BOSPHORUS GLASS

New Beads.

noreply@blogger.com (Bosphorus Glass) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:12:00 +0000

I have new beads and all of them listed up on Etsy.
Hope you like them.
Peace.
Ilknur

And more beads!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Bosphorus Glass) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 09:35:00 +0000

I am so happy to tell you that I had more time to sit and make beads this week.
Here are some of them, I allready listed some of them on Etsy and planning to list more today.

So Hec, as you see I started to work, don't call me lazy girl anymore, okey. It was so good to hear from you after such a long time.
Ilknur

I have new beads!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Bosphorus Glass) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:13:00 +0000

I finally made some beads yesterday After so many days.
I am going to write why I wasn't able to make beads for a while but right now I have no time.
I just want to show you my beads.

Here they are. :)

Some purple hollows with gold stone stringers and some red and blue beads that I love to make. It was so much fun and I felt great. I am hoping to make more today and list some of them to Etsy.

See you later.

Ilknur.

Finally New Beads!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Bosphorus Glass) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:46:00 +0000

Not that much but I was happy to be able to sit and torch for a while.
Here they are... I just wanted to play with the last couple of silver glass rods that I bought thousands years ago. First one is phsyce or whatever its name and the other is Kronos 2.

My sis came yesterday to stay for a couple of weeks because Antalya is tooo hot for a 5,5 months pregnant woman who is expecting twins!!! She put some weight on and her belly is quite huge, I couldn't recognize her at first when I went to pick up her from the airport. She looks gorgeous though. :) It's going to be great to be able spend some time with her before the twins come along.

I have to go and do some shopping because tomorrow evening all my family is going to come to my house for a dinner. So I need to cook. I usually don't cook, I know how to cook but not good at it and it's been ages since I made that kind of a big dinner and I have no idea where to start. If any of you have any suggestions I am open to anything.

You all have a wonderful weekend.
Peace.
Ilknur.

New Beads!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Bosphorus Glass) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 09:19:00 +0000

I am so happy that I was able to torch again last week. Here are some beads I made using copper green red and silver leaf. I really liked the results! Especially the colors on the bead in the middle of this set turned out very organic.

And here is another set I made using exactly the same colors but without silver leaf.
Isn't that interesting? It is, for me anyway. :)

I think these are going to be my last beads before I go to Glass Furnace this weekend for my two weeks workshop. Hope to see you later with more beads.

I am home!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Bosphorus Glass) — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:12:00 +0000

I returned from Hamburg on Saturday with full of wonderful memories.
First of all, I met my dream bead artist, Andrea Guarino Slemmons, seen her beads upclose and torched with her. She is a great person. I had an amazing time with her, I wish the class was longer than just 2 days. :(

Here is a picture of us, don't we look just gorgeous!!!!

And these are a couple of beads I made in during the class !!!

Me, Muge and Pinar waiting for our ice cream after our looooooong cycling tour around Hamburg. It was so much fun!!!

The weather was great, sunny and warm. We stayed with Muge and Jan in their beautiful house. They live just by the canals and have an amazing garden on their backyard. I got up very early every morning (which is very unusual for me), enjoyed the stillness of the morning, listened to the songs of happy birds in their garden, waited sun to rise. It was fantastic!

Muge and Jan are the best hosts!!! "Thank you so much for everything guys. I'll miss my morning coffe's in your terrace!"

I went to Hameln to take another class with Teresa the day before our return. Teresa is a very nice person and I am so glad I went to see her. She showed me anything I'd like and helped so much while I was making my first ever sculpured glass beads. I made many beads but I had to left them in her kiln when I left her house. She said they all survived and she sent them to me by mail. I just can't wait to see them.

Well that's all for now, unfortunately I don't have any nice pictures of Hamburg because I was so busy taking bead pictures, lol!

Cheers.

Ilknur

Being Busy...

noreply@blogger.com (Bosphorus Glass) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:13:00 +0000

Spring didn't good to me I am afraid. I feel more lazy then ever. But I can tell you I've been busy at the same time. Lazy and busy? You wonder how? Well, first of all we had 2 wonderful friends, Kate and Paul, from Canada. They came to Istanbul at the end of the March and went to travel of the west part of Turkey for nearly a month. They were here last week again after their long trip. It was soooo great to see them again and hear all about their journey. We are so happy to hear that they liked every minute of their trip and would like to come again to do the east cost next year. They are such an incredible people. We are sooo glad that we met them and hoping to see them in Canada this July. :) "Hiiii Kate, Hiii Paul. What's up? lol!!! Hope you had a nice flight home. Thank you so much for coming and visiting us. It was such a great pleasure to have you here. Hope we can see you soon. We've allready missed you."

