Pearl's Quilted Crafts

WE HAVE SNOW THIS WINTER IN ISTANBUL!

2012-01-27T09:57:00.010-06:00

Here are some snow sceneries from my neigborhood: Sultantepe Under Snow! :) Beautiful, isn't it?

Below is the yard of our small health clinic...

Below is our small health clinic on the left side of the street...

Below and above are my street: Hizal Street...

BASKETWOVEN RIBBON MAKE-UP PURSES

2012-01-27T08:31:00.011-06:00

These are another collaboration with my mother: Basketwoven ribbon purses. She weaves the outside body and I do the rest, as always! :)

The burgundy purse in this picture was sold to Canada yesterday night!The pistacchio green one was the first one to be sold! It went to USA, to Dear Amy!

Amy was so much in love with the green one that she couldn't resist and bought the cream one, too! Thanks so much for your interest, Amy! She is an old customer of mine and a new Facebook friend!

HAND-QUILTED PATCHWORK IPAD/IPAD2 CASE

2012-01-27T08:16:00.004-06:00

Hello friends, after a long silence!

I am doing well. Very busy with my tours with Japanese tourists...But during winter I got some time to get a rest at home and work for my Etsy shop after a long while.

In the above picture, you can see a collaboration with my sister: Hand-quilted patchwork Ipad/Ipad2 case/sleeve. We made this one during 2011 summer vacation at our summer house in Sile, Istanbul. My sister pieced the fabrics and I did the rest, as always! :)

I was not sure how long this case would sit on my Etsy shop. Because the market is full of very attractive leather Ipad cases. But we need not to wait for long. After a 3 month-long wait, it was sold to USA! 3 months are not very long period for me, because there are some items in my shop that are still waiting a long time for a customer to come for them.

I WAS ON ETSY FRONT PAGE ON MY BIRTHDAY!

2011-01-12T07:37:00.007-06:00

On Jan.9, my birthday, my Japanese indigo cash wallet was on Etsy Front Page, after a long while in a beautiful treasury Of Dear Arzu Musa:

Thanks very much, Dear Arzu! That was a wonderful birthday present!

I'M IN 32 ETSY TREASURY LISTS!!

2010-12-11T09:46:00.004-06:00

"GIFTS FOR HER UNDER $100"

Thanks, cookieletta!

I discovered that I have been in 32 Etsy Treasury Lists as of Dec.12, 2010...One of them is above. Another one is for Christmas: "CHRISTMAS IN EUROPE". Thanks, galafilc!

It's been a while since I last updated my blog. I had been busy with my tours with the Japanese. But I still run my Etsy shop from Istanbul and I had 108 sales so far.

CUSTOM MADE PURSE FOR MY NIECE!

2010-04-06T02:04:00.003-05:00

This is the custom made purse that I made for my 9-year-old niece to order who loved the other yoyo purse so much that she tried to pay for and buy it from my Etsy shop! :) Of course I couldn't have taken her money! Instead I told her that I could make her an another purse...for free! Then she chose the fabrics and the yoyos. Now she keeps her hairpins and ribbons in it.

Now I'm planning to make a similar one for my Etsy shop!

My KAI NO KUCHI BOXES HAVE BEEN FEATURED!

2010-04-01T14:09:00.006-05:00

I discovered that my KAI NO KUCHI jewelry boxes have been featured on this web site on March 30, 2010! This listing in my Etsy shop had been getting lots of hearts and views and I haven't had any idea where they are coming. At last I had a sale from it yesterday and asked my buyer how she reached my shop. She kindly told me that my boxes had been featured on a website! She chose her fabric of her liking; I sewn it up right away and shipped it to her today!

The end product is the box in the picture below!

I hope I'll get more sales from that site!

NEW LISTING IN MY ETSY SHOP: Cream Chocolate Hand Quilted Sakizome Yoyo Purse

2010-03-30T15:46:00.003-05:00

There is a new purse in my Etsy shop! A yoyo sakizome purse again! This time, I used my beloved Japanese sakizome fabric remnants from a previous product. I hope it's going to have good luck like the previous yoyo purses!

I have still lots of sakizome yoyos at hand and I'm thinking about using them for other yoyo purses. Actually I had made them for another project but gave it up half way.

Please click on the post title or the picture to go to the item's Etsy page. Thanks for looking...

MY 95TH SALE! 5 MORE TO GO TO 100TH SALE ON ETSY!

2010-03-29T06:03:00.003-05:00

I sold my mom's creation "STARRY STARRY NIGHT" yesterday night to a buyer from Atlanta-GA! That was my 95th sale and 4th one from Istanbul on Etsy! 5 more to go to 100th sale! I'm planning a special gift for my 100th buyer! Who's going to be 100th one and from which country? I can't wait!

MORE NEW PURSES: CREAM BEIGE & INDIGO

2010-03-24T04:41:00.009-05:00

New purses that have already arrived at my Etsy shop...

JAPANESE INDIGO: That was created by my sister...My shop is becoming more and more a family business...:)

CREAM BEIGE : Again it's something that was created in collaboration with my mom...

Please click on the pictures to go to the item's page in my Etsy shop...Thanks for looking...

MORE NEW PURSES: LACE 1 and 2

2010-03-08T14:06:00.007-06:00

I added new purses in my Etsy shop a while ago. Actually it is my mother's idea to use eyelet lace for the outer body of the purse. First she basket wove the lace and reinforced the lace with lightweight interfacing. And then I added the same finishing touches with the other purse of mine.

NAUTICAL:

STARRY STARRY NIGHT: S O L D !!!

EARLY SPRING IN MY ETSY SHOP!

2010-02-22T15:33:00.002-06:00

An early spring has arrived in my Etsy shop today! Another new listing of Kai no Kuchi box: SPRING IN PINK! I had bought this fabric in the USA years ago and I liked it so much that couldn't get myself to use it...until now. :)

Please click on the post title to go to the item's Etsy page!

NEW LISTING IN MY ETSY SHOP

2010-02-10T02:37:00.005-06:00

A new mini purse has arrived in my Etsy shop! A basketwoven mini purse for your everyday jewelry or for your coins!

