Handmade High Street throws together some really great local crafters and creators of all things…read morepretty and fun. The first things that caught my eye was a crocheted rose-shaped brooch with quite a few other similar ones to keep it company. I found delight in the handmade jewellery and recycled accessories including hairpins made out of old buttons and old teacups being transformed into candle holders, which is something I would never have thought to do. They also had one of the very lovely dresses that is so identifiable as one of Rachel Burke's I Make My Day projects, which is surrounded by a mountain of handmade things to choose from like tin earrings and very flamboyant floral hairbands that are just gorgeous. I was most impressed with earrings that were fashioned out of origami designs. Some of the things in here are so original and it's so nice to see support for local crafters. One of the back shelves advertises renting a space in the store so other artists can sell their wares. As I was walking out I laughed out loud at the cute new spin on bottle top jewellery when I saw bottle tops printed with vintage pictures and resold as necklaces. I think that's a really cute and unique idea. Another item Handmade High Street currently sells is a product by Reclaimed Records, who make old records into new products like notepads and use only recycled paper. A recycled record notepad will set you back $45 but hey, you are paying for an old record. I like what this place has going on. They've got some really great pieces and I see a lot of potential for the artists who showcase their wares here.

Kath Chownston, one of three brains behind Handmade High Street, said that she wanted to provide a…read morespace for artists and craftspeople to easily sell their wares. Markets are often exhausting, subject to the elements, and aren't a very reliable way to get the money coming in if you're selling your goods in this fashion. The internet is a great way to get your stuff out there, but still, she went one further and opened a store- for the good of everyone! For her, for the people who rent space in her store, for the person who happens to pop in for a look and take away something local and unique. For the interested artist or craftsperson- the way the rent system works at Handmade High Street works is that there are small 'cubes' (shelving space) that are $20 per month. If you do larger scale work, clothing for example, and you have a rack that you'd like to have in store, it might cost you around $200 per month. The rental price is subject to how big and how much of the work there is, and whereabouts you want it placed in the store. There's some great stuff there too. The beads by Patti Pennisi made me want for the ocean, the glass work of Cairo Made That was gorgeous, and I couldn't help but want to take home some scented soy wax melts by Lisa Macnab. There's not the tired repeat of like works in there either; there's great diversity. Go in and support a new local business that supports it's locals. Handmade High Street. Remember that name.

I love browsing through Crystal Rose, such a beautiful shop! Yesterday, I was killing some time at…read moreWynnum and this shop was a fantastic place to do it. When you walk in, the first thing you notice is all the colours and the second thing is a relaxed, peaceful feeling. Relaxed, scented and colourful. They have beautiful artworks, full of colour and I could easily see half a dozen or more hanging in my living room. I bought this gorgeous crystal for a friend's birthday gift. They also have heaps of angels, sculptures and spirituality themed gifts and decorations.

I have friends who believe in angels and spirit guides; I like to think we're not alone, too, but…read moreeven if you don't, there's probably something for you at the Crystal Rose Gallery. Being an official rock head I'll get excited about any crystals so if not buying angels or oracle cards, I'll be purchasing a rock or crystal mobile. I've also bought small games for neices and nephews and soothing meditations here. Despite the '80's name, there really is some nice stock. There is a lovely soothing atmosphere as soon as you enter the shop and you can feel the stress fall away...

You could get lost in here for a week. Bayside Books is a book exchange that has been in Bay…read moreTerrace at Wynnum for many years and is literally bulging at the seams with old, new, unusual and also some very ordinary books, so if you're going to visit, be prepared to spend some time and do some digging. It's the kind of shop that takes some energy to get through but it's usually worth it and I challenge you to walk out without at least one treasure you've been meaning to read for years. As the sign outside says, if you're walking in with books in to exchange, make sure to go straight to the counter and make your intentions known, as a shop like this would be almost impossible to inventory.

Women and Men clothing. Jewellery. Knick Knacks. A fun little place to spend your hard earned…read moredollars on cute, trendy and cool stuff. Expect laser cut perspex/metal earrings and pins, moustache covered objects, eggcups and mugs that are animal heads, interesting stationery. My favourite I've seen is the giant crumpled 'disposable cup' vase in green glass. Pigeonhole has another store over at Macarthur Central, across the road. Parking in the Wintergarden carpark.

I would not suggest that claustrophobic people come here…read more This place if packed tightly of ornamental wares. A lot of it is hit and miss. The good thing is that if you take your time to rummage through everything, you'll probably find something that sparks your interest. If you're looking for cabinet ornaments or cute figurines of cats, wizards, or dolphins, you'll come up trumps. Wind chimes, miscellaneous items with bells and beads on them, masquerade ball masks, yep, they've got them too. It's hard to say this because I know everyone is into different things, but I have to say that I would find it hard to seek out a thoughtful, personal gift there. I went there to find a few small trinkets for people I don't really know well, but I had to get them something because we were sharing christmas lunch together. It's not a bad place to go if you're stuck on gift ideas and you need to quickly put an end to your shopping by purchasing random things just so you can turn up and have something there to give.