I went to Antalya to see my little sister in the meantime. I was really so happy to hear that she was pregnant but also sooo shocked to learn that they were going to have twins!!!! This is something really big!!! This year is going to be a real baby bloom in our family. First my brother's son is going to be born near August then my sisters twins. Woow!!! I just can't wait!!!! Mum is so excited too. She was waiting to be a grandmother for a long time and she is gonna be grandmother three times!!!!!

And also I am trying to get ready for my trip to Hamburg. I am going with Pinar to take a class from Andrea Guarino next week. I also arranged a full day class with Teresa Laliberte. She lives 2 hours from away Hamburg and one of my favorite glass bead makers ever. She makes amazing sculptured glass beads that I admire so much. I just have to go and see her while I'll be so close to her. I am soo excited about this trip and the idea of meeting Andrea and Teresa soon makes me soooo happy.

Lastly I am going to start a Windsurfing class right after my Hamburg trip. I found a superb school so close to my office. I know I am so lucky to live so close to sea. :) The place and the teacher is awesome and I am going with another glass friend, Burcu. I met her in Glass Furnace, she is going to be one of my student in Jelveh class in June. We were supposed to start last weekend but the weather was so cold so we couldn't. :( Anyway, I am so glad there'll be something else to look forward to after the trip.

Well with all these things I wasn't able to torch and make beads but who cares, lol!! I'll have more time to torch then ever in this summer. :)

Hope to see you later.

Ilknur

Where was I ?

noreply@blogger.com (Bosphorus Glass) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 10:37:00 +0000

I was here ... (little islands near phuket)

here ...

and also all of the places below :)

(view from the beach where we stayed)

(The pool of Centara Villas)

(one of the hundreds of macaws in Jurong Bird park in Singapore)

(and the night view from the Harbour of Singapore, isn't it amazing?)

As you can tell I had a fantastic time. It was so hard to adjust the normal rutine of life here. I haven't made even a single bead for so long but I have many many ideas and hoping to start torching soon.

I want to show you some other beads I came a cross in a shop in Singapore and bought one for myself. They are Tibetian Dzi Beads. Not the Ancient onces I guess but I love their colors and shapes so much and according the Tibetians these beads bring luck, merit and wisdom for their owner. I just hope with all my heart that mine will bring some of them to me too. :)

Spring is here :)

noreply@blogger.com (Bosphorus Glass) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:43:00 +0000

I don't know why I am neglecting my blog this long. What is wrong with me? I guess I was hibernating and needed to spring come and wake me up. And it dit. Spring is here in Istanbul!!! Sun is shinig, all the trees are blossemed and flowers are everywhere!!! Can't you tell I am happy? :)

Before I go, let me show a couple of beads that I listed on my Etsy shop ages ago and they still there waiting for their new home except this Lagoon Focal. :)

Lagoon Set.

Harem.

Candy.

I am going to a wonderful trip tomorrow and hope to see you later.
Cheers.
Ilknur

Swirls!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Bosphorus Glass) — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 15:06:00 +0000

New Year started very fast for me. I was only able to torch for a few hours. And here is one of the first beads of the new year. I tried to apply a raking technique which I learned from Tom Holland and this bead came out. It has a dark ivory base, Duble Helix Psyhce stringer and dots on the surface.

I am going to meet Elvan tonight !!! She came from Canada after staying there nearly 6 months. I am just dying to see her. There are thousands of things to catch up.

Cheers for now.

Ilknur

WISHING YOU ALL A WONDERFUL NEW YEAR!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Bosphorus Glass) — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 09:06:00 +0000

I had a great time during bairam with all my family. My mother's baklava was just delicious! It was awesome to spent some time with my sister again. I enjoyed so much.

2007 was a fantastic year for me. Many wonderful things happened... I have incredible memories that I'll never ever forget for the rest of my life. Like going to Holland to meet Rachel and her beadmaker friends, meeting James Minson, that two weeks in Glass Furnace with him and all the friends, then Tom Holland class... I met so many wonderful people from Istanbul and all around the world, thanks to glass and lampworking! I am so grateful for every single one them. All my friends make my life brighter and happier. Hope they all have a wonderful new year!

