A Throwback and a Giveaway!

 It's Throwback Thursday!!!!!!!!!!

Who remembers how I started blogging in the very first place?

If you don't remember, I'm about to remind you - The Aje-Butter's Guide to NYSC blog! In case you're newer, I started blogging in December 2011 about my NYSC service year (see my very first blog post ever!). I moved back to Nigeria in June 2011 to start NYSC and decided to blog about my experience. After the year was over, I had enjoyed blogging so much, I decided to start this one. I've spent the last hour going through that old blog and JEAN-CLAUDE VAN DAMN, I was a TOTAL HOTTIE (see photos from this post where I re-rocked my NYSC uniform in different ways)!!!! Please somebody should help me figure out how to get that body back with minimal effort. Thanks in advance.

So In Love With JORD!

About 3 years ago, I put up a post on the 5 Love Languages. Cakes and I, in preparation for our upcoming marriage, took the assessment separately. The first time I took the assessment (4 years ago), my primary love language was Physical Touch, with Quality Time and Receiving Gifts close behind. Since then, I've taken the assessment twice, and both times, Receiving Gifts has been my primary love language, with Quality Time and Physical Touch tied in second place. When I really think about it, I particularly enjoy when Cakes gives me well thought-out gifts, and spends time with me, even if we're just lying in bed, legs intertwined and doing nothing in particular.

INSTAGRAM GIVEAWAY with AJALI HANDMADE PRODUCTS

Hey there,

It's been a while since there was a giveaway, right? Let's start off this new week with something from one of my absolute favorite brands, Ajali Handmade Products! The beauty brand has been running for 3 years and they're celebrating ALL MONTH LONG! The giveaway with me is on Instagram, so if you're not following yet, now is the time!

The rules are simple:

GIVEAWAY - Naija Hair Can Grow Salon Day Out 2016

Hey everyone!

It is my pleasure to announce the upcoming Naija Hair Can Grow Salon Day Out event for 2016!!! It's happening on Sunday, June 5th and it promises to be much bigger and better this year. If you remember, last year, my faux locs were demonstrated live on stage.

Cassie Daves Blog Planner Giveaway Winner

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway! Multiple entries were allowed, and after counting the entries from the blog, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, there were 38 entries.

I'm happy to announce the winner today and thankful to Cassie for being generous to give out one of her planners.

Without further ado, the winner is...

Berry Dakara and Cassie Daves Blog Planner Giveaway

I'm beyond thrilled that Cassie generously agreed to give out one of her very popular blog planners to a lucky reader!!! You already know how I feel about the planner - see here. And tons of other bloggers have also left rave reviews, so if you're a blogger, you definitely want one.

The rules are very simple.

GIVEAWAY and ASOEBIJUNKIE TEXTILE FAIR is here again!

The Asoebi-Junkie Textile Fair is here again and this year it's even more packed with free activities, and of course beautiful fabric to purchase!

Come shop fabrics, shoes, beads and all kinds of fashion accessories as well ready-to-wear pieces from designers at discounted rates. Tick off items from your Christmas Shopping List as there will be great bargains on every item at the fair.

THERE'S MORE! Get treated to FREE sessions on Fabrics, Makeup, and Gele-tying.

1. Patrick Ayanski Fabric Consultant Talk.

Our Main sponsor, The Patrick Ayanski brand will be having a one hour talk with everyone interested in fabric business. They will be talking about recruiting individuals as fabric consultants of their brand and teaching you everything you need to know to run a successful fabric business
TIME: 12PM TO 1PM

2. FREE GELE TYING SESSION BY OMOGE ADUNMARADAN

Talented makeup artist and gele tying expert whose brand is known as Omoge Adumaradan will be live at the fair to teach us how to tie gorgeous gele styles effortlessly and slay at your next event.
TIME: 1.00 PM TO 1.30 PM

3. FREE PARTY MAKE UP SESSION

Professional make up artist known as Adorned by Joy will also be live at the fair to teach us how to apply flawless party makeup with ease, so we can always  do our make up by ourselves and look gorgeous to that Christmas party.
TIME: 1.3O PM TO 2 PM

We will also be having other brand show case afterwards and most important is our raffle draw for purchase of 10,000 Naira and above.

You see why you can’t afford to miss this fair and please do me a favour -  invite your friends, family members,neighbors, colleagues and everyone you know that will be in Lagos next weekend to come take advantage of this great event.
ITS GOING TO BE EPIC!!!

GIVEAWAY VIA BERRY DAKARA BLOG

There's also a giveaway again ! This time, 5 yards of beautiful tulle lace is available to be won. I wish I was around to win it myself :(

GIVEAWAY RULES

1. FOLLOW AND SHARE in one or more from below

A. Like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TheAsoEbiJunkie) and SHARE the Textile fair photo OR

B. Follow @theasoebijunkie on Instagram and REPOST the textilefair photo with the hashtag #theasoebijunkietextilefair and

C. Follow @theasoebijunkie on Twitter and RETWEET the textile fair photo with the hashtag #theasoebijunkietextilefair

2. After doing one or more of the above, post a comment here stating which option you did, and your name so that we can verify.

