously thought she's super young (I mean she looks young to me la)

Until she gave a short introduction about herself with the sentence "I was a fashion designer and have been in the industry for 10 years."

😳 oh.
Okay. She's not that young then hahaha

And hoho! Beatrice looi was there too! Came to support her 😁 she said Beatrice was her mentor which she shook it off saying "no! I'm student today!"

Surprisingly loud, funny and kind 😂 something lidat

So she demonstrated first and then we all proceeded our own. She will go around to help / teach.

Or if you have any questions at all, you can ask her! 🙌

This is her showing how live drawing is being done. Fast and sketchy. Just to get the overall gist of it. Cause the model will change fast.

I have a short video of it on my snapchat if you wanna kepo 😁

Showing how to use Stabilo markers which can be added with water for Watercolour effect.

Cause u know...they are not waterproof 😜 hahaha

Last time always wanna find waterproof pen, now that one can see the benefit of a non waterproof pen. The tables turn 😂

Really a case of, "look at the positive side of things."

Took a photo of the guy's work next to me. The first one is his work (he's a freelance designer)

The other two are the demo drawings by venie.

The sketchy one in the middle as I said & the last one is a demo on how u draw ...chiffon if I remember correctly.

One of the participant's artwork 😳

Most of them have either art background (like interior design/designer) and a few are actually fashion students.

So everyone's work today was a lilllll bit insane hahahah like hello, even Beatrice looi was there. I regretted not taking a photo of her work 😐

But I love it! 😍
I can walk around to see what / how the fashion is being drawn. Everyone has their own style and it's really quite interesting!

I think u will see them on stabilomy (insta) soon😊

Mine 😂

It was really quite fun just drawing fashion (at least I don't have to think of proportions!) and erm...therapeutic🙈

There's actually quite a bit to think about like structure, material, colour, focus etcetc.

But if you are just drawing for fun. Then it's fun lo 😂 I guess esp if you like fashion in general. It's really fun to see pretty clothes and drawing them out. Interpreting it in your own way.

Love it ☺️
I also realized I like normal clothes with something diff / small details 😂

Some of the fashion we could pick and draw!

Erm, these were left on the table when everyone was almost gone. So I kiasuly took everything 😂

Can resume drawing when I feel stress 🙌 forgot who's the designer.