Also, I bought my kiln and my concentrator (I'll tell you about it later, it's just an amazing machine) this year. I learned how to work with boro glass and as a bead maker I feel much more confident and happy with my beads and my studio. Hope I'll be able to have more time to make beads in the new year.

And finally I'd like to thank My Husband for all his support and patient throughout this year. He was there for me as always. He was a bit suprised at first when I told him about beadmaking and having a studio at home, then a bit worried when he found out there is going to be real open flame in one of the rooms of the house!!! Then he gave his blessings after understanding how important it is for me and helped me for everything!!! :)

This picture was taken on exhibition day of my James Minson class.
He showed up with a bouquet of red roses in his hands. :)

"Thank you so much for everything honey. I am the luckiest woman in the world and I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!"

I have one last good news to share with you before this year ends. I am going to be an aunty next year!!! My sister-in-law, Dilek is 7 weeks pregnant!!! It is going to be the first grandchild for both of the families so it was just a huge and wonderful news for us. I hope it is a girl!! :)

Well, that is all from me for now. Hope you all had a great year like me.

I WISH YOU ALL AN AMAZING NEW YEAR WITH FULL OF LOVE, HEALTH AND GOOD LUCK!!!!

Cheers!!!

Ilknur

Another Set...

noreply@blogger.com (Bosphorus Glass) — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:29:00 +0000

I made this set last week but didn't have time to post it on the blog.
I was really happy the way that they turned out. :)

But I wasn't able to make any more beads after these. I wish I had more time to torch but I have started to go to a First Aid course twice a week, then I meet with Pinar nearly every Saturday. Well Sundays are my days to laze around and watch tv... Well, the list goes on like this.... :) So I guess I should say "I wish I wasn't that much of a lazy girl". lol! Hope to show you more beads later.

Ilknur. :)

Nyx Set...

noreply@blogger.com (Bosphorus Glass) — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:12:00 +0000

Here are a couple of beads I made from Duble Helix's Nyx glass.

This glass gives really shiny effects on the surface which I really love it.

See you later.

noreply@blogger.com (Bosphorus Glass) — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 11:46:00 +0000

Here are two focals I made last weekend just before I run out of oxy.
I am thinking to get an oxy con because I am really tired of the tanks. Debbie, a friend from Glass Furnace, told me that she bought one and very happy with it. She also invited me to her studio to try it out before buying one. Thanks Debbie, I'll probably call in next week.

Have a nice day everyone!!!

Bohemian Dreams !!!

noreply@blogger.com (Bosphorus Glass) — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 17:31:00 +0000

I found myself making purple hollow beads again on Sunday. I made them for my sis Nurg and my sis-in-law Dilek ages ago. Making hollow beads is a great challange and so much fun at the same time. While I make them I get to a point of thinking that it'll never ever going to be a round bead but then I continue to turn the mandrel in the flame and I see the magic happens. I just love it!!! I should start to make more hollows since I have a kiln and I can anneal them now!!! Yee, you can see that I am the happiest girl in the world just beacuse I have a kiln!
It was a huge step for me and I love that big toy in my studio.

Okey enough of talking, here they are ;
Bohemian Dreams... :)

Later everyone.
Have a nice week.
Ilknur

Bairam Beads !!!

noreply@blogger.com (Bosphorus Glass) — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 11:00:00 +0000

We had a nice and quite bairam. Mostly I was at home and made some beads. Yeee!!! I have many pictures to show you, so please don't go away. :)

Here is the first one.
Terra on normal ivory of Moretti. (I mean not the dark one, lol!)

Kronos 2 on ivory with terra dots.

Nyx on Ink Blue.

Kronos and Terra on ASK Silver Rattan.

I have a couple of more beads but I think this is enough for today.
See you later.
Ilknur

İyi Bayramlar !!!! (Happy Bairams)

noreply@blogger.com (Bosphorus Glass) — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 13:49:00 +0000

Normalde bizim için bayram demek gezmek demek.
Ama bu bayramda farklı bir şey yaparak evde, yani İstanbul'da kalmaya karar verdik. Aile ziyaretleri dışında kalan zamanlarda boncuk yapmaya niyetliyim, bayram sonrası bir sürü yeni boncukla görüşmek dileğiyle.
Herkese iyi bayramlar !!!!

We are celebrating Ramadan Bairam here in Istanbul. Normally me and my husband go away to some place we've never been before in those holidays but this bairam we decided to stay at home. This means visiting family members and eating lots of candy. And also I am determined to make some beads for the exchange.

Have a nice weekend everyone.
Ilknur.

