Quirky, colourful, homey and a little exotic: Booty is one of my favourite shops to wander around…read morein. It is like a splash of colour and texture. there is just so much to look at and admire. They have gorgeous hampers that make fantastic gifts. I bought one for my aunt, she absolutely loved it! The jewellery range is really stunning. Lots of vibrant signature pieces with beads, jewels and textures, with an exotic style. I think possibly some African and some Indonesian styles. They have some beautiful home-ware decorations like glass dishes, glittering lamps and other bits and bobs. There is the odd thing that looks a bit tacky, like a bright purple lamp with jewels that I just can't see going with anything I have. But it doesn't really matter because it all adds to the experience of the store. There is so much to look at, you are bound to find a perfect gift for someone or just yourself.

I love this place, it has so much stuff you just don't know where to start looking first…read more I wish I had lots of money, I would buy just about one of everything. It sells just about any thing from clothing, bags, candles Incense Oil, wind chimes, jewellery, scarf's, photo frames & the list goes on. Great place to by just about any woman a gift, specially mum's with Mother's Day not too far away now. I would recommend this shop to anyone.

I remember this store from when it was located in the Wintergarden, and then it just disappeared!…read moreBut recently while I was roaming around the Emporium in the Valley it popped up out of thin air. I was so glad to see that this shop had just relocated and hadn't closed for good, because I've purchased many a gift from Essensuals and it's always been perfect for those people who are difficult to buy for. I must say though, I much prefer the old store to the new one. I'm not sure if it has changed hands or they just decided to change it up a little bit, but it was a little disappointing. The new store seems to have stock piled up everywhere, like a teetering tower of doom that could crush the shopper below at any second. It also seems like they don't have as much stock as before, which is unfortunate because you could find things for both men and women in the old store, whereas the new one appears to be very female oriented. Despite the disappointment that Essensuals has changed quite a bit, it's still full of pretty things like crystal wine glasses, decorative trunks and vintage perfume bottles. It's worth a look if you're not quite sure what you're looking for, but certainly isn't as impressive as it used to be.

Need to find a gift for that person who literally has everything? Or in desperate need of a mask…read morefor a masquerade party? Then Essensuals has got you covered. This place is piled high with unique gifts, home decorations and of course, ceramic masks (yes, never fear, those tacky plastic masks covered in sequins and feathers do not have a home here). There's a seemingly large emphasis on Parisian prints and artefacts as well as London-esque decorations and canvas prints depicting rainy days in New York City. So definitely a perfect gift idea for those jet-setters or dreamers who long after a city-change. So when you're next in Emporium, keep an eye out for a large, hollow dog - it stands guard outside the shop.

10 years in retail is no mean feat and this year Green Tangerine, the delightful homewares and gift…read morestore on Latrobe Terrace celebrates their 10th birthday. If you're local to Paddington or have spent any length of time in Brisbane, Green Tangerine has most likely come across your radar as a place to buy gifts for a multitude of occasions, perhaps a top for yourself purchased on a whim after having coffee or a weekend breakfast at one of the nearby cafes, or for a a sticky beak and inspiration. The store is always elegantly presented with enough of a collection to appeal to a wide audience. Most recently there's been an increase in Australian pieces including the ceramics of Angus & Celeste. Even if you're only in the market for a quirky card to send to a friend in far away places, Green Tangerine will come up trumps.

As my circle of friends have become increasingly fond of matrimony, Green Tangerine has fast become…read moremy go to place for wedding/engagement gifts. It's got an impressive range of homewares including some cool ceramics, framed art wall hangings and other curios which make a great gift for someone setting up a new home. It's also full of purely aesthetic pieces for the person who has everything. The service is great too. It's always good to get a friendly greeting followed by a respectful wait before the offer of help. Prices are wide-ranging but you can usually find something suitable for under $100, and often the pieces will look like they could cost a lot more.

This is a really great gift store; it's huge and packed with products of endless variety. Not only…read moreare there plenty of gifts in all shapes and sizes, for a range of prices, but there are also lots of items for around the home. There are cushions, umbrellas, bags, random pieces to hang on the wall, little stuffed animals and dolls, and the list goes on. The shelves are packed full of merchandise with mismatched items sitting side by side; I felt like I was browsing a market stall rather than a shop, which is a wonderful thing in my opinion. The fact that the shop itself has no special embellishments, is simple with an unpolished floor and rather subdued light instalments, adds greatly to the effect. I absolutely loved the way everything was set out, the charming organised chaos, the impressive range of items and the pleasant atmosphere. If you needed a gift for someone and came out of here empty handed, I would be very surprised.

