By far one of my most favourite thrifting events on the calendar…read moreSuitcase rummage is THE place to sell your old wares (or to pick up new ones!) This market is heaving with cheap vintage, bric-a-brac, CD's, DVD's, comics, zines and all manner of art and craft. (I can guarantee you will need to set aside a full day to adequately peruse all that is on display.) If you are thinking of joining as a stallholder be aware that there are some stringent rules in place. For one you can't just mosey on off when you get a bit bored the organisers prowl around and insist you stay put til the 5pm close. NO stands, booths or clothes rails are allowed, everything has to be sold out of a suitcase (preferably vintage, to keep up with the aesthetics.) I've had stalls here a couple of times and can vouch for the friendly, low-hassle vibe about the place. The best aspect about these markets is the range of crafting goods that are available. Ideal for home or to give as unique gifts and all at bargain prices. A definite must-do in brisbane!

It says a lot about a person who can take the drab concrete Reddacliff Place and turn it into a…read morebuzzing bazaar of vintage knick-knacks, home made arts and crafts, second hand clothing and other various trinketry. Yet, on the first Sunday of every month, Suitcase Rummage does just that. From 11am til 5 a steady stream of loyal fans, curious wanderers and first time inspectors wander the markets where not a table is in sight. From the vintage to the modern day - everyone sells from a suitcase. There's a certain buzz at Suitcase Rummage, an atmosphere that I've not experienced anywhere else. With a coffee in hand, friends in tow it is the perfect way to spend a Sunday mid-morning. Prices are ridiculously reasonable (real op-shop prices. For example, $2 for second hand clothing, $5 for jeans at one stall) and there's even tea cup candles hand made by another seller. There's live music and I think if there were a few things like a coffee cart, and a few food stalls it'd be even better. A word to the wise, don't just pass by the stalls thinking you've seen all they have. This is a market where to find the best buys you'll have to get down and dig through the lot to find the good stuff!

Great products and customer service. They were very prompt on emails and with dispatched my order…read morein a timely matter. Would order again.

I get the heebie geebies when I go into Oxlades Art Centre. I can almost guarantee that if I leave…read moreempty handed (a rarity), I will at least leave Oxlades with the curiosity and inspiration to propel myself into some mysterious artistic tangent that I've stumbled upon while being there. Trawling their three small aisles full of art bounty, I am constantly surprised at what I find in there. You've got a truckload of different pens, pencils, charcoal, graphite, crayons, chalk and paints in there to choose from of course. These are art store staples. On the note of painting: painters will be interested to know that Oxlades sell a big range of canvas (just enquire at the desk rather than whipping out the pocket knife and going for it yourself). Back to browsing. It becomes more interesting when you move into sculpting territory. They've got bulk wax, plaster, resin, and all sorts of sculpting things that I don't know the name or nature of. There's also a wide range of supplies available to print makers and those into etching. Glorious art stuffs be mine! If you become inspired by some unidentifiable medium or material, ask the staff at the counter. They are extremely knowledgable and helpful. They also have a small book collection on different art practices if you want to just sit down with a book and teach yourself through wild experimentations. Go on: I dare you to go in there and get curious. Start playing!

I'm not a very 'arty' person. I know this because I'll be impressed by most artworks I see (while…read moreother more discerning people screw up their faces) and the only thing I can draw with consistency is Homer Simpson's head. But I have found myself at this 'artists' art shop' on a a couple of occasions and found it really useful. The first time was to get some paint to cover up a scratch at an old rental property (which shall remain nameless). I took a photo of the paint and the staff happily helped me match it to a suitable paint. Thanks guys -- I got the whole security deposit back! The other occasion went to get some wrapping paper for a wedding gift. Turns out you can get brown craft paper for 80 cents/metre, which figures out much cheaper than buying wrapping paper at other shops. #WINNING!

This place is heaven for the next budding Picasso or Matisse. Stocking a vast amount of canvases,…read moreeasels, water colours, paints, glitter and stencils at wholesale prices (A.K.A. ridiculously cheap!). Whether you're young or not-quite-so-young, this place has all your arty needs catered for. There are stacks of body and face paints, as well as rows upon rows of calico. They advertise art classes around Brisbane, such as life drawing, photography workshops and they even host kids' creative workshops. So it's well worth dropping in to see what's happening in the art world in and around Brisbane.

Tucked away within the Queensland College of Arts, you'll be forgiven for walking past Oxlades two…read moreor three times before noticing it. This specialist art shop is open to the public although QCA staff and students receive a 10% discount. They carry a wide range of fine art products from oil paints to charcoals and a variety of canvases, drawing paper and sketch books. They also carry multiple brands of the same product to cater for the emerging artist who may not want to pay a premium for professional products while they're still training. Although they don't stock much in terms of craft products and they have a limited range of instructional art books, Oxlades is well worth a sticky beak for the hobby artist.

