Sorry no new pictures

Hi,
My laptop and camera are no longer speaking to each other and I need professional help to fix it. So no current pics I'm afraid.
The shop is going strong. We got through the summer season without too many hitches and we managed to survive the economic crisis (or Krize as we refer to it in Turkey).
We have been busy throughout the run up to Christmas with lots of card sales as well as jewellery gifts.
I have been experimenting with soap and candle making too, more about that later and the Christmas Pot Pourri which I blended myself with ingredients bought from the the excellent hebalist here has been a winner. I'm trying to get round to bottling the refresher oil I made to go with it, but I'm not happy with the bottles I have. They are too big really, but they were all I could get in this small town. The local chemist went out to his store room and spent 10 minutes finding 50 small bottles for me, but I still think they are a little big.

The rose oil soaps all sold out and I had to make more. I packaged them in pink muslin with a handful of rose petals, they smell divine and lots of people bought them to just put in their knicker drawers! I have a huge jar of lavender soaking in vodka even as I write and I'll probably end up using my bottles for the lavender water I hope to produce soon.

I've been felting too. I found some lovely merino wool in the local wool shop and I crocheted little rounds and felted them, then turned them into some gorgeous brooches. I try and make my own version of traditional Turkish crafts and felt production and the making of little felt trinkets is a traditional Turkish craft, but there's precious little of it going on here. All the shops seem to prefer to buy from India and China and most of the gift shops don't sell anything made in Turkey at all, which is pretty tragic really. There is felt available here in Fethiye, but it is very rough and made from goat hair, it is then dyed some pretty lurid colours and you have to pick bits of twigs and seed and even (once) a bit of goat poo out of it, so its not that pleasant to work with and its impossible to produce any delicate pieces with.

Plans for the new year include a small range of hand made natural cosmetics (I've been 'experiementing' so much in the kitchen that its a chore to find any pots and bowls that aren't full of soap/wax and bit of herbal stuffs). A greetings card calender, so my customers can order their special hand made cards in one go, more recycled products and glass painting, which I've also been trying my hand at. In Jan/Feb and March, I still have several hundred paperbacks from the hotel and I'll be selling those too in the run up to the new summer season. We still have to sell enough to pay the rent every month and the winter is long and hard and all the locals are feeling the effects of the dramatic reduction in interest rates here. So its all busy, busy, busy...

How we're doing

We continue to get lots of support from the UK ex pats in Fethiye. They love the hand made cards and I sell at least 2 everyday, sometimes more. I'll have my work cut out at Christmas keeping up with the demand, especially since Yakup and I will be going to the UK to await the birth of Amy's daughter, Alana in October. Sarah one of our beloved friends will look after the shop for us while we are away. Heartfelt thanks to all our customers, friends and supporters.

I'm getting lots of jewellery repairs as well. People can bring their costume jewellery in for repair or remodelling and this is proving a popular service. I wont do fine jewellery or gold, but anything else I'm equipped and able to do. I may be the only person restringing pearls in Fethiye according to one customer.

We have had ladies in from Kalkan and Dalyan (both a good couple of hours away from Fethiye) and they have told me that the shop is becoming known out of town too, so that's great because this is all from customer recommendation rather than advertising.

The tourist season isn't too great here, not really a lot of people around even in the night time and a lot of the other businesses are getting worried. People who work only the tourist season depend on making enough money in the summer to see them through the winter, one friend told me yesterday that if it doesn't improve there wont be enough money to see them through the summer never mind the winter, Everyone thinks that one of the problems is the 'all inclusive system' in so many of the Fethiye. Tourists stay in the hotel and don't go out to spend any money. It's especially difficult for the bars and restaurants.

We have decided not to open on Sundays. Many of the other shops close because there just isn't any shoppers around on Sundays and in any case, we work 14 hours per day, so six days is quite enough thanks! When will we have any fun ourselves? (not to mention doing the washing and cleaning the house)

It's been a busy month. Lots of old Levent Hotel guests have been to visit and thanks to a fabulous piece in the Sun Express written by Mandy at Vartur Estate Agents, we have had lots of Fethiye residents coming to the shop to buy greetings cards and presents. The Calis Forum have been kind too and still more customers have come along to check out the shop as a result of that too. Thanks everyone for your support.

