Texts, tweets and Tinder might be all the rage but I firmly sit in the corner that believes sending…read morea beautiful card for an array of occasions beats the obligatory Facebook message or wall post. That's why I'm thankful that a store like Card & Caboodle, located on the lower floor of Queens Plaza, is still around. Much like hen's teeth, a shop dedicated to the art of correspondence via a carefully deliberated card is hard to find. Much like Suzannah B, I often find selecting a card far more exciting than the gift it may be presented with. Their range is some of the best in Brisbane and extend from classic humour, modern design and quirky.There's a card for almost all occasions and you'll also be able to stock up on wrap, ribbon or a fancy-pants gift bag.

Every year I tell my friends I'm going to write them a personal letter and post it. We all agree…read morewhat a great idea this would be and spend awhile reminiscing about the good ol' days before email. I've never yet written such a letter although Card and Caboodle has certainly tempted me with their range of stationary. Some of their writing sets are so pretty. Plus, anyone would be pleased to receive best wishes from their intricate pop-up card range. Their cute stamps, stickers, hanging ornaments and magnets would make perfect 'filler presents', the sort you would get for your workplace Secret Santa or that cousin you don't know very well but you suspect she's a girly girl. If you're looking for something more original than your stock standard newsagency range, then try Card and Caboodle for all matters stationary related.

Is this the last Morning Glory left in Brisbane? Oh dear, I…read morestill remember when I visited my first Morning Glory about fifteen years ago at Pacific Fair on the Gold Coast. Here at last was a place where I could get all my Asian pop culture paraphernalia - it was finally becoming main stream. Fifteen years later, this Morning Glory could be the final resting place for Hello Kitty, Keropi and many other celebrity plushies that have risen to stardom and died in ignominy. I like to think that there's still a viable market in Brisbane for Morning Glory. Surely, there are more little girls in want of a Hello Kitty apron. How about a giant Totoro plushie for your dashboard or a matching Blue Bear/ Pink Bear set to consolidate your relationship? While it's glory days are probably gone forever, I wager there's life in this shop yet. So get shopping! Hello Kitty says so.

When I was about fourteen, Hello Kitty and those other sickeningly cute Japanese animal characters…read morewere all the rage. Morning Glory was known as heaven for every girl in love with the characters and the insane amounts of stationary their button-nosed faces were plastered on. It's been a long time since I've seen a Morning Glory, I thought they'd faded into extinction, but here is proof at least one has survived. It's former, forgive me, glory has lessened somewhat and the store looks a little more tacky, a little less wonderland than it once did, but there's still a lot here. It's the perfect place to get a gift for any young girl, or to stick them for free babysitting while you do the groceries (I kid, of course).

Smiggle is a stationary shop that sounds more fun than it actually is. They rely on bright colours,…read morebubbles and patterns but there's really nothing clever about their designs. It is well priced though and should be popular amongst young girls and teenagers whose outgrown glitter but isn't completely over shiny stationary. Their range of Smiggle Skins for phone and ipod covers has some cute character designs, refreshingly different from the usual brands. I only wished I had a family friend with a young daughter I could buy for. To top it off, the shop assistant was lovely, helpful and very enthusiastic about the products. So keep your eye out for a Smiggle shop during the next back to school sales and make someone the coolest kid in class.

This Smiggle is a bit strange because it's a standalone stall in the middle of the mall, but it…read morestill stocks the same stuff as the other ones I've seen. The stationary express as I like to call it has stuff so brightly coloured it can make your eyes hurt if you look at the products for too long. It's more meant for the teens I think, with Kikki. K catering for the adults, Smiggle is a great place for you to get stationary for your kids in school, with cool telephone cord lanyards and eraser white outs. There is no kidding here, the person who created Smiggle was onto something, but my issue with this place is that it's good stuff, but I can't see myself buying any of it, even for my kids. Maybe i'm just not in that demographic. Prices are the same as if you would go to any stationary shop, and they have some cool pencil cases with lots of zippers too.