I have bought prezzies here. Is it auto-suggestion? Not sure but funnily enough, I don't think I've…read moreever bought anything for myself at Prezzies by the Bay. There are lots of beautiful objects here, so it's ideal for gifts. I've bought for my sister, my daughter, Mum and a couple of friends, so it's definitely a girl thing. Oh, I lie, last year I bought some Christmas decorations - guess that was for me, kind of... This shop is packed . with designer decorator homewares, jewellery, limited clothing and even soaps and stationery. God I love shopping.

Having recently attended a huge sale at Green Grass, I can…read moreattest to the cuteness of this boutique. Bird head cookie canisters, cute babushka glasses (that stacked into each other!) cookbooks, coffee keep cups (that are handy for Park Bench Expresso next door) dreamy wooden bowls, perfumes, colourful and sweet leather bags, aroma Diffusers, T2 containers and oddles of cute children's paraphernalia. ...All this AND more are available at this winsome Oxford St Store. I'd dedicate some time to peruse the shelves as there is a lot of stock to process, but this scrutiny is well worth it when you walk out with that highly coveted item.

I don't think gift shops can get more cute and whimsical than Green Grass Home & Body. They have…read morebunting hanging in their store for goodness' sake. Bunting. This place is the definition of quaint. They sell a really lovely range of homewares and gifts that you can't pass over. The shop itself gives off an aura of freshness and sweetness, but I'm probably biased because I like bunting and tea, of which they had a lot sitting in a corner. There are cooking utensils and cards and a slew of books appropriate to sit in your home, whether you actually want to read them or you just want people to think you read them. I was particularly impressed with a book of miscellaneous facts about everything and nothing. Grab a coffee around the corner and pick an appropriate gift for a friend or for yourself in this delightful little shop.

LARGE souvenir shop on Queen Street…read more Tacky? Yes. Postcards? Yes. Boomerangs? Yes. T-shirts, magnets, stuffed kangaroos and koalas? Yes, yes, yes and yes. Obligatory UGG boots? Of course. Plus dozens and dozens of other items you never knew you needed or wanted. Staff was friendly. Location was convenient.

I went shopping with a friend from overseas. We stopped by Tourist House to have a look. As I…read morewandered around while my friend tried UGG boots on, I noticed they sold Golliwogs (aka golly dolls, golly), the dark skinned doll, with clown-like red lips and frizzy black hair. There was a collection of them sitting in a woven basket by the entrance. It is rare to find places that sell this type of doll these days and I thought it looked a little out of place in this souvenir shop. Or was it? Despite this odd encounter with a doll popular in the 60's, we found the store useful and my friend successfully purchased a whole heap of things. One of which, includes her beloved UGG Australia boots which she praises for being half the price here, compared to overseas. An insightful souvenir shopping trip.

They have a cute range of retro style aprons. I bought a black and white one and wear it all the…read moretime now in the kitchen. I love their range of scented Glasshouse candles. There are some really scrummy flavours like Kaffir lime & cocoa butter, Cilantro & orange, Vanilla caramel... oh man they make me hungry just smelling them. There is also a range of kitsch French/Paris decorated home wares and knick-knacks. A great shop for gifts.

I honestly expected a place named after a British comedy show to be a little tacky, but absolutely…read morefabulous is far from tacky. There's weird and wonderful knick-knacks, toys, books, and gadgets to delight and entertain even the dreariest of company. There is choice everywhere you look: For that morbid friend you have, there is a guide to hypochondria; for the friend that won't trade in their old wallet, there's a range of vibrant colours ad luggage to match; for the friend who's trying to make their place more homely, there are countless pillows and kitchen utensils with a twist, pant-shaped egg cups, and china sets; and for lovers of jewellery there is a vast array of wooden styles to add an earthy feel to your outfit. There are just bits and pieces of everything littered around this store, in a good way of course. Everything is almost retro-modern, especially the furniture they have sitting outside the door. Absolutely Fabulous is that place where you know you'll find a birthday or Christmas gift for anyone, because their range is far too widespread for anyone to dislike anything.

Absolutely Fabulous is one of those stores that will impress…read moreeven the grumpiest person in your clan. I have seen all sorts of people happily walk through the Ab Fab doors ...and really why not? This place is one of the best little retro/gift stores around. A haven of quirky goods and trinkets, this place has everything from bird key holders, pug bookends and novelty shower caps to art cards, beautiful gift paper and vintage ornaments. This store is in my arsenal of places to go to when a person is annoyingly difficult to buy for or is someone I don't know very well. (I can guarantee you will find perfect gifts a plenty here.) Ab Fab is worth a definite gander when out and about in Woolloongabba!