Alas, Graffiti is not a store devoted to street art and spraypaint…read more It's actually a tiny stationary store that specialises in cute, cool and tasteful greeting cards, wrapping paper, journals and memo pads. They have cards with neat illustrations, black and white photos and neon signage as well as more traditional flowers, landscapes and cute hula hula girls. My personal favourite, is the kitsch range of knitted Marilyn, Elvis and James Dean cards. Oh and the naked gal in the martini glass of course!

I used to really enjoy making my own cards and I never ever bought them- it just felt so impersonal…read moreand such a waste of money. That was back when I had time for leisurely arts and crafts days. These days, I inhabit a different world and subsequently I suddenly love a good card shop! I especially like a card shop with a proper selection. There's something really satisfying about taking your time to peruse the shelves and take in the full selection. I know most people don't take great pains over the selection of a birthday card, but since I no longer have the energy to make my own but still want a personal touch, I am really particular about it. Graffiti is great for my purposes because it seems to specialize in pretty, arty cards with floral designs and illustrations of birds etc. on the front. Just my cup of tea. They also have a variety of art cards, which use prints and designs from collections at the V&A among other galleries. If you're not after a flowery, girly card- don't worry, there's plenty of others to choose from. They also sell lovely printed wrapping paper and although the prices make me flinch, I usually can't resist! All round, a much more interesting and tasteful selection of cards and stationary than you're likely to find at Clinton's!

Lovely little store I found completely by chance. The window…read moredisplay drew me in with it many colourful items and models of Hindu Gods. The store keeper was really kind and helped me to find a model of exactly what I wanted. Many of the items for sale are actually very old and thus the real thing. No where else sells these in Brighton that I have ever seen!

Tulasi is a fantastic little shop filled - literally - with books, trinkets, bags, blankets and…read moreknick knacks of an Eastern flavour. It's one of those places you can just stand still in for long periods of time while scanning the shelves. Everything is so bright and colourful - I imagine any of the items would brighten up my flat, but I was mostly drawn to a mobile dangling little elephants. Really great. The shopkeeper was super-friendly, chatting easily as I browsed around. She was warming herself in front of an electric heater - and nearly dancing to double the effects.

Kissing Fish's primary customer base seems to be students and hippies…read more Admittedly they don't sell beer or pot, they do however sell all kinds of weird and wonderful home furnishings for incredibly cheap prices. We're talking psychadelic canvases, mosaic yin and yang mirrors, intricate wooden stools and lanterns, strange sculptures of skulls and candles. All of them are priced around £10-£25 and are imported from Thailand, Bali and Indonesia direct from small businesses. The reason I think Kissing Fish is a stoner's paradise, is it's the only place in Brighton where you can pick up a hemp bracelet and a djembe drum and still have change from a twenty pound note!

This specialty shop in the North Laines was very interesting to look through, although most items…read morewere a bit out of my price range. The goods for sale are imported from small, local businesses in Thailand and Indonesia for fair prices. Many are wood carvings, with the figures ranging from religious icons to animals to...um, body parts. Other home décor is available, including wall hangings, mirrors and mosaic style dishware. I was intrigued by the gecko shaped wall art, decorated with brightly coloured stones. Kissing Fish also sells jewelery: hemp bracelets, and uniquely designed necklaces. The sales clerks weren't overly friendly during my visit, but I did learn from their website that all items are eco-friendly and the Kissing Fish supports its international suppliers in other areas - providing funding for education and medical services.

A very interesting shop with a range of products and very informative staff…read more All items are fairly priced and well displayed. You are free to look without being hassled but there is always someone on hand to advice. Some very interesting courses are run at various times. I recommend a visit if you are interested in new age and/or wicca etc.

The items at Penelope's Portmanteau are high quality, vintage bags and jewellery ... It's nice to…read morefind a shop that sticks to what it specialises in without filling in any shelf-gaps with random extras. Bags and jewellery here. That's it. The former includes glittery clutches, woolen handbags, box-style purses and leather in many colours and styles. The prices are a little steep: between £50 - £100 for most, with not many items on sale. The jewellery cases offer several discounts, though, with some prices starting at £4. These are mostly faux diamond rings and the gaudier necklaces. The necklaces of pearl, gold and real diamond are quite a bit more expensive, but still nice to look at. Earrings are separated into pieced and clip-on varieties - with plenty of both. I'm not a big accessory buyer, but I can appreciate the unique styles in Penelope's.