You know those nerds who get more excited about designing and making the party invitations than the…read moreactual party? Yeah, they're so weird. And I happen to be one. Even back in the late 90s when my birthday came around, I was to be found on our hulking IBM computer make invitations with coloured, comic sans-style fonts and the ever-classy clip art. They usually said corny things like IT'S PARTY TIME! If only Invitation House had existed in those days, and I could have saved myself some Microsoft Word-related embarrassment. Luckily, Invitation House opened not long before my 18th birthday and so I finally had access to more than Windows 95 to create my masterpiece. When you go in you'll see the the walls are floor to ceiliing stacks of paper and card of varying patterns, colours, and textures. They have sheer overlay sheets, cute pins and embellishments, ribbons, and stamps. You can pick out what you want and dream up your own invitation, or the staff can help you. You can also pay them to assemble them all for you, or take your supplies home and do it yourself. Since my 18th I have also used Invitation House's wares to make 21st invites for me and for friends' parties, and often pop in to buy some nice paper or card if I'm making something special. Such a great idea for a shop, and I bet they do great business because it's such a niche market. Well done, Invitation House!

Stationery really excites me. Like REALLY excites me. I think it's the prospect of being super…read moreorganised while looking cute at the same time. Stickers, pens, writing pads, stamps, you name it I love it! I am unashamedly geeky in that sense. So Invitation House, which funnily enough specialises in invitations, got a little excited squeal from me as I walked through their doors. Floor to ceiling shelves of different sorts of paper. Embossed, bridal, paper with cupcakes on it, floral, dinosaurs, oriental and SO much more. There is literally paper for any occasion here. It's stunning quality and averages around $1.00-$1.50 per piece so depending on the size of the event you're hosting it could become quite expensive. In my opinion though, receiving a paper invitation in this digital age is a little taste of the past, and it sets the tone for whatever the event is that the invitation is for. If you are getting married, having an important birthday celebration or hosting some sort of event which requires an old-school invitation, I definitely suggest popping in to Invitation House for some inspiration.

This shop is like a cornucopia of strange little gifts, knick-knacks, cards, and bits'n'bobs…read more Exactly the kind of store you pop into in search of a birthday card for someone, and end up browsing amongst the eclectic gifts for at least half an hour. There was everything from teddy bears to photo frames; mugs and calendars to christening gifts; musical jewellery boxes to happy birthday banners. I can't lie and say everything was top notch, but I do recommend a potter if you've got time for a browse, or you have some time to kill while waiting for a bus. Like Mary Poppin's handbag, you never know what's going to come out of it...(or what you'll come out with!)

This place is positively bursting with spring related goodies. From decorative flowers (real and…read morenot-quite-so-real) to beautiful canvases depicting [more] flowers and rain-drenched cityscapes. There's scented candles, incense, a plethora of brightly decorated vases, storage units, oil burners and interesting shaped lamps. Whether you're after a gift or something bright to jazz up your house, it's a great shop to have a browse through. Oh, and it's relatively inexpensive for a homewares store; win!

Scenario: You've discovered the calming and relaxation benefits of adult colouring in. You wander…read morepast Books@Stones before they open and see an entire window display dedicated to this new "trend" and you make a mental note to stop back in before you leave. Of course, there's something hush hush about admitting you are an adult who colours in but after recently discovering how relaxing it can be, I'm hooked. Thankfully, this book shop has quite a good collection of these books. But that's not all. While the front portion of the store is dedicated to adult books, the back half of the store is a wonderland for the young readers. There's a great selection of kids books (excellent for the Savvy Aunty who is eager to build her niece a well rounded library) and space for them to sit and read. In fact, as I was browsing the shelves an author was about to do a book reading for kids. Prices are reasonable and honestly no more than some online sites. Plus you get to take it home with you - what's not to love? If you're local this is one worth bookmarking!

This cute little bookstore on Logan Rd at Stones Corner specializes in Australian books & authors…read more Grab a coffee next door at the Green Door Gallery & Cafe and then go in and browse through their extensive range of fiction, non-fiction & kids books.

I recently visited this shop and Mel the owner took care of my needs. I was most impressed with the…read moreservice given and quality of merchandise I purchased. Have no hesitation in recommending their services to anyone who requires quality shopping Tom - Bundaberg