Aion again !!!

noreply@blogger.com (Bosphorus Glass) — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 09:59:00 +0000

After talking with the girls on LE and having got some good advice from Karolen, I tried to make some Aion beads again. Thank you so much Karolen! This is the best one so far. I think I should've encased the bead a bit more. Next time I'll do that.

Still Playing with Silver Glass

noreply@blogger.com (Bosphorus Glass) — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 10:40:00 +0000

I joined in an exchange on LE about making Silver Glass Beads.

I need to make at least 3 nice and decent beads and send them to US as soon as possible. But I have nothing except some trial beads. I still am working on some conbinations. God, please help me...

This is Nyx on Moretti Aqua Blue.
I like how the nyx reacts with this blue. It is also quite easy to get colors.

This is Aion on Clear.
Is it just me or aion is so delicate, burns and turns into gray?
This is the third bead and still there are lots of gray instead of borolike colors. I have only two Aion rods so I better go and make some research on LE before I waste them all. :)

A (Beautiful)* Disaster !

noreply@blogger.com (Bosphorus Glass) — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 13:37:00 +0000

Well, this is what happens if you mix too many glass at once and burn them instead of just melting them. :) God, I don't know what I was trying to do. Have a nice laugh! :)

* I changed the bead's name into "beautiful disaster" as I promised to MJ from LE. :)

Playing With Terra...

noreply@blogger.com (Bosphorus Glass) — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 12:47:00 +0000

Terra again. I just love this glass.

Have a nice weekend everyone.
Ilknur

I've been tagged !!!

noreply@blogger.com (Bosphorus Glass) — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 07:23:00 +0000

I've been tagged by Fire-n-Sand Glass Art ! Karen, thank you for letting me in the game. :)

Now I have to reveal 8 facts about myself.

So here they are :

1- I love travelling as much as playing with fire.
2- We went to Singapore to get married and it was the most amazing trip we’ve ever had.
3- I tried windsurfing for the first time a couple of weeks ago and I loved it. I can’t wait to find a nearby school to take more lessons.
4- One of my long time best friends and my only regular reader of this blog moved to Ontario, Canada nearly three months ago. :( (Hiiii Elvan, how you doing this morning my dear? )
5- I am a coffemaniac and had the best coffe in my life in Barcelona, Spain. I think those people know something about the coffe that the rest of the world doesn’t know.
6- I feel myself much more closer to my sister than my brothers. (Sorry boys)
7- My feet get so cold in the winter that I always sleep with my socks on.
8- I am horrible at finding my way around the city and I even get lost in the places I've been before hundred times.

Now according to this "tag game" I have to find 8 people to tag. I am sorry but I was able to find only 5. Hope it is okey.

Beadabudant
Silastones
Elaine Ray Rambles About Beads
Jodie Marshall
Patty Lakinsmith

People I tagged, this game was so much fun for me and I hope you'd like to join too.

Here are the rules :

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. List eight (8) random facts about yourself.
3. Tag eight people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
4. Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving them a comment on their blogs.

Have a great day.

Ilknur

Playing with new silver glass colors

noreply@blogger.com (Bosphorus Glass) — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 10:42:00 +0000

Finally I started to play with all the new Silver Glass colors which I bought ages ago.

This one has a Silver Rattan base and Terra Stringer work on the surface.

I really like the combination of these two, so earthy and so autumn colors...

And this one is made from Silver Cinnamon base and Kronos 2 stringer. I am still not happy with effect of I get from the Kronos 2 but will keep practising.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Butterfly Stone...

noreply@blogger.com (Bosphorus Glass) — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 07:22:00 +0000

Once a very special person said to me "If you want a butterfly, you have to be a butterfly". I guess I was thinking this sentence while I was making this bead.

Summer is nearly over here and after a week or so there will be no butterflies on the hills we go every sunday morning for hiking . Isn't it just sad! :(

I am dedicating this posts to all butterflies.

Happy Birthday To Me !!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Bosphorus Glass) — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 12:26:00 +0000

September 4th was my birthday. How old I am now? Well, I am old enought to make mistakes and learn my lessons.... That's all I can say... You might have been suprised If you have been here before and seen that I was saying I wasn't going to post here anymore.
Well... I've changed my mind. Why? Because I can ... :)

I am going to make some changes on this blog soon but I am going to keep it. Because everything started with this blog and my glass journey, my improvement during this journey, my glass trips, my friends and my beads in it. This is a late birthday present to myself. Happy Birthday To Me !!!!