Seriously, I am shocked with the variety of stuff you can find at this Works. I was used to the…read moretiny one in Walsall, but the city centre one is massive and I can spend quite a lot of time there looking for everything that I usually don't need but I buy anyway. Things like my World Atlas map. Actually, it was in the list of things to have in my new home. I just found today and it cost me £2.99. Great deal indeed. Books, books everywhere in a very special price. And people still ask me why British people read SO MUCH. Because they have places like The Works, where you can find all kind of literature. Simple as that! Love it. Another passion I have is stationary stuff. As journalist I can resist a notebook, pens, pencils, pins...whatever else make me feel in a office lol. And if you like crafting, that is the place to go. Canvas, paper craft...everything. Even souvenirs for those who are passing by Birmingham. Mugs, tea sets and etc. It`s a bit busy there but the service is so quick and the girls serving are really friendly. you won't bother stay some minutes in a queue. I am definitely popping there more frequently from now to go. I need more books, anyway. Don't I?

Possibly one of the most underrated book and stationary stores in Birmingham. I popped in here…read moreafter Vicky O told me about the great deals they are currently offering. There's so much! I went in for a Father's Day present and came out with more for myself! Currently, they have a deal for 2 audio books for £10 and 3 books for £10. The books may not be latest out but there is still a large selection which includes the classics a large crime section. The section dedicated to Birmingham is nice as not many other places have done this. There's no puzzles that I could see but there was a large collection of other toys and games on offer. Additionally, there's a large kid's section towards the back. The prices are definitely reasonable and it's totally worth a visit for those who read a lot and enjoy new games and toys.

I entered Unit 7 Cards and Gifts hoping to be surprised. This didn't happen as I was greeted by a…read moresmall room packed with the most uninspired selection of cards and gifts imaginable. Independant shops and small chains are meant to stand out from the crowd! Why be a rubbish version of Clintons when you can be a cheaper version of Paperchase, maybe showcasing cards from some of Birmingham's many talented illustrators and stylish gifts to rival those on offer at the near by House of Fraser? Shops like this make me sad. They need to head down to Covent Garden for a real wake up call and realise they can make something amazing of themselves. *heads to bank to ask for loan to open rival gift shop*

Although the interior looks quite old fashioned, out dated, you can still find some nice gifts in…read morehere. Cards, gifts, photo frames, scarves, brollies, 'personalised' door plaques - designed by you, ornaments, mugs etc, they offer a bit of everything. I felt most of the items can be bought elsewhere, at a better price. Still nice to visit and browse at what they have. The service was ok and the shop is welcoming, but I don't think this one is for me.

Smithsonia is an exceptional jewellers and gift shop based in Birmingham's Piccadilly Arcade. They…read moresell many things from gorgeous silver jewellery to Japanese Kokeshi Dolls and amazing sculpted pieces in ceramics and glass. There is something for most budgets in this shop and it's a great place to browse. I bought some cute button earrings for just £10 but there are plenty more extravagant gifts, believe me! You could spend forever just gazing in their windows as you walk past; there is so much to see - it must take them forever to clean! They do beautiful and unique silver rings by up and coming jewellery designers as well as pieces by established brands such as Pilgrim. Every time I walk by I can find at least 15 or so items in their window that I want to buy; I'm sure everyone else can too which is why they are so successful. Smithsonia are the longest running business in Piccadilly Arcade, they've been there for around 30 years. If you are looking for a gift then definitely check them out first and impress your loved one with something a little different.

A wonderful independent gift, card and jewellery shop. If you are looking for a birthday or…read moregreeting card that is a little different to what you might find in one of the chains this is a good place to start. Their collection is not huge but you will definitely find something a little different. They also stock fabulous gift wraps and papers. To entice you into the shop the window displays are made up of some beautiful and unique silver jewellery. Again, here you will find pieces you can't find anywhere else. If you are looking for special pieces of silver jewellery at fairly reasonable prices start with this shop. Inside the staff are welcoming and very helpful.

This shop should be called 'Bargain Card Shop' because it's the best shop for a fabulous bargain…read morewhen it comes to gift cards. Basically, you could walk in this store with 35p and manage to walk out with a birthday card or anniversary card, basically whatever type of card you're looking for. It's ace!! You are granted that you'll be able to find what you are looking for because they have such a large range. The lady who works in the store is lovely; she's so helpful! I've never received such brilliant customer service from someone in a gift store. I remember the day I walked in; I was in a huge panic because I'd forgotten to purchase a birthday card for a friend. So, as I was walking through the market, I decided to pop in and buy a card. Managed to walk out with a card which I bought for 50p....what an absolute bargain!!

Had a piece made by Artful Expression and I'm thrilled, they gave me a number of designs and worked…read morewith me until it was perfect. they then produced it in double quick time for my required date. couldn't thank them enough and will use them again.