I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Well here are a few more pics, including one of me looking a bit coy behind the counter. My daughter took the photos today and I was quite pleased with them. I'm going to take the light box to the shop tomorrow and take some close ups of the jewellery.

Below are a few pics taken today. We were unlucky with the weather, because it has been pouring all day and so there were hardly any people around. We had a couple of customers though and I was encouraged by their comments and purchases. The shop rent is expensive and so its a bit scary wondering whether or not anyone will buy anything. Fingers crossed heh?

I made a light box the other day. I had been reading up how to photograph jewellery and realised I needed a light box. Even assuming I could afford to buy one, the chances of getting one here in Fethiye were remote in the extreme. So I Googled in 'how to make a light box' and found a great set of instructions (when I remember who wrote them, I'll give him some credit here), anyway, I spent half the day making the light box and the resulting effort was quite good. I took the pics just posted in it and I was quite pleased. I need to fiddle around with my light source a bit, but on the whole it did the job and only cost a few quid.
I used the box from my new breadmaker, an old curtain and some tape and paper.

Made from goats hair felt, fresh water pearl seed beads and various little bits and pieces, including swarvoski crystal, wisps of silk and a tiny butterfly

This is a felt pendant with antique lace, swarovski crystals, felt flowers and polyclay roses. The felt is goats hair felt (which is all I can get here in Fethiye), there are freshwater seed beads nestling in there too.

This necklace took hours to make. There are over 400 seed beads . I call it 'Heather' because of the lovely pinky/lilacs. It's almost a choker, but not quite. There are touches of pale green and the neck band is plaited cotton ribbons in pinks, lilacs and green.

Hello

Well this is my first post on the new blogspot.

I haven't got any pics to post yet, but I will when I sort out the problem of getting the photos off my camera and on to the computer. I don't know why it isn't working, but it isn't!

We have successfully negotiated a good rent on the shop in Fethiye that we wanted. It is right next to the Mulberry Tree Cafe and quite close to that other great Fethiye eatery, Pasa Kebab. As Tony Blair once said, 'location, location, location' - and this little shop is in a darn good location.

We officially take over in April, so we'll have one month to get ready to open in May for the beginning of the season. A lot of my original design jewellery has been made over the winter and I'm looking forward to displaying it in the shop.

I'm using more silver and gold filled fittings. Lots of semi precious minerals and pearls and will of course be taking commissions as well as the ready to wear collections. So you can order something at the start of your holiday to take home with you, or wear with a favourite outfit.

Chokers are back in style this summer and there will be plenty of those to choose from.

I was busy all through the winter, selling at jewellery parties and even exporting some stuff to the UK for jewellery parties there. I'm looking forward to the challenge of running the shop with Yakup.

I have also started a range of luxury greeting cards, original one off designs incorporating precious materials in those too. I've got plenty to keep me busy over the next couple of months. Yakup will have to deal with all the 'business' stuff while I sit and create lovely stuff.

With the luggage allowances so miserly and money in short supply this year, I am hoping that my beady things will provide inspiration for easy to pack and affordable gifts.

For those with money to spend and who prefer their jewellery to be gold and expensive. I have an exclusive arrangement with the Fethiye Gold Centre this year. I will be able to book a car (free) to pick you up at your hotel and take you for a no obligation tour of the Gold Centre, which is so fabulous its worth going there just to look at the amazing things they make there.

They will repair your gold jewellery, just as I will repair your beaded costume jewellery in the shop.

Well, I'll be posting here regularly as and when there are new developments, so keep an eye on the blog and I'm looking forward to seeing some of my last years guests and friends in the shop. Pop in to say hello and have a cup of tea with us.

Regards
Lynda and Yakup