My mother has also developed an enthusiam for sewing a purse as I'm by her side sewing my things and the main body of the purse was woven by her from polyester ribbon to give it a Bottega Veneta look and she used cotton fabric for the zippered opening. In the end, I added some finishing touches such as an inner lining.

Please click on the post title to go to the item's Etsy page!

I'M ON ETSY FRONT PAGE! THANKS SO MUCH, KRIS!!

2010-02-06T07:43:00.004-06:00

My "Set of 2 mixed Kai no Kuchi Jewelry Boxes" was in an amazingly soothing treasury of my friend Kris today and it made it to the Front Page! Thank you very much Dear Kris!!

I'M IN ISTANBUL...

2010-02-06T07:35:00.003-06:00

Hi! After a long silence...I'm in Istanbul right now and will be till the end of April for a change of things...

I'm planning to run my Etsy shop from Istanbul from now on...There will be new items in my shop coming soon! Please give me some time to adapt myself to a new life...Another plan in my head is to return to my old job of being a Japanese-language tour guide in Turkey.

NEW ITEMS IN MY ETSY SHOP

2009-12-01T21:32:00.005-06:00

These are new purses in my Etsy shop.

HAND QUILTED SAKIZOME PURSE WITH HEARTS: I used my favorite Japanese yarn dyed "sakizome" fabrics for the background and again Japanese cotton quilting fabric for the heart applique embellishments.

HAND QUILTED SAKIZOME YOYO PURSE: Again Japanese yarn dyed "sakizome" fabrics for the background and Japanese "konuno" old kimono fabrics for the yoyo embellishments.

MINI MINI JEWELRY PURSE SELLING WELL!

2009-12-01T21:28:00.004-06:00

My mini mini jewelry purse that made its way into the Etsy Gift Guide "Gift Ideas Under $50" is selling very well!! I have sold 4 pieces so far and I have 4 more in the shop!

MY MINI MINI JEWELRY PURSE ON THE "GIFT IDEAS UNDER $50 GIFT GUIDE OF ETSY!!

2009-11-24T11:47:00.004-06:00

My mini mini jewelry purse made its way into the Etsy's Gift Ideas Under $50 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE! I was looking forward to this chance a long time! I made it! And on that very first day of my entry, it was sold right away! I increased the stock immediately, so I got 2 more mini mini purse to go...hopefully!

Here is a quick look to the Gift Ideas Under $50 Gift Guide:

http://www.etsy.com/gift-guides/gifts-under-50-usd/247?page=2

CLASH OF THE MARCHING BANDS

2009-11-15T22:59:00.020-06:00

Yesterday was a significant day for me, because I watched the world’s largest, finest and most famous military marching band here in Norman. We went to Oklahoma University (OU) vs. Texas A&M University football game last night. TX A&M university has a nationally/world-famous marching band called Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band. They perform pre-game and during halftime whenever their football team has a game, home and away. Yesterday they were here in Norman, OK-Home of the Sooners and again performed flawlessly. I had heard their reputation through some friends and football fans but for the first time I had a chance to witness their great skill marching across the field without hitting each other, at the same time playing their musical instruments during their famous halftime show and even their rehearsal before the game.

As we approached the OU Memorial Stadium (that has a capacity of 85.000, 14th largest in the nation), I heard familiar sound of the military drums and as soon as I heard them, I realized the Aggies were rehearsing! I ran to watch them for a few minutes and shocked to see that there are so many of them marching so closely without hitting each other and missing a step! And then I learned that they have 400 members in the band and they are the world’s largest military band, well-known for the precision in their formations and maneuvers in the field! I took a 3-minute video on my camera as a bonus! I couldn’t wait to see their halftime show for real!

This is the link to my video that I had taken during their practice:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jt23wZbTatU

And what a show it was! They created very intricate patterns weaving them so precisely; turning, doubling back; marching across the field. As the end of their 7-minute show approaches, they formed their signature “Block-T” for Texas and then ran off the field.

After them, it was our own 300-member OU Marching Band –‘The Pride of Oklahoma’s turn. They performed their usual show with their usual O-U formation. As an extra addition, they formed the letters U-S-A, maybe as an attempt not to be overshadowed by the Aggies and University Theatre’s Chorus joined them during this show. If you ask me The Aggies made OU’s band look a little cheap with all their discipline, artistry and military songs and marches they played.
The game finished with a score of 65-10 with the victory of OU as expected. Please note that OU never lost a game at home in 5 years! This is a national record! OU may have won the game but as the Aggie fans say “The Aggie Band never loses a halftime”, they definitely won the halftime!
For more information on Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, you can check the below links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fightin'_Texas_Aggie_Band

http://www.vimeo.com/6802932
http://www.vimeo.com/6720765
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVTAGsm5hds&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-xpeFOpuZg&feature=related

If you want to watch the halftime show of the Aggie Band last night at OU Memorial Stadium, click the below link: Texas A & M University's Fightin' Texas Aggie Band's Halftime Show in Norman on Nov.14, 2009!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvhSrPqaxqQ

ETSY ISOT TURKISH TEAM NOVEMBER HUMAN CALENDAR!

2009-11-05T14:34:00.002-06:00

This is our ISOT Team's November Human Calendar. We made this calendar for promoting our team's November sales. Please check out www.isotteam.com for the team's November promotions.

NOVEMBER SALE IN MY ETSY SHOP!

2009-11-05T09:54:00.002-06:00

I have started a November Holiday Sale in my Etsy shop! I'm giving FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING on all of my wall quilts and %10 off discount on some of my items! I have already adjusted the prices accordingly! Please check out my SALE and FREE SHIPPING section!

THE OTHER HEX FLOWER BOX PURSE COMPLETED!

2009-10-26T15:51:00.003-05:00

The other hexagon flower box purse is complete! What do you think about the twin sisters? :)

A CUSTOM ORDER OF ANOTHER HEXAGON FLOWER BOX PURSE!

2009-10-25T10:41:00.008-05:00

I received a custom order of 2 hexagon flower box purses last week. The lady who placed the order wanted me to use her own fabrics of her own taste, so she sent me the fabrics. She wanted all the leftover fabrics back! It looks like she is an another fabric addict just like me! :) I understand how she feels about her fabrics very well!

