Happy Friday everyone! Here's a Turkish theme card showing Istanbul. This is the Hagia Sophia. Currently it is under reconstruction, so there is much cover over the dome where they are rebuilding. It went from being a museum to being a mosque a couple a years ago. Now it's still a mosque, but for foreigners they still charge a high fee (1100 Turkish liras) to enter and you can only enter the top area (not the bottom floor anymore).
Friday, July 18, 2025
Thursday, July 17, 2025
Hey you...
Happy Thursday everyone. I hope you are all having a great week for the middle of July. What is everyone doing this month? I have been talking so much about what I am doing I haven't asked everyone what's going on.
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Hello Sunshine
Well, it's Wed, so you know what that means....yep, Fatih Pazaar....even though I have to control my shopping now, I just can't resist this amazing event this week. There's a couple of ladies that I often run into who make the most beautiful handmade laces here. I find it hard to resist!!
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
Summer Fun
Happy Tuesday. As the trip winds down I have to control my shopping more because I have FULL suitcases and have already gotten ready or shipped my packages home so I can't be buying MORE laces (which you know I want to do, lol.....) EEEKKKK, so hard not to. Ha ha.
Monday, July 14, 2025
GO SEE DO
Saturday, July 12, 2025
Guest Designer Turkish Kids
Just two weeks let to enjoy. I can't believe the summer is nearing an end already. WOW. I have some more wonderful art from the kiddos in Turkiye. How sweet are they?
Friends
Happy Saturday. Hoping to get a chance to visit with my friends while I am here. One of them is a teacher and she and I met when she was in the USA with her then husband while he completed his PHd at Texas Tech University. She will have just a little time to visit as her mother lives in another city outside of Istanbul, so she will be leaving when school gets out to go stay with her.
Friday, July 11, 2025
Thank you
WOW, I can't believe I have been in Turkiye so long and I just have two weeks left. LOL. I know most people don't even get a two week vacation, but I will miss Turkiue so much. I am so spoiled. I am so thankful to all the kind people here who have been so friendly and helped me and of course to my dear hubby. Here's a thank you in Spanish, but let me write it here in Turkish-- Teşekkür ederim
Thursday, July 10, 2025
Be a rainbow
Ahh, Thursday, if I remember correctly today is the weekly pazaar in Cemberlitas neighborhood. They don't have a lot of laces there, but they usually have a couple of tables that might be worth looking at. Then I like to take the train to Sirkeci and either ride the Marmaray under the sea to Uskadar or take a ferry. There's some lovely art stores there and that's a nice afternoon.
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
Time for a weekly Pazaar
So it's wed now and the good thing about Wednesdays is the weekly pazaar in Fatih. I am looking forward to finding some good laces there. WOO HOO. Every once in a while I get some really good stuff there, but even on regular weeks, I still may find some nice cheaper laces than what you would get at the retail stores in Eminonu.
Tuesday, July 8, 2025
Here comes the sun!
Happy July 8th. Hope this day finds you well. I am looking forward to relaxing today and walking around a lot. It's getting warmer now that we are in July, but here in Turkiye, Istanbul in particular, it is still significantly cooler than in Austin where I come from.
Monday, July 7, 2025
Make Today Amazing!
Happy monday. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend, thanks for checking in on me today. I am betting that I will be going shopping today, lol, on a day in Turkiye, that's a pretty good bet. Hmmm, what should we shop for? lace? yep, I think we should look for some yummy laces. Either way, let's make today AMAZING!
Sunday, July 6, 2025
Guest Designer, Turkish Children
Here's some more wonderful works by the kiddos in Turkiye, I just love their beautiful artworks. I hope these kids are having a wonderful summer and enjoyed their first year or "middle school" as we would call it in America.
Saturday, July 5, 2025
Hooray for ice cream.
Happy Saturday. So, this makes it a month in Turkiye now. WOW. How awesome is that? I am going to enjoy either the pazaar in Barkirkoy today or a crafting festival that is weekly in Ortakoy. I can take the train all the way to the last stop and then walk a couple miles or wait and take a ferry all the way there. Hmmm. Ferry is definitely easier...
it's summertime, so as the card says, HOORAY for ice cream!
