Found this shop on Fullarton road at Parkside in South Australia some years ago by accident when we…read morevisited Adelaide. Loved all the amazing items in the shop. I was in awe of the dollhouse shells made and awaiting delivery to customers - all made in MDF by Joan's husband. And all gloriously perfect. Thus contracted that same day with Joan's husband for a 1:12 scale dollhouse shell. That was back when Joan and her husband ran the shop. I drew a layout and the style for the shell and they gave me a price for the shell. The electrics I had done by a local guy to comply with here. Before it was shipped Joan let me know the full packing and shipping cost as that had to be worked out later. All up the price was very competitive and fair. Joan was so well informed about everything re 1:12 scale dollhouses. While there I chose some windows and doors in 1:12 scale that I liked. The glorious 1:12 scale 4 feet wide dollhouse shell was shipped back home to me after we were back home - arrived in perfect condition. Then I added the flooring, windows, doors, painting and inserted all the doors and windows once it arrived back home and still sits in the entry area on a low platform on castors so it can be shifted easily. So sorry when I heard that this lovely couple had retired from this business.

I've always been intrigued by this shop in passing with the wave of traffic, as I notice two doll…read morehouses in the front window display. So I made a mental note to drop in one of these days and investigate further. Not that I'm into doll houses or dolls, never was in fact as cars were and to a degree still are my interest. This shop has several doll houses inside and all manner of furnishings, decor and residents to fit them out much like you would in a life size house, but these are all miniatures to fit of course. It's ironic to think these are designed to entice children to play with but in fact they're not and am sure would be met with a 'don't touch that' by an adult, but some items may be ok to handle and not so delicate in the hands of a giant. Everything to deck out a doll house is contained within this store, I don't know how popular this past time is but they've certainly been located here for a while...20 years in fact. Perhaps budding interior decorators use it as a prop to experiment with different themes and colour schemes for clients, oh I don't know....I think that's all computerised now anyway, oh whatever. They have a repair service and also do custom made items for the enthusiast. I suppose a cute little doll house as a gift for a young child would be appropriate if they're into dolls.

This place is an absolute Aladdin's cave and more of scrap booking pleasures to suit any project,…read moreabsolutely everything you need is here. Looking at the shop front is nothing to write home about and located on a main road I definitely recommend not parking out the front, instead turn the corner as there is a car park out the back. Two steps leading up to the entrance eliminates wheel chair access which is a shame but even the most able bodied person can find it a challenge as the walkways are narrow and crammed, try to avoid wearing a fashionable over sized bag as you're likely to knock something over. It is owned and operated by a husband and wife team, he works the till whilst she is kept busy helping customers with their queries and is an absolute treasure. It's easy to forget what you've come to find and buy with distractions everywhere, that half hour trip can easily turn into several hours. Delving further into the store there are several rooms leading off the initial entrance much like a rabbit warren, the room leading directly to the left predominately contains inks, punches and stamps but the behemoth in my opinion would have to be the detached 'shed' out the back. Following the winding path to its destination is a fully lined and insulated short of being hermetically controlled and the envy of every man, it is a mecca dedicated to paper. If you want it, they'll have it but I have to warn you one item will turn into many, with the possibility of leaving your bank balance worse for wear, but it's worth it.

Absolutely Amazing When I went there yesterday I thought I had died and gone to heaven,…read moresuch an amazing amount of supplies for every area of craft and art. love it can"t wait to return for more supplies. Cheers Lola

Especially for the crafty among you and those who don't mind a challenge, what about mosaic or lead…read morelight windows? If scratching and matching coloured glass to shape size and style is within your concept and skill this will become a favourite supply store. I get excited and inspired whenever I pop in to see what beautiful materials they have in stock. Glass is a very special medium, easily broken, not so simple to manufacture and full of unique qualities. The transparent, the opaque, the clotted and patterned all have their allure, the coloured glasses are sometimes just completely beautiful on their own, but when incorporated into a bigger picture, contrasting or shade blending, well the word exquisite does come to mind. You can hook up here with classes in mosaic and you can also hang around and get to meet various artists who have been through the glass blowing course at the University Jam Factory and such. The staff are helpful and pretty easy going. There is some good light in the space so you can catch the qualities of the glass well, and it is all pretty much set out like an art paper supplier, except this isn't paper, it's glass, so be very careful. I am of course looking at it all from the artists point of view because I am into creating visual art, but this shop is also good for decorators who are doing their house up and want to make use of the various effects you can achieve with stained or tinted or textured glass. The bathroom window is an obvious one, but if you are living inner city and don't have much of a view out the side window, yet you get fair quality and quantity of light through it, maybe you should consider a stained glass pane. Doors, small windows and sky lights can all be transformed into a feature by using some kind of unusual or coloured glass. They can cut it to size for you here and assist you in any way you are seeking assistance; delivery, matching old with new, advice on strength for shelving, just ask and you will find Veronica who is most likely to be helping you will give you all the assistance she can. The other thing that I should mention is that you can contact Deanna Kernick through The Glass Emporium and do classes in mosaic with her through them on store premisis, just ask Veronica in the shop or go to Deanna's website here http://www.mosaicsbydesign.com.au