One of the purses will be a Christmas present for her quilting friend. The lady says she'll try to keep it as a secret till Xmas, but she says it'll be very hard to do it! I sent the same pictures to the lady and I'm very glad that she liked the color combination.

The second purse is in the same color combo. But I'll use a different fabric for binding so they can tell them apart.

The fabrics she sent to me are of fabric designer Jo Morton for Andover Fabrics. I haven't heard anything about Jo Morton before but it turned out I had some of the same fabric line, too! So I used also them next to the lady's fabrics.

A GIFT FOR A FRIEND: SAKIZOME YOYO PURSE

2009-10-04T18:04:00.006-05:00

Yesterday I started a small purse for a friend. Next Friday we'll gather for her birthday and I'll be presenting this purse to her.
I used my favorite Japanese yarn dyed "sakizome" fabrics for the background and again Japanese "konuno" old kimono fabrics for the yoyo embellishments. I have still lots of konuno yoyos at hand and I'm thinking about using them like this. Actually I made them for a yoyo hat project but I couldn't figure out how to sew it, so I gave up the project half way.

CHRISTMAS TREE: COMPLETED

2009-10-03T18:29:00.002-05:00

I have completed the whole body of my Christmas tree today. I'm thinking about decorating the tree with small Xmas ornaments and ribbons after this. And then up to my Etsy store!

CHRISTMAS TREE: MAKING PROGRESS 2

2009-10-02T20:43:00.004-05:00

I made the pieces for the trunk of the my Christmas tree project today. I used a fabric of tree trunk texture for this.

I hand-quilted them as always.

The last phase of the project will be sewing the trunk pieces together and then to the tree's upper part.

CHRISTMAS TREE: MAKING PROGRESS

2009-09-26T15:33:00.007-05:00

I have made quite a progress in my Xmas tree quilt project yesterday, thanks to my husband invading our home computer all day! :)
I have completed all the individual pieces that will form the upper part of the tree. I'm sewing them together right now. As for the trunk of the tree, I intend to cut the pieces for this tomorrow.
一日中、ファミリーパサコンを独占してしまった主人のおかげで、昨日、クリスマスツリーキルトプロジェクトにはかなりの進歩ができました。
ツリーの上部を作るすべてのピースを完成しました。今はそれを繋いでいます。ツリーの幹ですが、それのピースを明日切るつもりです。

Can you make out the glittering ornaments on the tree? :) The white part on the upper part is the Christmas snow!
ツリーにつけているきらきら光る飾りを見ることができますか？ツリーの上の白い部分は雪ですね。

A NEW PROJECT: CHRISTMAS TREE!

2009-09-24T18:43:00.007-05:00

I have started a new project: A Christmas Tree! It consists of several hexagonal hand quilted pieces that are made out of Christmas themed fabrics. The pattern is from a Japanese patchwork magazine as always.
How is it going to be a Xmas tree?! Are you curious? :) You have to wait a little longer for the picture!
新しいキルトプロジェクトを始めました。クリスマスツリーです。クリスマスのテーマの布で作るへキザゴン形のピースからなるものになります。パターンはいつものように日本語のパッチワークの雑誌からです。
どのようにツリーになるでしょうかね？その写真のためにもうちょっとお待ちくださいね。

CUSTOM ORDER COMPLETED!

2009-09-17T10:15:00.005-05:00

I completed the 20-box kai no kuchi custom order and I have posted them yesterday! The buyer is a friend from my Etsy team and she wanted me to use fabrics with cat themes. I hope she'll receive them safely soon!

I dug out some new fabrics from my huge fabric collection recently and am preparing to sew some new kai no kuchi boxes with them! But in the meantime, I need some action in my Etsy shop as well!

A Cute Kai no Kuchi Set

2009-09-02T21:51:00.005-05:00

I made today that the cutest kai no kuchi! I used a pink fabric with cute kitties on it. Actually this is a custom order for a friend and she chose this fabric. First I thought that the fabric isn't right for a kai noi kuch box but it turned out to be very cute!!
There are more boxes with cats on the way! But in different fabrics!

Some Photos from My Turkey Tour

2009-08-25T11:03:00.017-05:00

I"m posting some photos from our Turkey Tour with my Japanese friends, The Tanaka Family!
親愛なる友達の田中家のみなさんとのツアーの写真をお見せしましょう。

We spent nearly one and a half hour in the last day at Rumeli Hisari...My longest visit there! A favorite place of Mr.Tanaka!

ツアーの最後の日はボスフォラス海峡のヨーロッパ側の城砦ルメリ・ヒサルで一時間半過ごしました！田中さんの大好きなところです！

..and another surprise person: singer&actor Emre Altug! ・・・そして歌手・俳優のＥｍｒｅＡｌｔｕｇ（エムレ・アルトゥーさん）にも出会ったら、大びっくりしました！

In a fashionable Japanese restaurant in Nisantasi-Istanbul (SUSHICO). I have met there another Japanese friend from years ago coincidentally...

イスタンブルの新市街のＮｉｓａｎｔａｓｉ地区のおしゃれの日本レストラン「ＳｕｓｈｉＣｏ」にて。ここでは昔からの日本人友達と出会ってしまいました・・・

I have found a tree of evil eyes in Cappadocia!　カッパドキアで目玉の木を見付けました！ At the photo stop that's called "3 Beauties" in Urgup-Cappadocia. My husband called it "4 Beauties"! :) It was a site that I had missed for 5 years!

カッパドキアのウルグップの町にある「3人美人」と呼ばれる写真スポットです。主人は「4人美人」といいます。

At the Ephesus excavation area...in the background you see the Celsus Library which was the third great library of the ancient world.

エフェソスの遺跡群にて。背景には古代世界の３大図書館であるケルスス図書館があります。

We're in this picture in Ephesus on our way to The Virgin Mary's House which is a pilgrimage place of the Christian believers.