I absolutely love this shop and I think it is my favourite in the Jewellery Quarter. It acts as a…read moreplace to showcase and sell lots of individual jewellery makers' work, including many local artists. I have bought many pieces from here, normally for my girlfriends' significant birthdays. The chap who runs the shop doesn't rush you and is more than happy to take piece after piece after piece back to original piece (I'm an indecisive shopper) out of the cabinets. He has plenty of knowledge about the designer and takes the time to wrap everything perfectly including any relevant literature. If you are looking for something a little bit unusual, totally unique and stunning in the jewellery stakes I'd start here.

Scribbler is a gift, card and novelty shop located on the top level of the Bullring (on the…read moreentrance from the Bull). It's brightly coloured and inviting exterior never fails to draw my eye when I'm taking a shortcut to the Birmingham Markets to grab the weekly shop. Yesterday I thought I would pop in and actually have a look. It's not a large unit, but the walls and floors are totally packed with fun bits and pieces and cards of a good quality. The greetings cards are probably on par with someone like Paperchase in terms of cost, but I spotted some designs I hadn't seen before (and will be back to check regularly to stock up for friends and family). They sell a small range of gift books (including things like Grumpy Cat, Cyanide and happiness as well as other internet webcomics) and items from the likes of "Fred & Friends" for those awesome kind of kitchen gadgets that you don't need, but you definitely want. I spotted some 75% off items on their far wall, left over from the Christmas sales. I ended up purchasing 7 different things that WOULD have been over £40 pre-sale, but I paid £11. The member of staff at the counter was chipper, helpful and welcoming and we had a good old chat about some of the items they stock in the shop. A lot of the gear in here is expensive, but it's unusual and fun and would make brilliant presents for those "hard to buy for" people in your life. Definitely pop on down and give it a look next time you're in the Bullring.

To be honest, I have bought stuff from these guys loads of times before and wasn't even aware of…read morethe stalls name... As you will know from visiting Birmingham Market, it's a bit of a sensory overload with fish, meat, fabric and all sorts of stuff being offered in the space - but I would urge you to go and take a look at these guys for your stationary needs! They stock stationery and batteries. From Pens, pads, envelopes, labels, calculators, office supplies, light bulbs, puzzle books, it really is a cornucopia of a stall. If you're looking for something to take to a relative as a present or someone who loves crosswords and puzzles, this is the place to go. I have always found them to be friendly, polite and helpful - whilst offering products at a very reasonable price. If you're around the markets and in need of a pen, go and give these guys a look and see what you think!

this is a large stationary stall in the Indoor Markets. As well as the usual notebooks, pens,…read morepencils, staplers etc they also stock a good range of puzzle books (crosswords, sudoku...), playing cards for 50p a pack and travel adaptors. I visited there recently to buy 6 packs of playing cards for £3 (for a 50s inspired party) and a bathroom shaver plug adaptor for £1. Everything is very cheap and it is definitely worth a look.

Listed in the official store directory of New Street Station for quite some time now, Moleskine's…read morefirst fully fledged Birmingham store has quietly opened on the station's concourse. I'll start out by saying that I've been a fan of the brand and their simple notebooks since the early noughties, when they were still relatively unknown by the general public and surprisingly hard to find outside of very large cities. Now, Moleskine has grown significantly as a very successful company that places their product in virtually any store that sells paper products or travel accessories. Until this week, your best bet was to stop in a Paperchase or Waterstones to pick up a journal, but now their full line of products and accessories is conveniently located in a prime retail spot in New Street Station. The story starts out simple, where a small Milanese paper products company reads about old-world style notebooks that were produced and sold on the streets of Paris but becoming increasingly rare in the late twentieth century. Seeing a market for the literati, they start reproducing the high-quality notebooks in the 90's and spinning a questionable historical narrative connected to Picasso. By 2006 they were bought out by a private equity firm and turned into the corporate monolith you see today. What started out as a simple notebook and journal company has now exploded into dozens of product lines. At this official Moleskine store you can not only find the original style notebooks, but branded journals as well, including their limited edition line (Toy Story, Game of Thrones, etc), and many accessories not limited to pens, bags, and more. I enjoy using the Moleskine products for several reasons, foremost is the quality of the paper used. Not only is the paper sustainable in its sourcing, but all of their paper is acid free, meaning any random doodles or masterpieces you create will last a long time. The now iconic original style notebooks feature a hard cardboard cover wrapped in synthetic fabric. A black fabric band holds the cover in place, a sewn spine allows the notebook to lie flat, and an expandable rear pocket in the back is available for storage. These notebooks have even entered the digital age, with partnered Evernote notebooks available that provide an easy method to upload your notebook into the app. The cheapest notebooks on offer are great for quickly writing notes, although you'll pay a bit more for a more archival quality notebook. Currently in their first week there are special offers for certain spend amounts. If you've never given thought to taking your writing habits back to analog, I suggest giving Moleskine a try for a quality but affordable notebook, journal, or diary.

