I word of recommendation about going in to Hobbycraft. Please don't go in if you don't know what…read moreyou want to buy beforehand. You need a plan of attack. Head straight to the help desk and then to where they send you with blinkers on. Hobbycraft is a massive warehouse of, well, everything that you could possibly need to any hobby ever. Their problem is certainly not being able to supply us with our needs, but rather, they over supply. You stand in the middle of this store and want to scream: Argh! I know I should be using all these creativity to make something, but I don't know what! It's all on overload. That being said, I know people who live in these stores. And yes, their houses are full to bursting with ribbons and gibbons and squibbons and such, but they're always prepared and kinda nifty with a needle. So, in short. Get in. Get out. Or pay the price. Dun dun duuun.

So this Hobbycraft gives you two floors of everything arty you can think of from standard drawing…read morematerials, to specialist model making materials, framing equipment, soft furnishing stuff and lots, lots more. It is a bit of a maze and they really don't make it easy for you to navigate this store. Apart from one sign by the stairs, they is no signage through the shop and that really annoys me. They obviously want to tempt you to buy other stuff but its so frustrating when your just after something specific. I spend a good 5 minutes walking around the upstairs with no sign of any staff members to help guide me. Eventually I found the section I was after but I was disappointed by how expensive everything was. I took myself to the checkout to pay and the checkout staff were busy chatting so I was barely acknowledged. Good selection but i'd rather get what I need online for cheaper.

Great staff - when they know something, they really know it, and even better - when they don't,…read morethey admit it! It's so refreshing to talk to salesmen that treat you like a human being, and that act like human beings themselves. I never feel like I'm being ridiculous when I ask about strange art supplies, even when I probably am, and whilst it's not always possible to fill those odd requests, I never feel stupid for making them. The selection on offer is enormous and wide-ranging, and pretty good for it's cost - I never feel like I'm being sold the cheap stuff at bargain prices, it's all at a quality that matches the asking price.

A good place to go for all your basic stationary needs. They sell your usual pens, envelopes,…read morepaper, diaries, rubbers etc... Be warned though, most of the items here are pretty basic, if you fancy a cute, or quirky notebook, I'd recommend heading over to Paperchase instead. Another thing to watch out for is that this store can be a bit pricey in comparison to places like Staples, and your local supermarket. Where Pen and Paper excels however, is in its art materials. If you're studying art in school, University, or even if you're a professional, this is definitely the place to go. The supplies are all of the best quality, and what's more the staff really know their product, and can advise you on what would suit your particular need (which you really wouldn't get at the large chain stores). Perhaps a little randomly, Pen and Paper also has a fantastic selection of jigsaws! Now personally I'm not particularly in to jigsaws, but if they are your thing, you'll just love this store!

Like Caban, in the Pontcanna / Canton area, at the other side of town, Paperweight stocks a broad…read moreselection of Welsh greetings cards to compliment the ranges that are in English. And it's not just about endearing themselves to the locals by pandering to a whim. There is a very serious demand for goods written in the Welsh language, ranging from books, magazines, cards and instruction manuals etc... The Welsh are determined to keep their language alive no matter what, and the growth rate that it's experienced since consciously deciding to preserve it has mushroomed. I am half Scottish, and have often heard people bemoan that Scottish culture is being diluted because the native tongue is in decline. But there's not such a clear intention up there to preserve it. In Wales there is no doubt! Everywhere you go you see evidence of the Welsh being fiercely patriotic; every shop, every pub and public place, and of course, within people's homes... and there's a lot to be proud of... the Welsh do things pretty well. I have respect for this, but what really makes me love the Welsh is their warmth and sense of community. Maintaining the language, very probably, is helping to keep communities together. Paperweight also stock wrapping paper and tags, stationary, and a small selection of funky gift ideas for the home, as well as accessories like key fobs etc...

A card store which has a nice variety of generic cards available. However they absolutely excel on…read moretheir selection of Welsh language cards. The variety is without a doubt impressive, and I guarantee that any Welsh speaker (or perhaps non Welsh speaker) will be truly satisfied, especially when it comes to the age specific cards. They also stock wrapping paper and gift bags, though not enough for my liking. I do love the small and large dishes available to purchase, which are covered in pictures of either; popcorn, marshmallows, smarties, or strawberries. These are very good value for money and I know for a fact that Urban Outfitters sells them at a far dearer price.

It was a pleasant surprise to bump into a Paperchase store, while on the upper level of the St…read moreDavid's Mall in Cardiff, being quite a regular to my local branch in Manchester, which is one of there three flagship branches alongside London and Glasgow, Paperchase are more of a high-end store with stores even in the USA, expanding from the UK as well as big name and high end department stores such as Selfridges and House of Fraser. This branch did seem much smaller, and not as nice as the branch I am used to in Manchester, with three large floors but still it did have some good stuff in and basic essentials, such as a nice selection of lever arches on a good offer, which has been three for two for a while now, as well as a decent selection of both pens and cards. This store didn't seem to stock as much London Tube gear as other stores do, which is a shame as in a way it is letting down the people of Cardiff, to what Paperchase is really like in other cities, and it is sad to see them getting this treatment, with Cardiff of course being the capital of Wales and in the top ten largest cities in the whole of the United Kingdom. The staff didn't seem too welcoming or friendly, this store basically is more of a card shop rather than being a stationary mecca, which I normally associate with Paperchase, so sadly I feel this branch has only done enough to earn two stars.

Most Paperchase shops are pretty much the same in terms of stock, so if you've been to one you have…read morea pretty good grasp of what all the others have on offer. This is a fairly large store, long and thin, with plenty of good cards on sale as well as all the usual patterned notepads, pens, pencils, pencil cases, tins and other accessories that I find hard to resist buying. I last visited this branch because I'd bought a birthday card which I found didn't have an envelope inside the sealed up plastic packet it was in. I went back - receipt and card in hand - to see if I could get the matching envelope, but they didn't have the same card and the assistant couldn't find an alternative envelope to fit the card. I ended up just buying a different, new card instead! Although she was very pleasant, I did think I should have been offered a refund because the she had actually said that the envelope ought to have been inside the plastic packet! So, despite loving this shop, it has to lose a star because I ended up shelling out double just for a birthday card!

I love the card shop, its just brilliantly cheap. Often you have to buy cards for people you don't…read morereally want to but kinda feel you have to so this is where I go for them. You really can get some bargains, including those really massive cards for a couple of quid instead of a tenner. Not such a fan of their other party selection but they do those hellium ballons and bits of pieces. Gets really busy at Christmas time when its awash with other bargain hunters!

I'm not a massive fan of card shops in general, I think they're impersonal, garish and tacky. If I…read morewant to tell someone I love them, I'll bake them a cake instead of getting them a naff card they'll just keep in a drawer unil they throw it away in a couple of years. Okay, now the bitter rant's over, I'll admit that as card shops go, this is a decent one. The prices are good (more like what I'd want to pay for a piece of paper), instead of ridiculously overpriced. But the Card Factory is taking over the world. Independent suppliers really don't have a hope in hell, which is sad.

Cardiff Central Market is a real gem in the heart of the city. The Victorian building itself is…read morebeautiful, full of character with its glass roof and traditional ironwork. Inside, there's a fantastic mix of vendors... fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, and fish other food traders, vintage clothing, books, unique gifts and much more. It has such a lively, local atmosphere and you can really feel the history while wandering around. There are plenty of food options too! Prices are reasonable, the everyone was friendly! Great experience!

If you find yourself in Cardiff, I'd recommend visiting the market (also known as Central Market)!…read moreIt's been around since the 1700s, and in the same Victorian-style building - with a big glass roof - for over 100 years. There's *a lot* to look at and take in, so heads-up if you're a person that gets overstimulated by noise (because that's what the market is: organized chaos of vendors selling anything and everything from coffee to clothing to walking sticks to fish). We enjoyed a bunch of food that we brought to the low, bar-style seating on the first floor, including... Tukka Tuk (5) - first floor, 219 - 223: Indian street food by a multi-award winning chef. And, yeah, believe the hype. This was one of the best things we ate in Wales (and it was vegan!). We did the Build A Bowl and chose 1) half pilav rice and half plain chips topped with 2) coconut dal and 3) cauli kemp. It was rich, creamy, and an absolute explosion of flavor! I regret sharing this with my partner, so - PRO TIP - get your own. Pierogi (4) - first floor, 213 - 217: Polish pierogis. These fresh dumplings prepared daily using their family's special recipe are DELICIOUS. We tried the vegan ones, which at the time were roasted buckwheat with onion and mushroom sauce. So, so good. There's usually five-ish flavors to choose from, and I think they come in two portions (small with four pierogies; large with seven pierogies). Cardiff Bakestones (4) - ground floor, 161 - 165: Known for their Welsh cakes (which are kind of like a scone or a biscuit; softer and slightly sweet, they're baked round with a crinkly edge. Cardiff Bakestones has LOTS of different flavors (like salted caramel, nutella, lemon curd, chocolate chip, etc.) and also vegan and gluten-free options. Definitely get a couple more than you think you're gonna want, because *trust me* you're going to want another right after the one you've just eaten!