Giveaway closes on the 5th of December and the winner MUST pick up the fabric on the 6th of December at the fair (or send a representative).

ASOEBI JUNKIE CONTACT DETAILS

Website:  www.theasoebijunkie.wordpress.com

Phone:     07033040834

BB pin:     7EFEDB78

Instagram: theasoebijunkie

Twitter:      theasoebijunkie

Facerbook: https://www.facebook.com/TheAsoEbiJunkie

Berry TBC Connect Weekend

As y'all know, this past weekend, Tuke Morgan, Cassie Daves and I had our Meet and Greet event. It was dubbed TBC Connect (Tuke, Berry, Cassie for those wondering what TBC meant). It was something that had been a long time coming, as the first time we discussed it was during the Leading Ladies Africa event, which was almost 5 months ago!

The Ofadaa Giveaway Winner is...

Last week, Ofadaa, a review website for restaurants across Nigeria sponsored a giveaway on the blog, via Twitter. It's a nice resource for people looking for real life ratings and reviews of restaurants and it's very easy to sign up, use and post your own ratings. I've used it and recommend it.

Anyways, there were 12 valid entries...

1@melnitah
2@justOlowo
3@Nkaytchee4
@DontTouchHair
5@vickkyfox
6@sleekbeebee
7@soratulip
8@divpreety
9@engee01
10@Chy_treasure
11@CNN80
12 @bukola_amosun

The Ofadaa Team ran the number through Random.com and the winner is DON'T TOUCH THE HAIR!

Congratulations to her, and I hope she enjoys her dining experience at the B-Hive Cafe. Follow ofadaa on Twitter @ofadaa, Google Plus +Team Ofadaa , Facebook. 

GIVEAWAY: Win a ₦10,000 Restaurant Gift Card from Ofadaa

I have an awesome giveaway to share today courtesy of the Team at Ofadaa. 

What is Ofadaa? Ofadaa is the simplest way to find the best places to eat, drink and relax in Nigeria. Currently, Ofadaa is present in 4 cities in Nigeria – Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Ibadan. 

Whether you're looking for a casual brunch, a romantic dinner, or a taste of home from a 'mama-put', Ofadaa provides you with all the information you need. You can view photos, average costs, restaurant reviews, and restaurant ratings, and share your food experiences with others! 

To celebrate the launch of Ofadaa and Nigeria's Independence Day, I'm giving away a ₦10,000 GIFT CARD to dine at B-Hive Cafe, courtesy of Ofadaa, to one lucky winner of this contest. If you have never been to B-Hive Cafe, this is your chance! 

HOW TO ENTER

1. Sign up for an account on Ofadaa 
2. Follow Ofadaa on Twitter (@Ofadaa) AND tweet the following sentence, exactly as shown, nothing before or after:
   "W​in a ₦10K gift restaurant card​ to B-Hive Cafe​ ​from @ofadaa & @berrydakara​​ http://bit.ly/1KJ9lQF #AskOfadaa #ofadaabd15"

That’s all!

The Giveaway closes on Saturday, 3rd of October. The winner will be randomly selected and announced on October 5.

The Winner of the SLA All Access Pass is...

There were a total of 6 entries...

Using the list randomizer, the person at the top of the list has been chosen as the winner...

Congratulations Atilola! I'll send your information to the She Leads Africa Team and either of us will contact you with details.

One More Day to Enter for the SLA Giveaway

I'm announcing the winner of the She Leads Africa All-Access Pass to the SheHive tomorrow, so this is your last chance to enter.

The schedule for the week is below. 

Source

Even if you can make it to only 3 of the 5 days, it would be well worth your while. The tickets are N10,000 for the whole week, or N5000 per day. You can enter for yourself or a family member or friend. You can be a man or woman, it doesn't matter.

TO ENTER FOR THE GIVEAWAY
Simply join the SLA Community by clicking here and entering "Berry Dakara" in the field that asks "How did you hear about us?"

Get valuable knowledge, network with great minds, and give your business a boost!

The winner will be selected tomorrow morning :)

All Access Pass Giveaway to She Leads Africa Coworking Space - SheHive

I have an awesome giveaway to share in this post - especially to young, female (not mandatory though) entrepreneurs so if you've got a business you need help with, or are planning to start a business soon, you definitely want to try to win this pass. 

