My Mushin Journey

A new friend. She makes bags with something like wire. This bag is "hers" and she offers some classes if you are interested.
A lot of synthetic leather. I was spoilt for choice.
Traders busy. U can't believe how busy this place can be, and they don't sell food.
Nobody to pay to carry your load, so u carry yourself. So heavy. No sissy in this market ....Hello everyone...

I know I had said I would have a second blog, where the details of my handbag's journey will be told little by little, but I was advised by a friend, just stick with "secretlilies" and in future I can recreate my blog and accommodate all my endeavors. I think I will just stick to secretlilies since I will be so busy and not sure I will have the time to manage two blogs.

Alors "secretlilies" will be a blog for all. My musings, business secrets, motivational stories, a little about myself, and my handbag making journey. Alors just seat back, relax and enjoy the ride.

My handbag making journey began on wednesday when I went to the market, Mushin market to be precise. For those who do not know the market : Mushin Market is a market for leather wears. Everyone that works with with leather visits this market regularly or so I am told. I was to meet my mentor (who refused to take any picture), at the AP filing station in muslin, by 10.30 a.m. I took a cab for the whole day ( The cab guy was just lamenting about the lack of business because of summer and the Salah holidays. Meaning that a lot of Lagosians travel out of the country during summer.. na wa oh and we say we do not have money in this country). Sorry to digress, back to my waka.

I got to the filing station by 10.15 a.m excited and all, but I had to wait for my mentor who came an hour late..hmmmm what could I say. Anyways we got into the market by 12.

Although not organized, the market was clean. I was impressed. I had prepared for my market waka I put on a blue jeans and black polo, with my market slippers, ready to conquer the world. As we walked from stall to stall I was being given some lectures. Men!!!! this bag making e no easy at all oh. You have to have passion for it or you will just die..loll.. and I have not even started.

Anyways I loved the experience. The people hurriedly walking pass as though they had a hundred and one things to do. The traders selling. In fact Mushin is a market where they sell rubbish, but the customers create fantastic pieces from the rubbish they buy. The one thing I loved about the market: there was: "no harassment".. You know when you go to the market and they call you names, telling you how they have jeans and fine fine tops when all you want to buy are used novels. Nobody fighting to touch you or christening you with names like Nkechi, or baby, or Egovine etc.

After shopping, I had to drop my mentor off at her house. MEN!!! she lives by Ogun state border.

Well I got home safely and I loved the experience. Special thanks to Vera Akpan of OREMICRAFTS. She will be at the LE PETIT MARCHE SALE on the 25th of this month. SO if you are in Lagos please come around GET ARENA, Oniru Estate, Victoria Island, Lagos, and shop.

Check out this link www.minkudesigns.com

A young Nigerian handbag designer. Lovely bags too and I like her. She is very nice and down to earth.

Do take care of yourself and have a lovely weekend.

Ciao..

Notez Bien couldn't get the pictures to come after the post.

And the pictures were taken with my phone camera not a professional camera...

Ciao once again

What U Ask You Receive

Hi guys.. How r u you today. I hope good.

New Secretlilies followers, thank you guys. I really appreciate it.

I am just happy this week. Everywhere I turn new babies arrive. The one that has brought tears to my eyes, is the good news about my friend, who just had a baby boy after 6 years of waiting.

Kia!!!!!! God indeed is so Good.

Now back to the topic of today. If you remember I talked about my new week's strategy, in that post I shared a little about the bag stuff. My blog will come up soon, so my journey will be read there.

After searching and searching for some help with no luck, I finally decided to learn to make bags myself. After looking around I am pleased to tell you that I have found a mentor. Someone who will take me to where the material is sourced locally. Some one who is in the business and is willing to give me advise any time I need it. Someone who I am spending the whole day with, bombarding her with questions all day, seeing her work space, how she works, the little trick she uses and I get all these for free.

The bible passage that say " ask and you shall receive. Seek you shall find. Knock and the door will be opened unto you. If you ask you will receive, if you seek you will find, and if you knock the door will be opened unto you". Is so true when u apply it.

You will be surprised the kind of favors you get from people when you just ask.

So tomorrow I literary start my journey and will not fail to let u know how my journey's been.

Alors I urge you to ask and you will receive it...(its usually nice when u have faith in yourself).

Ciao

NEXT WEEK'S STRATEGY

Hello everyone and happy weekend.

To my new followers welcome and thank you so much.

I haven't posted in a while cos for once I have been out of ideas.

Anyways, I just said I had to post today, couldn't leave you guys without some juicy gists for this weekend. loll..

I will like to share a little of what I will be doing next week.

For a long while I have been interested in making shoes, bags, belts etc. I had tried learning but was disappointed.

Deciding to start with one Item first, I choose bags. The thing is that I have tried to no avail to get someone to tutor me, but it hasn't been possible. For some reason the timing hasn't been right, either when I have cleared my schedule no one is available, or when they are available the cash isn't available. You know how money somehow manages to slip through one's hands.

With all these challenges I have decided to do a few things:

first of all I will start a new blog. This blog will be about my journey through bag making. I will blog about my challenges, my bad times, good times, joys, creations and my learnings. Sometimes I may even chip in a little of what I have learnt about bag making..who knows.

Secondly I will buy myself a sewing machine... This one isn't easy as I have never used a sewing machine before in my life. I sew very well but with needle and thread.

I will also look for a market in Nigeria where I can source for accessories and materials. I do not know where, although a little research has told me Mushin or Balogun. I also need to find someone who will take me there. Someone who knows the market very well and who knows what's original and what's not, bearing in mind that I am on a budget.(Very tight one at that).

Now this is a big challenge as I haven't been able to find any one willing to take me there.

Thirdly after sorting all these out, I will start learning how to make bags in my house, by myself. Thank God for the internet at least I can get a head start with that.

Hopefully as I continue I will be able to show my collection either my the end of this year or next year. I am not in a hurry. I will take my time and do this very well, the end is what matters.

In between all these I will try to post on my blogs, take pictures, write and work with my editor at the same time. I hope I have the strength to do all these.

Anyways I know one thing I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.

Mean while check out this bag maker's blog. Her bags are fantastic: www.houseofnodza.blogspot.com. She is gifted and the good thing is that she is self thought.

Wishing everybody a lovely weekend.

Make good use of your weekend.

Make sure you have fun..

I hope Temi and I will go out this evening..He is sleeping now..Let me give him time..

Take care.

BEN CARSON/ IBIFIRI MOBOLAJI-KAMSON

Hello everyone I am so excited about my last post, a lot of encouraging comments. Do keep them coming, very encouraging I must say.

To my new followers: thank you very much for making my weekend. I love to see the followership pile up and what's more active followers at that. Thank you very much. You actually keep me posting.

Now back to the topic of today...

P.S. I am hoping this will bring a lot more comments, text messages and phone calls, like the sat one did...loll..

Anyways I was reading this book by BEN CARSON " GIFTED HANDS".

P.S. "For where to get it in Lagos you can check with Laterna bookshop on Oko Awo street, Victoria Island. Their books are good and affordable.

"This book is a story about BEN CARSON's life. He said he was the class dummy. Whenever they will call the test scores everybody knew he will score zero. So they teased him endlessly. What struck me was the determination his mother had. She always told him that he could do it, and he could be the best at whatever he decided to do. She never compared him to other kids, but she made him buckle up. He ended up being the best in his class. Despite all the hardship, he realized that nobody was to blame for whatever decisions he made, only him. Going through summer jobs, no money and tough times, etc today he is one of the best neurosurgeon in the world.

His story reminds me a lot about me...Mind you I am not yet the best at what I do, but I am getting there by the grace of God...