This fabulous little vintage fashion shop opened just over a year ago on Ship Street. You'd be…read moreforgiven for walking past it several times before realising it's there as it's a little bit tucked away despite an incredibly central location. On their website, they advertise themselves as a place where you can escape from the throwaway world of fast fashion that is here today and gone tomorrow and choose instead the timeless elegance of a quality-made, vintage item. Indeed, this gem of a fashion boutique is a world away from the 'fast fashion', throwaway world of Primark, New Look and H&M that we've all grown so accustomed to. Despite its small size, Penelope's Portmanteau is absolutely crammed with stunning broaches, costume jewellery, handbags and designer vintage gowns all laid out beautifully. With a wide range of prices, you can treat yourself to a bargain of around a fiver or splurge hundreds of pounds on one-of-a-kind designer pieces: last year, they sold off a stunning collection of Vintage Elizabeth Emanuel Couture Gowns. Fantastic for browsing and amazing for accessorising, a visit to this place comes very highly recommended for anyone who's even remotely interested in the world of fashion.

This florist always makes me smile. I've bought flowers from here on more than one occasion and I…read morethink it's because of their refreshing approach to arranging, everything seems so bright, bold and fresh and there's no end to the talents of the staff and their willingness to help whatever your needs or budget. I have to say though that I'm particularly keen on their succulents and cacti plants in here and I love the way they dress their arrangements.

This great little flower shop is just one more reason of many that I adore living up at Fiveways. A…read moreunique and independent florist, Eleventh Flower deliver custom-made bouquets of flowers and pot plants anywhere in Brighton and Hove plus, they only charge £2.50 for delivery. The shop is an absolute pleasure to be in the flowers all smell gorgeous, look stunning and are beautifully presented; there are rows of delightful hand-made greetings cards as well as sweet little bits and bobs for your home and garden. The staff in here are incredibly friendly too (as with all the shops at Fiveways), going out of their way to help you and offer advice if they haven't got what you need. A great addition to the 'village', I hope they continue to thrive and grow like their flowers for a long time.

Let's be honest, flowers at train stations and service stations usually suck…read more Go Botanica are the rare exception. A tiny stall nestled next to M&S Simply Food inside the train station, they sell a truly spectacular display of colourful flowers. There's always bunches of lillies, freesias, roses and dahlias next to charming, hand-tied bouquets. Prices range from about £4 for a bunch or small plant to £45 for show-stopping bouquets packed with exotic and long-stem flowers.

Have you ever been catching a train, when at the last minute, you suddenly thought, 'I really need…read moreto buy some flowers'? Well if so this could be the perfect store for you! Go Botanica is a florist based inside Brighton Station, which offers a range of flowery products at a reasonable price.

This woodwork studio and showroom is located just behind the London Rd- you wouldn't necessarily…read moreknow it was there unless you were lucky enough to stumble across it! In fact this area is full of artisan's studios tucked away off the main road- they are really worth investigating, whether you're an artist or simply an art enthusiast, you'll find there's lots of interesting stuff going on. Acacia Designs make bespoke pieces of furniture and signs, as well as handmade jewellery and cosmetics! The furniture is chunky and where possible, made from reclaimed wood. With many of the pieces, the designers try to preserve the natural shape of the tree as much as possible, which results in some really unusual and, in my opinion, beautiful furniture. The benches are particularly cool and if I had a garden, I would definitely head to Acacia to pick one up! The carpentry and carving that goes on at this workshop is really high-quality and it's really lovely to see places like this still going, despite stiff competition from cheaper chain furniture stores.

It's so refreshing to see that this sort of place still exists! These people are craftsmen, their…read morematerial is wood and they make furniture, something all too rare these days. With real craft you get integrity, these people respect the material they work with and as a result the end product retains character of the tree that it came from. Acacia is basically a small show room, with a workshop just behind. As you walk in you are surrounded by all kinds of beautiful household items, from tables to candle holders, paintings to bird boxes, each one unique. If anything takes your fancy just ring the bell and a friendly and attentive craftsman will come out from the workshop to help you out. If they haven't got exactly what you were looking for they'll craft your perfect item for you. Obviously you're going to be paying that little bit extra compared with mass produced furniture, but items in here are hand made to a high quality so they will last for years and unlike many other artisan manufacturers the prices are by no means extortionate. Support real craftsmen and get yourself something beautiful.