This shop is a treasure! Its location in the beautiful Brisbane Arcade is a perfect match to the…read moretimeless essence of the shop. Such wonderful range of penmanship implements and desk accessories is hard for find these days. Many items are made in Switzerland, Germany, Japan and other countries renowned for their tradition of craftsmanship and quality. The Pen Shoppe is a must-to-visit for anyone interested in handwriting, drawing or calligraphy. It is also a perfect spot for finding quality gifts.

In the modern age, when everything is now, it's refreshing to step back and to visit a store where…read morethe products are dedicated to a more genteel era. A place where the written form is king. Where fine quality writing instruments and paper reign supreme over electronica, where service is still observed. Come here for writing instruments from brands such as Mont Blanc, Waterman, Cross, Parker - amongst others; notepads from Rhodia, Moleskine can also be found in stock too.

For a stationery addict like myself, kikki.K is a dangerous place. Their wares can be a tad on the…read morepricey side, but they often have sale items (I got 3-for-2 lists/planners today, nngh so good) and if you're a "strong of will" sort - or can get someone to hold your wallet - then even window-shopping in kikki.K can be a delight. The stores are always clean and bright and well laid-out, and the new Carindale store is no exception. kikki.K is one of the stores that should have been a part of Westfield Carindale ages ago, so thank goodness for the additional space in the new section. The staff are a delight, very helpful and friendly; I had a great chat with the girl who ended up serving me today. kikki.K's more than just stationery - they're gung-ho about organisation, to the point where you can attend workshops and consultations related to organising your life. Uh, I'm interested, but I'm all out of cash - do they barter?

Kikki.K and I are not friends. Something about the way they compartmentalise life into neat,…read morematching boxes doesn't sit well with me. It could also be that I find their creamy pink, blue and yellow colour scheme insipid. A lot of my friends like this shop and think I'm irrational and crazy. It all comes down to personal taste but I've never been tempted to buy anything useful or pretty from Kikki.K - not even as a gift for someone else. Their diaries, calendars, stamps, clips and photo albums are products I associate with aspiring domestic goddesses, unrealistic, neat homes and housewives and house husbands obsessed with cleanliness. I do appreciate though that a lot of people like their designs and it's definitely worth checking out their store despite the rants of one possibly crazy and irrational person like me.

Not just another office organising shop, this one is Swedish. I judged this place the first time I…read moreentered the store because the first thing I picked up, this organiser it's price tag rang high and true to the tune of $175.00. I pretty much walked straight out of the store right then and there, swearing to myself I would never go back in. Ridiculous. I walked past again a month later and they had pretty pink binders with polka dots, I curiously checked the price tag, and it was $39.95, a far cry from the $1 ring binders you can buy from Big W, but it wasn't over $100 so that was a step in the right direction I guess... there was a sale as well? I didn't end up buying the binder, I'm not too sure how I could justify the cost of a haircut to a cardboard binder with 3 metal rings. But, having said that, the things in this shop are very pretty, pretty enough for me to walk in twice. It's worth a look-into or a look through a window.

Great products and customer service. They were very prompt on emails and with dispatched my order…read morein a timely matter. Would order again.

I get the heebie geebies when I go into Oxlades Art Centre. I can almost guarantee that if I leave…read moreempty handed (a rarity), I will at least leave Oxlades with the curiosity and inspiration to propel myself into some mysterious artistic tangent that I've stumbled upon while being there. Trawling their three small aisles full of art bounty, I am constantly surprised at what I find in there. You've got a truckload of different pens, pencils, charcoal, graphite, crayons, chalk and paints in there to choose from of course. These are art store staples. On the note of painting: painters will be interested to know that Oxlades sell a big range of canvas (just enquire at the desk rather than whipping out the pocket knife and going for it yourself). Back to browsing. It becomes more interesting when you move into sculpting territory. They've got bulk wax, plaster, resin, and all sorts of sculpting things that I don't know the name or nature of. There's also a wide range of supplies available to print makers and those into etching. Glorious art stuffs be mine! If you become inspired by some unidentifiable medium or material, ask the staff at the counter. They are extremely knowledgable and helpful. They also have a small book collection on different art practices if you want to just sit down with a book and teach yourself through wild experimentations. Go on: I dare you to go in there and get curious. Start playing!

When I am feeling artistic, there is nothing I like better than making a huge mess with a bunch of…read morebrightly coloured soft pastels. I have been through a few different brands. My favourite is Winsor & Newton but they are not always easy to find. Lucky me for, Eckersley's always has them in stock and a really decent selection of colours too plus a range of paper stocks in different colours and textures. Being a I designer by trade, I have bought so much stuff from here! If they do not have Pantone swatch books in store, they are happy to order one in for you, although they do not have a huge range. They certainly have enough to get you started though. the markers and pens are good quality and again, enough to get you started.

Like most aspiring artists who tend to think about art as opposed to actually making art, I'm a…read morenotorious hoarder of art supplies. Having scoured Brisbane and beyond looking for art equipment, I can confidently say Eckersley's in the city has the widest range for painting, pastels and drawing. