This is the place where the hole from the polo mint ends up…read more Recreate is an Aladdin's cave of scrap, stuffed full of things that sparkle and crackle, plus cheap as chips arts and crafts stuff to boot. With boxes and boxes of industry offcuts from see-through acrylic sheets to extra long cardboard tubes. The Recreate motto is "Reduce, re-use, recycle" and that's just what I did on a recent visit, purchasing a carrier bag full of soft drink 'can pulls' aka 'dragon scales' for a quid. Recreate also offers a hire service, equipment includes a badge making machine, giant Jenga, parachutes, a smoke machine and more. You will need to become a member to hire equipment but it only costs a quid for schools or individuals. Recreate is great for Wombles and those in search of material for an art project. Fill up a colourful customised trolly and pay with a pocketful of change. Just watch out if you're a magpie and leave plenty of time for scavenging and thinking up weird and wonderful uses for the odds and sods you'll find. Top tip: Sign up for the Recreate online newsletter and get alerted when the latest 'goodies' come in. Open Monday, Tuesday & Thursday 10am - 5pm, Wednesday 10am - 5pm, Friday & Saturday 10am - 4pm

First of all, this place has a really good website as well as a good shop so if, for some reason,…read moreyou can't find what you are looking for, definitely do go home and try to find it online. The site is really easy to navigate. The staff in the shop, to get back into the thing that I am actually meant to be reviewing, are lovely. They all seem to be quite passionate about art and crafts, though I realise that that seems to be an odd statement. They all seem to enjoy art and crafts greatly is perhaps better? The prices are really good and the range is just fantastic so you're almost certain to find what you need. I did, as it happens but the staff are so good that I'm sure they wouldn't mind helping you out if you were missing something,

Now I'm not at all a crafty individual, however I can't deny that this shop even touches an…read moreartistic part of my soul. They have a massive selection of craft items such as ribbons, lace, stickers, stamps, and the most beautiful, delicate paper. The staff here are friendly, and even better are willing to offer advice on how to create specific items using these products. In particular I'd recommend this place for those of you who are clever (and frugal) enough to make your own cards.

An average card shop selling a huge range of cards but nothing that makes it stand out from any…read moreothr card shops. They had a good stock of wrapping paper gift bags etc. Serenade stocks novelty soft toys, balloons, and stationary products. It also is a stockist of Terramundi money pots for every imaginable occasion, as well as given the time of year a large range of graduation themed gifts. Their wedding car decoration pack complete with balloons and ribbons caught my eye ideal if wanted to have your own customised wedding celebrations.

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.