Compared to its neighboring businesses in the area, Wellmanson presents itself like a glittering,…read moregolden boutique staffed by well-dressed ladies in blazers and pencil skirts assisting you in buying stuff you likely don't really need. Sure you might have just come in to get a pair of nice pliers or leatherette cord to make accessories with, but you will be bewildered with the wealth of other DIY craft items and supplies and gift items in general. Where else would you be able say "Look at these beads!" and "Check out this dog hair trimmer!" in the same breath? They have mini water fountains, and toy brick sets, and thighmasters and who knows what else. They're like a mini-mall oasis in the middle of Quiapo. The place is somewhat labyrinthine in structure, and while it is fun to look around and see what the next room holds, it does get confusing if you're really looking for something specific. Their payment system is also a bit of a pain--though professional looking, it's a little cumbersome to line up to get your items priced, *and then* have to pay for them in a separate line. Also, there are these curious pulley baskets that have ropes leading to dark holes in the ceiling... You know if you're going to browse through stores in Quiapo and DV and its nearby areas that you're just getting into a trap, because if you think you're window shopping without buying anything, you're kidding yourself. Wellmanson knows this for a fact and has set out to have you do exactly that.

Hear ye, hear ye, passionate beaders. Feeling a bit crafty?…read more The whole stretch of the street where Wellmanson is located is full of shops selling beads and whatnot! Villalobos Street is the place to be if you are looking for new craft projects, specially accessories. It's the disneyland of crafter's everywhere. I've lost one whole day just going through each one of he shops in there, checking out the craft supplies and beads. Wellmanson's my favourite store so far and the biggest I've been into among the ones on the street. I've never seen so many craft supplies in one store. Beads of all kind and sizes are found there, prices ranging from very cheap to expensive ones like the swarovski. I went here one Saturday afternoon and it was packed with manangs like me :p They have ready made accessories like necklaces, watches and bracelets... but the best part of the store for me is where they sell the raw materials. Twines, nylons, charms, beads.. the whole nine yards of it. They even have those hooks for earrings and locks for bracelets, of different sizes, color and shapes. They also have those organizer where you can keep your beads inside, pattern boards, tools like pliers. I enjoyed myself too much shopping in there :)

Being an art major isn't cheap. Plates drain your budget. Plates, classes where you have to buy…read morematerials you don't normally use and did I mention the plates? Picture this: you're a starving college student who needs to pay for your commute and pay for your meals. On top of that, you can't go running to mom and dad when you need a little extra to pay for another sketchpad or a new set of watercolors because you used up almost everything last week and need them again. So, where do you go? My first impulse was to go to National Bookstore. *Obviously*. I mean, that's where everyone goes to get supplies, right? Their selections aren't all that but you get what you need. Then I heard about Enriquez and my world was changed forever. Most people who aren't used to it may have their reservations about walking around in the Recto area but it's worth it. Apart from decent ukay-ukay finds, there are specialty stores where you can find cameras, watches and whatever else you might need. For artists, both professional and hobbyist, heaven comes in two locations: Deovir's and Enriquez. Enriquez in particular was the first art specialty store I chanced upon and that might make me a little biased towards it. Here, you'll find everything that you could ever need at a cheaper price than what you'd get at National Bookstore or any other retail outlet for the mere fact that these are the guys who import them into the country. And with such a wide selection of materials with an equally wider selection of grades and brands, there's definitely something that's bound to be exactly what you were looking for. (Personally, my best find were Berkeley sketchpads -- both the regular and watercolor versions. I need to go back for more.)

For want of a better name, everybody calls this place Quiapo ilalim. This is where all sorts of…read morehandicrafts can be found. You can tell that they are mostly handmade rather than machine made because the quality and sizes can be pretty uneven. Handicrafts from provinces near and far can be found here, including some beautiful capiz lamps, wind chimes, jewelry boxes and the like. This spot under the Quiapo bridge is very likely the cheapest place in all of Metro Manila to find these items, cheaper even than Divisoria. While some will debate this, at least in terms of convenience this place can't be beat. There are about a dozen or so stores here, with some stall owners only selling goods from their home province. Thus, a stall owner from Batangas will only sell Batangueno goods on the premise that his province is the best, and therefore create the best products. In fact, each province has its own specialties, whether in food or handicrafts. I am still partial to brooms made in Baguio, for instance. If you look at the handicrafts sold in the Filipiniana sections of the malls, you may or may not be surprised to find out that the exact same goods can be found here in Quiapo ilalim. Only the packaging is different. There's lots of good stuff here, so it's worth a visit if you have visitors from abroad.

I first learned of this place after trawling various forums in my search for cheap acoustic foam…read morefor my girlfriend's apartment's paper thin walls. Her dog suffers from separation anxiety and whenever she leaves the apartment for work, the dog cries for hours, so much so that the neighbors have started complaining to the building admin. A bunch of music lovers suggested that I abandon my egg carton idea (hey, I'm a cheapskate) and go for acoustic foam instead - it's cheap, more effective, and can be bought by the yard in Tabora. Tabora St. is very much inside Divisoria. For those of you who think of Divisoria only as airconditioned 168 Mall, you're in for a rough surprise. But once you get over the heat and the stench from the estero, you'll see a lot of cool finds on Tabora Street. I found my acoustic foam, and a whole bunch of cool-looking mason jars too. Bargain!

