It's my much-talked-about birthday today and i feel a lot of things but i am not in the best place, so i'm just going to say a few things:
I am very lucky.I have my family all alive and well, friends that can stand me, a job, a roof over my head, the ability to still hope and dream.
My sanity.
The ability to still see beauty and find pleasure in things around me.
I've not been buried, literally and figuratively.
I am still able to see reasons to be thankful to God.
These past few years have been super tough. So tough.
I am here now, ready to live the rest of my life in the best possible way.
I feel a strengthening in heart and i know that God is with me.
The strength and courage to fly, to pursue my happiness, the purpose for which i exist and to succeed.
This strength is what i pray for the most.
---
For this shoot, i wanted to be myself as possible, so of course i went with a plain white button-down shirt, jeans and minimal black sandals that i wore here . As if Rachel knows my heart, she lent me this black leather jacket that i would totally wear everyday if i lived in colder climes.
I felt like myself; a minimalist with a fuss-free style and kick-ass heart.
I am truly thankful for 30 years of life and counting.
Now 'imma go eat myself to stupor. Peace out!
Photography by Rachel Ola
Warning: Long post. Please bear with me.
It’s two days to my birthday and I am having the craziest mix of feelings about it all.
On my birthday wishlist post, I had mentioned how i usually feel excited at the beginning of November, what follows is that i plateau somewhere mid-month and finally plunge into the sub-zones by the birthday itself till month-end. This is generally the pattern.
But in the spirit of hope and counting blessings, let me take stock and see where I’m at.
Making: plans for December. I have weddings to attend in the
east so i’m stressing over the trip (and expenses).
Eating: ripe-but-still-strong pawpaw a lot these days. Been
eating this every other day for a little over a month now, which is weird
because I don’t remember ever being crazy-in-love with pawpaw before. Hmn.
Drinking: Bournvita right now. My current office is close to a
Cadbury factory so every morning i perceive the glorious smell of chocolate as I
come into work and so I decided to have Bournvita sometime last week. Now it’s
every other day. I hadn’t had it since my childhood days and boy is it
delicious! The Bournvita brand was quite strong here in Nigeria back in the day,
but they slept on their marketing and Milo took over.
Lesson: Don’t take your brand building/marketing for granted. Also, don’t arrogantly assume that you have arrived so you don’t have to keep working hard to keep what you have. Success is a continuous process.
Lesson: Don’t take your brand building/marketing for granted. Also, don’t arrogantly assume that you have arrived so you don’t have to keep working hard to keep what you have. Success is a continuous process.
Reading: nothing right now but I am looking for a good crime
novel to get into. New titles are so scarce in Lagos these days. Ugh. If anyone
knows how to help me get Lee Child’s The
Wanted and Second Son, please
holla. I promise to give you my Christmas chicken…
Wanting: a rose-gold watch. I went nuts when I saw this Fossil one. It’s even on my wishlist. Somebody, anybody…
Looking: forward to my birthday on Saturday!
Enjoying: the This is
It web series on YouTube! I am a huge TV person and somehow this show
slipped by me. I remember seeing the ads on Bella Naija a few times but for
some reason I never paid attention. In fact, I am now looking at other web
series to follow. Apparently lots of good dramas and short films are on YouTube
and it makes me a little sad to see so much talent being under-exposed due to
lack of opportunities and support. Many content on the web are way more interesting
than what we have on the television and the big screen right now. Shame.
Playing: Travis Green’s Made
a Way. First song through my earphones on my way to work, through my day breaks and on my way
back. On repeat.
Smelling: some chemical from a paint industry close by. Which
reminds me that I need to buy some fragrances for myself and my apartment. One
more thing to spend money on. Shoot me.
Noticing: some light fog in the mornings, signaling that harmattan might be here soon, yay! It’s my favorite
season and I look forward to it every year. 🙌
Thinking: about money, also about things I want to accomplish
for the next year/age. If I’m taking away one lesson from this year, it is that
with some courage, intentional work and a dash of God’s favor, I can actually achieve
a great deal, even if it seems impossible along the way. I might as well shoot
for the stars next year.
Feeling: grateful for life. For my family, my parents are
alive and healthy, my sister is doing great and is even about to marry. For my
friends, they are very few but I appreciate them to no ends. For my health
because I was sick something serious at the beginning and mid part of the year
but I am here and I am strong.
