Queen Ortanca

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IN MY TOWN, Istanbul, there is an explosion of ortanca (English: Hydrangea)! With plentiful spring and summer rains they made a big splash blooming like crazy in this year. As you know this flower needs plenty of water. Pinks, blues, whites, sugar pinks and purples are filling the gardens, yards and parks... here they are:

Hydrangea Macrophylla l with wide variety -blue and pink

PeeGee Hydrangea l with white flowers

Oakleaf Hydrangea l with pale pink flowers

IN MY BALCONY, the profusion of blooming hydrangeas made me feel like it is summer at home, too:) There are of course many signs of summer, from the smell of tomatoes, fresh cherries, bermudas, windsurfers, häagen-dazs icecream to sandals but there is no sight than my hydrangeas bloom pink and blue throughout my mind... look at its quick growing up, most beautiful flowered plant in my little corner:









INSIDE MY HOME, I wanted to carry some effect of this most beautiful flowered plant that is originally discovered in Japan, symbolizing both gratefulness and pride. I was sure I would use my origami talent and.. it was big fun for me to make its star-shaped flowers in different colored papers by folding techniques; here is what I come up:











As for its name rooting; "Hydor" in greek meaning "water", and "angos" meaning vessel or jar, the name of this flower literally translated "water barrel". Representing heartfelt appreciation, extremely vigorous that blooms throughout summer into fall, there could be any better long-lived sign of summer?!


PS In Istanbul we used to see hydrangeas until the early weeks of December!

Essence Of a Decision

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C i t yaaL i g h t s

oil painting on canvas 50X70cm l one of my works l new

I was reading the following -guess you will be surprised..- on the world's largest business network that I am in, on a group discussion board. It is:

Suppose you were a villager when horse riding was the only way of transportation. Your village is under attack, you live with your single sister, wife and a toddler (daughter). Whom would you take with you on the back of your horse to safer zones? Wife, Sister, Daughter...

If you are a woman change it to Husband, Brother, Son...

Now lets make it a bit complicated you have a large family father, mother, wife, sister, brother, daughter and son...

According to one Kazak story; Man takes his daughter with him, saying that I can find a woman on the other side, she can give me a baby, but I can not find anyone who can give me a sister.

What do you think on that story? Whom would you take with you and why?

I Saw ¨¨ She Saw

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The 7th of june was my "TODAY". First thing to do in the morning is to make some tea and reading quickly the morning paper...


At that day I noticed an advertisement published on the newspaper. Coming from a very well known Turkish Bank and its credit card, called Axess...

Saying "Get +10% discount if you pay cash; get +5% if by installments. Do not delay your summer holiday."

In the end of my "TODAY", I found a few colorful pencils, a little piece of ribbon (for summergirl's hairgrip) and two embroidery spangles (for summergirl's earrings), see closely above or below. Oh, I was pretty ready to draw what I saw in the paper, on jun 7th..

Voila!!! Above is what I come up with. I like the summergirl even though she's a bit changed from her beauty but result seems as good as enough it can be:) Remember, I am very good at technical drawings and design, so do not expect too much from me for this kind of free style drawings:) I'm still developing my penciling...

Next is about hers. The 9th of june was her "TODAY".


I was wondering what the bird would bring from my partner in Erkerode, Germany..



Waited bird arrives today! Very nice piece of drawing showing about the wonderful paper objects from the designer Katrin Ruhnau that Mano saw in Quedlinburg...



Did you know Quedlinburg is a UNESCO world heritage in the Harz Mountains of central Germany. Read more here

Drawing my own "Today I Saw" postcard and sending it to my partner, I enjoyed and understood that drawing is something funny and not easy depending on what you want to put in. Most importantly I learned about Quedlinburg, new for me, because I did not know it before. Participating for the TODAY I SAW Postcard Swap at sweet Jill's and having met to Mano was great, thanking very much you both.

I think you'll be amazed to see all the TODAY I SAW Kreatif Postakartlari flickr page -all handmade and made with love, please jump in the group pool


Tell me what's that you SAW TODAY?

Amicizia = Friendship = Dostluk

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How are you feeling these days?


As for myself, these days there is lots that makes me happy! I've spent a good amount of time just slowing down? No, definitely not. But just getting busier which is challenging for me no matter how much I value "busy-bee-ing":) I admit that I dislike sitting with nothing, and its not my nature to value "slowness".