I have been known the Tanaka Family for 10 years, since the Marmara Earthquake. Mr.Tanaka (second from the right; and his wife, Keiko) is a friend of one of my Japanese friends; works for a volunteer disaster relief organization in Kobe, Japan and he & his organization had conducted a relief campaign for the Marmara Earthquake and brought the relief money they had raised to Turkey. And I was their guide in the disaster area. After that time, he had visited disaster areas several times, but never the touristic beauties of Turkey. So this tour was a long-desired one of Tanaka-san.

The couple on the left of me are the younger brother of Mr.Tanaka and his wife, Toshiko.

この写真では我々はエフェソスの聖母マリアの家へ行く道沿いにいます。聖母マリアの家はキリスト教徒たちの巡礼地である。

田中さんたちを10年前のマルマラ大地震以降知っています。私の日本人友達の友人であった田中さん（右から2人目）は神戸市にあるボランティア災害協会の方で、地震のために募金活動をして、その寄付金をトルコへ持ってきてくれた時は私は彼らの被災地でのガイドでした。それ以来、田中さんはトルコを数回訪れたのですが、一度も観光地を訪問したことがありませんでした。ですから、このツアーは田中さんの長年の願望でした。

私の左にいるカップルは田中さんの弟と彼の奥様です。

This is the Trojan Horse replica which was used in the 2004 "Troy" movie that starred Brad Pitt (as the Greek warrior - Achilles). Now it's being displayed in the heart of the city of Canakkale as a gift from the film producers.

チャナッカレ港の近くの公園に2004年のハリウッド映画『トロイ』で撮影に使われたトロイの木馬が展示（撮影後寄贈されたもの）されています。

I'm back home!

2009-08-19T22:44:00.002-05:00

After a long enough trip to Oklahoma from Turkey, I'm at home again and started working on my kai no kuchi order. I got 15 kai no kuchi boxes ready as a trial order for a Canadian customer who found me in June during my vacation and thankfully was willing to wait for me to be back home in August. Today I was busy taking the pictures of the boxes to send my customer for her final approval. She made her purchase tonight and now they're ready to be sent to Canada!

I'm going to post them tomorrow.

My Vacation in Turkey is about to End!

2009-08-13T04:10:00.005-05:00

My vacation in Turkey is about to end in Aug.17! It ended in a flash! I have been here in Turkey since June 15. That means it's been 2 months, but for me it was like a week!

In the above picture, Fethi and I was in Foca in June, a small resort town on the Aegean Sea coastline of Turkey.

I did a Turkey tour with my 4 old Japanese friends between July 31-Aug.7 after a 5 year break and that was very good for my confidence as a tour guide. I'm gonna post some photos from our Anatolian Tour later.

Our return journey begins in the early morning of Aug.17 in Istanbul. We're gonna arrive at Oklahoma City on the same day, but in the evening of Aug.17 in Oklahoma. I have lots to do when I get back home. I have a custom purse order to complete and then hopefully a wholesale kai no kuchi order. I can't wait to be back home! I missed my hobby room. In the meantime, I need a craft cabinet to store some of my craft tools and materials!

A UNIQUE ETSY TREASURY!

2009-06-09T20:43:00.009-05:00

The group admin of our ISOT Ladies Etsy Turkish Team, Nil of http://www.nakpunar.etsy.com/ has created a unique treasury list.

12 members picked a word of the group slogan "TURKEY-where Asia and Europe meet; ISOT-where beauty and quality meet"; pictured themselves with that particular word that was written in different ways and added that picture to an existing item of their Etsy shop. And then our admin Nil created a treasury list with those particular items and you can see this amazing treasury in the below link:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=63974

Nil picked the word "TURKEY" for me, because she wanted me to use my TURKIYE wall quilt. This quilt on which I appliqued the tourism logo of Turkey is very precious for me; because it's one of the first quilts I had made and every time I look at it I see the beautiful sceneries of my home country Turkey! I wouldn't sell it for anything!

NEW PRODUCT: EMERY GRAIN PINCUSHION

2009-05-31T18:50:00.007-05:00

This is my new product: Emery Grain Pincushion! I filled the hexagon flower pincushion with emery grain that I got from my friend Nil of http://www.nakpunar.etsy.com/.
Emery grain is a very hard rock and mixed with other species of mineral, it becomes extremely abrasive. Every time you stick your needle or pin into an emery pincushion, it cleans it off the natural oils in your fingers and any impurities in your cloth. It also sharpens the very tip of your needle.
I express my sincere thanks here again to Nil to let me use her emery for my pincushion!

I haven't added this to my Etsy shop yet, but its price will be $14 and all you can to do to get it is to contact me, you know.

EDIT: It's in my shop now (6/1). Today I added it. Please click the title to go to the item's page! But there are more coming! :)

SIGGY BLOCK FOR A FRIEND

2009-05-27T23:23:00.003-05:00

This siggy block is for a friend who is collecting siggy blocks from all over the world for her future siggy block quilt. This is my first siggy block I made. "Siggy block" is short for signature block and they are small squares that quilters love to swap and collect. It was fun. I used my favorite fabric and appliqued my dear evil eye applique design to the center square. I'm going to give it to her in Istanbul, and I hope she'll like it.

SAKIZOME PURSE

2009-05-26T13:43:00.004-05:00

This is the first time I used these fabulous Japanese "sakizome" yarn dyed fabrics for a project. I like these fabrics so much that I couldn't get myself to use them for something until now. I always admired these "sakizome" fabrics that were used in the Japanese patchwork magazines, but it took a while for me to get some.
I didn't add this purse to my Etsy shop for the time being, but it's possible to buy it through this blog. If you like it, the price will be $28 and all you have to do to get it is just to contact me at incigungor3@yahoo.com.

VACATION SALE IN MY ETSY SHOP!

2009-05-18T15:10:00.003-05:00

I started a %20 OFF VACATION SALE on all items in my Etsy shop and in this blog today. I'll be on vacation in Turkey from June 13 through Aug.18. It'll be a long one with my family in a beautiful environment. I can't wait to be there!

I'd like to clean out my shop before I leave for Turkey if possible, so that I can put some fresh items when I come back home. So it'll be a good time to take advantage of this opportunity. Please click the title and check out the items in my shop! ...Or contact me directly at incigungor3@yahoo.com about any of my items!

