This adorable store contains an eclectic mix of all things cute. Bags, stationary, clothing and…read moremuch more, all sporting unique patterns, come together to make this a very enjoyable little shop. All the knick knacks are cute, but I was most enchanted by the clothes. I did gulp a little when I spotted a sale rack down the back proudly proclaiming everything on that rack to be $100 and under - not exactly my personal definition of a bargain. One thing I adored was their range of greeting cards. All of them featured the most beautiful images. It was a lovely store, a great place to get a gift for the (or any) lady in your life.

Maiocchi sell some of the cutest little knick knacks I have ever seen. I am more impressed by the…read morejewellery, accessories and household decorations of the store as some of the clothes remind me too much of what I would expect an eccentric high school art teacher to wear. As I walk into the store, I am greeted by a sales person who was dressed in accordance with the store- cat-eye glasses, red lips and one of the store's dresses, I found her to be very welcoming. I instantly gushed at all the adorable looking jewellery- the wooden pendants and earrings shaped like bunny rabbits and other cute animals and quirky brooches are just too cute. I nearly bought myself a clock that was shaped like a bunny, but had to remind myself that $70 was a bit much for a clock. If I had more money, I would love to buy a necklace, earrings and a clock from here. Although the clothes are not particularly my style, I can tell that they are definitely very good quality and that they would last a long time. Maiocchi just screams cute and quirky. You do not have to be an eccentric art teacher to appreciate what this store has to offer.

This shop is full of items I like to call "Granny Chic". There is a lot of pastel colours and…read morefloral and paisley patterns. Lots of soft pinks and baby blues, but I really like the stuff they sell. They sell reusable/ceramic coffee and tea cups, teapots, plates and dishes, cupcake liners in amazing patterns and colours, tins, homewares and knick knacks. They also have a range of outdoor cushions - really cute patterned cushions that are covered with a durable plastic-like cover so they can survive in rain or shine. There is also a range of kimonos and dressing gowns that are absolutely beautiful. They aren't the cheapest, but are really beautiful and would make for a great gift.

Kudos to shops like this one who sum it all up in their name. this little place has it down, with…read morecolourful pillows being the first thing that greets you as you walk in the store. I found this pretty charming because, what place has a huge stash of pillows in such a small place and can still make it look cute and uncluttered? Well, this one, actually. And there's the whole, beachy-antique type vibe that swallows you up in this place. It's lovely. It's range of jewellery reminds me a lot of Thousand Island Dressing, and that's one the of best compliments. Some of their accessories are so cute that you wonder how people think to make things out of such random items and ideas. For instance, Just Plain Gorgeous has scrabble letters from which you can either make earrings or bracelets. The best however, is its selection of the same choices in typewriter letters. Now that's just nostalgic and reminds you of another time. They've given such a simple idea a really sweet and vintage twist. This is a great place to go if you want to put together something a bit more personal from a really unique basic idea.

Yay - all you budget conscious mothers out there screaming YELP me with my kids!…read more There is an answer - Best & Less has provided it with their All About Kids retail shop range! It's like shopping in Best & Less for your kids clothing... but it's all kids clothing. No adults... it's fantastic. You can get everything from newborn to bigger kids here, accessories, hats, shoes even, blankets, beanies... it's like a cheaper Pumpkin Patch, and their clothes are pretty good quality if you ask me. They have some pretty nice 3 pack short sleeve onesies for $9 which is a bargain really. They're usually about $30 for 1 at Pumpkin Patch, so gone are the days you will suffer at the hands of expensive childrens clothing (Yes, you SEED and you Pumpkin Patch, and to an extent, cheaper than even you Cotton On Kids!). I love this place, you can get some cool T-Shirts for your boys and princess skirts and dresses for your gals. It's got it all in my opinion. And thank you for opening one in Mt Ommaney!

When I was young, my seamstress mother took me to Lincraft all the time. While she would pick up…read morebits and pieces, I would unravel beautiful lengths of cloth and artistically drape them over my lanky body into a sophisticated toga. Chiffon, Georgette, Satin, Silks. Back in those days, Lincraft had the best and most beautiful range of fabrics. Sadly, those days are gone. These days they resemble Riot Art and Craft with a fabric section. While the adult crafts such as quilting, knitting and embroidery are still catered for, there's been a definite push for kids craft lines. There are beads, stickers, paint-by-number kits, you name it. Sadly, it seems to be just a case of meeting the changing market which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It seems aspiring seamstresses will just have to broaden their repertoire to include bead jewellery and painting.

Lincraft for me has always been one of those art and craft shops that you know you can get a good…read morerange of products of a good quality. At the moment my creativeness is leaning to knitting which means I'm loving the bargin bins of balls of wool and the wide range of textures, materials and price levels. They also have a great range of patterns. When my creativity takes me in different directions I can explore this two story store and choose from fabrics, embroidary, quilting, clothes patterns, curtains, art materials... the list is endless. I don't find Lincraft to be the cheapest option out there but they are reasonably priced and stock a great range of brands. My only other criticism is that I find the service to be patchy and often wait up to 10 minutes for service just to pay for something. It doesn't bother me too much as I'm not a regular visitor and I know that its lunch in the city, but for speedy service I would recommend going outside the the middle of the day.