This small shop on the Grand Central concourse has a good little selection of Moleskine goodies. I…read morelike to stop by from time to time to browse the stationery in the rather satisfying neat rows. I like a Moleskine notebook as they are good quality. This store doesn't let me down as you can find the classic notebooks as well as pens, bags, accessories and some of the limited edition releases. There are display notebooks and pens so you can try things out and see how they feel. This includes the Smart Writing Set and the other digital-able books that Moleskine sell. All rather pricey but that is what I have come to expect from Moleskine. A few offers do pop up from time to time though so worth a glance here if you're after something anyway.

I am a fan. Zen is…read morelike a cross between Aladdin's Cave and something out of Narnia. They sell all sorts of wonderful items in here, they really do have something for everyone. Whether your after ornaments or texts for religious worship or interest, or more general materials to fill an interest or hobby, they have it in stock here. From books, to ornaments, gods and candles, pendants to dream catchers, you feel like you can spend quite a bit of time in here. I was after a fancy lamp shade I had seen in here, but by the time I got back to the store, it had sold. If your after that unique gift, body art or just need to top up on supplies, best to call in here. The assistants are also very helpful, and if they don't have what your after, they can point you in the right direction.

Mushrooms and crystals. Well, not so much mushrooms anymore…read more Every girl goes through a phase don't they? A hippy, witchy phase where they get all into crystals and binding spells and all that jazz. Zen is a great shop if you're into crystal healing or simply want to buy some nice incense. I used to buy mushrooms from their Brindley Place branch but I probably shouldn't share those stories in the public domain...

The seasonal markets at The Bond in Digbeth are one of my favourite events in Birmingham, I think…read moreI've been to all but one of them in the last couple of years. The Bond is an events and conferencing space which backs on to the canal on Fazeley Street. The markets are held each season and they are packed with street food traders, sweet and savoury bakers, arts and crafts stalls, vintage clothes stalls and various bars, including one in an old routemaster bus. There is a £2 charge to get in, with 50p off if you have an Independent Birmingham card. Some markets are bigger than others, sadly today's Summer market wasn't one of the big ones (probably as Brum Yum Yum is also on today in Kings Heath). There was still a really good choice of food and drink on offer, but as usual I was drawn to the wonderful Buddha Belly who do the best Thai food I've had outside Thailand. I had a selection of their dishes including spicy veggie noodles with crispy chicken and Thai green curry all of which were delicious. There are always so many wonderful cakes on offer, this time I opted for a beautiful lemon drizzle cake from Peel and Stone. As always it was a lovely afternoon despite the showers and I'm already looking forward to the Autumn market later in the year.

I am ashamed to say that this was the first seasonal market I had managed to get to. As the name…read moresuggests, there are 4 of these markets a year (Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter) held at the Bond Co in Digbeth. There is a small fee for entry (£1.50 for Winter) and there are Street food traders, crafts and locally produced food stalls, music being played out over the course of the day and a beer bus (to keep you hydrated as you wander round). Firstly, the Bond is a great venue for an event of this nature. With indoor and covered spaces, even if the weather isn't on your side (which, thankfully, it was on Saturday) you can still grab some delicious food and eat it without being soaked in a Birmingham style downpour. The choice of streetfood was fantastic. From the award winning "Rootz" (Caribbean) and "Buddha Belly" (Thai) to "Meat Shack" (burgers) and the "Bournville waffle company" (to name a few), there really is something for everyone. Inside the covered area you could grab beautiful pies, cheeses and cakes from top Brum bakery "Peel & Stone". We had enjoyed a hearty breakfast before our trip, so didn't partake of anything too substantial on the day but did pick up some delicious bread pudding from "Peel & Stone" to enjoy later. Inside the venue, the selection of handmade arts and crafts was fantastic. We found ourselves drawn to "Working Clasp" (lasercut jewellery), "Sparrow & Wolf" (fabulous notebooks and cards) and "Broquet" (who offer bespoke beer buckets as presents). I also managed to get some lovely presents for people from other stalls, meaning a lot of my Christmas shopping was done in one fell swoop. The beer bus is a fantastic addition to this venue. A kitted out red double decker, this "bar on wheels" was serving a lot of different ales as well as hot mulled cider. The guys from the market had even installed a snow machine at the entrance, meaning you got a little extra festive cheer as you entered the market. I could have spent a good day here. As it happened, I DID spent a fair amount of money in the hour we dropped by, but that was down to the amazing traders and the selection of goods they had on offer (as well as my lack of willpower). I came away with craft beers, greetings cards, jewellery and cake. Next time I am planning to spend a whole afternoon here. I recommend you get down too!