This is one of my most secret places to go! Think you need to go to Ikea to get an affordable…read moreframe for a photo or print? WRONG! Everest are a great family business hidden away in Saltley. There's onsite parking which they share with the other businesses on the industrial estate, so you may have to squeeze in next to cars waiting for MOTs. Inside, it's nothing like a shop. You'll squeeze down a corridor lined with other people's orders waiting to be collected, all neatly wrapped up in bubble wrap. Above these orders are samples of the types of frames they work with - everything is made-to-measure, and you can choose the mount and frame to match your taste and budget. These guys can turn around frames in quite short notice - like 48 hours! - but be warned, because of their religion they are closed for quite a bit of Friday when they attend mosque. Which is fine, as long as you remember and plan for it! (We once sat in the carpark on a Friday for quite a while waiting for them to get back... oops!)

Found this gem of a place a couple of weeks ago - they were so helpful and super reasonable on…read moreprice. Even helped me get my large framed print into the car in one piece ;) It looks beautiful and I couldn't be happier- would highly recommend and will definitely go again

I've been using the services here for many years. Printing, poster designing, picture framing and…read morethe odd gift are among the some of the things I've ventured in for. I've always found the service to be swift and efficient, friendly and helpful. Excellent equipment for full colour printing, take your own design or discuss your requirements with a small team to come up with a professional solution. Business stationary, letter heads, business cards and flyers all at very reasonable cost. I am considering using there service to print a photograph onto canvass, they offer sizes up to 44 x 72 inch, that's big!

This quaint little craft centre is great place to visit if you're on the hunt for a unique gift for…read morea friend or loved one. Impressive art from local and national artists adorn the walls and vary in price from reasonable to very expensive. I'm a fan of two shops in particular, the chocolate shop has a yummy selection of handmade chocolates and cakes for sale. It offers a bespoke service whereby you can have your own design made for those very special occasions. The other shop is the kitchen shop, here it has quirky utensils, pots, pans, baking dishes which are all quite unique and reasonably priced. I'm also a fan of the on site cafe, which gets really busy during lunch time, I had a simple cheese and pickle sandwich and a cappuccino for around £6.00. There's a comfy area with sofas, you can sit at a table or there's outside seating which is very pleasant in the summer months.

There are some lovely craft shops at Mitchell's, I got some great unique Christmas presents this…read moreyear, plus a pair of earrings for myself! The knitting shop has a huge collection of wool and is very reasonably priced. Plenty of free parking here and it's a lovely place to browse!

When Lawrence Llwellyn Bowen came flouncing onto our screens with a flick of his locks and a rustle…read moreof his frilly cuffs he brought with him Interior design to the masses. He and his cronies dumbed it down and bigged it up until society really thought they could do it themselves. Only problem was it was probably done very badly, with little flair, and no tecnical expertise. Hobbycraft is much the same. I always feel that this is a place to occupy those with no creative thoughts in their own head and too little time on their hands. On the one hand coming from a Fine Art background myself I am kind of glad that people are trying to make and do at all its just its all soooo twee and derived. Ok controversial rant over. They sell a huge array of paints, canvasses, sewing/embroidery, and craft materials. They sell model making kits and gift sets, dried flowers and balloons. You name it and they probably have it. And its huge. But vastly overpriced. The thing for me is if you know what you want and what you are doing and you just want craft materials - its alot cheaper on the net. However if you do want idiot-proof step by step instruction on how to be 'arty' this is probably the place for you. Certain friends of mine will argue that this is a great place to get kids involved. Maybe it is , and call me a scrooge, but my kids will be collecting worms,feathers and leaves and making collages from them just like I used to do.

Matalan is such a great store for everything 'arts and crafts'…read more They sell things for people of all ages and skill groups so if you're bored on day, go down to Hobby Craft and you will definitley find something to do. Some of the things can be quite expensive but it's definitley worth it as the quality of the things they sell is very high. It's a very big shop though and there's something to look at down every aisle so make sure you give yourself plenty of time if you're planning a trip there!

Very knowledgeable and helpful guys, the stuff is premium and is a long established independent…read moreshop up Mill Street. They can do passport photos, develop photos, and are happy to give advice. They sell lots of brands and a selection of frames as well. Check out their website http://www.peterrogers-photo.co.uk

From the owner: * Stafford's longest established wedding photographer. *…read moreCompact, SLR, and mirrorless digital cameras. * Passport, driving licence, visa & ID photography. * Portrait photography in our studio or on location. * Photo printing services including instant prints, canvas prints, photo books and photo gifts. * Old media including cine film & video transferred to DVD. * Old photos copied and restored.

Jenny Wren Gallery isn't really an art gallery, nor is it a gifts & cards shop; it's a bit of both,…read morebut at the same time, the shop is impossible to catagorise. Mainly because the store sells some of the most unusual items that I've ever seen. Jenny Wren is absolutely jam-packed full of surprises, from odd little Russian Dolls, to tiny little shoes made from jewels, to really detailed puppets. It's probably not advisable to bring children into the shop, because a lot of items, (including the puppets) have 'do not touch' signs on them; and there are quite a few breakable objects around the store too. I literally could've bought all of the puppets, especially the Henry the 8th one. Each puppet is amazingly crafted. Okay, so they're a little pricey, but well worth the money. The outside of the store looks a little generic and stereotypically, highbrow 'gallery-like'. I think the shop could entice more customers to view the wonders inside if it dressed the store front more funkily, in order to reflect the products sold. One thing I will say, they could so with cutting back on the perfume smells in the shop, I'd appreciate that greatly. I couldn't get the smell out of my nose until the next day - it nearly knocked me out in the shop too!

With stock ranging from paintbrushes and model kits to photographic canvas prints and fine art,…read morethis New Oscott-based Arts and Crafts centre houses everything you'll ever need for a bit of hands-on creative fun. As a quaint, converted house, the store has its own small, off-road car park and houses an extensive selection of art equipment. Staff are welcoming, polite and always willing to help and as part craft centre and part print shop, the business also offers a broad range of printing services for business customers, specialising in leaflets, business cards and flyers.

I've never studied art and I didn't really know what my options were. A friend of mine recommended…read morethat I try my hand at painting. At first I had visions of drawing scenery which I didn't really fancy. But afterwards, I thought perhaps I could use a variety of colours and make something abstract! So I went along to Vesey Arts and crafts and I I ended up purchasing a large blank canvas and a number of brightly coloured paints along with a paint brush. As well as helping me buy the equipment, the assistant recommended some techniques and an inspirational web site to check out some similar work.