Knitting is sexy, did you get the memo? I did. I got it the first time round when I was living in…read moreLondon and the V&A were holding knitting-related parties. I bought Stitch & Bitch and got some needles and red wool and tried to knit. I was rubbish. You Tube didn't exist in my world back then. In the last year, thanks to You Tube video lessons and some real knitters I can knit. Not brilliantly. Not fast. But I'm on my way. Knitting is cool for the second time. Just google Yarnachy Swansea if you don't believe me. All ubercool knitwits need to buy, beg, borrow or steal wool. Charity shops are good for getting odd balls for stripy things but for bigger projects you need to head to a specialist shop. The Wool Pack can help you, they sell a myriad of wool types as well as patterns, needles and other useful knitting get up. Get sexy, learn to knit.

Where on earth can you get fireworks out of season? Here of course at the Four Seasons. There are…read morealso outfits galore "over 4000" according to their website. These include halloween costumes, kids fancy dress, masks, funky accessories, jokes, wigs, hen party paraphernalia and giggleables, scary stuff, sexy stuff...oh and they also sell cards for all occasions. Not the friendliest of staff, but then they're perhaps too used to dealing with virtual sales I suspect (the majority of their sales are online), however their huge selection of costumes for every occasion well makes up for this. Four Seasons are always adding on weird and wonderful extras to their store, they used to also sell fresh flowers and they are soon to be offering military-ware where the flowers used to be (rather like tarmacking paradise I fancy). The outfits are not cheap, but they are reasonable. The slightly incongruous rack of cards however, contain not the most attractive or modern cards you've ever seen, but very cheap ones. Bargain.

I will admit, the window display left me a bit underwhelmed, but once inside, you'll find pretty…read moremuch anything you need to create the fancy dress outfit of your choice. Four Seasons stocks everything from kids' party favours and fireworks to postcards and helium balloons, establishing itself as a party superstore that may even be the largest of its kind in Cardiff. They also carry some of the widest range of military fatigues I've seen, perfect for paintball excursions, hunting, or hen nights out. The store set-up reminded me a bit of a pound shop, with its dim lighting and cheap shelving units, but the wide selection of stock more than makes up for the lack of atmosphere. And yes, I know it's an overblown-useless-American holiday, but nevertheless, I was excited to see a range of Halloween items on display for those festive souls who buy into the enjoyable consumerism. I know I do.

It's my best mates birthday tomorrow. So I thought I'd check out The Card shop inside the dominion…read morearcade for a change. It's quite a small shop, but is a fair bit cheaper than the likes of your chained card shops. This is probably better if your buying a card for a child as the cards are quite limited and have some nice sporting cards etc. However, if you are buying for a teenager upwards, it's probably not best to get them one from here, unless you like thankyous through gritted teeth. They also sell gift bags and wrapping paper which is nice and cheap again and would be worth checking out first. The lady was lovely in there and the shop is not busy so it doesn't have ignorant people standing right where you were looking! Massive bonus.

Possibly the best value card shop in Cardiff. Huge selection of cards at very good prices. I…read morenoticed they had some cards for only £1 on offer today! It's particularly noted for its cards for relations, I managed to find one with Grandpa on when most usually have Grandad or Grandfather on them! It's particularly popular with older customers, and also sells a variety of gifts such as chocolate bars with names on and something a little novel, named money jars with a dinosaur theme e.g. 'Olivertops' or 'Sarahsaurus' (a bit tacky, but I imagine some kids would love them)! In addition to cards they also have the usual stock, such as ballons, wrapping paper (30p a sheet!) etc...