First of all, what is She Leads Africa? She Leads Africa launched in May 2014 to serve as a platform to invest in Africa's most talented and promising female entrepreneurs. Their flagship program is a pitch competition for female-led high growth startups on the continent and diaspora. Last year, 10 finalists were paired with mentors from premier consulting, finance and venture capital companies for 6 weeks of training and business plan development. At the end of the training, they were brought to Lagos to present their businesses in front of investors, mentors, media outlets and judges. And now, the 2015 competition is gearing up for their Entrepreneur Showcase at 2:00pm on September 26th, 2015. This year's finalists are:

In preparation for the showcase, SLA is introducing the SHEHIVE! It is the first popup coworking space for young ambitious African women from September 20-25 at the newly opened Cre8 space in Victoria Island, Lagos. The space will enable entrepreneurs to learn new business skills, develop relationships with fellow entrepreneurs and connect directly with investors. 

The week will open on Sunday September 20 at 5pm with a FREE Open House hosted by premium financial services company PAL Pensions. While enjoying complimentary cocktails and cupcakes attendees will be able to tour the venue, sign up for different classes, and participate in an interactive panel titled Setting Yourself Up For Success. The panel will feature Abimbola Sulaiman, Vice President of Investments at PAL Pensions, health expert and TV host Dr. Julz, Founder of LEAP Africa Ndidi Nwuneli and visual curator Yagazie Emezi.

During the week members can work from 8am - 9pm out of the community space where they will have access to private meeting rooms, high speed wifi and fresh coffee and pastries from the onsite Cafe Neo. During the day there will be lunch and learn workshops such as Joining a Global Startup with Evangeline Wiles, MD of Kaymu Nigeria; Thinking Long Term About Your Money with PAL Pensions and How To Maximize the GT Bank SME MarketHub.

In the evenings, members will have the opportunity learn from senior business executives such as Aliko Dangote, Hakeem Belo-Osagie and Yewande Sadiku in private fireside chats. There will also be fun networking events with a Motherland Mogul Paint Party with PTN Africa on Tuesday Sept 22 at 6:00pm and a workshop focused on Looking and Feeling The Part featuring tutorials from women led startups Thando’s Shoes, Beauty Rev NG, Eve & Tribe and ORIKI Group on Wednesday Sept 23 at 6:00pm.

All activities will take place at Cre8 Coworking Space located on Agoro Odiyan Street in Victoria Island Lagos, accessible from both Adeola Odeku and Saka Tinubu Streets.

HOW TO ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN AN ALL-ACCESS PASS
Simply sign up to join the SLA online community here: eepurl.com/ZlblD and put "Berry Dakara" in the field where it says "How did you hear about us?" That's all!

On Wednesday, September 16th, I'll announce a randomly chosen winner. Please note that this is serious business, so if you're genuinely interested in taking your business to the next level, you should try to win this pass. Otherwise, the pass is available for N10,000 for the whole week, or N5000 daily. Best wishes!

GIVEAWAY: Happy Children's Day - Curl Centric Kids Coloring Book

Hiya,

First of all, I know 1 or 2 people are still owed their items - I should sort everything out when I get back.

Secondly, HAPPY CHILDREN'S DAY!!! Don't you wish today was a holiday for adults too? Well, thank God for the holiday on Friday, which just happens to be my birthday :D

Thirdly, in celebration of Children's Day, Ms. Akirashanti Byrd of Curl Centric, has graciously and generously agreed to giveaway one copy of her new coloring book for kids.

Now, it's not your average coloring book. This one has over 30 images of children who sport different hair textures, including natural hair styles that range from twists to locs and more. The basic point of this is to show images that are relate-able to our young children who have natural hair.

A spokesperson for Curl Centric explained, "Those with naturally curly hair in the media tend to straighten it, leaving little girls without role models. The coloring book is designed to fill that void and offset the lack of representation. This is just the beginning however, and showing girls it's possibly to have a curly haired princess or action hero will open them up to a world of possibilities for their own hair, many of which can be found on our website. The book is available now, and we advise all parents of curly haired children to order a copy."

So, if you're interested in buying one for the natural haired kids around you, click here to order. It's just $5.39. We are giving away a free copy though - simply leave a comment below with your name and email address, and a winner will be randomly picked tomorrow.

Birthday Cupcakes and Mother's Day Cupcakes Giveaway Winners

Hey everyone!

Quick note to announce the winners of the cupcakes and cupcake bouquet courtesy of Cakes (Cake Factory aka Cakesiena).

BIRTHDAY CUPCAKES GIVEAWAY

There were 28 entrants for the Birthday Giveaway, and Random.Org selected #5 - DOLAPO GREY.

MOTHERS DAY CUPCAKE BOUQUET GIVEAWAY

There were 26 entrants for the Mothers Day Giveaway, and Random.Org selected #11 - Mideyjay.

Please contact them at 08033118995 TODAY if you want your cupcakes and cupcake bouquet on Sunday!