They have a cute range of retro style aprons. I bought a black and white one and wear it all the…read moretime now in the kitchen. I love their range of scented Glasshouse candles. There are some really scrummy flavours like Kaffir lime & cocoa butter, Cilantro & orange, Vanilla caramel... oh man they make me hungry just smelling them. There is also a range of kitsch French/Paris decorated home wares and knick-knacks. A great shop for gifts.

This tiny shop on the corner of James Street caught my eye immediately with all the pretty frocks…read morehanging in the window. I learned upon entering that it's in fact a concept store for Brisbane designer Edwina Sinclair, and what a clever lady she must be! The store boasts some absolutely beautiful pieces at very reasonable prices and have a timeless look about them, something you could wear many times for many different occasions. And I'm a sucker for a cute Peter Pan collar! The swimwear is what really caught my eye though. Interesting fabrics of metallic rope print and high cut neck lines make Soot stand out from the bathers that generally appear in other boutiques. There's also a gorgeous collection of headbands which would be a great present for any young lass who loves a good headpiece or is heading to the races. Soot stocks a few pieces from other labels as well, but it's really the home label that steals the show.

I have a strange obsession with peter pan collars, so spying…read moreone in my vicinity (and without much thought) my legs immediately marched me over to this cute James st store. Lemme tell you, Soot boutique is the definition of sweet. This pop-up store is the brainchild of Edwina Sinclair and is full of quirky charms. (Be sure to check out the lighting and birds skull mural.) The clothes here are effortlessly winsome and cool. (I admit I had trouble leaving without one of the beautiful cosmo dresses) The pieces are pretty reasonably priced considering the quality, and they also stock some enviable velvet headbands and accessories. Perfect for those special occasions (or as a justified and deserving Self-Gift) this store is permanently on my list of go-to places in the valley.

10 years in retail is no mean feat and this year Green Tangerine, the delightful homewares and gift…read morestore on Latrobe Terrace celebrates their 10th birthday. If you're local to Paddington or have spent any length of time in Brisbane, Green Tangerine has most likely come across your radar as a place to buy gifts for a multitude of occasions, perhaps a top for yourself purchased on a whim after having coffee or a weekend breakfast at one of the nearby cafes, or for a a sticky beak and inspiration. The store is always elegantly presented with enough of a collection to appeal to a wide audience. Most recently there's been an increase in Australian pieces including the ceramics of Angus & Celeste. Even if you're only in the market for a quirky card to send to a friend in far away places, Green Tangerine will come up trumps.

As my circle of friends have become increasingly fond of matrimony, Green Tangerine has fast become…read moremy go to place for wedding/engagement gifts. It's got an impressive range of homewares including some cool ceramics, framed art wall hangings and other curios which make a great gift for someone setting up a new home. It's also full of purely aesthetic pieces for the person who has everything. The service is great too. It's always good to get a friendly greeting followed by a respectful wait before the offer of help. Prices are wide-ranging but you can usually find something suitable for under $100, and often the pieces will look like they could cost a lot more.

This is a solid little fabric shop, quite handy if you just need to grab something quickly and are…read morein the Indooroopilly Shopping Centre. For quite a small shop, they squeeze a lot in and have a good range of basic cottons, satins, and stretch fabrics as well as some fancier silks and dress fabrics. I've never really found fabrics in there that stir up my imagination, but did, on a couple of occasions, buy some toga material from there during my uni days when I couldn't be bothered crossing Moggill Road to get to Spotlight. The fabric in Sckafs is a bit too nice and a bit too pricey to be used for togas, but it did the trick. The thing about Sckafs in this location is that they have to compete not only with Spotlight across the road, undercutting pretty much everyone on price in the fabric industry, but also with Gardam's Fabrics, a shop that specialises in the more expensive fabrics and really do stock a beautiful range in a spacious store. Spotlight and Gardam's get my business before Sckafs as I find their ranges of fabric more interesting. But, again, it's handy to have a fabric store that is actually within the Indooroopilly Shopping Centre.

Sckafs has long since been my staple for fabrics and all things haberdashery in the south west…read moreregion. The lady or ladies behind the counter have been there for as many years as I've been going there for school projects to making things for my daughter and kids to wear (terribly mind you). They have whatever you need if you plan on starting a fashion brand, sewing clothes, learning to sew, making some sort of fabric. Stitching even... threads to measuring tapes... it's all here. They have a lot of material to choose from and usually there are some really good steals in the bargain bin from $1.99 a meter for silky soft fabric. You can get wedding gown material here as well if that's what you're into. A great haberdashery place. It's airconditioned as well!