This store is mental. What is it? Where did it come from? Why?…read more I have actually never heard of this chain before, but apparently it is all the buzz overseas. There are a crazy amount of stores all over asia and now they are branching overseas. It has Chinese origin and is jam packed full of stuff. Yes, stuff. Lot's of stuff. I don't know where to begin? Stationary, mugs, slippers, bags, pillows, toys, scented sticks, jars, things... things.. and some stuff. There is also a whole section devoted to gigantic toys. You know the ones that you see at the Royal Show for prizes when you win alley games. Those ones. I think if you are looking for cool little jars and storage containers you might like a few things here. But, otherwise just be prepared to be overwhelmed with things. Actually, I know who will love this store. High school students. This is a store for kids that want cute little toys to hang off their school bags, cool stationary and shiny objects to decorate their rooms. Don't get me wrong, there are some cute things here. Like a whole lot of cute stationary items. Loved the note pads and pens. But then I saw a flower bouquet of rabbits and teddy bears. I mean, who wants that? But, in all honesty, you should probably go have a look. It's not like any other store in Adelaide.

So, here's the skinny (heh, I feel cool)....you are in the Central Market, getting some set to get…read moreyour food on and you get a text from your main squeeze that it is her mums Birthday and you are late for dinner. Firstly, bummer that you have to bail on the crazy bowl of noodles that you were about to order, and secondly you need to suss out a pressie pronto! Head on over to the Global Village a pick youself up a carved wooden elephant and a couple of groovy candles, problem solved! I only just noticed the name of this place yesterday, before hand I just knew it as the funky-hippie place with the tie-dye stuff and incense sticks. It really is a bit of a treasure trove of hand made 'fair trade' nick nacks, clothes and the odd bit of furnature, definately worth a look...but be warned, you will probably end up buying something whether you need it or not!

The global village is a pretty cool hippie store in the central markets…read more Lots of the products for sale here are sourced directly from local crafts people in developing countries. The owners of the store also contribute towards several community projects in developing countries, largely Nepal and East Timor. In stock is the complete get up you will need to fit in, in any drum circle, a bunch of home wares are more nick nacks and paddy whacks than you can poke a stick at. Some of the craft work is really fine and, although much more expensive than if you were to buy direct, some of your contribution will still reach developing communities in the end. Of particular interest are hand painted vietnamese bamboo doors and curtains and also, my favorite, the singing bowl.

Helpful staff, always happy to discuss what options they have in store for the outcomes you are…read moretrying to achieve as an artist. Something I find helpful is their written receipts, because it is always good to have a clear understanding of where the money has gone, especially with the tax man; it is also helpful when you are trying to cost something out to price it for sale. No problems with the service or the stock and the hours are pretty good as well. I am a regular customer because I'm at AC Arts just up the road.

Art Stretchers is quite a good Art Store on Morphett St in the City…read more It is the South Australian distributor of Art Spectrum, Australia's own oil paint, and has a very large range of the Art Spectrum Pigments. However, consequently it does not stock any other brand of oil paint. In addition, Art Stretchers stocks a number of other Art Spectrum products, such as watercolours, guashe, soft pastels and inks, as well as non oil products by other brands, such as acrylics, brushes etc. In addition to more generic art supplies, Art stretchers specialises in painting grounds and has a broad varietry of unstretched canvass and linen etc as well as stretcher bars of varying dimensions. The Staff at art stretchers are very helpful and friendly and will always provide assistance where required.

An absolute treasure which has been in the same location for many years and operated by the same…read moreowner. Selling out of print books, various magazines and also arts, crafts and jewellery. I once bought a lovely sterling silver and garnet braclet from here and do wear it on occassions. It's a mini library and I can envisage a couple of tables and chairs out the front sipping a cup of tea or coffee, whilst my nose is stuck into the daily paper, a book or a magazine (which I have purchased first). If the owner has the time, energy or inclination to do this, then wow, and I'd like my commission of a coffee each time I visit thank you. I really hope Acacia Arts doesn't end up the same way Lola's Flowers did across the road, retirement or worse is a horrible thing to have to deal with! So I truly hope there is family to continue when the time comes to continue the name and not change too many things...I like you just the way you are Acacia Arts.

I've walked straight past this store on multiple occasions without giving it much thought - I…read moreassumed it was only a jewellery and art store, but how wrong I was. Yes, they have a collection of accessories and crafts, but what really got me all geeky was the books! Oh, secondhand bookstores, how I love thee! Increasingly rare, a store devoted purely to old and out of print books is a treasure trove of amazingness. Not only are the titles sure to be either niche, classic or rare (or all three), the prices are usually great and the physical act of browsing books in search of a new gem for the bookshelf is a delight. The smell of old books permeates Acacia in a welcoming way, and there are stacks and stacks of books to keep you browsing. From Tolstoy to lurid paperback novels from the '50s, there's bound to be something for book geeks in here, and the staff are also lovely and helpful.

I have been a model for life drawing for quite some time now.....I mean, it is just me nuding up at…read morehome because the load of washing hasn't finished and I have run out of clean jocks, but the general idea is the same....sort of?! Duthy Street Art has most anything a budding artist would need from canvases and charcoal to various styles of paint and papers designed to meet your specific requirements. There are a couple of stores around that have a better and more diverse selection, but this is a pretty decent store if you are around the area.

