My preconception of Athena is of it being a place you went to as a student to buy posters to put on…read moreyour wall. It does have more than merely posters there now though. A good place to go to get a small gift It stocks a range of Edward Monkton gifts however, fancy giving someone a Pig of Happiness mug? Now you know where to go to get one. As well as the usual range of posters it sells canvas. There are some nice canvases for sale in the window at the moment which is a nice change from the landscapes kitch and iconic art.

Athena, located in the Galleries, specialises in posters, prints and fun (yet useless, in the…read moremajority of cases) gifts. It's a good place to go if you're on the look out for something small for a friend's birthday. That is, after you've searched through nearby Evolution and still come out empty handed. There are a few decent prints in here as well - worth a look if you're on a mission to adorn your walls. Most of it is pretty standard stuff though - don't expect to find any new or cutting edge art. I'd recommend heading down to Niche, in Stokes Croft and looking through the gallery of local artwork there, if you want something a little more individual.

Cheap as you like, this place solves the ever-present problem of friends and family members…read moreconstantly turning a year older. I don't think people really keep cards, I certainly don't, so spending a load of dosh on something that's appreciated momentarily (and mostly for the thought anyway) seems pretty pointless to me. Step in Card Factory, with their range of economical Birthday, Valentines, Mother's Day, etc greetings. The best thing is, the cards from this place don't actually look that cheap, so no one will accuse you of being tight and not really caring that they're now 32, or whatever. Great.

The Card Factory is cheap and cheerful and I love it! I always resented Clinton's and Birthdays for…read morecharging £3 for a bit of cardboard with a pretty picture on it. In the Card Factory you can get pretty much the exact same card for a mere 59p!! This particular store is located in the centre of Broadmead. It is a small shop and they sure do cram a lot inside. It is constantly rammed packed too so you will find yourself breathing in tightly to squeeze past customers. There also isn't any real place to queue up so customers end up queuing next to the card displays which again causes a lot of deep sighs and mutters under their breathes from the other shoppers. Product wise, the Card Factory has an impressive range of sensible, flowery cards to rude and humorous ones. They also have a selection of gifts such as photo frames etc. It's so much better than Clinton's down the road and I reckon the quality of cards is just as high but at a 10th of the price. Note:- they accept credit cards, but your bill must come to over £5 so make sure you have some cash on you. Also be prepared for long queues at all times, especially in the run up to special events EG. Valentines day, Mother's day, Christmas etc.

The name Kathryn means 'pure' and I love a party so this store should be made from me. I love fancy…read moredress and dressing up and so the costumes on display here are not really me. There is an excellent range of Smiffy costumery here however so if you're stuck to wear something for a fancy dress party and you're not particularly inspired to come up with your own outfit, you'll surely find something here to do the trip. It has loads of balloons and decorations so if you have an occasion coming up that needs the streamers touch, I'm sure you'll find your party needs here.

As the name suggests, you can get just about everything you could possibly need for a party at this…read moreplace, except crack, of course. You'll find the usual array of balloons and decorations, as well as a pretty extensive fancy dress section - great for Halloween and student nights. What's on offer is pretty standard - don't be surprised to go out and see at least ten other people in town all wearing the same Frankenstein mask as you. Still, if you're not creatively inclined, but want to get in on some of the dress-up action, it's a good place to find something to make it look as if you've at least put a bit of effort in. It's averagely pricey for this kind of stuff, so don't expect to find any bargains, either.

A cutesy little shop that feels like it has been transported from Bath. I'm unsure whether this is…read morea good thing, as if you want this sort of quality homeware then Bath is actually just 20 minutes by train and every other shop sells things like this. I like that Bristol is more contemporary, more urban, has a sense of humour. Still, it's hard not to browse through the entire shop, with smiling staff and gentle music. There are lots of perfect gifts for those ladies who lunch, or at least aspire to.

Georgia Brown is a really cute, quaint shop that I know my mother and gran would just love. They…read morehave so many little ornaments and gifts that they would spend hours rummaging through. This is why I have only just spoken about it! I don't mind spending a couple of minutes in these shops, but there's only so long you can spend looking at scented candles and china figurines. Having said that, their designs are original and make great gifts for someone who appreciates these things. It's a style of shop which is lacking in Bristol so there must be a gap in the market for Georgia Brown. It's just a shame that it's not central so many who are not local will not realise its here.

This brings it all back! I remember the days when a 7UP pencil cas was a must have, when if you…read moredidn't have an earaser and corrector pen you were nobody, and when your rubber was a statement of your personality! What a hayday of stationary, and when you speak about your stationary past to your friends you all seem to share that glint of pleasure in your eye... wonderful! Stationary world is a more adult version of those wonderful childhood experiences, you can get some fantastic artistic materials, like mini canvases, binded drawing books and a wide array of paintbrushes. But have no fear, if you head in there are still many things your inner child will appreciate!

Back in the day when the first week of September was set aside for being measured for school…read moreuniforms and buying a new cartridge pen, my childhood self would often be found in Stationary World. But that was over 10 years ago and with the increase of Paperchases, Whsmiths and Scribblers I thought my much loved stationers would be just a distant memory. That was until I came across this little beauty on Park Street. As soon as I walked in I was taken back my school days, where having a cool pencil case was extremely important and buying glitter pens was considered to be very chic. I loved the fact that it was exactly how I remembered it - full to the brim of watercolour palates, colour pencils and sketch pads. All their items are reasonably priced for the quality, but are probably a bit higher than the average high-street stationers. I'm pleased it's still going strong for future generations. But sadly, I'd probably pop along to Paperchase to pick up my stationary these days.

Since I was a teenager I have loved the Paperchase chain. Their quirky stationary, their…read morebeautifully designed wrapping paper and their comical cards makes them my number one choice when it comes to birthday, Christmases and Bar mitzvahs. But what I love most about the Clifton branch is how they go to town on their window displays. Situated on the edge of Clifton Triangle, their fairy lights and neon signs shine out from the sea of bland and beige. Paperchase have stayed true to their vision of offering top-end design at a high street price which is why this small shop is always packed to the rafters whenever I go in.

After the demise of Boarders the place to buy Paperchase products narrowed to just House of Fraser…read moreuntil this dedicated store opened up on the Triangle, just a few doors down from where Boarders used to be. I'm a sucker for stationary anyway but Paperchase makes the experience of buying birthday cards or wrapping paper way more fun. The choice of cards and paper in this store is huge - way bigger than in a department store concession, although it can be a little on the pricey side. Having said that, if you like something like a diary or notepad it is worth waiting a few weeks as the sales here are fantastic, with products often being reduced by more than 50%. The travel journals and notebooks are a particularly nice way of showcasing a trip or holiday, though these are not often in the sale.

Handy little shop that sells everything for sewing from needle and thread to sewing machines…read more Prices are very reasonable and there is a lot of choice of thread. On the third floor of the Broadmead shopping centre. This is easy to walk past - it is the first shop on your right if you go in the top entrance by Wine Street, opposite the Post Office.

I use this Mc Coll's on a daily basis mainly because its right outside the bus stop and provides a…read morehandy shelter when its raining! Food here is overpriced as you would expect from a McColl's however it is so handy I really don't mind paying a little extra for that forgotten lunchtime sandwich or bottle of wine. Their alcohol selection is pretty impressive for quite a small shop, and they usually have good deals on. Food wise they have a small selection of frozen things, as well as milk, bread and eggs etc. They have several 'bargin buckets' with cookies and other treats all for £1. They also have a vast magazine section which would rival WH Smiths which again is really good especially when you have missed the bus and need some entertainment whist you wait for the next one!

I usually likie my McColls shops, they can stock pretty much everything you would need for a basic…read morecook/weekley shop. I know they are a bit expensive so that hasn't put me off this one, it's more what they stock, I feel for the size of the shop it's a bit useless, and could afford to stock some more fridged foods and less crisps and sweets (I can't believe I want them to stock less crisps and sweets... that's just wrong!) Alot of comuters into the centre/the station and students pop in here as it's right outside a handy bus stop on Cheltenham road, but then all they are after is probably crisps and sweets!

The strapline of Avon Textiles is: for all fabrics. I spotted a very good selection of quality…read moresilks, satins, cottons, polyesters, fake fur, net ... I could go on. Part of the delightfully eclectic St Nicholas Market, this glorified market stall is bulging, not only with rolls of material, but also sewing accessories, needles, buttons, zips, velcro by the metre.. We have As an avid sewer of fancy dress costumes, I can often be found rummaging through the reels of stuff. Luckily much of it is less than a fiver a metre and the lady running the stall is as helpful-as-can-be. The stall is great for dress-making and home-furnishing as they've started stocking upholstery and curtain fabric too.

A gem of a fabric stall in St Nicholas Market, Avon Textiles is easiest to find if you go in from…read morethe side entrance on High Street, there you'll find a wealth of rolls stacked up against the wall opposite a late night takeaway stall. Avon Textiles stocks a surprisingly large range of materials, from dressmaking staples such as calico, to fake fur, neon stretch lycra and silk. The prices are relatively cheap too, which is always a bonus. The man that runs the stall is also fairly tolerant of students which is a blessing as this is often the destination of choice for those looking to make fancy dress costumes, particularly the animal kind as there are always several varieties of fake fur on the go at any one time. Rolls are stacked somewhat haphazardly so normally you just point to what you want and the man gets it for you. Whilst occasionally irritating, as you don't get to initially touch and feel the fabrics yourself, this is a blessing if you have butterfingers and are prone to Laurel & Hardy style mishaps when handling 3m long polls!