Friday, July 4, 2025
Miss You
Happy Independence Day to my friends in the USA. Happy Friday to the rest of my friends around the world. For my DH I want to send a little "Miss You" note. Kisses Babe.
Thursday, July 3, 2025
Whirling Dervish
So as I am sure some of you recall, I was at my mother's home back in April and made a bunch of cards. Some of those cards had a Turkish theme to them, so I thought I would share those this summer. Here's one that has to do with my most recent trip to Konya
The man shown is called a whirling dervish, read about it HERE if interested. The word Merhaba if I haven't brought it up before means Hello and of course, some Turkish Tea!Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Nothing but blue skies....
So today is Wednesday. The thing to do on Wednesday is go-to the Fatih pazaar. I must confess at least once I couldn't find it. How crazy am I? It's HUGE!! and, well, it's RIGHT NEXT to the Fatih Mosque. If that's not a landmark, c'mon. I must have been crazy that day. At any rate, now I know WHERE it is, and it's so HUGE, I know where inside that pazaar to go to find the fabric/laces. Also, there's usually some ladies who do handmade work that you can go see in a couple places. I should be able to walk from where my airbnb is to the pazaar, though technically I could walk it last year even though my friends thought that was crazy
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Happy Birthday Hamide
Wishing a very Happy Birthday to one of my friends here in Istanbul! Hamide, best wishes my Friend. I hope you have a wonderful day and blessed year ahead.
Monday, June 30, 2025
Peace and Love
Happy Monday! I can't believe we are at the end of June already. WOW. How quickly time has passed. I have 28 wonderful days left to enjoy. what would you all like to see in Istanbul? i have to say the Hagia Sofia is under reconstruction now so going by it on the train everyday is nice but not the same as before. (Dont' get me wrong, this is very necessary work, I am so happy they are doing necessary repairs.) BUT, I miss that amazing site that it used to be. I imagine it will now be this way (reconstruction) for YEARS and years. Plus, for tourists like me, you can't even go into the base floor of the Hagia Sofia inside anymore. Sigh. The Hagia Sofia is mostly just a memory. Sending everyone Peace and love today
Sunday, June 29, 2025
Guest Desiner Mine Fiore
Happy Sunday everyone, here's a little card that I got from a store here in Turkiye on Istikal street in Istanbul. Istikal street is an iconic shopping area that I will visit every summer at least once or twice. It starts at Taksim square and continues down to the Galata tower. This card shows Famous Turkish Leader Ataturk.
Saturday, June 28, 2025
Summer time memories
Happy Saturday everyone! My favorite thing to do on Saturday is to go to one of the largest street pazaars in Istanbul. Pazaar because it's just a one day thing, as opposed to a bazaar which is typically a structurally built location and daily. On Saturday one of the biggest pazaars is in Barkirkoy. This pazaar is particularly important because it is very near the textile district so there's tons of things to find for me. Pre-covid, you wouldn't believe the amount of lace, now, it's hit or miss.
Friday, June 27, 2025
Rejoice!
Happy Friday everyone. Well today I should be back in Istanbul. I have a lovely 11 days in Eskisehir and Konya. I can't believe I am at the end of three weeks in Turkiye now. WOW. What a blessing I have been given.
Thursday, June 26, 2025
Life is sweet with you!
Taking the train from Konya back to Istanbul. It's a long ride, but then I think how long would it be if I was going to the airport, waiting around, getting to IST, taking an hour long expensive ride back to the city.....might as well just take the train....I really hope they have WIFI. lol, man I am spoiled, lol
for you DH
Wednesday, June 25, 2025
Love you dear
Hoping to enjoy my last day in Konya walking around, shopping, looking for lace, etc. Just taking in the city center for the most part. I will take the train tomorrow back to Istanbul. In the meantime, here's a card I made for my DH, i'll ride the waves with you babe!
Tuesday, June 24, 2025
Day in Konya
While in Konya the other things I would like to see are the Whirling Dervishes and their gorgeous museums. I made a huge list of what to see, they also have a huge and famous butterflly garden from what I hear, there is also a UNESCO world heritage site (I think) nearby that was built by the Hittites.