Alas, Graffiti is not a store devoted to street art and spraypaint…read more It's actually a tiny stationary store that specialises in cute, cool and tasteful greeting cards, wrapping paper, journals and memo pads. They have cards with neat illustrations, black and white photos and neon signage as well as more traditional flowers, landscapes and cute hula hula girls. My personal favourite, is the kitsch range of knitted Marilyn, Elvis and James Dean cards. Oh and the naked gal in the martini glass of course!

I used to really enjoy making my own cards and I never ever bought them- it just felt so impersonal…read moreand such a waste of money. That was back when I had time for leisurely arts and crafts days. These days, I inhabit a different world and subsequently I suddenly love a good card shop! I especially like a card shop with a proper selection. There's something really satisfying about taking your time to peruse the shelves and take in the full selection. I know most people don't take great pains over the selection of a birthday card, but since I no longer have the energy to make my own but still want a personal touch, I am really particular about it. Graffiti is great for my purposes because it seems to specialize in pretty, arty cards with floral designs and illustrations of birds etc. on the front. Just my cup of tea. They also have a variety of art cards, which use prints and designs from collections at the V&A among other galleries. If you're not after a flowery, girly card- don't worry, there's plenty of others to choose from. They also sell lovely printed wrapping paper and although the prices make me flinch, I usually can't resist! All round, a much more interesting and tasteful selection of cards and stationary than you're likely to find at Clinton's!

Moleskines were once my guilty little pleasure: I would buy them just to fill them with random…read morescribblings, doodles and notes, then buy a new one and start all over again... Just because of the love of scribbling on paper. I've grown out of that a little now, entering the electronic age and all that, but still have a youthful lusting after lovely new paper and pens. When the mood strikes me, I browse through Pen and Paper to regain that part of my life, and it always puts a smile on my face. If you aren't quite as obsessed with some stationary as I am, this probably won't register, but Pen to Paper does sell some of the nicest stationary around. Moleskines, real paper, various lovely pens and pencils (proper writing utensils, mind, not biros or something), that sort of thing: an artist's paper shop, in effect. I love the idea of being able to buy bits of paper and write on them, but then this is all such nice, expensive paper... Now, I'm indebted to the electronic age now. I'm happy to be the guy how types everything these days, or makes notes on his Blackberry over buying new notebooks every couple of weeks. Still, it is nostalgic to breeze through Pen to Paper's lovely products: if you were ever a wistful poet upon the heath, this is definitely for you!

In the digital age where most people communicate through text and email, its comforting to find a…read morestore that's with-holding the tradition of writing and sending letters by hand. As the name suggests, Pen to Paper is a cosy store that sells beautiful stationary, tissue-lined envelopes, greetings cards, fountain pens and boxes of ink. It also stocks exquisite Japanese papers, address books, journals and a wide selection of lovely, pocket-size notebooks and sketch pads.

Oh, dear. It's almost Valentine's Day. I think corporate card and gift shops have an agreed upon…read moredate that stock for the next holiday gets put up on the shelves. And this one had a LOT of stock. Gross. Other than the Valentine's infestation, there were some basic gift ideas: pens, key chains, personalised trinkets and stuffed animals. Also, some practical things like blue tak, tape, gift bags and wrapping paper. The greeting card selection was decent - with one collection on at 10 for £1. Wowy. The two girls behind the counter were quite grumpy, and my theory is that it was having to look at all that Valentine's crap all day.

I think the Card Factory stores are great, cheap and cheerful, perfect for things like work…read morecollegues birthdays etc. No frills, great deals the other 3 on here should stop moaning!

I walked in to Clarke's Stationers this morning with 100% confidence that they would have…read moreeverything I needed to create my arty homemade Xmas cards. Red card- check. Glitter glue- check. Gold and silver pens- check. Will my cards look like they were made by a 5 year old? Yes, probably, but at least they will be made with love and quality stationary from Clarke's! Clarke's is great- its one of those extremely satisfying (if you're a stationary geek like me) shops, nay, emporiums, that stock EVERYTHING your little stationary-loving heart could desire. I had to make a hasty exit before I started buying completely unnecessary items like rubber stamps and embossed card sets! If you need card, coloured paper and envelopes, diaries, or arts and crafts supplies, this is the best place I've found. Downstairs they have a massive collection of pens and other standard stationary items. Upstairs they have all manner of coloured and patterned paper and card, as well as sketch books, watercolour paper and huge (A3, A2) sheets of backing card. So whether you fancy embarking on an arty project, or simply need a pritstick, Clarke's is the place. They also have a photocopying service available.