In the end, I am very pleased that I took my time, and felt so good having opportunity to create, to redesign, and generally be decisive to finish things up has been great.

Because sometimes I can easily get lost in wanting finished projects. Unstoppable saying arises from me like today, tomorrow, today, tomorrow... the days passing so quickly that I can not understand where times have been gone. Having the following project literally took me months, planning, cutting, buying appropriate fabrics and organizing to create brought me joy and a greater appreciation of the road to the final planned product:


As said, everything has a good hour to perform on it. You want to make it but something can stop you by doing it as wished. I think that ideal time has come. Since the year 2007 how much I wanted to be busy with my blocks... As seen above, Daniela in Livorno, Letizia in Pisa, Gianna in Roma, Giuliana in Vicenza, ...thanks to all my awesome friends in different parts of Italy swapped so wonderful 30cm/12''in blocks. Theme was free of choice. Everyone in my group put their best effort, and reflected their friendship that they really care for.

I'm just so pleased with how this 15-blocks turned out to be connected each other in my hands:) I named it "Under Stars" quilt, and to be used when stare at the stars in the garden... You will be surprised to see its final form when it comes to end -hopefully before the calendar does not change for 2010:)

This month August is quite enriching and rewarding as I now tend to explore new dimensions of the life. I can actually make productive use of this euphoric days by taking up "too hot to handle" tasks and getting things done:)

Ooh other thing that bring me smiles.

Having exchanged my patchwork blocks awarded me many stamps in return. I didn't think too much, but inspired to be emotive and expressive:) Made some paper-weights using old italian stamps well combined with dried leaves on my rocks. Finish step is done by varnishing on the visible side of it: here is the result. I love it!


No other day would make you feel closer
to your friends and relatives
than today.

Reinventing The Feel

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The sum of my work-life-weekend:

Work has been crazy! I signed up for a "New" Project, that keeps me very busy.

Life at home has been crazy! Some re-decoration works going on, and I can't even find one centimeter square area to relax easily. Still need for a few days or so to find my Palace-like beautifully decorated new home:)

Weekend has been crazy! More colors ended a few of my weeks recently.

I saw a lot of things from my daily routine. Things I'm drawn. Things I like. Things I often see, but for one reason or another, I wanted to make some colorful paintings as weekend exercises using acrylic paints, pencil, glue, watercolors and magazines. Simply the best.

Here they are coming for your review with topic detail:

--A couple of brushes, a wide cup, a glass filled with wine,
and a few of half-cut fruits

--Grapes, banana, glass and a vase with brush inside.
It was a black-white watercoloring.

--(Below two) They are collages I made from
small cuttings from magazines.

--Violin, the instrument I played when I was in high school,
two pears, a bottle and a vase.

--Two coffee cups and one pear inside a bigger bowl.

Creating an original work of art is as easy as one, two, three, four... Here how I did:

• Bought paints, brushes and canvas.
• Found some lovely images.
• Screwed it to my chevalier-desk.
• Studied on some techniques.

Another technique that I like too is oil on canvas after having tried above ones, and my preferred image, so lovely so natural:

-My working atmosphere

-A little bit closer view to what I do

-Oh she is there. Tries to positioning the image.
You know her, me:)

-How does it look like for now? Not so bad.

As you see I'm an amateur painter, and just for hobby I deal with it. I was only managing to get something out of my hands into my canvas. This oil painting is not completed, but soon to be done so. You will get a chance to evaluate the final form a few days later. One or two more new paintings, too.

Sometimes all it takes to get back that lovin' feeling can be a little peaceful resolution that I enjoy to stay alone with my feelings, and reconnecting myself.. Like when I am getting busy with my hobbies.

And, I remember one thing more: Art makes a wonderful gift!

Strawberries and Cream

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Today I'm bringing delicious things like...

a copper pot
decorated with fine relief and incisions, and
a dazzling handmade necklace
with semi-precious gem stones, Czech crystals and sterling silver.

Ah copper pots and their antiques decor is my weakness! In a home, a coffee shop, a veranda... it should not be difficult to understand why they are accepted the Queen of Pots.

