You've got to love Papyrus really. Occupying a prime corner location near the top of Byres Road,…read moreit's always there when you need it for a last-minute gift or eccentric knick-knack when you can never think of anything suitable to buy for that special (or even not-so-special) person. Papyrus are past masters at this game; they've been at it for much longer than any of the younger upstarts on Byres Road, and deservedly so. You're practically guaranteed to fulfil all your gift needs in here, including a nice card. After a fruitless search in the city centre for a particular item, I eventually Googled it and Papyrus came up right away, which was both satisfying (that my search was over) and irritating (I could have saved myself the £2.70 return on the subway into town). Yay Papyrus! As it happens (so I was told), they have a sister store called Illuminati in Princes' Square in town, which I didn't know, and they also had the item in question in stock. Too bad they didn't come up in the Google search I did when I was in Buchanan Street then - maybe they need to work on their SEO a little, hmmm? The other great thing about Papyrus is their downstairs collection of kitchenware. Now I can't profess to know what's in there these days as I haven't felt the need to indulge my kitchenware fetish for quite some time, but if you're the sort of person who can't resist the next 'essential' kitchen gadget, you'll love it.

I cheekily headed out to the West End on my lunch break, I was dropping off some leaflets though so…read moreI did kinda have an excuse. I wanted to get a card that was a bit different but that's me though I'm always looking for something on the whimsical scale. Papyrus is guarenteed to give you that something a little characteristic, although a little bit dearer than a normal card shop it's definitely worth the few extra pennies. As my best friend's recently gave birth to the most adorable wee boy I wanted a card to reflect that. I found a beautiful card by Five Dollar Shake that said it all, 'Beautiful Baby Boy, Welcome to the World'. It explained on the back how every card's unique and I was just so inspired as her little baby is a wonderful unique little person. Awww! I know getting a bit soppy but it hit the right note. I knew I would find what I was looking for in Papyrus. They also sell kooky kinda gifts so I thought they might have something a little offbeat for a wee present. Nothing was jumping out at me at first but I came across a cracking wee book 'Your New Baby: An Owner's Manual' by Martin Baxendale. It's so funny I'm going to check out more of his books as it's hilarious. I thought this is ideal and would be appreciated by my friends. I just knew I would get what I needed from here. It's a wee shop that's bright, cheerful and colourful with unconventional funky goods. Well worth the look around.

I said to the shop owner, "Your shop is very spangly", and I wasn't lying!…read more La Coco, a few doors down from the thoroughfare of Partick Station is great if you're needing a wee last minute nick nack for a birthday. There's a wide selection of jewellery, from bangles to sparkly beads and diamante necklaces with shoe charms to make the lady in your life smile. There is a section dedicated to gifts for new mum's, including cute wee silver trinket boxes with "Baby's first curl" etc inscribed on the lid. There's also a variety of quircky gift ideas, from embroidered photo frames to quaint little owl ornaments or bookmarks or car themed photoframes or mugs. There's even a pin cushion in the shape of a cake! The selling point of this shop, however, is its sparkle. Although there's a few gorgeous wee flowery purses to satisfy your indie tastes, it's a diamond studded wonderland. We were very bedazzled! But there's a good range of goodies in here - it reminds me vaguely of a silver studded Papyrus. And the shop keeper is very bubbly. Good to know about if you need a wee extra present for a loved one!

La Coco is a very cute gift boutique just off Dunbarton Road…read more Currently decked out with all things Christmassy, I was in heaven. From stylish wrapping paper to Christmas decorations and back again - I was genuinely surprised at the range of things crammed into this tiny shop! If you're after a gift for someone girly, then this is definitely somewhere you should be heading. At the moment they have sparkly mugs, jewelry, home decorations, baubles of every description and really good quality cards. Although it's not as conveniently placed as Papyrus on Byres Road (and about five times smaller!) it has gifts along the same vein - but quite a lot cheaper. Quick warning, as this shop is so stuffed full, I was quite terrified that my clumsy self was going to knock everything over and end up in a huge pile of girly gifts on the floor. I wouldn't recommend a trip if you're weighed down with bags!

Hidden gem art shop in a quaint wee lane in Glasgow's West End. Went in for some notepads and…read morepencils to organize for school and got to meet the shop dog, Marcie. Staff is very helpful and knowledgeable. Has art supplies too!