I've always loved stationary stores. Clarke's in the North Laines is a big one, with aisles upon…read moreaisles to look through. Oooh, paper. Of course, the shop offers more than just notebooks and loose sheets; there are organisers and planners, large and small calendars (including a grippy wall calendar!), binders and diaries. Arts and crafts supplies are also available - this is the first place I've seen pipe cleaners in ages. Common art supplies like coloured pencils, oil paints, canvases and here, along with craft projects like paper mache kits, knitting accessories and a variety of felt and fabric pieces for make-your-own crafty ideas. There's a copy centre on site, which is handy, and although the prices are a little higher than some chain budget stationary shops, Clarke's does offer a 15% student discount when you show your student card. I'll probably be back for term two school supplies.

I ventured into this store looking for a last minute birthday card for one of my relatives and left…read moreten minutes later to catch a bus to Paperchase. What sent me running? Aisles of cards with chintzy flowers, teddy bears and teddy bears clutching flowers. Okay, I'm exaggerating a little, they also had horrible images of golfers and footballers for men and shopping bags, cakes and wine glasses for women. If I'd spent another hour in there, I might have found something more contemporary but frankly, I love my Aunt too much to send her a card neither of us love.

A smaller than average branch of this large chain of card shops, selling greeting cards…read more(obviously), small gifts, gift stationery and cheap 'cute' cuddly toys aimed at impulse purchases. The branch here has lots of competition: the citizens of Hove must send a lot of greeting cards, as George Street has half a dozen of them in about 50 yards, as well as a W H Smiths. Against that, this branch seems distinctly average, as others have equally good ranges, at lower prices. That said, the layout of this shop was better organised than many Clinton shops, and the staff were helpful, even though I could not find what I wanted on this occasion.

This is such a great chain. Their basic stationery (paper, folders etc) is excellent value for…read moremoney - the cheapest decent stuff I can find on the High St - and their selection of greetings cards and discount books are good too. I've just got my Dad a great Father's Day card, which is always a bit of a headache - and at £1.50 good value, too. (Not that my Dad's not worth more, but the card is just perfect for him - funny, acutely relevant but not nasty in any way). This store is on Hove's main pedestrianised shopping street.

British Bookshops and Stationers still has a really great sale on - 75% off hardcover books and up…read moreto 50% off stationary items. The selection of both is pretty decent for a smaller shop that contains both. It's not the cheapest place to stock up on school supplies, but with the discount, I'd say it's about average. Other items include calendars, journals and day planners, some valentine's day stuff and a few basic art supplies at the back: paint, brushes, trays - not as much as the North Street location, but still a good place to top up supplies. Included in the book area is a selection of children's reading materials, travel books and basic reference books. I picked out a French/English pocket dictionary for £3.50, which seemed like a good deal. (New French class!) Near the counter there's the usual candy temptation, including (amusingly) some Thornton's chocolates for those who don't want to walk two doors down to the actual Thornton's.

This is a small but well-run greeting card and photographic processing shop in Seven Dials,…read moreopposite the 'Good Companions' pub. They have a very good range of cards, including gently humorous ones I have not seen elsewhere, and plenty of those in which you can write your own message. I've never left empty-handed (and I'm quite picky when it comes to birthday cards). They also have a small range of stationery and post-cards. I've not used the photographic services here, but the staff always strike me as very pleasant.

Digital photography means the photo developing side of this business must surely be fairly…read moreredundant these days, but I'm sure they'll survive with the brilliant range of stationery and greetings cards they have here. It's really hard sometimes to find decent cards - they're either soppy pastels or bad jokes, but the range here covers all bases. They have lots of colourful cards with decent pictures, and some humour cards which are actually funny. Also plenty of other useful party stuff such as balloons and streamers, and a small range of standard stationery items. Staff always seem smiley and friendly

If I'm buying cards for friends or loved ones, Scribbler is usually my first port of call…read more You can find quirky, unusual, and generally very funny cards and gifts, as opposed to somewhere like Clinton's that sells your run of the mill, generic and rather boring cards. Sells some funny little gift ideas too. Reasonably priced!

It took me awhile to find One in the House, as it's a bit further up Trafalgar than I usually need…read moreto venture. I did spot it, though, and became a fan of the small, quaint shop with a small quaint mix of items. Jewellery was mostly in silver, with dainty sets of earrings, necklaces and pendants. Other knick knacks included engraved silver key chains and candle holders. For home décor, the shop sold hanging artwork, clocks, pitchers, dishware and cosies for tea kettles. Small renovation items like knobs for cupboards and decorative tile came in several varieties. There were also a few racks of greeting cards near the back. In summary, a quaint (have I mentioned that?) shop with unique home, personal and gift items.

A charming shop a stone's throw from Brighton Station, One In The House reminds me of boutiques…read moreyou'd find in the South of France. Everything is laid out beautifully with products stylishly arranged on distressed wooden shelves, tables and old dressers. As the name suggests, One In The House mainly sells elegant home decor with a lovely line of ceramics, glassware, candlesticks, clocks, tiles and kitchenware scattered alongside cushions, wool blankets, art prints and jewellery. Everything looks antique or hand-crafted with the dominating colours being white, cream, stone, grey, silver, caramel, chocolate and wood. A great place to pick up a unique gift for a friend... or yourself.