Duthy Street Art supplies is a classic looking art shop that has such amazingly friendly service…read morethat it makes me want to make friends with the girl at the counter. They pride themselves on 'old fashioned service' and it really comes through with staff being artists themselves and passionate about what they do. I was lucky enough to get a full size easel for my birthday which was sourced from this shop and the person that got it for me (who has no idea about art or what to buy) came home with a giant grin on his face and relayed to me all the specs and possibilities of the easel he ended up buying me. It is a really good one. When I went in there earlier today searching for supplies for my upcoming Visual Art uni year, I had a big chat with the girl about art, supplies and study. It was extremely comforting and supportive and great being in an atmosphere with others so passionate about art. They have a great supply of good quality paints, pastels, mediums, pencils, easels, sketchbooks and canvasses. Great for advice and a good little quaint old fashioned shop.

I had a disappointing experience at the Eckersleys St Leonards branch. I felt I was treated…read moredifferently to another customer who wasn't a person of colour, when my request to have my sheets wrapped in a recycled plastic sleeve was refused, yet another customer received packaging for her items without issue and with extra charges. Instead, my sheets were folded and wrapped only in paper, which got wet from a sprinkler on my way home and damaged part of it. If my request had been followed, this would not have happened.

Eckersleys is on the whole a very good art and craft store…read more I find that Premier Art is cheaper and Central Art Supplies more informative and of higher quality than Eckersleys and would usually use one of those in preferance to Eckerslys. However, they do have a very broad range, stock a number of items which are not available at the other art stores and from time to time have specials on offer which are cheaper beyond comparison when compared to other art supply stores. They have a very broad range of craft papers, as well as a good selection of easels and canvasses. (I recently got a very large italian made studio easel ultra cheap from eckersleys on special.) They stock as a standard item an acryllic paper pad (which I find very useful for water colour painting) which has a great deal more than the standard 12-20 sheets at a very affordable rate. I have not found anything comparable anywhere else. I also picked up a very high quality Kolinsky-Sable brush (a real not synthetic one) from Ecersleys which although expensive is fantastic and has lasted me years of use.

The button bar is wall to wall glitz and glamour. Bespeckling every corner are sequin patches,…read moretrimmings, buttons, and findings most dazzling. You're not going to find these items on offer anywhere else in Adelaide. If you're into costuming and craft, this is the place to go. The last time I was here I bought a sequin palm tree patch which I used for a burlesque costume. On that occasion I also bought a rhinestone skull patch which I am not sure what I will use it for, but whatever the lucky garment that uses it, you can bet it will be the better for it. Items out of display cases are extremely affordable, so if an item of clothing is missing that something special, tweak it with a pretty patch or button. Within the display classes are thousands of rhinestoned and sparkly jewels to bling you up massive. The bling is a bit more expensive, but as I said, where else are you going to get it?

Hundreds of sparkling and colourful eyes welcome you into the shop. The store is filled with…read morebuttons of all sizes and designs, shapes and styles. I came in here on a mission to replace the 12 buttons on the front of a dress bodice. The shop owner helped me find something matching, leading me away from the large, cloth coloured pieces to the smaller, less conspicuous ones which I had to agree looked better on the dress. Yet next time I want to make a button necklace, I'm going back for the cloth ones! They also have many appliques, sequins, beads, badges, brooches, pins, belt buckles, lace, edging and sewing equipment. This is a one stop shop for all the finishing touches on a special outfit. And a great place to browse for ideas if you're wondering what you could make.

This is my first port of call when I need to restock on art and craft supplies as they really are…read morethe cheapest, have the biggest range and have two stores to choose from..this one and one at Harbourtown at the airport. A friend of mine once purchased a whole carton of decorative picture stands from this store at a even further discounted price, she paid $2 a stand, whereas elsewhere they were going for about $7 each. A few months ago I purchased five cartons of ten slightly bigger than A4 size canvases for a project I was doing and it was the equivalent of paying $3 each...bargain! Now these products and prices are not always available but keep and eye out for specials and grab them...if you need it that is and support your inner Picasso!

I LOVE this shop so much! My imagination runs wild here and I create at least 20 masterpieces…read morebefore I've even left the store. They stock a massive range of art materials including my favourite paint. They don't have all the top end supplies, nor do they make canvases to order (I recommend Pimlott Framing for that), so there are times one might want to visit the likes of Premier Art supplies or Eckersleys for some specialised items. There are a range of craft and gift items to bring out those creative juices for everyone. There is also off street parking and the staff is helpful and will help cart big boxes of canvases to your car (so I've discovered! And also help squeeze them into said car). They also promote local art classes and happenings via a noticeboard in store. My tip is to visit and let your imagination soar!

As far as Bead stores goes, this offers plenty, but nothing out of the ordinary. It has a cosy feel…read moreabout it and if it weren't for the special/discount baskets on the ground outside the store, you might not know it's there. The store pride itself on great service and the staff are certainly passionate about their craft. You can wander in peace or pull up a spot at the worktable and start creating. Staff will get involved and offer advice if you ask. One bonus is you can bring in old pieces and ask them to help you fix them up or modernise them. Definitely worth stopping in if you're in the neighbourhood. It's at the playground end of the Parade Mall, diagonally across from Coles Norwood. If you're on Facebook, it's worth liking their page where they list all their new stock and specials.

I love beading, I hate paying for beads though because it just seems so unreasonable what the…read morebeading places charge for little bits of plastic. Ok some of them are glass and some are Swarovski crystal and some could be actual pearls, still. If you haven't the faintest idea about beading then I'm just going to give you a little bit of know how so that you don't feel like a complete idiot when you walk in, never a good feeling.You will need crimps (soft metal rings), catches, threading material and finally beads, probably some flat pliers too for crimping. I know that you can make jewelery instore, not a bad idea to talk to the staff and even get them to demonstrate anything you're not sure about, I know these guys are always happy to help.