When it comes time to buy presents for birthdays or Christmas which is right around the corner it…read morecan some times be difficult. A place that makes this a bit easier is Essensuals in the Myer Center in Brisbane CBD. The have all sorts of great ideas and normally you can go in not knowing what you want and leave with something that you will be happy with by the end of your shopping trip. It can get a bit overwhelming because of the way that shop is laid out. It almost seems as if the shop is too small for all the merchandise and it seems that stuff is piled up. This does cause you to want to tread carefully though because you don't want to break anything or fall over ornaments. Apart from this i do like the store and tend to go there when i'm at a loss of what to get some one.

A tiny little nook of a shop but full of myriad surprises, (m)art is associated with the acclaimed…read moreArtisan Gallery in the Fortitude Valley. As you survey the intriguing range of jewellery, ceramics and other one-off pieces, you get the feeling that you've walked into a modern art museum (though on a small scale), the difference being that you can buy the artworks and take them home with you. The prices aren't cheap, as you'd expect for works of such quality. I've noticed some lovely bespoke ceramic cups and bowls going for $66 each, which I would happily buy for a wedding present or for my home. However, a series of commonplace objects encased in rectangular prism made of resin (the only I can remember was a dead bee) going for $220 each seemed a bit rich to me. Perhaps there's some special reason unbeknownst to a layperson such as myself for their seemingly exorbitant procetags.

(m)art design store has got to be one of my favourite shops in South Bank! This design space, come…read morejewellar, come book store, come gift shop is a mixture of different artist's work and boasts some gorgeous things. The design of the store itself is fantastic, and is one of the first things to catch the eye of people passing by. All of the shelves and display tops are made with upturned takeaway coffee cups. It adds a completely new dimension to your average shopping experience and really gives it the feel of an art gallery. Sure, the prices in (m)art aren't exactly cheap, but be careful to keep in mind that the work on display is primarily by local artists (and let's face it, us creative types are hard-pressed earning a crust). For this reason, I would say that the prices are fair. Next time you're in South Bank, make sure you head in to (m)art for a browse. It's the perfect place to buy a gift for someone who has everything, or even for a wedding present. Plus, it's always great to support local and emerging artists.

Not only are you getting to wander through the beautifully restored Brisbane City Hall, but you're…read morealso seeing some of Brisbane's coolest handmade 'everythings'. From the colourful resin brooches, necklaces and rings from Each To Own to letter press cards and air plant holders - there's really something for everyone at these markets. It's an easy way to spend Saturday morning, and if you're not careful, an easy way to spend some of your weekend spending money! Depending on your frame of mind you can spend hours visiting each stall or opt for a quick 20mins doing a spin around the 3 rooms.

On Vulture Street just up from The Cupcake Parlour and before the strangely out of place Asian…read moregrocer sits 'The Happy Cabin'. Walking through the doors you're greeted by a carefully collected emporium of unique, kitsch and Etsy-esque wares. The stores motto says: "A haven for sexy lumberjacks, dorky girls and lovers of worldly design and trinketry." Couldn't have said it better myself. There's the mint green brogues, the gold boots, Field Notes pencils and notebooks and a geometric print onesie that I imagine is only able to be worn by a Ginger bearded man with a fox hat on his head. As I'm distracted by the wonderful eye candy within this absolutely happy cabin I chatter with the owner's partner, Jaime and this is all part of the experience. It is so inviting and homely, as a cabin might be, and I want to pull up a chair, grab a coffee and continue nattering away. Truth be told, the space would be rather fitting for a in-store cafe and maybe even a roasty faux fire to give a true cabin feel. And points to the owners for creating a store where you walk out feeling happy, creative, embracing your dorkiness and plotting how you might acquire a few more things from their range. Joining venues like The End, I think The Happy Cabin will be one of the first in a line of new additions to West End that will only add to the revitalisation of this end of Vulture Street.

The Happy Cabin have been picky and choosy with their stock, not having a ridiculously large range…read morebut being 100% behind every item they've decided to sell. I was pleased to correctly identify the shoes and bags as coming from ex-Etsy store Golden Ponies, where everything is beautifully handmade in Mexico. The gent behind the counter informed me that almost everything in the Happy Cabin comes from Etsy sellers, so that's pretty great. Having such a small and hand-picked collection of wares, I'd love to see a couple of plus-size items on the racks too. There are only so many bags, shoes and notebooks I can pick up while glancing at the stacks of clothes racks I can't buy from. Speaking of notebooks, though... I'm a stationery addict, and I couldn't leave without letting myself buy the limited edition National Crop Edition of Field Notes memo books. It was nice to observe that there isn't a ridiculous retail markup on any of the items in store, either - stay off etsy and just visit the Happy Cabin, Brisbane.