This sweet little shop in Stoke Newington has a great selection of gift idea's, ribbon's and…read morewrapping paper. Almost everything has been designed by the shop owner's themselves so you can expect to find a lot of original and unique item's. Personally my favourite item has to be the mugs printed with 'I LOVE STOKEY' which I think would make a great present for anyone in the who lives in the area. It's important to point out that this shop isn't all about novelty and stocking fillers. Most the cards and wrapping paper are stylishly understated and there is a large selection of posh toiletries and candles too. Though it might be a bit expensive for me to buy my wrapping paper from Early Bird every time there is a birthday on the horizon, I would definitely recommend it for the occasional special gift.

It wasn't until I went on their website that I realised that the people behind Earlybird not only…read moresell their wares, but also design all those wares themselves. (well, not everything, but a lot of the bits in the shop) They sell their own designs- brightly-coloured illustrations and repeated patterns of butterflies, birds, dinosaurs and animals- on occasion cards, blank cards and wrapping paper. There are a number of fun gifts such as 'I love Stokey Mugs' and novelty moustaches as well as more sensible presents such as moleskin notebooks. The two men who work there are lovely and very funny- they spent the half an hour I was in there arguing about Doctor John and who should do the washing up that had been there for three days. Far nicer than Paperchase.

A proper bookshop...but more importantly, and independent one!…read more I really like this place and am so happy that they still exist despite the convenience of online shopping. But it's actually at shops like this where I get inspired for a next book. I'm pretty much fed up with the personalisation of Amazon; while they probably know what I like, they cannot tell me what I might also like. And this is where the independent book sellers like The Stoke Newington Bookshop have a real margin: they have passionate and friendly staff who love to read themselves and they in turn can recommend their customers something totally unique...as long as you're willing to let them take you to undiscovered territory.

This large and popular bookstore is a good place to pick up a weekend's worth of reading. I find…read morebookshops cozy places to browse around in, and I enjoyed the experience of this small but well stoked local bookstore. Frequented by many of the literati that live in the whereabouts of Stoke Newington, this spacious store also hosts book readings by local authors, and an occasional poetry night. They have a good range of children's books, as well as several magazines on arcane and current subjects. I found an interesting philosophy journal here, with short articles on the most challenging ideas of our times by eminent philosophers. Another addition to the overflowing bookshelf!

Ultimate Craft is great as you will find here anything that you might need for your handicraft…read moreprojects: from simple glue, to stationary, knitting supplies, yarn, beads...seriously anything. What I like about Ultimate Craft is that they offer solid and good quality goods without charging premium prices. By no means, is this a place where they are trying to compete with the yuppie/hipster places on nearby Stoke Newington Church Street. I love coming here as I know that they carry what I need for my current handicraft project.

I feel torn about this place. As I am such a regular client it doesn't feel right to mark it with…read morejust 3 stars and yet the high prices and mediocre service do not encourage me to add a 4th. You can find a whole load of crafts supplies in this shop; it's the ideal place for kiddies supplies or costume materials if you live in Stoke Newington. However if you are willing to shop outside of this area you're better off going to a cheaper store as prices really are very high for low to standard quality supplies. Having said that, my work involves a lot of crafty projects and because I don't have time to source elsewhere I buy from here on a monthly basis. Unfortunately the staff are not interested in looking after their loyal clients and would not even consider a discount when I was buying hundreds of pounds worth of materials. I also had issues with dirty fabric I was told would be fine after a wash... Again, not a commercial effort in sight. In a nutshell, this shop has a wide range of products but is expensive and offers poor customer service.

Initially went in here thinking it was a furniture recovery and up-cycling place, but it wasn't,…read morebut kinda still felt like it. It is a lovely little shop that has been put together with a tasteful mish-mash of furniture and shop fittings from many different eras. Quite a wide range of products on offer here from cosmetics and men's shaving kits to hand made cushion covers and personalised stationery sets. This place is well worth popping into, even if it is just to look at the great decor of the shop itself :)

Classic *SIDN store for me. Very pretty, mostly too expensive for my salary…read more Accessories, stationary goods, art, housewares, skincare products. Sigh. At least a look around is in order when I'm in the neighborhood. *Shit I Don't Need. The kind of place where I want everything but don't really need anything and wouldn't spend that much money on myself but maybe on a present for a friend.