Guest Designer Fikreta

 Here's another great card from Fikreta!  A wonderful shaker using the same set as the card she shared last week.  I just love this adorable cat from Newton's Nook/Simon Says stamp.  Lovely work Fikreta.  Check out her blog here: Bad Kitty's Craft Room (badkittyscraftroom.blogspot.com)

If you would like to share a creation, drop me a message, htondre@aol.com

Thanks to Merve

 sharing this adorable Kat girl for my hostess while I have been visiting in Turkey, Merve.  She's been wonderful as always.  I highly recommend her if you are thinking about going to Istanbul and you will be using AIRBNB be sure and check her out, contact me and I will send you her AIRBNB info if she is available when you need a place.

when I get home, I will take about three days to open back my store. at least, that is my current thought about it.  So if you want to see some gorgeous lace, get ready!!

I love Turkiye, truly, madly, deeply

I can't believe this is my last day (full day, tomorrow is a flight day, so I won't get to do anything but go to the airport) in Istanbul.  It's been a lovely summer and I am ready to go home and see the DH most of all then relax to get my jet lag taken care of and then school starts. It's that quick.

Here's a lovely embellishment from Turkiye including some gorgeous lace from Turkiye too.  I should be starting the shop back up on Aug 4th.  So get ready!!  I have tons of new lace to share.

Happy Birthday Sandra

Sharing this card today in Memory of Sandra Caldwell.  May she Rest In Peace.   Made this card for artist Sandra Caldwell for her Birthday!   I am using one of her great images from her store on Etsy, Babycakes DND!  She had the most wonderful images.  I truly miss her.

Bye Friends

 Now that I am getting ready to leave, sigh, let me say GOODBYE to all my new friends in Turkiye.  People are so very nice in this country.  It's really a delight and I feel very safe to travel as a solo female in a city the size of Istanbul whose estimated population is now 20 million.

Forever Friends

 Just four days left, i know I sound crazy.  Most people take four day vacations.  I do totally consider myself blessed to have spent my summer away and in a place that I enjoy so much.  I am very fortunate. I realize that.

Here's a sweet and simple card embellishment that I got in Turkey.  I thought it would be perfect for card making.I also dotted around the card in black ink, though on my computer, I can't really see that level of detail which is disappointing.

My Heart

 Dearest. you hold a special place in my heart....you might think I am talking about my DH, but nope, I am talking about TURKIYE.  ha!  It's my last week and I can't believe it.  WOW, I will be back at home and probably counting down the days again for another adventure (though that is undecided at this point).  Hmmm.

Guest Designer Fikreta

Here's an adorable card from Fikreta.  She made a couple of wonderful cards using her prize winnings.  Here is one of them!  You can see her adorable blog HERE: Bad Kitty's Craft Room (badkittyscraftroom.blogspot.com)

If you have prize winning creations to share, i'd love to share them!!  Drop me a message (htondre@Aol.com).

Lost without you

Here's a great card from Simple Stories that I am sharing for my DH today. Lost without you dear, starting to miss you lots more everyday.  I can't wait to see you now, just a week more and I will be home.  Though, gonna be hard to leave Turkiye

 

Green flowers?

 Here's some awesome Turkish flowers that I bought last summer and turned into a card. I am hoping that I will get more things like this, this year.  I love the flower, but of course would hope they had some different colors available.  Perhaps they were popular and that's why they only had lime green left.  Well, HA!  I love lime greens.  I also added some great Turkish lace to go with the card.  On my last week now...then it's back to Texas heat.  You think it's warm in Turkiye,  hardly.  It's at least 20 degrees warmer in Texas.

Happiness

 Happiness can be found in the simplest of things.  Hmmm.  Is a trip to Turkiye simple?  I am guessing not. But the simple things here are happiness, a lace store, a cup of turkish tea, seeing the Hagia Sofia from the train window, listening to people talking in a dozen different languages all at once.  The things that are happy here are simple.  Oh, and the delicious food.  Everything thing from a simit (bread ring) to a complex meal.

I miss your face!

Here's a super cute card from Photoplay.  I just love their card making kits, design kits and their stamps.  But this cute kit cranked out 8 fun cards including this cutie.  I am totally missing the DHs face today.  I know I will see him soon,  oh why can't i have him and Turkiye at the same time?

Darling

 

Here's another wonderful card from an SEI Kit.  Missing you Darling.  I hope you are having a great week. I will be home soon enough now. I am enjoying my last 10 days.  WOW, I can't believe I just have 10 days left in Istanbul.  Whew.  what fun,  I miss you so much, You are why I come home

I'm not WHOLE without you

LOL, this card just gives me a smile and makes me think of my DH.  I wouldn't be WHOLE without you.  Ahhh, kisses Dear.  Love you.  I hope you have a wonderful day.  I can't wait to get home and see him then to show you all the amazing lace I bought while I was in Turkiye.

Guest Desinger Taty

Here's a wonderful card made by Taty using one of the prizes she won this  year during my celebration month!  Check out her lovely blog here: www.scrapperconpassione.blogspot.com 

 If you won a prize and would like to share something, I'd love to see it, htondre@aol.com

No Decaf

I thought this stamp was hilarious with this sentiment to go with it.  I pared it with some great Turkish Ribbon.  Too fun.  I can't say I know if there is any decaf in Turkey.  I have never seen it.  It's not something I have ever seen anyone ask for either.  They just don't have that as a choice.  I have NEVER seen decaf soda.  There is TWO soda, coke and coke zero.  Occasionally you will see sprite.  Occasionally you will see Pepsi and Pepsi Max.  Rarely you will also see Diet Coke.  But 99% of the time just coke and coke zero.

