Do you need a pen? Do you need glue? How about a small box of paper clips? Or paper to clip those…read morepaper clips onto? Look no further than Holloway Stationers. One day I had to go to class at London Met when suddenly I realized I had never purchased a notebook for it. For our written assignment in class, it would have been catastrophic. Holloway Stationers swooped in wearing its Super Man cape to save the day. Turns out I didn't need the notebook and actually didn't take one note the entire semester, but nonetheless the Stationers were there for me! Staffed by some lovely folks, you feel at Stationer home when you enter here. These aren't the type of people who will staple your hand when you aren't looking. They'll staple your heart with joy (still would hurt, perhaps worse). Anyways, definitely hit up Holloway Stationers for your stationary needs around the Lower Holloway area of London. Ignore all competition, Holloway reigns supreme.

Holloway Art and Stationers is a great little store that sells all kinds of art and stationary…read moresupplies. Their main custom comes from London Metropolitan University students as they are in the middle of the Holloway Road campus. Students get a 10% discount which I love. The man who runs the store is very nice, helpful and always up for a good chat. For most of your art and stationary needs, they can provide it at a much cheaper price than some of the Central London shops. If you are unsure about what they may stock, give them a call and they are happy to tell you what they have and what they charge.

I'm not an artist but I dapple in art and I like to write. I ventured into this shop in Muswell…read moreHill, to look for a notebook. I was pleasantly surprised to find out this store has everything. Even less politically correct things like spray paint bottles. My inner artist came out to play in this store. I looked at stamps, I looked at pop-up cards. In the end, I just went with my original safe choice and bought a Moleskin Notebook. Next time, I'm back for the stamps.

This poor art shop is looking rather naked at the moment as it was forced to strip off it's Gaudi…read moreinspired façade (think Casa Batllo dragon style) last year due to a feud over planning position fueled by unappreciative residents. This is such a shame as it was famous for being individual and it just goes to show the once bohemian air to North London is ever being lost to the bourgeoisie. Ok, well rant over. This is still a great art shop, specializing in fine art materials over two floors. They also have an original choice of cards so if ever I need a card at the last minute I usually dash in here. Some items aren't very good value, but they often have offers on and I've bought a few very good quality sketch pads here before. The staff are very helpful, although sometimes I've found it to be a little difficult to get hold of one when the shops been slightly busier. Now they have an air of melancholy about them as I think the best thing about Art for Art's sake was the shop front! Hopefully they'll be able to find something equally cool, but that will please the residents. Or, maybe not. Beige anyone?

Surprisingly well stocked : as a professional that needs graphic, colour and technical material you…read morehave to go way into Covent Garden to match it. The staff are always very helpful too. it's a gem that the 'chain' art stores can't quite match.

Oh how I love an arts supplies shop. Always so much glitter, ribbon and fun-coloured scissors. I…read morealways go in for a pencil sharpener or such object and leave, £50 down but bags of arts-and-crafts goodies to play with when I get home. And no, I don't have a child. London Art, currently decorated with the sweetest Christmas display that does involve those old paper-link chain things you made in primary school, has more cool bits and pieces that you can imagine. Papers, glues, calligraphy pens, pencils...you name it, they've got it. Heaven.

Amazing workshop! I went to an English Quilting Class today…read moreat Brick Lane. Really well taught class, friendly instructors, helpful tuition and I'm so proud of my quilted square. Definitely will be going to another workshop. Also, at £25 with all materials provided and several hours of coaching in a small group, amazing value for money!

I really enjoyed the two classes I took here: bookbinding and natural textile dying. The people who…read morerun the organization are super helpful.

No, I'm not trying to learn how to throw a pot on a wheel because I'm trying to recreate the scene…read morefrom Ghost. Funnily enough, this movie scene is the first that comes to people's minds, when I tell them that I'm taking pottery lessons. Truth is: I've had taken pottery classes back at university and I loved it so much, that I wanted to more of it now. And a few weeks ago, I was walking by this pottery store in my neighbourhood and I saw some people hinging over the wheels and my fingers began to tingle. I went inside and inquired if they would take on pupils as well. One of the potters - Gregory - was very kind and he told me that while he has no free space at this time, he has last-minute cancellations occasionally and he would call me then. And that was the case last week...and so on Tuesday evening I went to Dartmouth Park Pottery and got my hands dirty. And I have to say, I loved every minute of it: we started off with wedging the clay so that it would be more supple and better to work with. Afterwards, it was on to the wheel and while it took my brain some time to remember how to embrace the clay with my hands, I eventually got the hang of it and I was test-throwing various cylindrical objects...only to have them cut up afterwards and inspected for evenness in thickness. There was one other pupil with me in the class and so it is quite a hands-on teaching experience. I really can recommend it and I'm already looking forward to the next time someone cancels and I can come to another pottery class.

