For the creative minds out there, head to Green Lane where you'll find the perfect place for you…read more It's a big, green craft palace called Craftys. Whatever your talent or hobby I'm sure that you're every requirement can be met here; Craftys stock allsorts from card making to flower arranging. There are two sections within the shop, the main being crammed with stickers, decoupage sheets, ribbon, and beads to name a few. Towards the back there is a room dedicated to paper and card, shelves stretching from floor to ceiling, neatly displaying all different types and colours. We've bought the paper for our wedding stationary from here, so I should know. We've also bought some of their decoupage sheets for my Fiancée's card making Nan and not only did she love them but they also look great on her cards. The staffs are friendly and are more than happy to help you in any way they can. It's definitely worth a visit.

If you are into Arts & Crafts this is the place for you. From top to bottom this store is crammed…read morefull of goodies. Believe me if they haven't got it then it possibly isn't available and they have some great bargains. They have an on line store if you are to far away but try to visit as the fun is in touching. A brilliant shop and great staff too!!

This is one of my favourite independent craft shops, I like it because its like an Alladins Cave…read moreinside with lots of interesting items to browse through. Everytime I visit I always find something I didnt know I needed! The shop itself is clean and bright and the stock is new and continually stocked up. The staff are helpful and you get the impression they are passionate about their trade and know what they are talking about which is an added bonus! Ive bought things from them in the past and they have always asked me if I knew how to use it. This is the kind of service you dont get in the larger stores. Its the kind of shop I look forward to visiting and am happy to part with my money in!

This is a brill crafts shop, they have almost everything you could want, if they have'nt they will…read moretell you and try to find you an alternative or order what you need. The staff are very knowledgeable and keen to help, dont be frightend of asking there advise, they always want to help. Lots of starter kits especially at this time of year and there not bad prices, great for stocken fillers.

For its size the Blucoat Books and Arts store crams a hell of a lot into its small store which is…read morebasically a space under the stairs leading to the rest of the stores in the Gostins Building. Their selection of books is really very good especially in the arts, films and music sections. Taking an interest in the cinema section I was pleased to see many titles that you would struggle to find even in the new Waterstones - which for all its size isn't as extensive as you would expect, maybe they should concentrate on the books instead of the coffee to go with them. Added to this they only have an arts and crafts space that would give Rennie's a run for their money. It is not a one stop kind of place for all your artistic needs - that would be a bit too much to ask considering the lack of floor space - but with an extensive range of paints, cards and paper the enthusiast will find enough to keep them busy.

When I think of the bookshops in Liverpool, this one never seems to spring to mind first, but it…read morereally should. Tucked away in a little cluster of shops off Hanover Street, Bluecoat Books is a good little store for the budding artist, crammed with Art and Design books on specific artists and architecture as well as the usual A-Z of fiction. They have an art materials workshop with a rainbow of paints, brushes and canvases on sale and also a surprising amount of childrens books which took me back to the days when I was much happier reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar than Austen! I also noticed there was a whole section on travel guide to...'s and they had some out-of-date ones out at 50p each! Also it was £5 for 3 of the second-hand hardback books so I'm stock up for a while now! I won't be forgetting this place in a hurry!

Discovering Tapleys was a happy mistake. I was wandering along the Village and suddenly, there it…read morewas. What, an artsy/gift shop that I didn't know existed?! Pure delight. This little shop is a mixture of painting and other art supplies, stationary items and cards, and gifts. It's really cute, and so girly. Lots of great gifts for females, babies, and children. They also have sundry fun stationary items like autograph books and pretty notebooks, and quite a variety of paints and other supplies for painters. I would highly recommend this shop. The lady is very friendly, and I had a good chat with her and another customer while I browsed.

This is a gorgeous place - recommended that you visit shortly after payday ! Stocks the most…read moreunusual writing implements, cards, wrapping paper, jewellery, soaps, china, scarves, handbags and other gifts as well as business stationery at competitive prices. Irene and all her staff are most helpful and couldn't be more pleasant; they take time with every customer. I love this shop !

