Hand made

Turkey is indulging my love of handmade things. Everywhere you look there are beautiful hand-knotted rugs or gorgeous tiles. The skills used to make these things have been handed down for centuries, and while the styles change over time, traditional patterns are common.

On our way to the airport from Kusadasi, we stopped by Ephesus Tile to check them out.


Master potter throwing a pot

The man off-screen on the video is explaining a bit about the pottery as the potter makes a pot. They use white clay to create the form. After drying for a couple days, they fire it in the kiln. Then the artists will paint the design on the pottery and then fill them in with color. They add a layer of glaze and fire the ceramics again. That layer of gloss protects the colors and they last for centuries, like those used at the mosques.


The dome of the Blue Mosque

I loved all the ceramics and knew a plate or tile would be the perfect keepsake for my visit to Turkey. I had thought I wanted to get a traditional design, the Tree of Life, but Ephesus had some beautiful unique designs that were inspired from the traditional designs.

I finally settled on this gorgeous plate. It's tulips, which is an important flower to Turkey. The flower originated in the country, and the name in reverse spells 'Allah'. The guy selling me the bowl said they were symbols of love, too. Whatever the added significance, I love this plate. I'm so excited to own it.