For Ebony Olajide on Facebook. A total stranger who saw my wish-list and gifted me with a brand new 32GB memory card for my camera, which I am using now. May he find help and favor from any and everywhere all the days of his life. I won’t forget his kindness.
Also, I won a N4000 gift voucher from KacheeTee's giveaway to shop from TwentySix.co! I was super-duper happy about this because i can now buy my 'Christmas cloth' without worries, and normally, i NEVER win anything. God is good!
For Ebony Olajide on Facebook. A total stranger who saw my wish-list and gifted me with a brand new 32GB memory card for my camera, which I am using now. May he find help and favor from any and everywhere all the days of his life. I won’t forget his kindness.
Also, I won a N4000 gift voucher from KacheeTee's giveaway to shop from TwentySix.co! I was super-duper happy about this because i can now buy my 'Christmas cloth' without worries, and normally, i NEVER win anything. God is good!
Hoping: that I get in better spirits by my birthday this
weekend. And that I get another thing off my wishlist!
Lastly, shout-out to Rachel who is a lovely photographer babe I met recently. She took these photos of me and I love them! Guys, she is also a yoga and fitness aficionado with the sickest body to prove it. Check her out @rachelola and @rachelolaphotography on IG.
x.
Yaaah i used on of my Instagram Selfies
Hey guys!
Today i'm doing the 20 questions Tag.
I enjoy reading them or watching them on YouTube and I think they are a great, lighthearted way to share yourself and connect with readers as well as other bloggers.
Also if you are a blogger/YouTuber and are stuck for content ideas, there are lots of tags that you can do to keep your flow.
I wasn't tagged by anyone to do this, i basically just chose to do it because i felt like it would be fun and easy.
I'm tagging all bloggers who read this, y'all know how it goes.
Anyway i hope you enjoy it, here goes:
1. Thing(s) you cannot leave the house without?
My wallet and Phone, because, reasons.
2. Nickname only my family calls me?
Chichi. and i HATE it when non-family members call me that. HATE IT.
3. Favorite food?
Akpu and bitter-leaf soup. Slurrrrrp. It has to be made with actual palm kernel extract and cocoyam, NOT red oil and achi.
4. Favorite Movie?
Too many to count... South Paw, Focus, Fast & Furious (all of them), Devil Wears Prada, Olympus Has Fallen, Jack Reacher (because i read/love the books), Iris (Korean Action. bad-ass), phwew! Like i said, too many to count.
5. Favorite TV Series?
Unequivocally 'AMC's The Walking Dead'. I like 'Black List' and some other K-Dramas too.
6. Favourite actor/musician/celebrity?
So many: Emma Stone 'cos she's odd in a great way, John Malkovich for his acting and diction, Leo Dicaprio 'cos he's a beast on screen, Melissa McCarthy, Voila Davis because duh, Jake Gyllenhaal because he's a freaking god of acting, DID YOU SEE SOUTH PAW?! , S.A's Hlomla Dandala and some others .
For music; John Legend, Tuface, Sia, Rihanna, Travis Green, Donnie McClurkin, Enya, Yanni, Lucky Dube, Bob Marley, Lady Gaga. When i want Naija dancing songs; Davido, Wizkid, Phyno.
7. Writer/Books?
Lee Child for Crime fiction, Judith McNaught for romance fiction.
8. Fave clothing stores?
Balogun market 😄
9. Fave perfume?
So far, Bvlgari (original).
10. Heels or flats?
Flats.
11. One clothing item to wear for the rest of your life?
Black slim cotton pants. I want to say jeans but you can't wear jeans for too long before it starts burning your skin, so cotton pants.
12. Wine or Juice?
Juice please. Chivita Active in particular.
13. Weird habit of yours?
I have to rock my legs for few minutes to fall asleep. lol.
14. What's your fave moisturizer?
Pears baby lotion or Vaseline Cocoa Butter lotion mixed with Coconut Oil.
15. Do you want to get married later on in life?
Yes. Soon, even.
16. Biggest pet peeve(s)?
When people don't pick up their calls or return your missed calls.
17. Most disgusting thing ever?
Sharing a bike with a strange man and getting dry-humped on our journey. I'll tell this story here one day, but ewwwwww!!
18. Any phobias?
Snakes! ugh
19. Have you ever had a near death experience?
Yes oh. I once entered a car of 419 (fraudsters) people. God saved me that day.
20. Money or Love?
Love. You can always make money.