Back in the days I wanted to be a doctor. When I got into SS1 I just couldn't handle the sciences, so I switched over to the Arts. It was determined that I will make a good lawyer since I loved to read novels. After I had written JAMB i.e. (Jamb is equivalent to SAT/ TOFEL/ exams that enables you gain admission into higher institutions, in Nigeria), 3 times and it was looking like I could use the scores to gain admission into the LAW program, I had to look for other alternatives. The other alternative was FRENCH. (In fact my dad told me that i may have to go to the Polytechnic since I wanted to study french). I didn't like it, but I had no choice cos if I didn't get into school I was going to watch my younger ones get into the University before me and I knew I was going to hear for a long time the story of Esau and Jacob.... (I hope you know that story.. of how Esau sold his birthright).

I just stayed in the class hoping to change to another Uni and start another course. It didn't work out so I was stuck with french in the University of Port Harcourt.

I am ashamed to say it but I was the class dummy too. Anytime they asked me questions the whole class will laugh cos they knew there was no way I was every going to get the answer right. This went on for 2 years, and my CGPA had dropped to a 3rd class. I never failed a course but I just had D's and some C's.

When I realized this... I decided that I had to do this right.

I wasn't stupid, that I knew and I could be better. So I started studying. Every time, day,minute I struggled to speak, read, and understand french. It wasn't easy. At first it was like I was just wasting my time. But I can tell you today, that I am very good in french. Can speak, read and write it properly. I read best sellers in french: "starting one tomorrow". I can speak with a Parisian accent not a francophone accent, which always surprise everyone. I didn't graduate with a 3rd class. I had an A in my project. I am D.E.F.L & D.A.F.L. certified. (That's like one of the highest professional certified courses in the french language and not easy at all).

Today like BEN CARSON instead of my classmates teasing me, they are proud of me. They want to know what I know. (Please I hope they don't read this post.. They may get angry..loll)..

Anyways the moral of the story.. You can do anything you want to do". This and many more. Only just believe in yourself.

Do have a nice day and a lovely week.

SEX

Hello everyone,

I decided to be a little bit bold today and talk about SEX.

I have always wondered why it is so difficult for parents to talk about Sex with their kids.

I know I didn't get the sex talk from my parents. Were they shy? Or was it because of the society? (You know in some places its still considered an abomination to talk about it)

What would they have done if I had boldly asked them to teach me about sex.

Why is it that in our society sex is still a hush hush topic, especially amongst the religious sect.

Why is it that we behave as though it doesn't exist.

Why is it that when you talk about it you are automatically labeled a very bad girl or boy?

Why do people behave as though they don't know anything about it, when we are evidence that our parents had sex at least once?

One day On her show, Tyra Banks interviewed a few teenage girls, who where less than 14 and who had all had sex. All of them said that they would have wished that their parents had, had the sex talk with them. They said if they had had the sex education they probably wouldn't have dabbled into sex that early, or listened to their friends...Now this is America?

Can you imagine how difficult it is out here.

How many kids get the sex talk from their parents?

A girl told me that when she saw her period for the first time she didn't know what it meant. When she told her mother about it, her mother told her that now she had become a woman and that if a boy touched her she would become pregnant...

Now imagine when she realized that touching didn't make you pregnant. I am sure she would have been disappointed that her mother lied. Concluding in her mind that her friends knew better about SEX than her mother.

(Peer pressure)

Or is it a boy who just discovers that he has started having wet dreams, in the hostel, and is being teased by his bunk mates. Or has just been introduced into the deadly snarl of masturbation. Emotions running wild, confusion, enjoyment, gratification, shame and then father not there to give him the man to man talk? Imagine what he will grow up thinking.

I wonder why then do we have kids when we can't talk to them about anything?

There was this research that said almost 75% of married women do not have an orgasm. This news is a bit controversial, but it will shock you to know that a lot of women and men have never had proper sex education.

Sex or lack of it is one of the things that results in marriages crashing. Either, the man isn't getting enough or the women is just not interested, or both of them haven't taken the time to understand each other's needs..

It's sad that even when we go to meet our spiritual heads, they do not give us the real facts about sex.

