Inside the shopping centre, easy to get to, friendly staff, all the products that any Supanews…read morehave. Plus, we won $3 off an instant scratch it. That's kind of like they're good, right? I think the name is a little deceptive, though. There's nothing super about the news you find here. No more than anywhere else. Plus, if you're unsure how to spell super than do I really want to read your news, anyway? Things to ponder over.

Supanews at Nundah Villiage is an average size newsagent that stocks a wide variety of magazine,…read morestationery, greeting cards, and also all manner of lotto and scratches (like all good newsagents should!) Excellent local newstand if all you're looking for is a newspaper and a copy of 'Frankie' - however it doesn't seem to have as much in the way of publications for more niche interests. It is what it is - a local newsagent with friendly staff and a good location.

The name of this store is fairly self explanatory. It's quite an impressive shop for the moderate…read morespace, packed from floor to ceiling with anything and everything an office might need. Pens, aesthetically pleasing items for desk organisation, numerous methods for filing, paper, notebooks, even some furniture including desks, chairs and filing cabinets. The staff were attentive and friendly; more than one offered to help me. I would venture to say that this store could fulfil any needs you may have just as well as the giant office supply chains can. I am not really in the market for any office items, but I was interested in their daily planners. I know most people have graduated from the paper version of these helpful tools, preferring the electronic mode provided by that occasionally frustrating piece of technology they call a smart phone. I still find actually writing things on paper with a pen the best way to organise myself, so I spent some time browsing their planners. They had a great range of these, from tiny ones in various shades of the rainbow that cost less than $5 to the more traditional large black variety. I like to put a great deal of thought into choosing my yearly planner, somehow linking it with how successful my year will be, so I didn't make a purchase but this shop is on my shortlist for providing me with this oh-so-important item for 2012.

I'm a bit of a stationery junkie - love the pens, fancy paper, cardboards... I've been going to…read morethis store for years and have had the happy and sad business of selecting stationery for parties, and funerals, from here. They have a really tasteful range of paper and envelopes and a good range of pens, diaries and office gear.

When I am feeling artistic, there is nothing I like better than making a huge mess with a bunch of…read morebrightly coloured soft pastels. I have been through a few different brands. My favourite is Winsor & Newton but they are not always easy to find. Lucky me for, Eckersley's always has them in stock and a really decent selection of colours too plus a range of paper stocks in different colours and textures. Being a I designer by trade, I have bought so much stuff from here! If they do not have Pantone swatch books in store, they are happy to order one in for you, although they do not have a huge range. They certainly have enough to get you started though. the markers and pens are good quality and again, enough to get you started.

Like most aspiring artists who tend to think about art as opposed to actually making art, I'm a…read morenotorious hoarder of art supplies. Having scoured Brisbane and beyond looking for art equipment, I can confidently say Eckersley's in the city has the widest range for painting, pastels and drawing. Their supplies are limited for sculptors and ceramicists but this tends to be a niche market anyway with their own suppliers. Their craft section is surprisingly decent with a beautiful range of handcrafted paper. I ended up buying my wedding invitation paper here and attending one of their cheap card making workshops for inspiration. The workshop facilitator was friendly and full of practical advice. While these workshops are not for experts, they're good fun for the casual hobbyist or the lazy, aspiring artist.

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.

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!

Stamp Art Studio states is Brisbane's best scrap booking and stamping store. Even though I'm not…read moremuch into scrap booking, still, I was interested and went in. For me Scrap booking is more as an artistic endeavour tailored to a very specific market. What I found was plenty of little interesting titbits that people can use in a range of arts and crafts from making cards, mixed media paintings and of course, stamp collecting. There is a lot of stuff in here that can be bought from some of the leading arts stores in Brisbane. However, the main difference would be the price of some things. This especially goes for their massive range of arts papers.

My partner and I recently had some old posters framed at The Framer and they did a beautiful job on…read moreboth. One is a rare WWII propaganda poster that my boyfriend wanted to keep well protected. Choosing the cheapest frame (75x100mm), but with gallery quality glass and UV protection, it set us back around $400. For another, less precious, slightly smaller poster we had it done in the same frame without the special glass and it cost $220. The woman who works there was really lovely to deal with, had both jobs done on time and they look great. The Framer also doubles as a gallery and rumour has it there's a cafe coming soon too.

This was an unexpected find. I only went in here to ask for directions and ended up staying half an…read morehour. So what was it that captured my attention? It's more than just picture frames, which, to be fair, wouldn't have interested me for 30 seconds let alone 30 minutes. I loved the recycled trestle table (amusingly called an iTable) on sale for $250...which was long, but just wide enough for an iPad and a printer. I also loved the cute, sketches on canvas by Cary Davies - all little family tableaux; the antique style mirrors; and most especially the paintings for sale by mainly local artists (keep your eye out for the Brisbane cityscapes done by Vanda Hudson). All of that to look at, and I still managed to get the lovely store owner, Kerry Hart, to give me the right directions, too.

In the modern age, when everything is now, it's refreshing to step back and to visit a store where…read morethe products are dedicated to a more genteel era. A place where the written form is king. Where fine quality writing instruments and paper reign supreme over electronica, where service is still observed. Come here for writing instruments from brands such as Mont Blanc, Waterman, Cross, Parker - amongst others; notepads from Rhodia, Moleskine can also be found in stock too.

This shop is a treasure! Its location in the beautiful Brisbane Arcade is a perfect match to the…read moretimeless essence of the shop. Such wonderful range of penmanship implements and desk accessories is hard for find these days. Many items are made in Switzerland, Germany, Japan and other countries renowned for their tradition of craftsmanship and quality. The Pen Shoppe is a must-to-visit for anyone interested in handwriting, drawing or calligraphy. It is also a perfect spot for finding quality gifts.