I am always a big fan of places where the items on sale feel like a random collection of things…read morethat someone has collected over the years......If you are a fan of one offs and items with charm this little place in the Custard Factory is well worth a visit. You can pick up furniture and household items right through to clothes and accessories if you are not afraid to have a bit of a rummage. The things on sale here change all the time so it's not the kind of place I go looking for something specific. This is more a curiosity shop type vibe to browse through and discover what it is you went in there for along the way.

Antiques and Curios Creations is an eccentric, wild and downright charming little shop. Which is a…read morereflection of a really nice owner. I can't summarise the antique, aged and authentic goods that they have in store other than under the phrase weird and wonderful - which really doesn't do it justice. I bought a Matisse print from there framed for £15, which is ludicrously cheap in comparison to most places that would charge you triple that (if not more) just for the print. It is full of quaint jars, mirrors, candle holders, chests, tin helmets, lanterns, snow shoes etc. all of which give this shop a historic quality. I feel as though I could be in 1920s Paris when I'm in there. It's really worth visiting, even if its just to mooch around and see an assortment of items and ponder how so many strange and delightful things converged on a little shop in Birmingham. You never know, you might just be as pleasantly surprised as I was.

I love having a good old root around in this bazaar. I have never committed to buy anything because…read moreI'm not always sure of the usefulness of the things I pick up. They have all sorts of weird and wonderful things in there and what's great is that every time you go in there the selection has slightly changed. They have a collection of tins and trinket boxes which always catch my eye. I'm a sucker for bags and they have a whole section of vintage leather suitcases and bags. I once saw a perfume bottle which looked like something dug up from the sea bed of the Titanic wreck. Another eye-catching item I wish I could afford is the big brass-finished globe; it's pretty special.

One thing you must do in your life-time is visit an auction. Whether you're a serious buyer or…read moreseller these places are fascinating. I had the opportunity of visiting Fellows with a friend who's into this sort of thing and I was impressed with the professionalism of how things are done. Quite traditional, using techniques of old to sell all manner of things called "lots". In the catalog on today's visit were old watches, antique clocks, framed pictures, furniture, jewellery, the book was full of interesting things. It's exciting stuff when the auction is in full swing and becomes extremely competitive as thousands of pounds are spent in minutes. It's hard to work out what's going on for a newcomer like me but it was a great experience and I urge you to pay a visit

As well as auctions for watches, fine art, antiques, silver, coins, medals, toys and dolls, Fellows…read morehave added vintage jewellery to their roster. My interest in Fellows came when I started running vintage events although have always had more than a passing interest with vintage jewellery. Having never been to an auction, it's safe to say I was petrified the Monday morning I walked into this auction house in Birmingham's jewellery quarter. It really did help that the lovely people from Fellows (Louise, Mary, Stephanie - all very friendly and helpful) had invited me into the preview evening (with champagne indeed!) so I got to glimpse at what I may like to bid for to re-start my vintage jewellery collection. I still couldn't bring myself to bid on the day but have since found their online auction to be less fearsome.

I'd passed this place once before and my head instantly turned to get a closer look at the bits and…read morebobs on display outside, sadly I'd forgotten about it even existing. I finally made it inside just the other day after stopping to get a closer look whilst passing by in a car once again. Its a hodge podge of stuff, mainly furniture items and interesting pieces from old trunks, 7" records, glass jugs and old frames. You have to have a good look as there is something hidden everywhere. Habib the owner is a guy you have to barter with and haggle hard as for some items he wants too much, prepared to make him and offer and keep looking whilst he cogitates on it. Whilst we had stopped to check out an old trunk and a wash stand we came away with NKOTB 7" records and a copper pot. Random I know but you need to visit regularly, have a rummage and a haggle.

Another relic (no pun intended) from Stirchley's past as a centre for second hand goods, Bits and…read morePieces escaped my eye until fairly recently. Whilst out and about scouting I decided to give it a look for the first time. What I found is a small shop with a plethora of secondhand wares spilling out onto the pavement in front. There's usually a few bits of furniture, wooden chairs and the like out there. Out of Stirchley's secondhand stores, Bits and Pieces seems to be the one to go to for furniture. However there's plenty of other bargains to be hand, which will be trash or treasure depending on your point of view. I wouldn't particularly advise anyone to make a special visit here but if you like these sorts of shops, it's worth a look, and junk fanatics can always combine it with a trip to the other secondhand shops in Sitrchley.

They really do have some nice furniture styles from Germany, England, Italy and France. There…read morereally is high end furniture here and it's good for people who like antique and vintage furniture. You might be thinking it sounds pricey? I think everything is priced within reason and when I went there they had a sale on. They even have a small cafe that you can sit in and enjoy a hot drink or a slice of cake. Betel is a charity that aids people with alcohol, drugs and homelessness issues. This is one of the Betel outlets. As part of their aid they give assistance to people by providing skills and jobs to those they help, and particularly in furniture restoration. It's clear that a lot of love and care goes into making and fixing up the furniture. As this is a charity shop, and a quality one, their stock is constantly changing. I've visited on one occasion and found there was nothing to my liking and I've been on another and found there are some things that I really like. You might find the same so don't be put off my one visit.

This place serves two purposes in my mind - coffee shop and vintage/antique furniture…read more The little coffee shop is lovely with a range of coffees (and soya milk) as well as cakes and treats which are suitable for people with dietary requirements. It's not the biggest coffee shop, but it's got a nice little homely / indie charm to it. The furniture all seems to be on the vintage / antique side of things and is on the whole better quality than you find in most charity shops. This does mean that it often feels a little more expensive too. But I've wanted a bureau for a while and despite seeing cheaper ones elsewhere, the ones in this shop felt a better deal as they were more interesting and in good condition. They let me reserve the bureau for 24 hours and when we popped in they helped load it into the car for us. I probably wouldn't buy a lot from here, but for interesting, well maintained one off pieces it's worth a look.

Piccadilly Jewellers are a nice handy and convenient shop in Birmingham city centre…read more Just a quick walk from New Street train station and the Bullring, they offer some exceptional fashion items, all viewable in there shop window, and clustered together in similar colours for each section. What I liked about this place was they also do valuations for insurance and probate and repairs. You can get fine and very old bespoke items all valued here. The service is very welcoming, and makes them stand out, considering they have so many competitors it's really nice. Inside though, the shop interior is a bit small, slightly out dated, and you feel like other people are listening to everything your saying because there is not much room to stand anywhere else, and I did feel like there is not much privacy in here, which can be awkward if your valuing something that you don't want the whole of Birmingham and it's visitors to know about.

Piccadilly Jewellers have an awesome range of antique jewellery sparkling from their windows…read more Whenever I go past, I feel like Charlie Bucket drooling at the windows of sweet shops - except what I'm drooling over won't ruin my waistband, just my bank balance. That's not to say they're expensive - everything seems reasonably priced, and many pieces are affordable - but because I have a bit of a love of amber, and specifically amber that has clearly had insects and other bits and bobs trapped inside, they ALWAYS come at a price. So, despite their gorgeous range of amber jewellery (and other gemstones too - handily displayed all together in each window, so if you don't like one stone you move along to the next window to see another) I just window shop here and dream of lottery wins.