Like finding a needle in a haystack...

Your might remember that last week I mentioned how difficult it can be to source things here in Turkey. Often it's not a case of the thing you are after not being available here - you just need to work hard to find it!

So I commandeered my husband last weekend to help me source some pieces for some jewellery I wanted to make (yay! - more on that soon...ah, as soon as I am able to source a couple more things that is!) We left Yashar at 'Baba-anne's' (Grandma's) and headed to the back streets of Eminönü. The area is situated between the Mısır Çarşısı (known in English as the Egyptian Bazaar or the Spice Bazaar) and the Kapalı Çarşı - The Grand Bazaar. The area is packed full of fabric, haberdashery and jewellery stores selling both retail and wholesale - and most importantly for us that day, there are lots of stores selling beads and other parts for jewellery making.

It was so crowded - there were often points where I would just grab on to my bag and my husbands hand and we would wind and push our way through (sort of like a packed nightclub!). We were so glad we didn't bring Yashar. The building below was amazing - you can just spy the trees growing out the side of it in this photo.

The streets are a maze, with many unassuming little multi level arcades branching off the streets. And after many hours and asking at many many stores and following countless people's directions we found some beautiful little pieces that I think will suit my illustrations just perfectly. And of course at the end we stopped for mandatory doner kebab as our reward for a successful day.