MY BELOVED "KAI NO KUCHI" COLONY!

2009-05-13T10:36:00.010-05:00

These are my beloved "kai no kuchi" colony! Some of them are new for my trip to Turkey, some are old, the remnants from my craft shows. I intend to give them to my friends and family as gifts during the summer. Since they're different and rarer than most of the things they see around, people love them dearly.
これは私の大好きな「貝の口」小物入れのコロニーです！その一部はトルコへの旅のために作ったもので、もう一部は手芸市からの余ったものです。トルコでそれらをちょっとしたプレゼントとして配れるし、あまりあっちこっちで見れるものではないから、人たちには喜ばれると思います。
I love making them! And they're the best seller of my Etsy shop. Some years ago, a Japanese friend of mine gave me one as a gift. This was my first time to see a traditional Japanese handicraft "kai no kuchi" container and it was all her handwork! I admired it and used it as a holder for my wedding ring a long time. I kept it in my purse all the time and when I felt like taking off the wedding ring for some reason, I put it in the kai no kuchi! It was so convenient to carry one!
それを作るのが大好きです。私のＥｔｓｙのネットショップの一番売れるものです。何年か前に、日本人の友達からプレゼントでもらったのでした。これは初めて見た伝統的な「貝の口」で、彼女が自分の手で作ってくれたものでした。とても可愛くて、すっかり気に入ってしまいました。で、長い間、それをウエディングリング用箱として使いました。カバンのなかでもって、リングを外したい時その中に入れておきました。指輪などのアクセサリーを入れるように丁度よかったのです。

After I had started patchwork, I came across a how-to for a kai no kuchi box in a Japanese patchwork magazine and I thought "why don't I give it a try? It looks very easy to make!" I always have to convince myself first that I can make it; I start making whatever it is in my head first and I virtually completed it all in my head , then I start sewing. This is what I do normally.
パッチワークを始めた後、いつかの日、ある日本語のパッチワークの雑誌には「貝の口」作り方を見てしまったら、簡単そうに見ていたので、一回やってみようと思ってしまいました。私はいつも作れるよと頭の中で確信をもってから、まず第一に頭の中で作り始めるのです。頭の中で仕上げたら、本格的に縫い始めるのですよ。私は普通はこんな人です。

In case of kai no kuchi, it looked very easy in my head, but when I really started to make it, I realized it was difficult than what I had expected. It required some meticulous planning of production steps. In the end I had to invent my own sewing order and some tricks to make it easier to sew.
「貝の口」の場合は、最初は簡単そうに思ってしまったのに、縫い始めたら、きれいに作るのは思ったよりずっと大変でした。製作中は細部まで丁寧にプラニングが必要でした。ついに、自分の縫い順番と簡単に縫えるためのこつを考えなければいけなかったのです。
This is the first "kai no kuchi" I made and sold! I used vintage kimono fabric for this and I liked how it looked and felt to my touch! It turned out to be very cute! And to my surprise, people loved it so much and right now I'm selling them quite satisfactorily.
これは初めて作り、Ｅｔｓｙで初めて売れた「貝の口」です。これを作る時、古着物の布を使いました。とても可愛く、感触がやわらかく、とても気に入りました。驚いたことに、他の人たちも大好きになっていただいて、今は満足のいくように売れています。

Recently I decided to sell my kai no kuchi boxes (and the other hand made things you have seen in my Etsy shop for that matter) and to take custom orders also through this blog of mine! Especially for the fellows who find online shopping tiresome, boring, difficult and sometimes insecure. All you have to do is just to contact me at incigungor3@yahoo.com! If you like my hand made items, but you don't have enough courage to do that going on Etsy.com and registering to purchase that item, just email me! I'm sure we can work something out and I can make you a special one!
最近、「貝の口」小物入れを（と私の他のＥｔｓｙ商品も）Ｅｔｓｙでのお店の以外にはこのブログを通じて売りに出すか注文を受けることにしました。特に、インターネット上の買い物が退屈で、難しく、時々でも安全ではないと思う方々のためです。私のincigungor3@yahoo.comにメールでお問いいただければ、必要なことをお教えすることができます。

I MISSED ISTANBUL!

2009-05-06T11:34:00.015-05:00

When I had seen all the beautiful snapshots from Istanbul in the Etsy article on the previous post, I strongly realized how much I missed my hometown Istanbul!
We'll be over there from June 14 for the summer holiday and I can't wait to set out! I've already started filling up my suitcase little by little!
For the time being I will have to settle for looking at some pictures that I had taken last year and now I would like to share 2 of them with you guys!

Ｅｔｓｙの記事にてすべてのイスタンブルの写真を見てしまったら、どんなにイスタンブルに行きたくなったか痛感してしまいました。6月14日から夏休みのためイスタンブルに着くのですが、出発日を楽しみにしていますね。今から少しずつスーツケースを詰め始めたのですよ。今のところ、去年取った写真を見るしかありません。その2枚をここでお見せしたいのです。
This is the view from my house in Uskudar in the Anatolian side of ISTANBUL. Oh my, this beautiful panorama of Bosphorus Strait is enough to bring tears to my eyes!
これはイスタンブルのアジア側のウスキュダルのうちの家からのきれいなボスフォラス海峡の景色です。見るだけでも涙が出てくるのです。

And this is the sunset on the Black Sea from the window of our summer house in Sile-ISTANBUL! What a sunset, isn't it? Actually it's different every evening in different colors and very fun to wait for it!

これはイスタンブルから1時間のところにあるイスタンブルの黒海沿岸のリゾート地Ｓｉｌｅ「シレ」にあるうちのサマーハウスの窓からの日没です！実は毎日違う色の日暮れを見ることができ、その時を待つのはすごく楽しいです！

WONDERFUL ARTICLE ABOUT TURKISH ETSIANS!