Oxlades Art Centre at QCA sells a good variety of art supplies, but the stock isn't stellar…read more Because it's such a tiny store and more catered for on campus emergency supplies, i.e. when a student is in dire need for new brushes, or they've run out of a certain paint colour, they can just duck downstairs and head back to class. But if you're shopping as an outsider, which I was, I found the stock and service a little underwhelming. I was after a specific type of paper for an art project I was working on and the staff member either didn't know what I was on about, or didn't know whether or not they stocked it. That said, they did have a great variety of inks (if that's what you're after...I know I was!) and weren't bothered that I spent a bit of time there trying to figure out exactly what blue (they sold many tints and shades) I needed. I wouldn't recommend coming here if you're after an art supplies store with a giant range, but if you're in the area and dying for a tube of paint or a can of fixative, by all means duck in and have a browse.

You know those nerds who get more excited about designing and making the party invitations than the…read moreactual party? Yeah, they're so weird. And I happen to be one. Even back in the late 90s when my birthday came around, I was to be found on our hulking IBM computer make invitations with coloured, comic sans-style fonts and the ever-classy clip art. They usually said corny things like IT'S PARTY TIME! If only Invitation House had existed in those days, and I could have saved myself some Microsoft Word-related embarrassment. Luckily, Invitation House opened not long before my 18th birthday and so I finally had access to more than Windows 95 to create my masterpiece. When you go in you'll see the the walls are floor to ceiliing stacks of paper and card of varying patterns, colours, and textures. They have sheer overlay sheets, cute pins and embellishments, ribbons, and stamps. You can pick out what you want and dream up your own invitation, or the staff can help you. You can also pay them to assemble them all for you, or take your supplies home and do it yourself. Since my 18th I have also used Invitation House's wares to make 21st invites for me and for friends' parties, and often pop in to buy some nice paper or card if I'm making something special. Such a great idea for a shop, and I bet they do great business because it's such a niche market. Well done, Invitation House!

Stationery really excites me. Like REALLY excites me. I think it's the prospect of being super…read moreorganised while looking cute at the same time. Stickers, pens, writing pads, stamps, you name it I love it! I am unashamedly geeky in that sense. So Invitation House, which funnily enough specialises in invitations, got a little excited squeal from me as I walked through their doors. Floor to ceiling shelves of different sorts of paper. Embossed, bridal, paper with cupcakes on it, floral, dinosaurs, oriental and SO much more. There is literally paper for any occasion here. It's stunning quality and averages around $1.00-$1.50 per piece so depending on the size of the event you're hosting it could become quite expensive. In my opinion though, receiving a paper invitation in this digital age is a little taste of the past, and it sets the tone for whatever the event is that the invitation is for. If you are getting married, having an important birthday celebration or hosting some sort of event which requires an old-school invitation, I definitely suggest popping in to Invitation House for some inspiration.

This shop is like a cornucopia of strange little gifts, knick-knacks, cards, and bits'n'bobs…read more Exactly the kind of store you pop into in search of a birthday card for someone, and end up browsing amongst the eclectic gifts for at least half an hour. There was everything from teddy bears to photo frames; mugs and calendars to christening gifts; musical jewellery boxes to happy birthday banners. I can't lie and say everything was top notch, but I do recommend a potter if you've got time for a browse, or you have some time to kill while waiting for a bus. Like Mary Poppin's handbag, you never know what's going to come out of it...(or what you'll come out with!)

Beads and Beads is a refuge and playground for me. After all of my city missions have been…read morecompleted, I take solace in being able to go to a store and being able to play and craft and create something of my own. They don't have as big a range of beads as a wholesalers does, but never mind that, there's enough beads there for everyone. They sell your semi precious strings (between $10- $100 depending on what you want), glass and recycled glass, plastic, wooden, bone, seed, coral beads as well as crystals and imitation pearls. The way the system works is that you take a small tray that is divided into nine sections. You collect your beads in your tray, and then you can either choose to make your creation on the spot, enlisting the help of the talented staff, or take your individual bits and pieces home with you. The purpose of the tray is so you can see what goes together with what, and so the staff can add up the prices efficiently. When the staff aren't serving you, they're making beaded creations at the counter themselves. There is a long wall of cabinets filled with creations that have been made in house that you can buy, or you can use them as inspiration for your own pieces. This place is great fun, and the staff are lovely. Come in and walk out with something uniquely yours after a day in the city.

Whenever I come here, it's to buy a clasp for a broken earring or to look over the beads and stones…read more- but never to buy them. I think these beads are amongst the most beautiful I've ever seen. However, they're very expensive. This is to be expected, though, given that Beads and Beads imports semi-precious stone beads and fresh water pearls. These are quality beads. Therefore, they're for the hardcore bead aficionado. (I do suspect such people exist, presumably to make their own top-quality jewellery. Given how cheap, however, beautiful bead bracelets are nowadays, I'd think it would cost a lot more to make jewellery from these items than to buy the item already made. Thousand Island Dressing is a store that comes to mind, though Beads and Beads' offerings may be slightly higher-end.) For someone like me - who occasionally makes their own jewellery, but not often and not passionately - this store isn't up my alley. I like to look at the beads, and if someone threw some my way I'd be delighted, but I've never bought any.