Thousand Island Dressing; ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod. My attention was split five thousand different…read moreways walking in here because there are literally so many beautiful things everywhere. You walk in and straight away there are shelves and shelves of jewellery in every style and colour to greet and entice you. They have the most incredible range of jewellery with pieces that are adorable, in particular a teapot/teacup set of earrings and floral headbands that you just can't find anywhere else. There was even a silver necklace with an envelope that opened with a letter inside. Cute! The jewellery is colour coordinated, making it very easy to find pieces you want and match them to anything you have in mind. They have bags, wallets, soaps, books, pillows, lights, jewellery holders, literally everything! The place has been converted from an old Paddington house and the fixtures that decorate it mesh so well with the very pretty and very original items. French brand Taratata Bijou is also featured and they have quite a big range of cufflinks for the boys too. You pay a little more here but it leaves you feeling like you've spoilt yourself to something special. Everything is ornate and really gorgeous - perfect for gift ideas and birthday presents. They even have aluminium Christmas decorations for the season. They cover homewares, accessories, and jewellery and you definitely won't find it difficult to find something here; the problem is settling on just one thing.

I am very sorry to sound like a grouch but I just do not get the big deal about this place. Yes, it…read moreis colourful and beads are falling out of every angle. Yes, it does sell nice jewellery that I probably would like to wear. And yes, you could probably find a nice gift for someone here. All of these positive points do not change the fact that I have had awful customer service from this place. So much that it has put me off going there altogether. Ok, so here is the scenario that has happened more than once. You walk in, there are a couple of staff members standing in the corner gossiping away. Usually this does not bother me that much even though I know it is not considered to be good customer service. When I actually go to counter to pay and actually have to wait 5 minutes for someone who is not busy at all to serve me, that is what annoys me! When you try to make small talk with the sales assistance, you just get ignored! I am not the only person who find their customer service awful, my sister has had a similar experience. Maybe I'm just being sensitive or have only been to the store during bad times, but this place needs to consider opinions like mine. I'm not asking for the best service of my life, but a little bit of service with a smile would be nice.

This is one of the most beautiful homeware stores I've ever stepped foot in. It is huge and packed…read morefrom floor to ceiling with products. There's clothing, jewellery, elegant stuff for the bathroom, pretty cushions, bags, candles, clocks, vases - the range is immense. The layout of the store is great, with one large room on the ground floor. Up some stairs and you reach a balcony housing a thousand different temptations for your nose, as candles and the many other modern inventions for making you want to eat air huddle along shelves. Once you drag your nostrils away from this section you find yourself facing a long corridor lined with towering shelves holding soap dispensers, towels and much more. Along here a way and you'll come to a tiny room full of cushions in every colour of the soft, cuddly rainbow. It was a lovely place to explore - if you have Houdini-like children I probably wouldn't bring them here.

This is kinda like a "general store" of fabulousness…read more Want a cute Xmas card with a cute tin star on the front? Or perhaps a sweet dress from Fleur Wood? How about a bathrobe so soft you feel like you're enveloped in a cloud when you try it on? Or Xmas decorations, homewares, handbags, toys? I could have pottered around Olive for hours - it's quite literally crammed to the rafters with bits'n'bobs. Not all of them cheap, but if you're a fan of poking around, so to speak, you'll love it here. As is so often the case with me, I spied with my little eye, something beginning with S (for sparkly) so I spent an age at the jewellery counter, trying on all sorts of bling. I was particularly liking the Kardashian range of jewellery which is actually super cool (who knew?) and the shop assistant told me that I probably like it because it's apparently designed by the same people who do Nicole Richie's jewellery line, House of Harlow 1960 (which, in fact, Olive sells too). I reckon there's a little bit of everything to keep most people happy in here.

On boxing day my son and I walked into Mott and Mulberry Brisbane the costumer sales agent gave us…read moreassistance on other shops as we could not find what we were searching for we ended up back at this store because of the great service from Helen and because of her great service the first time returned back within the hour and found something else suitable as a gift and Helen wrapp3d both purchases quick efficiently and presented so beautifully. Because of Helen this shop is highly recommended great gifts excellent service outstanding and so personal thank you Helen for making that morning before our flight so much ease in shopping for gifts. We Wil definitely be returning everytime we visit Brisbane airport as we are now locals who relocated from Perth.

This shop is a gem! It is filled with beautiful gifts and homewares from Australia and abroad…read more Beautiful baby gifts and a great selection of cards. I recommend you check it out if you are looking for a special gift for someone - or even yourself! :) I stumbled across this shop while hunting for a particular gift book. Ellen went out of her way to search the store and when they were out of stock called her supplier. The supplier then hand delivered the book to the store. Ellen made our day with her attention and generosity. I will definitely be visiting again when back home in Australia. Thank you so much!

Dudes take note, before you start the panic over what to buy…read morethe lady in your life (Whether it be partner, galpal, mamma or aunt gladys) you should check out the Thousand Island Dressing stores. This little store in New Farm is determined to win over the grouchiest person on your christmas list. It boasts an impressive range of eclectic jewellery, accessories, fascinators, handbags and home wares. Perfect for those with magpie tendencies, you will love the myriad shiny things on display. (My favourite part of the store are the beautiful earrings) I wasn't too impressed with the spotty service, but if you require a quality gift in a hurry I definitely recommend giving this store a go.