--
Well, that was fun, hope you learnt something new about me.
Let me ask you; What's you favorite movie and What is the most disgusting thing ever for you? Please please please tell me in the comment section. x.
Well, that was fun, hope you learnt something new about me.
Let me ask you; What's you favorite movie and What is the most disgusting thing ever for you? Please please please tell me in the comment section. x.
How was your weekend, good? Mine was mostly good as i was able to go to the market and also attend the last day of the GT Bank Fashion Weekend that held in Victoria Island, Lagos.
I was not able to go on Saturday but i made it yesterday and it was great!
The event was put together by GT Bank to promote local enterprises, so it was a great opportunity for Nigerian based businesses to showcase their products, sell, network with other brands, customers, celebrities and the media.
Well organised, fully-packed and totally fun are what the event was yesterday and on Saturday too from what i hear.
I also saw a good number of celebrities, bloggers and fashion folks like Cassie Daves, Akin Faminu, Zainab Balogun, Chi Gurl, Sisi Yemmie and many more. So it was good people watching.
AND THE FASHION! See, Lagos people have to be one of the most fashionable people in the world, i tell you. They may be over-the-top some times, but there's nothing more buzzing than seeing Lagos people out in full social setting, in their fashion best. We are extra and i love it!
Unfortunately, for some reason, i didn't do a lot of street style photographing, but i got decent photos of the happenings inside. Take a look-
These are just some of the brands that participated.
Outside the main hall, there was a crafts village where they sold cool Adire fabrics, on-the-spot tailoring, straw hats, etc. and a food court that had ColdStone Creamery, small-chops vendors and other food people.In front of the food court was a large picnic/family area for chilling and eating. Cool stuff.
I was at the event for like less than two hours, but it was time well spent. I enjoyed it.
Have a great week guys, may all out efforts meet success. x.
Hey guys!
I'm back with another Trend Watch and today, it's all about the metallic pleaded skirts and raw, uneven hemmed jeans.These are mega hot right now and one good part is that a little D-I-Y on any jeans you currently own will have you on your way to rocking the denim style shown here.
I'll be showing you my own creation in my next post, so look out.
As usual, i played around with some styling ideas over at Polyvore , so let's see them:
Metallic Skirt:
Nothing like being dressed in shiny clothes to put you in a festive mood, so this metallic skirt trend is right on time and on the money. Not only are these skirts decent and feminine, the metallic finish gives it some edge and a cool retro feel. Love it.
In case you are not crazy about the popular pleated version, you can try another silhouette like Jessica Alba's or this Mango mini, if that's your thing-
Still fabulous.
Raw, Step Hemmed Jeans:
This is my favorite of the two trends. I think it's a subtly-edgy and creative way to wear jeans, even better if you refurbish your old jeans into this.. Say no to throwing away clothes until we exhaust all style options with them.
These are my faves right now. What trends are you loving at the moment?
Hey guys!
I am back with another beauty-makeup post and this look is inspired by a few things:
The fall season, marked by all things darker, richer and heavier, for people in climates that have it. We don’t have it here in Nigeria. Meh.
Halloween, for people who celebrate(d) it. I don’t. We don’t do that here in Nigeria.
November, my birthday month, through-out which I will be doing the very most. In everything. * throws fur stole*
and the purple lip is one of my favorite punch-packing makeup looks that i love to rock when I’m in the mood to be an ass-kicking, happy, confident creative.
Face:
Mary Kay Foundation| LA Girl Pro Concealer| Black Opal Finishing Powder | Kudi Cosmetics HD Powder
Eyes:
Black Opal 'Sand' , 'Peach Tree' blush, Makeup Revolution Eye-shadow palette| Zaron Cosmetics 'Jazz' gel liner| Random liquid liner| Mark Kay 'Ultimate' mascara| Davis brow pencil
Lips:
Zaron Cosmetics 'Prune Jiuce' lip pencil| Ferrarucci FL018 Long-lasting lipgloss
Good alternatives are Zaron Cosmetics 'Duke' and Yanga Beauty's 'Purp'
Yeah, with this color on, you definitely come across as
creative, bold and confident.
Also. ALSO guys, I am absolutely giddy over/proud of how
these pictures came out. See, my photography-learning journey is teaching me a
great life lesson. A lesson about starting what you what to do, starting now,
with whatever you have, wherever you are, not waiting for anybody, just learn,
practice and you can do practically anything.
I live!
I live!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
