'Ka ni Kim

Craft fairs are my favorite places to shop for Christmas. Baguio is sweltering in April and more than half a year from the holiday season, but a fair is a fair, and I was happy to stop by the Baguio Craft Fair and take home a few trinkets.

One table that caught my eye featured white ceramics, and contrastingly, some colorful blocks. Closer inspection showed that it was Life After Breakfast’s selection of handmade watercolors and the tools and accessories that come with them.

I guest wrote an article for a travel website a few years back and was asked for a short bio. In it, I wrote that cooking, video games, and watercolor are three things I enjoy but am not particularly good at. This remains true today (though I like to think I’ve gotten a little better at cooking) – and the important part is, of course, the enjoyment. That’s why I decided to take home one of Life After Breakfast’s charming little palettes. They include nine handmade watercolors nestled in a ceramic base.

I love how my purchases were bagged and sealed off with an embossed gold sticker. If you want your own but prefer specific colors, you can also customize a palette with the pigments of your choice.

Alessandra, the artist and owner of Life After Breakfast, very kindly threw in a free sheet of stickers. In addition to the watercolors, I got a size 8 paintbrush, per her suggestion. Life After Breakfast offers a wide range of paintbrush sizes, as well as a travel brush with a detachable handle that also serves as the container.

There were over a dozen booths selling wood crafts, leather products, cloth bags and other interesting goods. I tend to gravitate towards paper products like stationary and stickers.

It was a happy coincidence that I also ran into an old friend from my radio days in Baguio while shopping. Erin sells a variety of stickers with Slip Knots. My favorites were the OPM designs that reference some old and new local classics. Slip Knots also offers knitted goods like whimsical, fluffy phone charms.

Life After Breakfast is on Instagram. If you don’t catch them at the fair, you can shop or sign up for a workshop directly from their website.

See more photos and info about Slip Knots on Instagram.

This year’s fair runs from April 6 to 7 at Mt Cloud, #1 Yangco Street corner Brent Road. For more updates about the Baguio Craft Fair, be sure to check out their event page on Facebook and follow them on Instagram.