This shop is like a cornucopia of strange little gifts, knick-knacks, cards, and bits'n'bobs…read more Exactly the kind of store you pop into in search of a birthday card for someone, and end up browsing amongst the eclectic gifts for at least half an hour. There was everything from teddy bears to photo frames; mugs and calendars to christening gifts; musical jewellery boxes to happy birthday banners. I can't lie and say everything was top notch, but I do recommend a potter if you've got time for a browse, or you have some time to kill while waiting for a bus. Like Mary Poppin's handbag, you never know what's going to come out of it...(or what you'll come out with!)

I didn't go into this store because I wanted to buy homeware goods. I wanted to see what had become…read moreof this building - or rather, house. The structure has struck me as beautiful for years; when I was a child, this house was literally my dream house. I visited this "house" today. Because I wasn't intending to buy anything I looked at it all without worrying about price tags (though when I did glimpse a few it confirmed my suspicions: expensive). I felt like I could therefore just enjoy the store as an experience, because the homeware items, toys and antiques here are really quite quirky. I wandered about, absorbed in what felt like looking at art, and suddenly there was a bustling cafe in my face. I realized I'd become so absorbed I'd hit the base of the stairs leading to a cafe. Even the existence of the cafe seemed other-worldly; you don't see many coffee shops inside homeware stores. Unsurprisingly, I got lost on the way out. (Partly the result of embarrassment over having almost fallen onto stairs, partly because the place is quite maze-y.) A lovely staff member approached me, comprehended my dilemma and helped me. She also laughed at my self-deprecatory jokes, which is obviously the most important thing.

Blake and Taylor sell some of the most adorable furniture and home-wares that are either recycled…read moreor new pieces with a vintage edge. This store is not cheap but the merchandising and make a fun experience. This is the sort of store I can imagine myself shopping in if I ever become a 'lady who lunches' so I could invite my friends over for tea and show off my Blake and Taylor furniture. A lot of the things sold here have a vintage look that somehow manages to look modern. I think painting everything white and keeping everything free from too much embellishment is what makes things look chic rather than look like something your grandma would have in her guest room. I found the most amazing vanity at this store. It was all white with a huge round mirror and there was a cute little stool to go with it. It was adorable but at $350, I really did not need it (who really NEEDS a vanity anyway). Blake and Taylor is a treat to visit. Even if you are not a "lady who lunches" yet, it is a nice store to walk around and look at all the pretty things.

Handmade High Street throws together some really great local crafters and creators of all things…read morepretty and fun. The first things that caught my eye was a crocheted rose-shaped brooch with quite a few other similar ones to keep it company. I found delight in the handmade jewellery and recycled accessories including hairpins made out of old buttons and old teacups being transformed into candle holders, which is something I would never have thought to do. They also had one of the very lovely dresses that is so identifiable as one of Rachel Burke's I Make My Day projects, which is surrounded by a mountain of handmade things to choose from like tin earrings and very flamboyant floral hairbands that are just gorgeous. I was most impressed with earrings that were fashioned out of origami designs. Some of the things in here are so original and it's so nice to see support for local crafters. One of the back shelves advertises renting a space in the store so other artists can sell their wares. As I was walking out I laughed out loud at the cute new spin on bottle top jewellery when I saw bottle tops printed with vintage pictures and resold as necklaces. I think that's a really cute and unique idea. Another item Handmade High Street currently sells is a product by Reclaimed Records, who make old records into new products like notepads and use only recycled paper. A recycled record notepad will set you back $45 but hey, you are paying for an old record. I like what this place has going on. They've got some really great pieces and I see a lot of potential for the artists who showcase their wares here.