Its history is so deep in the country. It's known that in the Roman and Byzantine periods there were developed metal processing workshops in Anatolia where the metalwork reached its highest level. Copper occupies an important place in Anatolian art, and one of the most ancient traditional arts using metal is copper working. As the mostly used metal, copper (Turkish: Bakir) is widely in use of the daily life for pots, jewelery, helmets, doorknockers, kitchen equipment to decorative doors, where the metal is plated with tin.


Ottomans metalwork centers are still functioning as center of copperwork, especially Gaziantep, the largest city of southeastern Anatolia region that's well known as Zeugma City is famous with its copper working and copper crafts. Bought this copper craft in Gaziantep. I loved the fine working on it, don't you. I were unable to kill it using in the kitchen even though it's orginally designed for water holder, but I like to see how it's making gorgeous addition to my living room with a few more sister pieces. Definitely charming objects, being decorative, looking much more antiques.



When thinking of these productions, I couldn't stop myself blowing off what if putting soul, or finding soul. I'd like to ask you: Are really you putting your soul into your work?

The answer I should say is no. Yes, 'no'. I think it's important about finding soul in my work, rather than putting soul.

If you aren't a jewelery designer, then I ask you to imagine what it might be like working on a summer necklace for a touristic shop versus a wedding ring design.

Which might be more fun? In other words, which might get you excited to work on? Of course, I'm not saying this is better than the other. For me, I'd prefer to work on a wedding design because it's something I'd have more fun to work on with having many gymnastics in my brain until the product comes out from my hand, something I'd get a charge out of. This is what I wanted to underline by finding soul there. And, its importance for me... a satisfaction with my job as well as my hobbies. That satisfaction is what I call is ''soul''. That is I find my strawberries and cream:)

I know that many people want to find soul in their work. Some can find, some not. Just the same, also here on blogosphere. It's the reason that makes it all worthwhile. I believe that if there's no soul there's no success in the end, as true as 1+1=2. Something that makes me get out of the bed in the morning with a smile and enthusiasm. That is why I encourage, if your current 'job' does not give that feeling for you, find something you enjoy doing in your spare time or stop, don't waste your time.

I'm pretty sure that should be something out there that makes life 'great' and 'meaningful' for all of us. Some of us put our soul into it, and others become happy just enjoying the moment.

Of course this isn't all to say that I don't put my soul behind what I do. Yes, I DO. It comes from within me. I love the feeling what I do. But, what I do, much of the time is firstly for my satisfaction. Not for others. When I'm satisfied with the result, I know that then others would be satisfied with it. A win-win situation.


Like me when I was creating and designing this piece on my own as a hobby lately, and like the craftsmen of Gaziantep when they were crafting one-of-a-kind unique asthetics copper pots... Wish may everyone try and find the strawberries and cream behind what they do. So we can really do for a living that might be our true bliss, and brings us happiness or satisfaction.

Flying Emotions

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It is no secret that I am a big fan of postcards; every kind of them. So in that long tradition I am loving both old and new, printed and handmade, or even quilted. Many of you may not know what it is like to make a card but it gives you a lot of time to think before create it.

Right now I feel myself in an exhibition moment;) Little pieces are about something! See them, and let me hear your reviews:)


Joy and melancholy by A little birdie told me so


Kitchen love and soup of the evening by My five men


A little bit of this, a little bit of that. Art, love, tear glued by Mod girl


Life advice 'Write it on your heart, everyday is the best' by My blessed life


Car is useless, because it's the Big Apple by Mille Fiori Favoriti


The moods of nature and its acceptance requested by Muse swings

A few facts about the mysterious author of CrossRoads by Birdbath Chronicles. The biggest surprise for me is this one, postcard scrabble:)

Home to small snakes, mailbox by Life at willow manor

... well then, by CrossRoads?

A local expression, means like ''See no evil Istanbul, God bless''

I wanted to use my home address as a theme, the 'Museum-like' city and the heart of the country, Istanbul. I touched softly on the backside of my cards in different, so different patterns, here's a few details:


As I always underline the world needs to change. We can change the perspective, change the world. With this exchange organized by Stephanie of A little birdie told me so, we enjoyed so much speaking as above, and applying our emotions learned through observations. Each one of them infused so much warmth and personality. Because each one of us brought love to our craft, and that made the difference!