To everyone else, you can still honour your mum, grandmum, sister, aunt, or special woman in your life with cupcakes from Cakes. Please place your orders by today if you want delivery on Sunday, and don't forget to wish Cakes a Happy Birthday in advance!

Thanks!

To my Nuella winners - Santa Berry's coming this weekend, so please hold your phones!

GIVEAWAY - Cupcakes and a Cupcake Bouquet!

Soooooooooo, it's Cakes' birthday this coming weekend, and he and his team over at Cake Factory have decided to host a giveaway!!! Woot woot!!! They will be giving out a half dozen cupcakes in any flavor of your choice (my recommendation is Red Velvet), in honor of his birthday.

CUPCAKES GIVEAWAY

RULES

1. Must be a Lagos resident (sorry non-Lagosians) OR whoever you want to send cupcakes to, must live in Lagos
2. Follow Cakes on
   
   FACEBOOK: Cake Factory by K's Craft and tag a friend in the Cupcakes Giveaway photo
   INSTAGRAM: @Cakesiena and tag a friend in the Cupcakes Giveaway photo
   TWITTER: @Cakesiena and tweet "I want to win cupcakes from @Cakesiena"
   
   (You can do one or all of them if you like)
3. That's all!

MOTHER'S DAY CUPCAKE BOUQUET GIVEAWAY

His birthday also falls on Mother's Day this year, and the Cake Factory Team will give out a Cupcake Bouquet in honor. This can be given to your mother, wife, sister, friend, aunt... whoever you think is a great mother, or a yummy mummy-to-be.

RULES

1. Recipient must be a Lagos resident
2. Follow Cakes on
   
   FACEBOOK: Cake Factory by K's Craft and tag a friend in the Cupcake Bouquet Giveaway photo
   INSTAGRAM: @Cakesiena and tag a friend in the Cupcake Bouquet Giveaway photo
   TWITTER: @Cakesiena  and tweet "I want to win a cupcake bouquet from @Cakesiena" 
   
   Again, you can do one or all of them.
3. That's all!!!

THE WINNERS WILL BE PICKED ON FRIDAY AT 12PM LAGOS TIME, so that delivery arrangements can be made in time, especially for the cupcake bouquet. 

GIVEAWAY WINNERS!

Hey hey hey, I'm what's happening!

Actually no, what's happening is I'm here to announce the Nuella Jewelry Giveaway Winners, as well as the Savvy Chic Hair Butter Giveaway Winner. All winners were selected randomly using Random.Org's random number generator.

DUN DUN DUN!

GIVEAWAY - Savvy & Chic Hair and Beauty Hub

Hiya!

The Giveaways keep rolling in!

This time, we've got lovely shea butter cups from Savvy & Chic Hair and Beauty Hub. They opened about a year ago, with the intent to promote HEALTHY HAIR. The salon is an offshoot of Dab's Naija Hair Can Grow blog, so this goes to show you what blogging can do in the long run. Anyways, one of the features of the salon was their Whipped Shea Butter for hair and skin. It came in different flavors/scents, and now they are available for sale for just N800 per cup, or N2500 for a box of 3!

Don't they look edible?!

GIVEAWAY - Nuella Michaels

I've been promising a Giveaway for about a week now, and it's FINALLY HERE! Not only is it here, but I shall be giving away 4 (FOUR) ITEMS!!!! This giveaway comes courtesy of Nuella Michaels, which is an online jewelry, accessories and beauty store. I was actually contacted by them, and they said they wanted to send me a gift. Well, not only was I sent a few gift items, they also sent gift packages to give to my followers!!! I really wasn't expecting much, so I have to say a huge THANK YOU to them.

They didn't even ask for any terms for the giveaway, so I've decided to choose 1 winner each on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and here. Rules will be given below the photos of what was sent to me.

Nuella Michaels stocks costume jewelry, skincare, beauty products, and more. They are really affordable, with prices starting from just N600!!! They are currently having a promo where if you order before February 28th, you'll get a free gift with your order (terms and conditions apply). You can visit their website, follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter; or call them at +2348026260999.

GIVEAWAY: Luxé Beauty Lounge Valentine's Gift Box

Hey everyone!

So I've got a very fabulous giveaway from Luxé Beauty Lounge. Luxé Beauty Lounge, based in Lagos, is a full service beauty company which caters to all beauty needs ranging from hair care to makeup, and their new luxury handmade bath and body products. They have decided to team up to hold a Valentine's Day Giveaway to residents in Nigeria, and I'm sure every lady (or gentleman who's looking for the perfect gift for their boo) would be thrilled to get a chance at this wonderful gift!

For starters, let's check out some of their products, shall we? Just so you know, some of the products are made from chocolate, milk, fruits, even champagne! They look yummy, delicious and delectable but please DON'T EAT THEM!!!

Body Soufflé, Sunny Side Up Soap, and Lotion Bars