Ah, Thousand Island Dressing, where else would I have been able to find a pair of sausage dog…read moreearrings? Nowhere, because you stock the quirkiest of quirky jewellary and that's why I love ya! In terms of location, this shop is a little hidden in the boring section of Merthyr Village (stuck near the Doctors, Post Office etc) so it's not in the spotlight as much as I'd like. It hosts an array of cool, hippie-ish things for the home such as cushions, lamps and the like, but it's the jewellery that is really worth a gander. I found myself looking at things and thinking "Oh that's perfect for Alex" and "Oh that's sooooo Rachel". There were lots of people working in the small store when I popped in, but I'm assuming that's a precaution during this busy Christmas period. They seemed friendly and were happy to leave me to wander around in awe of all the sparkly things. This is a great store for anyone who loves to hang something unique around their neck or form their earlobes. The prices are super reasonable and you're bound to have something that will prompt the question "Oooh, where did you get that from?!".

Lavish yourself in the divine beauty products and homewares that Miss Opulence has in abundance…read more Think along the lines of Mor and Crabtree & Evelyn...they will leave your skin looking feeling sublime and smelling luscious. Beauty products aside, this elegantly styled shop sells bright flowing scarves, sarongs, bracelets, sunglasses, stylish hats, beautiful handbags and totes, and an array of dresses. If you're not wishing to part with a substantial portion of cash, then at least browse through this shop just to take in the white, jellyfish-like light in the entrance - if that was for sale I'd have definitely taken it home with me.

This is one of those New Farm shops firmly aimed at the 'ladies who lunch' set…read more The range is small but eclectic, with a heavy focus on pamper products. You'll pay top price, however you'll also own something exquisite so if you can afford it treat yourself a little.

This cute little homewares and gift shop is down a little arcade on Oxford Street. Look for the…read morebakery and it's down that alleyway. Escape the busy street and visit this tranquil shop, filled with old country style homewares, wicker baskets and birdhouses, China plates and heaps of great gift ideas and treasures. Everything has a real farmhouse style to it. I want to come and redecorate my house!

Located down a quiet 'ol arcade on Oxford St, you too can…read morehave La Belle Memoire (Beautiful Memories) about this small boutique. This is a place that my mum would love. Faux-tiques, gilded vases, fake flowers, candlestick holders, decorative urns, tea glasses, cake displays, candles... This place has everything and anything in spades. What I think is great about this wee shop is the range of furniture on display, (Think handsome cabinets, mirrors and chairs) as well as the myriad cute detailing about the place. (The duck statues scattered around are stupidly cute.) Tucked away in a cozy arcade on Oxford, this place is worth a good gander when in the area.

I adore this RSPCA thrift store…read more I have found quite a number of designer dresses for dirt cheap here in past years. I have my suspicions about why RSPCA thrift becomes a home for beautiful clothing. Lots of people with good taste and disposable income live here, and fashion does have it's seasons after all. What else does one do but give their last season threads to the op shop? It makes sense, right? I'm fairly sure this op shop doesn't have any weaknesses. It's got sizable collections of pretty much everything. For some mysterious reason, RSPCA thrift doesn't ever seem to get raided for all the things keen op shoppers look out for: pressure cookers, frames, vintage manchester. Win! If you're on a stroll from James Street down down toward the Powerhouse, stop on by this local treasure. It's a goldmine.

This rather nondescript store is a veritable treasure trove of vintage goodness…read more RSPCA thrift holds the regular formula of an op shop, Stacks of bric-a-brac, dusty shelves and oodles of bargains. You have to trawl hard through all the racks but with patience (and a small amount of luck.) there are some truly sweet finds to be had (Think giant picture frames for $5 or skirts and tops for $3) With stacks of furniture out the back as well as sweet home ware's, you will spent a happy couple of hours investigating this little store.

This adorable store contains an eclectic mix of all things cute. Bags, stationary, clothing and…read moremuch more, all sporting unique patterns, come together to make this a very enjoyable little shop. All the knick knacks are cute, but I was most enchanted by the clothes. I did gulp a little when I spotted a sale rack down the back proudly proclaiming everything on that rack to be $100 and under - not exactly my personal definition of a bargain. One thing I adored was their range of greeting cards. All of them featured the most beautiful images. It was a lovely store, a great place to get a gift for the (or any) lady in your life.

Maiocchi sell some of the cutest little knick knacks I have ever seen. I am more impressed by the…read morejewellery, accessories and household decorations of the store as some of the clothes remind me too much of what I would expect an eccentric high school art teacher to wear. As I walk into the store, I am greeted by a sales person who was dressed in accordance with the store- cat-eye glasses, red lips and one of the store's dresses, I found her to be very welcoming. I instantly gushed at all the adorable looking jewellery- the wooden pendants and earrings shaped like bunny rabbits and other cute animals and quirky brooches are just too cute. I nearly bought myself a clock that was shaped like a bunny, but had to remind myself that $70 was a bit much for a clock. If I had more money, I would love to buy a necklace, earrings and a clock from here. Although the clothes are not particularly my style, I can tell that they are definitely very good quality and that they would last a long time. Maiocchi just screams cute and quirky. You do not have to be an eccentric art teacher to appreciate what this store has to offer.