Quidest is a tiny little florist on Hyndland Road - just off Dunbarton Road. Although it is small,…read moreit's not too easy to miss as it's painted a bright mint green colour. The outside of the shop, though, won't give you any insight about what you'll find inside. You'll have to go in to actually see what a great little florist this is! As well as an absolutely beautiful selection of flowers - Quidest also stocks a range of cards. Now, these are just not any cards. These are a great selection of really sophisticated cards - and they're not that unreasonably priced either! As well as bejewelled and sparkly cards, you'll also find a range of Banksy printed cards. Eleanor, the owner and head florist, is really friendly and will make you feel right at home while she whips up a beautiful bouquet for you. She also does weddings - so keep Quidest in mind if you're planning a bit of a "do". I'd definitely recommend that you try this florist next time you're after some blooms!

I love this quirky little shop, so bright and cheery. The passion from the lady who works here…read moremakes me feel like flowers are the answer, and if she believes it I do too. I buy my friends flower and card combinations from Quidest. I was even able to buy my boyfriend who is a great lover of urban graffiti artist Banksy, a card of his. Couldn't believe it I usually have to order such off the wall art stuffs from the internet. Wow wee!! And this is not the end, you can also get them in on big occasions, such as weddings, for a full blown TV romance film wedding with garlands of flowers everywhere. OHH sounds nice, and I bet they'd do a great job, so genuine and will work to your specifications.

I was sent out for a diary, I know we're (as in work, not me by the way) a little late in getting…read moreone but didn't realise we needed one until it came up. It's a long story. Anyway I had been in here before and bought some nice birthday cards. It's a long narrow shop so the cards take up just about the whole left hand side wall. I thought this would be the best shop to get a diary as they sell more than just cards. They sell craft produce for card making and knitting etc so hobbies a-go-go. They sell a whole mixture of stuff from children's toys to jewellery so I thought I'd find a diary in amongst their wide variety of choice. I was drawn in by the baby gifts they had as my friend's just had a baby last week but I wasn't too sure about them although they did have some nice things, like your usual baby albums and frames. I was looking for something that little bit different. Well asides from my little distraction I was able to get a 2011 diary for the office. Yay, go me! I might pop in when I have more time to look at what present ideas they have.

This wee shop, missing a T, does exactly what it says. It's pretty wee, but it does the job. A…read morefairly large selection of cards lines the left-hand wall, wth most occasions covered. I just nipped in here to get a pen while on my way past. I have a special ability to misplace as many pens as you can give me, so this is a regular errand! Paper, pens, staplers, tape ans other desk essentials, as well as some small gifts like teddies, along with the wrapping paper and gift bags can all be found here. The stock is fairly basic, though, so it's not a one-stop gift shop or anything, but when you know what you need, it does the job.

I'm just updating this review to reflect the fact that the cafe bit has long since left the…read morebuilding! Instead, the area to the left of the ramp now has lots of interesting stationery and other knick-knacks - notebooks, wrapping papers, local interest books, games and general 'stuff'. It's a good place to browse for that little stocking-filler present for somebody. The other side still carries a good selection of cards. Things have gotten busier now, and there's often a longer queue for the post office than there used to be. They do have a self-service machine, but I've always found it unreliable and seldom trust it to complete a transaction without something going wrong. It's worth keeping an eye on the shop counter while you're queuing for the post office, as they will often call you over if they're not too busy.

When I heard about Penny Black I knew I needed to visit. I tend to love anywhere that is…read moremultifunctional and that part of Great Western Road has needed something to break up the lines of hairdressers and children's fashion boutiques for a while now. The shop/post office/cafe was quite busy which is great a new business. The gift shop section is packed full of gems like Nikki McWilliams cushions (you know the ones, they're shaped like biscuits), posh salted caramel marshmallows, sewing kits, notepads - so many beautiful Glasgow gifts. The shop is also full of interesting non-generic greetings cards. I spotted about 5 which I am planning to buy for people's birthdays. The gift shop adds an extra place in the West end to shop local. The cafe section is small but an welcome addition. We opted for a chemex for 2 as well as a slice of jaffa cake cheesecake to share. They get their cheesecake from The Artisan Cheesecake company based in Bathgate, which a firm favourite with a work colleague. The cheesecake was well worth it and was beautiful. However I would recommend sharing as it is really sweet. The coffee was delicious and I was so happy with our chemex as it meant I had more coffee to look forward to. I think I will definitely be heading here again for their coffee/cheesecake/shop/post office.