I'm a DIY, arts and crafts kind of girl. I've dabbled on one hobby to the next; from making silk…read moreflower clips to covering our cabinet holders with washi tapes, I just love the thought of turning plain ordinary things to beautiful ornaments. And if you're a girl with multiple projects like me, then Tabora is the place to be. They have everything you need for every project you may ever have - ribbons in all colors and sizes, feathers boas, muslin bags, hats and costume materials, handicrafts, sewing supplies, mason jars, it's all there at a really cheap price! You know those tacky souvenirs you hate receiving at parties? That's where they came from too. Of course, there are also a lot of classy and unique finds there, if you just have the patience to look. Imagine all the pretty things you can make with that wide selection of supplies. The prices are really cheap, even cheaper when you buy in bulk, so go ahead and hoard! Of course, one must not forget the golden rule(s) when shopping in Divisoria: never wear flashy clothes and accessories (save your 24 carats and diamonds for the swanky places you go to) and always keep an eye on your belongings.

I've had a recent interest in kooky jewelry using found objects and odds and ends, stringing them…read moreonto chains or rope and wearing them as necklaces. There's really nothing skillful or crafty about it, but it's fun to do with stuff that are pretty but you have no idea what to do with them. And I don't know anywhere else to get small chains but in Quiapo, at Joyo Fashion Accessories. It's very easy to miss this store walking along Evangelista St. from the Recto LRT Station, since it's covered by the area's wealth of stands hawking religious items, flowers, and candles, but it's not hard to find, really, since it's near the church and one of few stalls there that aren't selling construction supplies or phones and gadgets. If you've ever been around the stores in Quiapo, it's very much like most other places there, just stacks and racks and walls of stuff everywhere. You see necklaces, earrings, rings, and other accessories first before you get to the actual good stuff--beads, charms, trinkets, lace, cording, and other things you'll need to make your own jewelry. There are other places in the area selling similar things, but Joyo has an advantage being closer to Recto Station, and being in the somehow calmer, less dense area of Quiapo.

% for Pro artist, quality items & legit physical store. Friendly staff & great serviceread more

From the owner: Art Supplies, Art Materialsread more

On my way to Tabora from Ylaya, I pass through the bodega and end up in this store. I've had a lot…read moreof transactions here back in my college days mostly for the basics, and the lots of tools that they offer. I've bought threads, bobbins and cases, fabric puncher, eyelet tools and the eyelets themselves, scissors, tape measures, pins in bulk--just ask them, they probably have it! I also love the wide variety of garment (and bag) closures they sell here. They have durable ordinary zippers that I prefer to use than those super breakable invisible ones, and they carry a lot of products from a trusted zipper brand, YKK. I saw a lot of jacket zipper variant even (the ones that have metal teeth) and in a lot of colors. If you have some weird zipper fetish (like me), go crazy. Have I mentioned that I zipper-hoarded here? Nope, you don't need to know that.

I know how frustrating it is to go to an NBS branch only to find out that the art material you're…read morelooking for can only be found in a different branch.The giant chain is, of course, traditionally reliable, but it doesn't mean it can give us art enthusiasts everything we need. Once you get past the beginner stage, you will start looking for more high-quality materials. And that's where Deovir comes in. There aren't that many art stores here in our country, so you might as well bookmark the ones you might visit in the near future. Ones that are well-stocked and reasonably priced, and this is one of them. They have nearly everything an artist might need. Deovir is my go-to place when I find myself needing a new tube of artist-grade watercolors. They offer various brands for every type of paint you can think of. The only downside is that they don't carry Winsor & Newton, and as it happens, it's one of the cheapest artist-grade materials that one can find. That, and Holbein, which they thankfully have in their shelves. A small tube (which can last a long time, still depends on how you use it though) of Holbein watercolor starts from Php 100. Mine's usually Php 105 but I noticed that some of them are more expensive. It depends on the pigment type I guess. It's better to ask, too.

Silahis is the best store I've found to buy souvenirs and handicrafts from all regions of the…read morePhilippines. It's set in a spacious old-Spanish-style house with 4 floors, so you can stay there during a whole day and you won't be able to see everything! Just amazing! There you can find solid wood furniture, colorful textiles, typical baskets, ceramics, collections of antiques...and of course the beautiful jewelry! Prepare yourself to get crazy with the mother of pearl items. They are my favourite ones and really represent the Philippines! In my opinion, a mother of pearl necklace or earring is a very nice gift :) Actually, all the items there at Silahis are great gift options. It's just hard to choose! What I like about this place is that it's organized in a way that customers can know exactly the origin of the products. There's always a tag explaining, for example, that the traditional textile you loved is from Zamboanga. I like this kind of information. It's nice to see how diverse the country is! if you need an interesting souvenir that really represents the Philippines, I wouldn't think twice. Silahis is THE place. Just make yourself sure you have plenty of time to spend there. You won't regret it.

This store is a jewel to me not because of the antiques, Philippine souvenirs, and the likes. To be…read morehonest, the prices of these are kinda steep knowing that you could get them at a cheaper cost at some nearby stores. What makes me go back here every time I get the chance to pass by Intramuros is their collection of vintage, and old books at the 2nd floor. Being a book lover and a researcher of anything that speaks of the glory past of the Philippines, the book collection in Silahis is a haven for me. Some books can go as low as P100 for three different titles. Some are rare-to-find books and though the price is rather steep, you would actually spend for it knowing the rarity of the book. When I Go here, I usually spend an hour or two here in this book store. You can actually open books, browse through it, decide if you're gonna buy or not. One thing you should have is PATIENCE. The books are rather stacked differently. The store usually arranges the books according to the author and/or by topic of interest. But don't fret, this hidden gem is really hidden. There's not much people that spend time here. So, I have unraveled one of my Manila's top secrets here. For book lovers, go here na.