A little bit of everything but not enough of anything - quite proud of that succint review but er,…read morewhat? more specific? oh, right well err... There are some cards but well only a small selection that will cover the broadest spectrum of events and celebrations but on the other hand many are made by local designers and artists so you wont feel like you're just handing over conveyor belt message. Some art supplies but well yes only the basic oil and acrylic paints but then you're not getting a Rennie's city centre style supplier here this is a local neighbourhood art supplier-cum-stationary shop that will, I'm sure order anything vital at your convenience whilst providing the basics on your doorstep. Gallery? Well there are a few pictures but, well yes this part is a bit pony...I think the owner just wanted somewhere to exhibit her stuff.

This place is great a real little art haven for the more creative student types situated right in…read morethe heart of student central Smithdown. They have a bit of everything here, arts and crafts paints ect and even a small selection of cards. This is a great place for people of any age, if you are a serious artists then they should have most of the specialist equipment you need and for children there is plenty available also. The staff are helpful and happily spend time with you catering to your needs and supplying you with all that you need to either get started in the art world or continue a passion you may have held for years. This place really put a smile on my face as it is in the middle of pubs' bars fast food restaurants and really stuck out as a good quality alternative shop which indulges the passions of the people.

If you love art, steer clear of Art @ Home…read more I haven't been to any of the company's other stores but can tell you their Bold Street branch is one of the most depressing shops I've visited. Following in the footsteps of companies like Ikea and John Lewis, they sell generic art prints that are produced on a massive scale. Whilst Ikea and John Lewis actually stock some pretty good photographic prints of New York and Tokyo, Art @ Home specialise in mainstream and unimaginative prints of sunflowers, roses, landscapes, portraits and abstract paintings. In short, Art @ Home sell framed and unframed prints for property developers, corporate offices and coffee chains!

One of the most thoughtful, and coincidentally cheapest, presents you can get somebody is a framed…read morepicture. To find a nice photograph of a happy moment or a poster and pair tickets from a concert you really enjoyed and stick it behind some glass in a black metal or wooden frame is both simple and effective. Art at Home is the ideal place to get hold of straightforward frames at reasonable prices. The staff are chatty, helpful and if you bring with you what you're trying to frame they will try their hardest to find a good frame to fit your needs. The art for sale in the shop itself is a little hit and miss, for every Gauguin print there are three or four 'pop art' silhouette canvases of Audrey Hepburn or John Lennon. They do carry an excellent selection of cards here though, blank on the inside with art and photographic prints on the front - perfect for any occasion - especially if you don't fancy giving your nan that card with the fart joke in that you've been keeping in your bottom drawer.

You're not likely to find a copy of The Protestor's Handbook or The Rough Guide to The Universe in…read moreThe Works. You might however, find something you like if you're into baking, cooking, biographies, art, film or crime. A discount shop specialising in books, stationary and art supplies, The Works sells a wide range of hardback and paperback books at bargain basement prices. Most of the stock looks brand new and they seem to get a lot from certain publishers. The fiction section isn't a patch on Oxfam or any of the bookstores in the area but they do get some decent art, true crime and crime noir, travel, gardening and food and drink books. Last week I spotted copies of The Polaroid Book and Green and Blacks Chocolate Recipes for £7.99 each (RRP £15.99).

The Works is the perfect place to find stationery, small gifts, hobby and children's books because…read moreit is a compact store serving two floors where you can easily seek what you're looking for. It is ideal for kids to browse as items are cheap too, so it's a great place to spend some of their pocket money. I always go here to buy my annual calendar (that's what I remember The Works most for). Other than that, I recall that I used to buy all my art equipment from here for my school art lessons, which was my favourite subject so I ended up buying nearly all their pencils, charcoal, chalk pastilles and paint brushes! Above all, a brilliant shop to spend your time.