It's places like this shop that lend weight to the claim that 'Hyndland Street is the new Byres…read moreRoad'. Fifteen years ago Byres Road was full of individual wee shops like this; today it's all coffee emporiums and charity outlets. I discovered Owen Bissett when doing my Christmas shopping in December. It's not the sort of place that would normally attract me, but I was looking for a nice present for my sister, and their window display looked inviting, so I decided to give it a try. I'm so glad I made that decision. The place is a veritable Aladdin's Cave of jewellery, bijoux, craft wares, designer knick-knacks and generally precious things (preeeeccccciouuusssss!). I soon found a lovely bracelet and necklace combo that my sister was delighted with, and would probably have ended up spending a lot more than I wanted to had not common sense kicked in. There's such a wide range of really unusual things in here, it is ideal if you're looking for that 'special gift' or just want a thing of beauty for yourself. I think my favourite items were the glass bowl sculptures with the natural wood stands - these large thick glass works appear to have been melted and poured onto driftwood or tree-branch tripods, so that they have flowed into the perfect shape for the support. I have no idea what I would use one for (and I couldn't afford one anyway), they were just lovely pieces of craftsmanship. A definite thumbs-up for the most original and unusual shop in Hyndland Street, if not the entire West End. Check it out - you're sure to find something you like.

I love, love, love this shop!…read more There are far too many beautiful things in stock, be it little trinkets, unique and interesting jewellery or gorgeous ornaments (and everything else in between), meaning that you'll be tempted to clear your bank account buying everything in sight! There's something here for all budgets, which is a bonus. I bought a gorgeous necklace for myself a while back that people always comment on, and it only cost £10. Regardless of price, you can be assured that whatever you buy will always be top quality. Owen's window displays are always eye-catching and well thought out; I defy you to walk past and not at least stop for a good look! Displays are changed regularly, which is a great way to showcase the wide range of what's on offer. I highly recommend liking the shop on Facebook too, as it's an extension of the window displays. The service is always fantastic, and everyone there is so knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. They'll point out things you might like or will leave you to browse the stock without being over-bearing. It's customer service done correctly, and it's refreshing to behold. It's a great place to go and treat yourself or a loved one, be it Christmas, birthdays or just for the sake of it. It's a truly unique store, and it's wonderful to see such a vibrant independent business thrive. I really can't sing the praises of this shop enough!

As a lover of gifts and goodies in general, I'm not sure why I've never ventured in here before,…read morebut when I started following the store on Instagram, (as you do randomly), I knew I wanted to pay a visit. The shop's a good size and you can walk round with out fear of knocking over things which is often the case in tiny gift shops (flash back to knocking over a lladro in Spain with my ponytail when I was five !). Anyway, I was immediately drawn to the lovely jewellery - nice silver delicate pieces by Joma Jewellery and the like, and some chunkier necklaces. I'd been looking for a necklace for my mums birthday and picked up a little one-off black cord one with a drop silver pendant, which was just what she was looking for. There's a lovely selection of scarfs and accessories, as well as home products and stationery, and plenty of lovely things (you know the type that are totally useless but you really want them!). I had to contain my excitement when I saw the Itty Bittys range. To explain, these are small toys based on popular characters, and the Wizard of Oz range in particular are super cute. My best friends daughter is a mega Wizard of Oz fan so I purchased a little Dorothy complete with sparkly red shoes, with the intention of giving it to her for her birthday. Confession time! I got Dorothy home and what do you know it, turns out she likes being used as one of my photography props... so mmm I think I'll need to go back and hopefully buy Dorothy Number 2. Price wise everything is really reasonable, and when I discovered they now have a Christmas section downstairs I had to resist the urge to buy more (come on its only October people). The staff were all super friendly without being overbearing which is exactly what you want when you're in a shop like this. Anyway, with all that, a repeat visit is definitely on the cards to stock up on some Christmas gifts and maybe a wee friend for Dorothy.

Liquorice Tree is a lovely little boutique of gifts and cards for every occasion. Everytime I pass…read moreI go in to taunt myself with thungs I shouldn't buy myself. It was truely difficult to limit my spending. They have mugs, scarves, jewellery and lots of little gadgets for a birthday or Christmas present. I would challenge you not to find at something for everybody in here. The staff were also lovely and very happy to help with looking for specific items. The only reason for a 4 star instead of a 5 star was that I have seen bigger and more varied greetings cards elsewhere. Definitely worth a look for one of a kind gifts and stocking fillers.

Try your very best to ignore this place with its bright neon pink shop front and flowery, feathery,…read morepinky, cuddly displays.....managed it.....nah didn't think so. Cards, gifts and everything associated with the former is what you'll find in this joint. Reasonably prices, half decent selection and friendly enough staff make this a not to shabby place to hit if your in the area. The best thing about this shop is that if you cant find your loved one a gift in here you can always buy them a free fake tan or a pound of sausages from the shops nearby!