2009-05-06T10:49:00.006-05:00

There was a wonderful article on the Etsy.com 's handmade blog "THE STORQUE" about Turkish Etsy sellers, reported by my ISOT friend Pinar of toosis, adorned with beautiful photos of my hometown Istanbul. Please visit the related link below and get acquainted with some of the amazing artists from Turkey! And don't forget to read all the comments to the article! They all gave me goose bumps on my arms!

昨日、ＥＴＳＹのハンドメードブログ”Ｔｈｅ　Ｓｔｏｒｑｕｅ”にて、ＩＳＯＴ会のメンバーである私の友達のＰｉｎａｒさん「プナル」が作成してくれた、きれいなイスタンブルの写真で飾られている、トルコのＥｔｓｙ出店者たちについての記事が出現しました。どうぞその記事を下記のリンクにクリックしていただいてお読みください。有能な芸術家たちに出会うことができますよ。そして、記事の下部分にあるコメントを読み忘れないでくださいね。他のＥｔｓｉａｎたちがみんな素敵なコメントを書いてくれたので、それらを読んだら、鳥肌が立ってしまいました。

http://www.etsy.com/storque/spotlight/shop-local-turkey-with-toosis-3841/#comment-101543

KAI NO KUCHI STITCH MARKER CASES

2009-04-29T21:26:00.012-05:00

These are the "Kai no Kuchi" boxes that I made as stitch marker cases. I think they turned out to be very cute and with the needle case a good combination as a commodity.

これはステッチマーカーとして作った「貝の口」2個です。とてもかわいく、編み棒ケースと一緒に売れる商品として、いい組み合わせとなったと思いますね。

KNITTING NEEDLE CASE-SOLD!

2009-04-29T20:54:00.006-05:00

This is the finished needle case. I thought this was a very creative idea and a sell-able item for my shop. I think I'll make another one to put in my shop!
これは完成品です。
とても創造的で実用的アイデアで、売れるものだと思ったので、もう一個作って、ネットショップに入れるつもりです。

Finally I completed the knitting needle case and listed it in my Etsy shop so that the lady can make the purchase. She bought it yesterday as she said she would and then she wanted me to add 2 matching jewelry boxes to her order of the needle case. She said that she could use them for storing her stitch markers.

やっと編み棒ケースの注文を仕上げて、買い手の方が購入できるように、ネットショップに追加しました。彼女はそれを昨日買ったのですが、その後はケースに合うような「貝の口」2個を注文に追加してもらいたかったのです。ステッチマーカー（目数リング）を入れるために使うと言われました。

A CUSTOM ORDER: KNITTING NEEDLES CASE

2009-04-26T11:26:00.004-05:00

I started working on an unexpected custom order on Friday: A lady who bought 4 of my "Kai no Kuchi" boxes on Etsy wants me to make her a knitting needle case! She said that she liked the patchwork pen case in my shop and wanted me to modify it with green family colored fabrics to accomodate her 10" knitting needles! I got started right away!

金曜日に、思いがけない注文が入りました。Etsyにて「貝の口」を4個買ってくれた方は編み棒ケースを注文しました。うちのネットショップにあるペンケースを10"の編み棒が入れるようにみどり系の布で作ってもらいたいのです。もちろんすぐにこの仕事に取り掛かりました。

MY FABRIC HEAVEN

2009-04-26T10:10:00.002-05:00

I go to Oklahoma City every Friday to meet my Japanese friends. Before I meet them I always stop at the Jo-Ann Fabrics at which I buy most of my fabrics. For me, it's like a fabric heaven! Besides this store, there are several quilt shops I like to go in Oklahoma City, but they generally have higher prices than these Jo-Ann chain stores. Still, I buy at them also. Fabric addiction is like nothing else. It's a new weakness for me, so I try not to go to shop so as not to buy any more fabrics. But it's still very hard not to go!

毎週の金曜日、日本人友達と会うためにオクラホマシティに行きます。家を早く出て、昼頃に彼らと会う前に、いつもJo-Ann Fabrics という布屋さんにも立ち寄るようにしています。布をほとんどこのお店で買っています。ここは私にとって布のパラダイスみたいなところです。このお店のほかに、別のキルトのお店もありますが、それらの値段は2倍高いですよ。それでもあそこでも買ってしまいます。布にはまってしまったら、やめられないのですよ。これは私の新弱点で、布を買わないようにお店に行かないようにしていますが、それも難しいですね。

I'M NO THE FP AGAIN ! FOR THE 2ND TIME TODAY!

2009-04-22T12:04:00.000-05:00

I AM ON THE FP AGAIN!

2009-04-21T23:18:00.000-05:00

A NEW BOX PURSE IN THE SPOTLIGHT!!

2009-04-21T22:27:00.003-05:00

Tataaaamm! Here comes the new box purse! I just listed it in my Etsy shop! I wonder how many days it will stay in the shop!

PROGRESS ON THE BOX PURSE PROJECT 3

2009-04-21T22:17:00.005-05:00

...and in the end sewn in the lining.

...made it into the box shape...

I have completed the box purse project. Yesterday, I chose the fabric to line inside, got the bias tape ready, sewn them on the edges...after that sewn in the zipper...and then little handles to both ends... and then ...

MY LABELS HAVE ARRIVED!!!

2009-04-20T22:57:00.002-05:00

My fabric labels that I had ordered 2 weeks ago from my fellow Etsian madamehoux's Feyza's husband Fatih of hobbytime have arrived today!! I was a little anxious at the beginning. But they turned out to be very cute !! Thank you so much guys, Feyza and Fatih!

Over a lengthy phone conversation, we decided on what kind of design I want on my labels beside my name which was a cute primitive tulip group, and an evil eye! These fabric labels come like stickers on a A4 sheet. When you remove the labels from the paper, they're not sticky, so you can sew them easily on whatever you like. I lost no time sewing each label on the inside lining of the purses I made, and I liked very much how they looked inside the purses. The part I liked most is the running stitch-like borders of the labels. They acted like guidelines for sewing which is very nice.

MY SOURCES OF INSPIRATION

2009-04-20T18:23:00.004-05:00

These are some of my Japanese patchwork magazines and books. I find my inspiration for my patchwork and quilting in them mostly. I think they're very fun to look at and easy to learn. It's so much easier to understand the drawings of the projects than the American ones. You don't have to know Japanese so that you can understand the patterns mostly. You can figure a lot out from the easy-to-understand drawings. That's why I like them so much and I don't swap them for anything with anybody!

