Stepping into City Framing is dangerous for people like me who love buying little gifts 'just…read morebecause'. So many things (other than framing) to get sidetracked buying! The shop atmosphere is friendly, non threatening (no one in your face) and cultured. Over the last year I finally got organised with my collection of much loved photos, prints and posters - taking them out of boxes and down to City Framing for careful attention. The owners take time to speak with you about framing options, different looks, care requirements and costs. I've always been very pleased with their work on over 15 pieces I've placed in their care, and think their attention to detail and quality is well worth the cost.

Picture framing can be quite expensive, but if you are like me and have some treasured artwork,…read morephotos or awards/certificates that deserve framing, then I'd highly suggest City Framing. The prices are quite high, but the service and quality of frames are of a premium standard. They have a large range of frames and they also have a range of eco-friendly and sustainable alternatives, which is great if you are environmentally conscious. The customer service is great in this store. The staff are very friendly and helpful. They are good with advice on the frames that would suit different items and have 23 years experience to back them up. City Framing is well worth the visit for framing your prized possessions. Customer service is wonderful and the quality of materials and work is premium.

If you like your collector locomotives, your collector cars, this is the one stop shop for you…read more They stock the biggest range of trains, cars, kites, model airplanes that I have ever seen. Walking into this place is weird because you feel that you shouldn't touch anything because you don't want to break anything but every ounce of your child within is really doing everything it can to not want to touch and play with everything within sight and within reason. With locomotives here going for over $1000 this is the real deal, not for the faint hearted but for serious lifelong collectors who are establishing their collection for grandchildren. The trains are limited editions sometimes and will only increase in value over time (they tell me), so you better be serious when you buy them and maybe just keep them in the box. Not the kind of stuff you buy for kids that are young. But kids that are old enough to appreciate a good thing and take care of a good thing when they see it.

I went into Hobbyrama for the first time yesterday to buy some glue (long story). Wow. I never knew…read moreI had an inner ten year old boy but apparently I do because I had so much fun looking around in here. Maybe I should start building model cars. They have so many crazy things that I would never have even known existed. Their range of model cars, planes, boats, tanks, trains, and insert any other mode of transportation you can think of here is amazing. The store is huuuge and literally packed to the rafters. As well as the model vehicles they have doll house kits, and little doors, furniture, etc. to for people who build dollhouses. Just seeing the little doors and windows in their packages made me smile thinking of Grandfathers making dollhouses for their grand-daughters. But now I'm getting emotional over a hobby shop. Hobbyrama has puzzles, crafts, kites, and countless other things you could do to entertain yourself or hone your fine motor skills. I've never built a model in my life, but this shop is full of so many things that even a hobby n00b like myself would love to try my (very shaky) hand at. I needed to buy glue for small pieces of plywood, and the guy behind the counter helped me out and was very friendly. He didn't even mind that I had my fourteen year old terrier in tow (who was busy examining the extensive range of matchbox cars down at his eye level). Hobbyrama is worth a browse purely out of interest. You'll be surprised by the kinds of cool things people make. You might even end up tackling something yourself although if you're anything like me you'll no doubt end up with pieces of aeroplane glued to your hands, but it's all part of the fun, right?

Step into Kunstler and step into a world of freshly printed pages from home and away. Hand selected…read moreby owner, Lizzie, each magazine or journal stocked in this cubicle-cum-shop has been carefully chosen for its quirkiness, information or design qualities. On a recent visit I did my very best to not "BUY ALL THE THINGS" but know there will come a time when my resolve is worn down by the beautiful pages. In fact I've just seen she now has in store a Japanese publication on house plants.....

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.

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.

The start of my bespoke process was great. The team, especially Kat, were really helpful and…read moreresponsive to all of my questions and my hesitation with what it might turn out like at the end. She eased my mind and seemed happy enough to walk me through at my pace. The responsiveness and helpfulness dissipated after the item was made. Communication ceased and had to get Office of Fair Trade involved to help rectify the issue. Excuses made and no resolutions offered even though the trust had been broken at this point. I relented and offered a solution which no response has been received. So they have my gold swap which is in excess of $6000 and my bespoke ring and I have nothing.

Shiny pretty things…read more If you've been paying attention to Brisbane fashion and lifestyle brands over the past few years, you've probably already heard of Molten Store. Chances are you've probably experienced the retail experience local lass Jessy Cameron has created through the online portal of Molten Store. And until last week, with the exception of a few pop-up troves (as the Molten Store physical retail spaces are graciously named), that was the only way to introduce yourself to the collection of jewellery, fragrances and stationery that Jessy sells, or as she describes them; "Otherworldly jewellery and curious gifts." But now comes the biggest trove of them all. Molten Store's very first permanent retail space on James Street. The space itself was once upon a time the Domino's Pizza take-away store but walking into the serene, sophisticated and ethereal space that Jessy and her team have created it would seem a crime that the space was ever used for slinging pizzas. The range is ever changing with Jessy taking buying trips to source pieces from the furtherest corners of the globe. Her intrepid adventures no doubt set to influence the look and feel of the store as it settles into it's new home. I'd often walked past the previous Molten Store troves and found myself thinking, "Oh that is stunning but a) It'll be too expensive and b) that's way to cool for a Liz Lemon like me." And yet walking into the new store I realised both a and b were entirely incorrect assumptions. The prices are incredibly reasonable in my opinion with earrings, for example, ranging from $29-$39 and as for feeling like it was too cool for a Liz Lemon like me. I've discovered that's perhaps the most endearing thing about Molten Store. It's for everyone. Not just the fashionistas that have stepped straight from the pages of Vogue but also for the young professional who wants a little bit of their own edge to an outfit or a bride looking for a set of unique jewels to adorn her ears on her big day or the capsule wardrobe devotee who loves nothing more than a simple silver necklace to compliment her crisp white shirt. Fun Fact: Molten Store have their own signature Demeter fragrance that you can also purchase.

Jane is my favourite seamstress, be. Jane's alteration work is extremely detail oriented and very…read moreprofessional. Jane took the time to really find out what I was looking for and the finished product reflected. My alteration needed a very skilful seamstress and I was amazed at how much effort Jane went to above and beyond to make my beautiful winter coat perfect. The alteration was very reasonable, the work was carried out quickly and I received a text notifying me it was ready - simple but highly effective process. I will be only getting my alterations at HosiKozi. Jenny on the desk was friendly, helpful and a boon for this business. Helen

Established in the late 80's, HosiKozi is the leading store…read morefor quality uniforms. What's great about these guys is that they offer NO minimum's on your order. So if you only require one uniform (or need a replacement) HosiKozi will happily process your purchase. These guys specialise in school uniforms, and they also stock the various paraphernalia required for the start of the school year. (Think socks, shoes, hair ties and the like.) While the location puts this store in relative isolation, It's well worth a trek out to pick up some quality threads for your school or business.

I have been emailing Selective Fine Fabrics to track down a certain style of lace for my wedding…read moredress. I sent them a photo of the dress I am trying to recreate, and they emailed me photos of similar exquisite laces that they had in store. One was just perfect, so I paid for a sample to be posted to me. I loved the sample, so I went ahead and ordered the full amount. Communication was swift and easy and the lace was posted quickly. If you're in Brisbane or even in another city and looking for a spectacular fabric I highly recommend trying Selective Fine Fabrics.

Staff is very helpful, the quality of fabrics is high. This is not the place to come looking for…read morecheap fabric this is where you'd come to find fabric for a wedding dress and Chantilly lace to match. The range is beautiful and shopping here is addictive.