A Gorgeous Day for a Pop-Up Artisan Market At Alaia Resort Boutique

Yesterday I headed down to the Alaia Resort and its beautiful boutique for a poolside pop-up artisan market.  To see locally made jewelry and art, handbags, and soaps, and to enjoy the gorgeous weather we are having.

A quick look at the view from the rooftop pool and lounge.

Cool and dry (for Belize – humidity less than 80% is dry!  And yesterday the humidity and the temperatures were in the high 70s.  Bliss near the end of a long hot summer)

The great day did not disappoint, and neither did the market.  The large, modern Alaia Resort is beautiful.  So new and different for Ambergris Caye – but undeniably gorgeous at just over a year old.

Here are my pictures…

Looking up to the pool above…

I stopped in for a quick look at the Alaia’s boutique – filled with pretty things, many of them made in Belize.

Lots of bags and pouches from some of my favorite brands – Twig and Pearl and MayaBags.

And then heading outside…

The vendors, in the shade, by the lobby – ready from 10 to 2pm and then 4 to 8pm yesterday.  Arts from all over the country.

Like MayaBags from Punta Gorda.  I visited their shop in PG years ago – and fell in LOVE with one of their bags.  (2013 – the most beautiful things!)  I bought it a year later and I love it even more today…

This year I’m going to obsess about a camera strap (though I have some ideas for my own colors) – the tie-around-the-waist belt bag is fantastic too.  Their fabrics and the story of the MayaBags business are just so good.  They sell items abroad as well…message them about in-country prices.

The prettiest earrings are made right here in San Pedro.  (You can see more of her beautiful work on Facebook here or better yet, on Instagram here)

I almost got some impossibly light clay earrings at the Sol Clay Jewelry – see the dangly black ones at the bottom?  I thought I’d order them in the green color instead.  They look just like malachite but weigh practically nothing and are a very reasonable price at $25bzd.

You can check out their work on Facebook and Instagram also.

Like these – Would you ever know they were clay?

One of Belize’s most famous craftspeople – Kaj from Kaj Expressions.  She has a shop in San Ignacio, in Caye Caulker, in Placencia – you will see her earrings on necklaces all over the country.  She’s also very fun to follow on Instagram – she shares so much about her life and her craft.  (Here is her website – with links to everything)

I smelled each and every one of Amber’s Candles beautifully packaged candles.  Oh I love candles!

I didn’t take pictures at every booth, and I regret it now!  You can see the Alaia Boutique’s Facebook page – for all the great pictures.  I was busy oohing and aahing and touching and then thinking about this gorgeous bag by Emilio Perera.

Made with banana fibers and then beautifully lined with a khaki colored fabric – lots of pockets inside and outside (under that circle detail)

All his work, using local materials like coconut and cohune and basketry, are just dreamy…

This basket bag with the bracelet handles!

But it’s that tote bag.  I’m coming for you…

For more of his beautiful work, see his account on Instagram.  I’ve been following him for a few years now and his bags are even more beautiful in person.

The Alaia boutique carries all of these brands if you want to go see pretty things in person. Or pretty view…I did a quick stop by the rooftop pool before I left…

And with that…I’m signing off and getting back into the home stretch of my book update.

The book update I should have finished in July…and then September…and now the end of October.  FOR REAL THIS TIME!