I bought some of them online at http://www.amazon.co.jp/. But it's quite expensive to have them sent to outside of Japan. Generally you have to pay shipping twice as much as the book's price.

Fortunately I have some very good friends in Japan who kindly send me regularly these magazines. I swap American magazines and quilting fabrics with one of them who also is interested in patchwork and as for the other one, she is a quilter friend of mine whom I have been known since 2001. I drew lots of inspiration from her work in the course of time. And I have right now a bunch of really good quality Japanese patchwork fabrics thanks to them. :)

I choose my patchwork projects from these magazines. In the Japanese patchwork magazines there are not only quilted bed covers, but too many cute little quilted things such as purses, drawstring pouches, bags, wall quilts, wall pockets, fabric boxes and other functional daily goods you can use every day at your home.

I am not into big bed quilts. I have one, a patriotic colored bed quilt that my husband's old quilter friends had made for him in return for his help in cutting project fabrics into necessary parts of the quilt. Being a mathematician, maybe he was the most suitable person to do this job. :) And how many more bed quilts can I have? Of course beside it I have some storage problem. So, I like making practical small things.

これらは私のパッチワークキルトの雑誌や本です。キルトの霊感をこの雑誌から受けるのです。見るだけでも楽しく、アメリカの雑誌より図案が分かりやすく、日本語が分かる必要があまりないのです。ほとんど図案から分かることができます殻、大好きで、私にとって絶対交換できないものです。

一部を日本のアマゾンで買いました。しかし、日本から海外へ送ってもらうのは結構高いのです。ほとんど、本の価格より高い送料を支払わなければいけません。有難く、これらを日本から送ってくれる友達2人がいます。お返しにアメリカの雑誌や布を交換するか、時々自分が作ったキルト小物を贈るようにします。彼らのおかげで、今はかなりの日本布を持っています。

キルトプロジェクトをこの雑誌から選びます。この雑誌にはベッドキルトだけではなく、日常に使えるポーチやバッグ、ミニキルト、小物入れ、他のかわいいキルト小物がたくさんあります。

大きなベッドキルトに興味がありません。一枚持っています。これはずっと以前に主人がキルターの友達のためにパッチワークピースを切ってくれたので、お返しに彼のために一枚作ってくれたものです。彼は数学者ですから、この仕事をやる一番適当な人だったかもしれません。ともかく、何枚持つことができるでしょうかね？そして、収納問題もありますね。ということから、大きいものより小さなものを作るのが好きです。

TEST for CRAFTCULT FP TREASURY LISTS!

2009-04-17T18:50:00.004-05:00

This is a test!

PROGRESS ON THE BOX PURSE PROJECT 2

2009-04-17T14:51:00.006-05:00

I like tracing the hand quilting lines with my eyes! キルティングラインを目でたどりながらやるのが大好きです。

Last night I basted the top, quilt batting and muslin; then started quilting on the purse project. This is my favorite part of the process: Hand quilting which is like a therapy and very soothing for me. I don't think everyone likes this phase, but it's so much fun to hand quilt!

昨夜、キルトトップ、キルト綿と裏布をしつけかけて、キルティングをし始めたのです。これは一番好きな段階です。ハンド・キルティングは治療みたいなことで、やる時は気持ちがいいのですよ。みんなが好き訳ではないけど、手でキルティングすることはすごく楽しいですよ！

MY PHOTO BOOK HAS ARRIVED!

2009-04-16T17:38:00.008-05:00

There is this wonderful photo storage site: http://www.kodakgallery.com/ that I had discovered in 2006. I have been a registered user of this site since 2006. You can store (it's not a photo editing site) your photos, order prints and other fancy things such as calendars and photo books that feature your photos online. I'm satisfied greatly with their service and I had ordered several calendars and prints in 3 years' time.

Last year prior to my first craft show, I wanted to order a mini photo book of my items in order to display at my booth. The first photo book (the indigo one in the above picture) I ordered turned out to be very cute! The second photo book of my most recent items I ordered last week has arrived today and I want to share this with you guys. :)

2006年に発見したこのすごいオンライン写真サイトhttp://www.kodakgallery.com/ではそれ以来登録されています。このサイトで写真を保管・共有・管理・焼き増し、カレンダーや写真ブックを注文できるサイトで、このサイトのサービスをすごく満足して利用しています。

去年、私の初めての手芸市の直前に、ブースでお客さんたちに見せるのに私の作品を含むミニ写真ブックを注文しました。このインジゴ青の最初の写真ブックはかわいいもので、好きでした。先週は、第一写真ブックに含まれていない作品を含む写真を使って写真ブックもう一冊作成して注文しました。それは今日届きました！

PROGRESS ON THE NEW PROJECT

2009-04-16T16:59:00.005-05:00

I made some progress on the new purse project today. I completed joining and removed the paper pieces from the fabric hexagons. The next step is ironing and cutting the top according to pattern.

新しいポーチのプロジェクトに進歩を遂げました。つなぎ終えて、ペーパーピースを外しました。次の段階はアイロンがけ、そしてパターンどおりにカットすることです。

I Was on the FP Again!

2009-04-13T23:09:00.010-05:00

Tonight at 10:45pm, my Nesting Fabric Bowls again made it to the Etsy FP! They were chosen by Etsy Admin and got an approximately 15 minutes' screen time (I'm not sure how long they were on the FP actually). When I refreshed the FP, they were already there! And this time I was in front of the computer screen the whole time. :) And I got 16 new item hearts and 13 shop hearts during this 15 minutes...but no sales unfortunately. :( Maybe next time! But it was very exciting!

A NEW PROJECT!

2009-04-13T14:55:00.010-05:00

This arrangement is what I liked most. I changed some placements of the hexagon flowers, or the fabrics. I can't wait to see the finished top!