You're Owlsome

 Here's a sweet Unity Owl stamp and a fun sentiment that comes from a digi stamp company.  I added some great sunflower bling to go with it. I hope this card gave you a smile today.  I always have loved owl stamps.  They make me smile.

Magical Fibers

 Here's a hilarious dog stamp from The Cat's Pajamas.  I just love their funny images and sentiments that come with them.  This one says, "I don't shed. I emit Magical Fibers."  HA!   I know I have mentioned the Istanbul Dogs and Cats.  It's fascinating to see hundreds of random dogs and cats everywhere.  In stores, in mosques, walking around bazaars, everywhere, they are pretty much let roam free and lay around where they wish!  They will occasionally be sent away from eating establishments (the cats, never dogs), but many customers feed them, so that's hard to do.

Tea-riffic

 You are TEA-riffic!  I just love this fun sentiment and lovely coffee/tea theme image from Unity stamps.  I am using some stunning lace that has lovely pearls on it. I wish the image scan had turned out better as the lace is so pretty.  A lot of people have asked what I will be buying in Turkiye this summer other than lace.  Ummm, not much, I may get so much lace, esp for the store that I end up shipping boxes home.  I haven't decided yet.

My Dear

 Sharing this card for My Dear in Texas.  Sweet nothings for you in your ear.  I wish I was there to kiss you good night.  Or hmmm, wish you were HERE to kiss me good night.  Yeah, that option is better.  But I am guessing a two plane 19 hour trip is not going to happen for a good night kiss.  Love you DH.  Kisses from afar for the next couple of weeks.

Rise and Shine

 Here's the cutest cat card from Lili of the Valley. I just love their dogs, but this cat also caught my eye.  Aren't they sweet?  and a tea card too boot!  How special is that?  I am rising and shinning everyday for vacation.  It's just nice to wake up and hear the train, walk around in a bustling city but since I don't really know what people are saying, it's also like silence in a way.  I wonder if I keep learning Turkish and eventually keep speaking that the city will lose some magic if I know what people are saying to me?  Would be nice if I could speak back to all the sales people in Turkish.  They would probably not try and sell to me anymore!

Guest Designer Audrey

Here's a lovely Easter theme card created by Audrey of Texas.  She got several Easter theme items in her package this year as prizes.  I just love this beautiful card she created (and if you saw back at Easter and Passover time, the others she created).

if you would like to be a guest designer, email me your creation, htondre@aol.com

 

Whales :)

 

Here's a sweet and simple card made from a kit by Simple Stories. Since I did some sea life earlier this week, I thought I would carry on with the theme.  I thought my husband would get a little smile (and also an eye rolling at the pun).  Either way, i know it put a little smile on his face.  Hope you are having a great summer time.  Huge waves from Turkiye

You're the sweetest thing!

Here's a heart stamp from a set I got from Turkiye and a sentiment that comes from Taylored Expressions.  I made this quick and simple card for my DH.  I hope he likes it.  Huge hugs dear, have a great day.  Hope you have a QUIET day.

Sea Life

 

Here's a great aquatic theme card from Tracey Hey (Hampton Arts).  I was given this cute set from a student at my school during last year's staff appreciation week.  How sweet is that?  i added some great blue lace from Turkiye to go on it.  I was so thrilled that they bought me the cutest stamp set.  Super sweet.

You're the cream

Here's a wonderful set of stamps from Honey Bee and Catherine Pooler Designs.  Perfect combination.  I made this cute coffee theme card for the DH to bring a little smile to his face today. I also added some lovely Turkish lace to the bottom of the card.  That's one thing I am having a lot of fun finding this summer.  Ahhh, lace store after lace store....

Beary Favorite

 Here's a cute Unity card today for the DH, I am missing him a lot now that I have been gone for a month.  I do think that sentiment, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" is very true.  I hope he gets a little smile from this card today.   I hope you all get a smile from it too!  Cheers, Holley

Donuts and Coffee

 Here's a cutie that I made for my DH.  This fun combo comes from Honey Bee stamps. I love their great coffee theme sets.  I used some interesting sewn ribbon?  I don't know what you would really call this.  I guess ribbon.  Maybe just trim.  Any opinions?

check out my lace store, NOTE: it will shut down for summer while I am in Turkiye; Closing on June 4

LacePlaceByHolley | Etsy

Guest Designer Cebelica

Here's another stunning card that I received from Cebelica!  WOW, the layers are so totally gorgeous, and the colors are way more vivid that the scan shows.  It's bright and beautiful and has sparkles on it.  Thanks so very much for sending this to me!  You can see more of her work on her blog HERE.  

 This card was made with one of her prizes from 2021's celebration.  If you would like to send me a pic or a card to share on my blog, i'd love to show it off.  htondre@aol.com

Hello

 

Here's a sweet little card using a kit from SEI.  They have the sweetest card making kits on their website (and at any shows you may attend).  It's a great way to get your mojo going when you feel stuck or if you just want to sit down and make cards but don't want to do too much "thinking" about it.  It makes for a fun crafting time.  I usually modify their card designs just a little, like on this one I added some Turkish Lace.

wonder woman

 Happy July everyone!  I can't believe I am almost half way through my vacation at this point.  WOW.  I may not have mentioned it before, maybe I did.  I got a copy of Babbel to learn some Turkish starting at Christmas time.  I was pretty good at doing at least five lessons or more a week.  OMG Turkish is SO HARD and so very different from English.  I feel like I hardly learned anything, lol.  My memory is like swiss cheese!  I don't know if that's from old age (ha!) or brain surgery.  I blame both!

If only the Wonder Woman inside me (deep deep deep down inside me) would come out I know I could learn it.  I hope that hearing it constantly everyday will help.