I wish we will grow into a generation that can comfortably talk about sex: "the bad and the good". I wish we will be able to give our children the sex talk without shouting down their heads or lying about it to them or making them feel they will burn in hell because their hormones are very active.

I want to have sons, and I pray that when the time comes they will be able to talk to me about their first crush, their first kiss, the changes they notice in their bodies as they approach puberty and the almighty sex talk....In fact I want them to be able to tell me anything.

Please let me know if your parents ever gave you the sex talk and what stories they told cos I know a lot of our parents told us a lot of funny stories about SEX.

Ciao

Women Are Better At Multitasking Than Men

Hello everyone. How are you?

I hope your weekend went well, cos mine was fantastic..

I couldn't post for some days, cos for some reason my Internet has been acting up. I can't imagine why we have to pay for not so good Internet in this country. Anyways enough of my lamenting.. Let's get down to the business of the day.

Women better at Multitasking than men.

Scientist have proven that women are better at multitasking than men.. (Sorry to my male followers...I am just saying...loll)..

If you ask me: I had known this all along, didn't need any scientific research to figure it out. From time women have been known to do more that 2, 3 things at the same time..

Have you ever imagined how a woman can wake up early, get the kids ready for school, drop them off at school, go to work, pick them up from school, go back to work to round off for the day. Come back home, late, prepare supper, breakfast and lunch for the next day. Put the kids in for bed, pray, retire to the room to a husband waiting to have fun. And then the cycle continues the next day...

Hmm this to me is serious multitasking.

K forgive me for exaggerating a little bit, but I am sure a lot of us have mothers, aunties, friends, pastor's wives, who have at one point in their lives gone through this tiresome routine, and without help.

I give it to them..

Let me toot my own horn.. I do not do all the many things listed above, but I know that when I cook, I like to cook about 3 dishes at the same time (this is for storage. Giving time to lazy about..loll), write and read at the same time. Now if you ask me this is serious multitasking on my part...loll.

Anyways do let me know if you actually multitask...

Have you ever done your make-up while driving?

AHHH me I have been guilty of that, especially in the traffic.. Now this is multitasking..

Do take care of yourself and have a lovely public holiday.. for those of us in Nigeria.

N/B: " for more info check " The TELEGRAPH" article by Richard Gary.

PAUL V HARRIS

Today as I clicked on my twitter page I saw this tweet :

"If I can meet my beautiful wife, have 2 children and be massively successful after being burned over 85% what can you do?"...

I couldn't help it, so I had to do a little research on the man called " PAUL V HARRIS"..

He was definitely burned.

He has a scared face, undergone a lot of surgery after a horrific automobile accident, which resulted in a prolonged stay at the hospital, and he was pronounced dead 3 times, while he was at the hospital.

He has been able to create his own good luck. Not only that he has also been able to motivate people, teaching them that fear is only a limitation. He says if I can do it you can TOO. He is an international coach, who is highly sought after. He has been a speaker for 17 years...

He kinda reminds me of our very own Cobhams Asuquo.. The last time I heard him speak, he said that his blindness was his legal right to take a bowl and stand by the road demanding for money, but he didn't do it cos he wanted something better in life.. So he used his disabilities for his own good. Today he is married, sings beautifully, a good sought after music producer. Instead of wallowing in self pity, he rose up from it and overcame the odds.

If people with disabilities can be able to use their disabilities for their own good, and make an impact in society: then what excuse do I have for not following my dream and making an impact on this earth?

I will like us to think about our lives.. What is it we would like to do?

is it to be a better colleague?

a better wife/husband?

a better parent

a good friend

the best entrepreneur ever

to take care of lost children?

to love God more?etc

Whatever it is, trust me you can do it.

Quotes from Paul V Harris: " Don't let anyone tell you what your limitations are"...

Note: for me I have decided to start my 4Th novel.. I have the story line already mapped out. Along the line I will definitely ask you guys for some advise and I know it will be worth it.

Do take care and have a lovely day.