この配置は一番好きです。ヘキサゴン花の位置や布をだいぶ変えてみました。縫い終えるのは待ち遠しいです！

I started a new project of an another Hexagon Box Purse that I had sold 2 weeks ago. I love working with small hexagons. I cut hexagon pieces and put them aside; and when I have time I paper-piece them. These are the pieces that I pieced at the craft show while I was waiting for the customers. :) It's so much fun to place them randomly! The initial piece arrangement will change quite a bit during the sewing process.

2週間前にネットショップにて売れた、「ヘキサゴン箱形ポーチ」をもう一つ作り始めたのです。へキサゴン物を作るのが大好きです。ヘキサゴンカットしておいて、暇な時にピーシングをするのです。これらは3・28日の手芸市の時にお客さんたちを待つ間に作ったヘキサゴンピースです。ヘキサゴンをめちゃくちゃに配置するのはすごく楽しいのですよ！最初のピース配置は繋ぎ過程ではかなり変わるでしょう。

CUSTOM MADE CELL PHONE CASE FOR MY HUSBAND!

2009-04-12T11:30:00.010-05:00

4/13: I sewed the velcro that I bought today. This is the finished soft case for hubby's cell phone. He is happy like a boy!

今日買ったマジックテープを縫い付けました。縫い終えたら、こんなものになりました。主人は子供みたいにハッピーなんで～す！

I got very strained to make him satisfied but I think he is happy about the end product! :) But I didn't have any black velcro for the closure of the case, so I have to go to the fabric shop to buy that tomorrow.

私が要件を満たすようにすごく緊張したのですが、彼は最終作品を手に取ったら満面に笑みを浮かべていました。ただ、黒のマジックテープを持っていなかったから、明日布屋さんまで買いに行かなければ行けません。

Yesterday, I started sewing a custom made soft case for my husband's new cell phone. He is a hard customer and he had specific requirements for his case. He wanted me to use crimson (OU's official color)-black fabrics and also quilt the official initials of Oklahoma University (OU) which he is a doctoral student at. He is crazy about his OU! He was so excited about the case that he even helped me a bit copying the initials on the tracing paper.

昨日、主人の新ケイタイ電話のためにソフトケースを縫い始めたのです。彼は満足しにくい顧客で、はっきりした要件を要求していました。布は深紅と黒色にならなければいけなく、彼が博士号申請者であるオクラホマ大学（OU)のイニシャルもほしがっていたのです。彼はOUが大好きです！あまりにも興奮していたので、イニシャルをトレーシングペーパーにコピーまでしてくれたのです！

NEW ITEM: BLUE PATCHWORK PURSE

2009-04-10T13:32:00.013-05:00

This is a new listing in my shop which I added yesterday. It's a simple design I like very much. Click the title to go to the item's page!

このアイテムは昨日ショップに追加しました。簡単なパターンですが、大好きです。商品ページに行くのに、表題にクリックしてください。

I was on the FP Again!

2009-04-09T14:36:00.010-05:00

This lovely treasury made by ISOT friend Sibel of ClariceInStore made to the FP today!! My Nesting Bowls was in it and I wasn't at home and missed it!!

今日、私の商品「入れ子茶碗」はもう一度Etsy.comのホームページに出現しました！残念ながら、その時、私は家にいなくて、この画面を見落としてしまいました！

MOTHER'S DAY SALE IN MY ETSY SHOP!

2009-04-09T11:03:00.007-05:00

From today, I started the "Mother's Day SALE" in my ETSY shop: 15% OFF SALE ON ALL ITEMS UNTIL MOTHER'S DAY !! Please check it out by clicking the title!

私のEtsyのショップにて今日から「母の日」セールが始まりました。どの商品を買っていただいても「母の日」までに１５％OFFになりますよ！どうぞお覗きください。

An Amazing Work of Art I found in Dallas！

2009-04-08T12:59:00.009-05:00

I found this amazing work of art in Dallas Quilt Show in March 14th. It pictures Burano Island in Venice and it's made of fabric! ! Can you believe it's something made of fabric?!

Please note that it's not something I made. :)

この作品をダラスキルトショーで見つけました。布でできていて、ヴェネツィアのブラノ島を描くキルトです！信じられますか？！私の作品ではないことを書いておきましょう。(^。^)

The Craft Show in March 28th

2009-04-07T11:36:00.011-05:00

Here are some pictures of my booth at the craft show in March 28th.

It was my 4th and worst show ever. I couldn't sell a single item! Now they're all going to my Etsy shop!

We had a huge snowfall that day and this affected the crowd dramatically.

3月28日の手芸市でのブースの写真3枚です。何も売れなく、私の4番目で、そのなか最悪の手芸市でした。商品はすべてETSYのネットショップに入れてみます。

すごい大雪が降って、来る人がすごく少なかったのです。

I was on the FP, too! Finally!

2009-04-06T14:48:00.012-05:00

I was on the Front Page of ETSY on March 23rd, 2009 for the first time through a Treasury titled "Turquoise" made by my dear friend Feyza of madamehoux and my small fabric bowl in the middle of the top row looked like this on the computer screen. It was a huge joy to see it on the FP!

私の作品、「布茶碗」は3月23日にETSY.COMのホームページに出現しました！それをパサコンの画面で見るのは大喜びでした！

I Joined the Blogspot, too!

2009-04-05T16:46:00.021-05:00

This is my first attempt to create my own blog. I can't wait to see the results! Most of my friends have their own blogs and I envy them for this. I know it will be hard to find something to write every day, but at least I started one.:) Now it's time to get to find my way in this new world of blogging!

I'll try to post my quilted items and patchwork adventure here as soon as I can. You will find some of my favorite blogs and websites here in my blog.

Good luck to me in this new activity of my life!

日本のみなさん！インジのブログへようこそいらっしゃいませ！お立ち寄りいただいて、ありがとうございます！

やっと、自分のブログを開設できました。毎日書くことを思いつくのは大変かもしれませんが、ともかくブログをはじめたのは何よりです。

I'm attaching my beloved fabric evil eye colony for good luck! :)

(Nazar degmesin diye ilk resim olarak sevgili goz boncuklarimi ekliyorum! :) )

これからの幸運のため、私の大好きなお守りのキルト目玉の写真をここに添付します。