Is there anything better about the workplace than getting a giant card?…read more Whether it's someone's birthday, farewell or other occasion Card & Caboodle is the place to come and get the card that will be snuck around the office in the hope that the recipient does not see it. A little strategy of mine not to get caught is to write what I want on my label maker and walk up to whoevers desk has the card and slap the label down then walk away like nothing happened. They also have all your caboodle needs here including stationery, books & journals, gifts and party needs.

If you're after giant farewell cards and not just the crappy Hallmark range of 2 cards available at…read moreevery other store, pop down to the Block Arcade. The shop is small and cramped, but you will 100% find that giant novelty card and a nice selection of normal sized ones.

Il Papiro is a beautiful store with even more beautifully crafted pieces and a rich history of…read moreFlorentine tradition. I ordered a journal to be embossed as a gift and spoke with Romina, who was prompt, helpful and assisted me in choosing the right embossing and font for the gift. 48 hours later I needed to change the order (due to a break up!) and Romina was so accommodating. She checked if it had already been embossed, and when learning it hadn't- offered me a credit instantly. I am so grateful to Romina for her service and now looking forward to spending my credit on some beautiful Christmas gifts for my family.

unique and special store in Melbourne famous lane. Incredible selection of paper from Italy. The…read moreworkshops are great too.

I really have never been a big fan of designer wrapping paper, or personalized stationery, but this…read moreplace makes you want to start hand-writing personal messages to friends. Kami has some of the most beautiful papers and gifts that have to do with this type of hobby. Cool notepads, pens, and stationery sets. It's a great place to find a nice, unique gift for someone that seems to have everything, or just get something for yourself to resurrect the lost art of handwriting and personal contact.

As someone who keeps every card and letter they're given, I firmly believe that a beautiful card is…read morean investment. And if you're after a beautiful card in Melbourne there is no place better to go than Kami, meaning 'paper' in Japanese. A card, paper and stationery retailer specialising in absolutely beautiful Japanese inspired and locally designed wares, Kami is one of Fitzroy's most magical little boutiques. From the omnipresently beautiful window displays - rendered in paper of course! - to the incredibly vast range of cards on offer, Kami is an aesthete's dream. I spent far too long to confess at Kami yesterday choosing a card for a loved one and settled on one of Kami's 'Katazone' square cards with an abstract floral motif individually printed on the card. At around $5 - 8 a pop Kami's cards aren't cheap but considering how beautiful and bespoke they are, they're a virtual bargain.

Yay, stationary! One of life's unnecessary and enjoyable pleasures. CandC stocks a super cute range…read moreof cards, wrapping paper and bits and pieces that are worthy of collection for their own sake, not just for wrapping someone else's gift. They always stock heaps of sweet little items that you never knew you needed in your life until right now. Since I got my own place I have bought quite a few of the cards and wrapping paper designs and framed them to hang on my wall- their stuff is, on the whole, worthy of display and makes a very sweet decoration idea.

Some nice decorative papers and gift cards. They also have Moleskine and Posca products I use. More…read moreexpensive than other shops but a pretty good range. This is a good shop if you are looking for a gift for someone and you don't know what to get for them.

If you're about to give a special gift to someone and you want it to knock their socks off before…read morethey've even opened it - head here for their gift wrap. There's so much of it and it's gorgeous. The kind of paper that I desire to hoard for a special occasion...even though I know I'll completely forget about and put another gift in one of those tacky bags that I forgot to throw away from the last time someone gave me a present. Oops. The card range is enormous and completely omits the creepy crap you find at supermarkets and newsagents. Unfortunately for my friends, I'm also really into gifting those for a laugh. But if you're a better person than I, you'll find something pretty and thoughtful here. There's also some nice gifty items, notebooks and other stationary. One of the nicest paper/gift card stores in Melbourne.

Blackbird and Fox is my favourite. Can I write a review this short?…read more But this is my go-to for all things gifting. For babbies, besties or just yourself, Blackbird and Fox has a really lovely range of gifts and presents. Extra bonus = free gift wrapping!

I am totally addicted to Blackbird and Fox! Working locally, I can easily spend my lunchtimes…read moredrooling over lots of gorgeous, locally designed goodies for the home and also for your outfits! I don't think that I've actually every escaped without buying a little something, so be prepared. The owner Kate, is absolutely lovely and always on hand to help you out. If you are looking for a gift (yes, something not for yourself) they offer lovely gift wrapping options too. Follow their Facebook page and you will be kept up to date with new treats coming in so you can get in first!

Now and then I daydream about hosting parties purely so that I can make beautiful paper invitations…read morefor it. Without doubt, I definitely have a thing for stationery. You know - paper, pens, little note books, unusual envelopes... I'm sure there's more concerning things to be obsessed with but I really really REALLY like stationery. I come to Paperpoint when I actually need an invitation to send or a special birthday card. And okay, I admit it, sometimes I just come to smell the paper and walk up and down the aisles of coloured envelopes. I'm allowed to have a happy place, okay?

This is the kind of place an enthusiastic amateur could drop a whole load of cash in. Situated in…read morethe centre of Melbourne's design community (more or less), it's all about the paper Seriously. There's probably around a hundred different types of paper, and they have the brand name and GSM (grains per square metre, I assume) for every single one of them. Good range of wrapping paper, too, along with a few diaries and the like.

I don't love Typo. It's not because it's particularly bad, it's not. It's a cute little store, full…read moreof cute little things at fairly cute little prices. It's because it represents the successful commodification of a market which I love, and which I wish could remain in the amateur space. Three or four years ago, I picked up a 1970s pamphlet from the Australian communist party, talking about how Chinese communism was bad.It has a stamp in the front, saying it was distributed by Socialist publications, in Redfern. It has a six digit phone number. The cover is a black black rhombus and a small red circle on a green background. I love it, because it's a textual artefact from a unique moment in time. There was probably a print run of a few thousand at most. I doubt more than a couple of dozen still exist. And it's the simulacra of this which Typo sells, packaged and sold as commodities. Notebooks with covers which seem to call out to realms of fabricated experience. It's convenient, and inexpensive, and for most people there's no difference. And I respect that, I do. It's just a little bit of what I am is being faked up and sold.

A great place for stationary, quirky office equipment and decorative pieces - I love the tape…read moredespenser that looks like a cassette, the wall of letters and lots of other great ideas in the store. I recommend taking some time to look through everything! Of course, they offer regular folders, writing utensils, diaries too - everything is just a lot more than stylish than your average home or office fodder. Along with style comes a little bit of a price hike ( in comparison to average stationary you could grab at Big W or Target), but if you spend a lot of time in your office, why not try to make it a nicer space? They also offer items that are not specific to an office or stationary...like the awesome music canvas I picked up for only $40!

Aside from the shop being filled with many wonderful paper products including notebooks by…read moreleuchhturm1917 and Daycraft (and many more I cannot recall), the staff here (particularly Aida) is super friendly, passionate and enthusiastic about all things paper craft. There's plenty of pens and washi tapes to add to your collection. Or if you're not feeling crafty, there's cards, stickers or calendars for you. On top of being able to talk about paper, calligraphy and notebooks at the shop, I love their embossing service free of charge (for initials - perhaps a small charge for more letters). It's a great way to personalise your new best paper friend!

These guys went out of their way to help me with my difficult project needs. They really went above…read moreand beyond with their customer service and couldn't have been more helpful. Their craftsmanship is fantastic and knowledge and expertise exceptional. I highly recommend these for their folios and printing services and their shop has a huge range of great stationery and accessories. This shop is awesome!