Kath Chownston, one of three brains behind Handmade High Street, said that she wanted to provide a…read morespace for artists and craftspeople to easily sell their wares. Markets are often exhausting, subject to the elements, and aren't a very reliable way to get the money coming in if you're selling your goods in this fashion. The internet is a great way to get your stuff out there, but still, she went one further and opened a store- for the good of everyone! For her, for the people who rent space in her store, for the person who happens to pop in for a look and take away something local and unique. For the interested artist or craftsperson- the way the rent system works at Handmade High Street works is that there are small 'cubes' (shelving space) that are $20 per month. If you do larger scale work, clothing for example, and you have a rack that you'd like to have in store, it might cost you around $200 per month. The rental price is subject to how big and how much of the work there is, and whereabouts you want it placed in the store. There's some great stuff there too. The beads by Patti Pennisi made me want for the ocean, the glass work of Cairo Made That was gorgeous, and I couldn't help but want to take home some scented soy wax melts by Lisa Macnab. There's not the tired repeat of like works in there either; there's great diversity. Go in and support a new local business that supports it's locals. Handmade High Street. Remember that name.

As someone who lives in an apartment, it's not often you'll see me in a shop that devotes itself to…read moreoutdoor living. My Secret Garden in Teneriffe is the exception. The shop is treasure chest full of beautiful things for your garden, balcony, outdoor table as well as lovely art and gifts. I recently ducked in to buy a friend a wedding present and was highly successful in buying a unique gift that I was sure they could cherish for a long time. But it's possible to buy for yourself (even if you live in an apartment) with items such as pot plants which sit over a balcony railing, candles, deck chairs and hammocks. The owner Rick who mans the shop is friendly and always willing to chat. It's obvious that he is passionate about creating comfortable spaces and an urban oasis for us Brisbane dwellers. My Secret Garden is a treat of a shop whether you're shopping for yourself or not. Definitely worth a visit if you're in Teneriffe!

What better way to escape the heat of summer than to drop into what has to be the coolest…read more(temperature cool and awesome-cool) boutique outdoor living store in the inner-north. You feel like you've reached the inner-sanctum of serenity as you're greeted by the sounds of chilled out meditation music blended with the gentle gurgling of splashing water. Bliss? Yes. Dark wooden shelves are adorned with outdoor table decorations - from scented candles, to table cloths and an assortment of cups, saucers, cutlery and iced tea pitchers. The middle of the shop features outdoor furniture draped in bright cushions, towels and lamps. And of course, discounted, high-quality Christmas decorations and oversized deer (why not?). A perfect place to unwind and begin hoarding those decorations for your garden which you know you'll have to have once you step foot into this oasis of calm.

On boxing day my son and I walked into Mott and Mulberry Brisbane the costumer sales agent gave us…read moreassistance on other shops as we could not find what we were searching for we ended up back at this store because of the great service from Helen and because of her great service the first time returned back within the hour and found something else suitable as a gift and Helen wrapp3d both purchases quick efficiently and presented so beautifully. Because of Helen this shop is highly recommended great gifts excellent service outstanding and so personal thank you Helen for making that morning before our flight so much ease in shopping for gifts. We Wil definitely be returning everytime we visit Brisbane airport as we are now locals who relocated from Perth.

This shop is a gem! It is filled with beautiful gifts and homewares from Australia and abroad…read more Beautiful baby gifts and a great selection of cards. I recommend you check it out if you are looking for a special gift for someone - or even yourself! :) I stumbled across this shop while hunting for a particular gift book. Ellen went out of her way to search the store and when they were out of stock called her supplier. The supplier then hand delivered the book to the store. Ellen made our day with her attention and generosity. I will definitely be visiting again when back home in Australia. Thank you so much!

I would not suggest that claustrophobic people come here…read more This place if packed tightly of ornamental wares. A lot of it is hit and miss. The good thing is that if you take your time to rummage through everything, you'll probably find something that sparks your interest. If you're looking for cabinet ornaments or cute figurines of cats, wizards, or dolphins, you'll come up trumps. Wind chimes, miscellaneous items with bells and beads on them, masquerade ball masks, yep, they've got them too. It's hard to say this because I know everyone is into different things, but I have to say that I would find it hard to seek out a thoughtful, personal gift there. I went there to find a few small trinkets for people I don't really know well, but I had to get them something because we were sharing christmas lunch together. It's not a bad place to go if you're stuck on gift ideas and you need to quickly put an end to your shopping by purchasing random things just so you can turn up and have something there to give.