This looks like a great little shop and there are a couple of items in the window I've wanted to…read morepurchase for months now. However, it is NEVER open despite the stated opening times. I have made four visits now. On one occasion I called ahead, was assured they were open, made the trip across London, only to find a note on the door saying they would be back in four hours. Very frustrating. Hope to get inside one day.

Very nicely organized and, of course, all the fibers are beautiful but service is definitely…read morelacking. I browsed here for a LOooonggg time and was never acknowledged except for when I approached the table to pay for my items - I guess someone had to talk to me then! There were only two other customers in the entire shop while I was there and I only heard the two employees talking between themselves. In fact, they turned out the lights at one point without any explanation, then turned them back on when I popped my head out of an aisle to see what was going on. Lots of weaving supplies, of course, plus felting supplies, spinning fibers and equipment, and books. Interesting novelty yarns and blends. Probably not enough quantity of knitting yarn for knitters to be satisfied. Pricey!

In as much as my initial visit here left me feeling a bit *meh*, my return visit left me feeling…read moremuch the opposite. I try to give places the benefit of the doubt and not give up after one failed experience, so I'm glad I went back. Service this time was 5 stars. Both the ladies who helped me were kind and friendly. The one in particular who helped sort me out with a new drop spindle was really lovely. She wasn't at all snooty about me being new to spinning and helped me make a good choice about what to come home with. We had a nice chat about crafting things and wool-related goodness. Kindred spirits exist! Maybe my initial experience was with the less-than-great apple of the staff barrel? I dunno, but I'm happy that this place has been redeemed in my eyes as it really is full of great resources for weaving and spinning and the like.

My nephew back in Germany is crazy about the miniature London double decker bus I gave him for this…read morepast Christmas. So when I walked by this store (on my way to Highgate Wood) this past weekend and I spotted a kid's T-shirt with the London bus featured on it, I knew that this would be the perfect gift for said nephew's upcoming birthday! Walking into the shop, the lady behind the counter greeted my with a warm smile and offered her help. I right away liked how she was very passionate about the T-shirts and other garments made my a local designer. As I didn't have any money on me, she put the T-shirt aside for me and when I came back later in the day, I also bought another T-shirt for my other nephew...they are just too cute! Aside from children's clothing, this shop offers plenty of other gifteable things...the perfect location for anyone who's in need of a present ;-)

My favourite go to in Highgate ! They have something for everyone! Wonderful customer service, they…read morewill even wrap for you !!

Oh dear. I appear to have fallen in love all over again. I may be fickle, but there's no doubting…read morethat this one's a keeper. The London Bead Company's humble little shop front belies a colossal inventory that lies beyond. I can't imagine needing to go anywhere else when you have practically every type of Italian, Czech, silver and seed bead in the world on it's books. Never mind the whole section of the shop devoted solely to Swarovski crystals. The real clincher though, is that this place is also a haven for the keen sewer and embroiderer alike; step into the tardis-like back room and there are several hundred varieties of ribbons, silks, buttons, fabrics, yarns and more. A one stop shop for the crafter if ever I've seen one.

This is the place to go for jewelry making and embroidering. Those two hobbies take up the majority…read moreof the front and back room of the building. There are some other things like polymer clay (but probably for bead making purposes), fabric dye, bolts of fabric, sewing accessories, but not too much of a selection of any of those. But if you suddenly got into embroidering hardcore, then this is it my friends. Look no further. Broiders Rule!!!

I doubt very much that this shop has changed since it opened in 1855. I love the fact it hasn't…read morejumped on the arts and crafts bandwagon with new but faddish products. Instead it has strictly remained an artist's haven for the best pigments, oils, pastels and brushes in town. They also have the most beautiful easels. Everything in here is so well organised and uncomplicated and the bursts of colour from the pigment jars and the tubes of paint repeat like one rainbow after another. The inventory is colossal, it'll be really hard to not find the paint you're looking for, and if you can't, then the assistant will be able to tell you about stockists who have even rarer brands. If you consider yourself a budding Van Gogh then you know where to come. You'll have to get the 19th century costume somewhere else though.

Despite their range of art materials, visiting this shop was a depressing experience. The staff in…read moreart shops are normally a friendly, chatty bunch. This tiny emporium seemed to be significantly over-manned and what staff were present specialised in breathing down your neck. That impression of (what shall we call it? a Dickensian petty-mindedness?) was compounded when I returned a little later to exchange a product I had duplicated in error and, after some deferring, was refused by some off-stage managerial presence. Admittedly I didn't have my receipt but I had bought it very recently and they were the only stockist. It took me by surprise but perhaps I'm naive to expect people dealing with artists to be a little bit more flexible.