I think I may have said it already, so, if you've been reading through my reviews religiously (and,…read morereally, who can blame you?), forgive the repetition: my favourite part of this gig is discovering all these new places I'd never have visited of my own accord. I'm a chap who loves his books, and I don't need to go anywhere, really, to enjoy them. I don't go city-gazing for teh lolz (as they say). I've too much reading to do. But this reviewing business has forced me out and about, and I've come across the sort of spot I wouldn't have thought existed. Vaguely I knew, somewhere in the back of my mind, that artists did stuff with glass. I think it might've been the movie 'Sweet Home Alabama' that instilled this knowledge in me. I had no idea the art form was so accessible, though. They basically stock everything you need here to get started. I bought a bunch of crap recommended to me by the helpful staff, took it home and made a jolly good mess of things. But the artist is dead these days, they say, and even if I think my creation looks like crap, I'm sure SOMEONE out there will appreciate it. But what I think might be my next step is to organise (and, I'll admit, I sapped the instructions from the review below, or above, depending upon where this one ends up) some training sessions. Of course, I'm shipping up to Russia soon, so I won't be able to being my amazing pilgrimage into the world of glass art right away, but if you get yourself similarly educated, I might just cross paths with you, my gentle, exploratory reader.

Like stepping into a well furnished artist's studio, Magazine Gallery is both the perfect gallery…read morespace but also (less well known) tea-house off of Clubhouse Lane. With flavours of tea like "Chocolate Marmalade" and some other unusual combinations this places is very well versed in making the perfect brew. I felt a tad ignorant as I received about 5 different contraptions and an egg timer when I sat down for my tea and had no idea if I was expected to solve a maths problem or brew my tea. Eventually I worked out the ingenuity that the special breed of Magazine Gallerite hold. The egg timer was for allowing the tea to brew the perfect time. The mini cup was not for tea, no, it was to hold the tea colander and the larger cup was (you'd never guess it) for the tea. The cakes and sweet treats here look devine (in particular their lemon tart - the bitter the better). I also keep walking past signs promoting their "Roast Beef," many a day as I walk down Hindley. Not sure how this Roast Beef is served because they don't seem to have much of a kitchen but curious at least to find out the savoury menu items on offer. The place has a beautiful communal table for communing and you can browse the artists works who are exhibiting in the gallery at the time while waiting for your tea. The only reason this place looses a star so far is that they do filtered coffee. Arguably I haven't tried their filtered coffee, and I should, but it is what keeps me from going back here every day compared to Coffee Branch and the like which, although has less seating than Magazine, makes damn fine coffee.

Magazine Gallery is run on a shoe-string by local finger-in-every-pie-man Joshua Fanning. Fanning…read moreis also involved in a bunch of other projects including running local magazine 'Collect', advocating for street art in Adelaide and marketing at nearby Mercury Cinema. Collect is run out of the back offices of this gallery - which is decked out with track lighting and wooden floors. While you are likely to see a mix of different shows in a year-long program, the focus here is on excellent illustration, design and craftsmanship done by creative people of many persuasions. Openings here are packed out and not because there is free booze - Little Creatures beer is five dollars a pop and proceeds go towards keeping the place running. If you are interested in buying art for your home, this is an excellent place to snag something at a very reasonable price. Popular artists who have shown here include Ruby Chew, Lisa King, and Kate Gagliardi. Magazine also hosts the occasional film screening, magazine launch or pop-up store. You'll recognise the exterior by the red iron grating and the up-to-date murals done by local street artists and illustrators. The daytime hours here change quite often, so it's best to keep up to date with opening and events on their facebook page, which can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/magazine.store.gallery.

Eclat Bazaar and Interiors is one of those adorable little stores which sells all those antique…read morelooking household items like bird cages and welcome signs. I simply adore these types of stores and therefore Eclat is no exception. For a reasonable price they have some gorgeous items which could be placed around the home or given to someone as a lovely gift. There are plenty of different types of things to choose from, some which will look great in the kids bedroom or some which will look great in the garden. There are some lovely candles which make the store smell divine, which is always an important factor to me when it comes to these stores. This store is on two different "levels" (in other words there are a couple steps in the middle of the store to get to the counter), so be careful of your step. It's easy to get distracted by all the items for sale and to miss your step! Even though I was in Eclat for a little while browsing, the lady at the counter never asked me if I was looking for anything in particular. This necessarily is not a bad thing in my mind because I like browsing to myself and if I need help, I'll ask for it. Though there may be some who think this irritating and rude. I didn't get that vibe.