When it comes time to buy presents for birthdays or Christmas which is right around the corner it…read morecan some times be difficult. A place that makes this a bit easier is Essensuals in the Myer Center in Brisbane CBD. The have all sorts of great ideas and normally you can go in not knowing what you want and leave with something that you will be happy with by the end of your shopping trip. It can get a bit overwhelming because of the way that shop is laid out. It almost seems as if the shop is too small for all the merchandise and it seems that stuff is piled up. This does cause you to want to tread carefully though because you don't want to break anything or fall over ornaments. Apart from this i do like the store and tend to go there when i'm at a loss of what to get some one.

Thousand Island Dressing; ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod. My attention was split five thousand different…read moreways walking in here because there are literally so many beautiful things everywhere. You walk in and straight away there are shelves and shelves of jewellery in every style and colour to greet and entice you. They have the most incredible range of jewellery with pieces that are adorable, in particular a teapot/teacup set of earrings and floral headbands that you just can't find anywhere else. There was even a silver necklace with an envelope that opened with a letter inside. Cute! The jewellery is colour coordinated, making it very easy to find pieces you want and match them to anything you have in mind. They have bags, wallets, soaps, books, pillows, lights, jewellery holders, literally everything! The place has been converted from an old Paddington house and the fixtures that decorate it mesh so well with the very pretty and very original items. French brand Taratata Bijou is also featured and they have quite a big range of cufflinks for the boys too. You pay a little more here but it leaves you feeling like you've spoilt yourself to something special. Everything is ornate and really gorgeous - perfect for gift ideas and birthday presents. They even have aluminium Christmas decorations for the season. They cover homewares, accessories, and jewellery and you definitely won't find it difficult to find something here; the problem is settling on just one thing.

I am very sorry to sound like a grouch but I just do not get the big deal about this place. Yes, it…read moreis colourful and beads are falling out of every angle. Yes, it does sell nice jewellery that I probably would like to wear. And yes, you could probably find a nice gift for someone here. All of these positive points do not change the fact that I have had awful customer service from this place. So much that it has put me off going there altogether. Ok, so here is the scenario that has happened more than once. You walk in, there are a couple of staff members standing in the corner gossiping away. Usually this does not bother me that much even though I know it is not considered to be good customer service. When I actually go to counter to pay and actually have to wait 5 minutes for someone who is not busy at all to serve me, that is what annoys me! When you try to make small talk with the sales assistance, you just get ignored! I am not the only person who find their customer service awful, my sister has had a similar experience. Maybe I'm just being sensitive or have only been to the store during bad times, but this place needs to consider opinions like mine. I'm not asking for the best service of my life, but a little bit of service with a smile would be nice.

I live for those serendipitous, quiet, humble snippets of ordinary beauty that we are privvy to…read moreevery now and then. As I walked into this store, an older couple, sitting quietly together making beaded necklaces, raised their heads in unison, greeted me into the store and promptly went back to their work. Lovely. This bead store isn't set up like the others in town. There aren't endless aisles of beads here. There are instead, small colour coded collections of beads in pretty arrangements. Individual bead lots are stored in glasses that are then placed upon velvet. They've got some unique beads that you won't find elsewhere too. This is because some of their beads are sourced from American vintage stores. This explains why there aren't hundreds of the same bead available- when the beads run out, they run out for good. They're something special. You are welcome to make your own beadwork in store and enlist the staff (that dear couple I mentioned before) to help you. I don't usually like to be assisted, but when I asked the lady about some of the beads, I realised that she could give an inside story to all of the beads in her store. The jewellery that the couple make in store is perhaps not to my taste, however, they are considerably lovely handmade pieces. You can tell that this pair of crafters love their beads and their craft. Please note: Beads Of The World at Ashgrove are soon relocating to James Street, New Farm.

I look forward to visiting your new store! It will be the same happy mix of beads, findings, and…read moreexpertise that Lesley and Wal provide. Always helpful, giving of their time. The workshops are great and useful, something to 'chew on'. They both enjoy discussions on everything (including beads!) Extremely helpful! Good stock which is not available everywhere...very refreshing! Meet great people through their workshops. In my book, it ticks all the boxes. Wish you well at James Street!