This shop describes itself as "Jade Jewellery & Statue Specialists", and this essentially sums up…read morethe business. It's in a large shop opposite the sports store in Centro Arndale, filled entirely with jade jewelry and different kinds of jade statues. The shop isn't actually very full, but everything is nicely displayed in bookcases. Who knew jade came in other colours? I didn't. I was entirely satisfied with the green kind. The jewelry here is very attractive and mostly simple, using large beads and letting the jade do it's own work - it doesn't need more adorning. They also sell some pretty (and cheap) gold plated jewelry in very interesting, elaborate, almost woven styles. Their statues range from about two feet high at the largest to much smaller pieces, and mostly depict buddhas and dragons. It's a lovely shop to look through, especially if you enjoy this kind of workmanship.

Do you know Edina Monsoon the character? This is the sort of shop she would have had in the sit-com…read more"Absolutely Fabulous" but not as inexpensive. Such cool stuff. If only I lived in a great big enormous house that needed a dozen different rooms peppered with artifacts and regularly changed around to suit my mood or the weather or something. One thing is for sure, if you are just starting out in a new house or flat - like it's the first time from home or a new place because you've just decided it should be that way - this is a great shop to go to and find the things that may give it your special touch. It is a little odd going into a shop like this when you can feel like there are so many duplicates of the same thing, so why buy it, however once you have thought through the critical mass of population and how many people you know and what you like compared to your friends, you will discover that if you buy something here cheap, and most of it is very reasonably priced, your friends will be impressed and not have the same thing as you. It is very unlikely they will anyway. Even if you know someone with the same thing, it just means you both have good taste, doesn't it! These people at Loot have things like ornaments and carved wooden giraffes and candles and cusions and screens and such, but my favourite things are the cushions and the little rugs. very handy and not too expensive. Also they have a annual clearance sale at the start of the year with really good bargains, they do advertise it and it does get busy - this year it is 21st and 22nd January so it is as I am writing this review - actually this weekend - and they have up to 75% off their stock! They do this big sale every year. I got a whole lot of tea lights last year for about 50 cents (non rapping) so check out Loot. It's pretty cool.

If I had another house, one that wasn't already so full of stuff we can hardly move, I would deck…read moreit out entirely from Loot. Who needs furniture anyway? This home decor shop is the only Loot in South Australia (according to its website) so no wonder I didn't know it was a chain. The shop is packed full of gorgeous decorations and trinkets, bags, scarves and some clothing, pillows and throw rugs, hand made and other gorgeous stationary, candles, fragrances and dozens of cute boxes, large and small. Much of it is inspired by Indian designs, mixed with many European images. It's obviously not authentic - it's way too cheap, and though not particularly good quality it's not poorly made; it's somewhere in that enormous middle ground. Loot is a brilliant place to go Christmas shopping, as there are many items within a very affordable price range, like the gorgeous little jewelry boxes that are only $6.95. They also have a nice range of daily inspiration cards and magnets, as well as these strange fragrance balls that are made of something that feels like styrofoam, that make the whole shop smell fantastic. It currently has heaps of specials on leading up to Christmas, so now is a very good time to check it out.

As we've covered previously, I love these shops. You never know what you'll find!…read more This one is good for - Art! - Huge range of cheap canvases in all sizes, also tons of good drawing pencils, water colours, charcoal for drawing, and lots more craft. Plastic food storage - all sizes, all cheap. Cards and frames. Small figurines. There's a whole row of these, all different kinds. Silver dragon handled walking sticks. Everyone needs one of these, right?

Fantastic Home & Gifts. The name says it all doesn't it? Everything that you need to start or…read morecomplete a gift to a friend or loved one you will find in store. The store is a great size and the shelves are always very well stocked. The products range from the standard gift items such as gift boxes in various sizes, card, bows and wrapping paper. They also sell a variety of homewars and flowers. Fantastic Home & Gifts is your one stop shop. There's always something you can find there, and everything is at a bargain price. You can't go too wrong.

Ned's is full of all those useless yet pretty things you get and give as presents, and it's…read moreglorious in its mountains of lovely dust-collectors and silly outfits. The shop is predominantly filled with home decorations and things that sit on mantle pieces and dress up bookshelves, but they have a great range of cheap kids costumes and fancy dress accessories, like feather boas and hats and masks. Leading up to Christmas, they have an entire aisle just for Christmas decorations, outfits and enormous stockings. I was very tempted by the black Santa hat that says "Bah humbug", but got the elf ears instead. They also have an aisle of art supplies, including well prices canvases of varying sizes and plenty of paints. They have a cute range of stationary as well, and a very small, very sad pile of $4 books, none of which I have or would ever likely read. They're great for cards, wrapping paper and gorgeous boxes for presents. Their boxes come in all sizes, and look a little like babushka dolls the way they're piled on top of each other, and they're all only around $3. This is a great gift shop, and useful for all those extras that go along with parties and gift giving.

Popped into Ned's to buy a kitchen tidy bin--to throw my compostables in. Expected a range of bins…read moreand the like. Nah, just wall-to-wall homewares. Not even nice homewares. Perhaps my expectations were poorly set. Perhaps Ned's had something to do with setting them. Bunnings saved the day. Two out of five.

One Small Room began life in one small room! A street frontage shop selling second hand furniture…read morewith a Scandinavian, Eames era flavour which quickly flourished and became ever so popular. This was a turning point to the whole streetscape as other businesses took residence and it just evolved into what it is today, a funky, trendy, popular place to be in Elizabeth St Croydon, especially on a weekend. OSR has optimised the space to feel and look like your living room at home, a place to test the chair or browse the pictures on the wall and it's never a dull shop to be in as there is always something new and quirky to fill a vacant spot. With so many things and so little space and evolution taking place OSR gradually expanded taking over the shop next door and then the door next to that one, I suppose you can call it three small rooms' now but the theme still continues. A lot of items have a distinct Ikea-esque feel but with quality and much more expensive to match. Mind you, OSR is not just about furniture it also has vintage clothing, fabric, lampshades and knick-knacks plus always more. As long as they don't bubble up and burst at the seams, the store will remain in the street for many years to come I'm sure, when you're on a good thing stick to it. Parking is on the street and I recommend you don't leave the Jag there as it gets pretty squeezy, don't want any nasty surprises. And also, many people have been confused in the past thinking OSR is on Queen St - which does have a better ring to it- but as you go over the Croydon train line it then becomes Elizabeth St and then trails off down the road. Incidentally, the owner is also part developer of the Bowerbird Bazaar.

One Small Room, unusual name, moderately unusual shop. They'll sell you something obscure, like a…read morewooden cage for taking the cat to the vet, beautifully hand crafted at some stage; and they'll wrap it for you. There's a collection of fabrics you can go through, books, furniture and what would once have been called curios I suspect. Most of it has a natural finish to it, and it's almost all wood. It's a lot to go through so if you like to browse this is a good place to do it.