Like quite a few shops on The Parade, this store sells unique homeware decor and little trinkets…read morethat you can put on display to make your home that little bit prettier. It is heavily French influenced - pronounced ek-la, Eclat means "the brilliance of the sun", "the radiance of a smile", "the sparkle of diamonds". The building is reminiscent of Parisian architecture, and the things they sell are so impeccably stylish you would have no trouble believing they were French. Inside, you will find a range of eclectic furniture, gifts, cushions, throws, crockery, tableware, rugs, mirrors, lighting, and a range of interesting wall art. It's a really cute place, even if you're not into that sort of stuff, you might find it handy when it comes to buying gifts!

Helpful staff, always happy to discuss what options they have in store for the outcomes you are…read moretrying to achieve as an artist. Something I find helpful is their written receipts, because it is always good to have a clear understanding of where the money has gone, especially with the tax man; it is also helpful when you are trying to cost something out to price it for sale. No problems with the service or the stock and the hours are pretty good as well. I am a regular customer because I'm at AC Arts just up the road.

Art Stretchers is quite a good Art Store on Morphett St in the City…read more It is the South Australian distributor of Art Spectrum, Australia's own oil paint, and has a very large range of the Art Spectrum Pigments. However, consequently it does not stock any other brand of oil paint. In addition, Art Stretchers stocks a number of other Art Spectrum products, such as watercolours, guashe, soft pastels and inks, as well as non oil products by other brands, such as acrylics, brushes etc. In addition to more generic art supplies, Art stretchers specialises in painting grounds and has a broad varietry of unstretched canvass and linen etc as well as stretcher bars of varying dimensions. The Staff at art stretchers are very helpful and friendly and will always provide assistance where required.

Much like a few other home decor shops along King William and Unley Rds, Empress exudes charm and…read moreambience in a tasteful manner. The theme is aimed towards casual home decor and not restricted to the indoors, but with class and entices the customer to take a piece of it home with them. There are some gorgeous pieces in here from paper weights to huge mirrors made to look like a window! I was so tempted to buy one just for the sake of it but the practical side of my brain talked me out of it. Several beautiful ornate candle stick holders take pride of place and stand with authority, whilst the under foliage of trinkets and whimsy items surround them. A well organised placement of items for the customer to easily browse through and no hidden price tags. Also in the store are some antique oriental pieces of furniture which blend in very nicely with the rest of the decor and whilst the theme is aimed on the oriental side, I feel it doesn't show it to full extent as it's a little watered down with modern items made to look old. But I can definitely pick up on the Moorish side of it as there are lanterns galore inside and outside. I can really see these hanging out under my balcony but problem is I'd have to deck out the rest of it to tie in with them. Yes it is a haven for interior decorators even the layman for inspiration and ideas with the strong possibility of a purchase!

Empress Gifts & Homewares is a new personal favourite store. I simply adore all of the retro…read morelooking boutique styled things to put around the home. Also, it smells really good. The furniture is simply gorgeous. So if you're looking for an awesome birdcage, Mandala trays, cake stands, or just some gorgeous furniture, then definitely make your way here.

Another of the home decoration shops that this area of Norwood has spawned, there is little that…read morestrikes me as special about Two Pairs. They sell a larger range of crockery than the other shops along the stretch, and a selection of loose and flowing women's clothing in a dozen tones of brown. They sell oddities like bells on rope, alongside more traditional Christmas and everyday decorations. There are some lovely food platters in here, but little else that took my fancy. Perhaps if I was of an "elegant (read: expensive) simplicity" home decorator I would appreciate these products.

Two Pairs has a large range of homewares and gift ideas to pretty up your home, and is a nice shop…read moreto visit even if only for browsing. The shop does have a very middle-aged housewife kind of feel to it, and the clientele reinforces this - but in all fairness, homewares aren't exactly the definition of cool. However, they do have a large collection of items that I would actually consider purchasing for my home, such as picture frames and glasswares. The only thing that would have me thinking twice is the cost, as Two Pairs isn't exaclty shopping on the cheap. There are a lot of things that catch the eye in this store, but unfortunately nothing that warrants the pricetag attached (in my opinion). As a poor, just-graduated uni student there's not too much need for these kinds of things. I mean, what am I going to do with a $40 wooden alphabetical letter? But I'm sure as the cash comes in (hopefully) my desire to have quaint yet pointless items in my house will only get stronger, and when that time comes I'll know to go to Two Pairs.