One of my favourite places on Tottenham Court Road in London is Paperchase, and I was pleased to be…read moreable to visit a small stand-alone branch in Bath (most branches are part of Borders or in train stations around the UK). They have a range of cards, stationary, fun gifts, unique office supplies, pens, wrapping paper and seasonal items including ornaments for your Christmas tree. The store is great, and my only quibble is that it isn't larger with more of the range of the main branch in London!

Expensive but full of lovely, lovely paper products and gifts. I particularly like their note…read morebooks, all of which are displayed on tables of goodies you can look at for ages! I stock up on lovely cards that will last me through borthday for a couple of months. Only one till point, so queues can get quite long and staff are a bit thin on the ground at the weekend.

On the occasion, which is rarely, that I cannot make my home made cards I do source them out,…read morehowever, I am not the type to often pick something off the rack. I was made aware of this company a while back and I love their food and pastry photography, therefore, I ordered a 12 pack of ice cream and macaroon cards for birthday mail outs. Even though it was all the way up in England and with the exchange it was still ironically cheaper than some of the ones that I have seen locally. Shipping was fast.

This is great little shop, selling fair-trade South American gifts, jewellery, music and artwork…read more It's a great place to come if you're looking for something a little more unusual as a birthday or Christmas present and don't know where to start. I've bought various friends and relatives quite a few different bits from here over the years, from earrings, to trinkets, to musical instruments - so it's a pretty good bet, regardless of whom you're buying for. Upstairs there's the art and furniture section, which is filled with a range of paintings, sculptures, mirrors and wall-art. There are some really interesting pieces to be found, mostly a bit out of my price range, but it's definitely worth checking out - even if you're not buying.

A real Ali Baba cave, full of lovely wooden gifts and everyday objects. Everything is handmade so…read moreevery item is unique! I particularly liked the cheeseboards with the little mice, and the carved decorative objects (owls; green man; flock of geese in flight). The staff are smiling, friendly and helpful.

I purchase a wooden horse priced at 115 GBP while vacationing in Bath from the US. It was…read morehand-carried home and when it was unwrapped (we had to re-wrap it ourselves because the store's wrapping was worthless despite the fact that the clerk new it had a long journey ahead), we found a broken ear and a cracked leg. I was devastated as was our granddaughter as it was a gift for her. I took it to a highly praised conservationist for repair and he told me that it WAS BROKEN IN BOTH PLACES WHEN I BOUGHT IT! It had been previously repaired and sold without so much as a hint that it was not in perfect condition! I was also told by the conservationist that it is NOT NEW. Because of the discoloration of the wood on the bottom of the piece, it was obvious that was pre-owned. Because I want the job done properly, this gentleman is going to re-attach the ear (which had been previously glued to the body) and do what he can with the crack (which happened long before we bought the horse) and it is going to cost between $75 and $100. I contacted the store and they will not stand behind their merchandise. I was only offered the opportunity to return it (AT MY OWN COST) by September 29. DO NOT SHOP HERE UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GETTING. THE STORE SELLS USED, DAMAGED MERCHANDISE AND DOES NOT ADVISE THE CUSTOMER.

This shop is the perfect place to go for wannabe dress designers, parents who need to entertain…read moretheir children or anyone who is looking to spruce up their home. This tiny shop offers cheaper than cheaper fabrics in a range of colours and materials. What they get seems to change month on month so you never know what you're going to find in the treasure chest of fabrics. The lady who runs the shop is extremely friendly - so if you've got any questions about the materials she sells, or sewing in general, she'll be happy to help. A fun haberdashery if you're looking to get a bit creative!

Believe it or not, I've been here a fair few times with my former housemate, as she took great…read morepleasure in fashioning her own clothes and accessories like bags from the huge range of fabrics carried at this store just off the main drag in Bath. While in there, she would go up and speak to the hugely helpful staff about her latest project and asking them what they would recommend, while I would go around touching all the fury and other unusual fabrics. Once I bought a faux leopard skin bit of cloth to make a crazy notebook, which I still have. Recommended.

This card shops on Milsom Street makes a refreshing change from Hallmark or Clintons. When I was in…read moresearch of the world's best Happy 60th Birthday card for my Dad, I made sure Mayther was my first port of call. In all honesty, if you're looking for an obscure card (for example, Happy Hanukah) you won't find it hear. What Mayther is best at is selling beautifully designed, humorous or unique versions of standard greetings cards. They're reasonably priced, and a cut above what you normally find on the high street. They also sell a host of wrapping paper and ribbons to brighten up even the dullest of presents.

Lovely gift shop with lots of different items. We got some great stocking fillers here, including…read morecoasters, socks and some candles. They also stock Jellycats which I know are very popular. During Christmas they also had some nice decorations and very cute festive earrings! We got a pair last year and a couple of pairs this year. This year they had some more traditional and nostalgic ornaments and I couldn't resist. This location in Bath gets VERY busy, so I'd recommend going when they first open. I've walked in and walked straight out again recently and it was only a Tuesday!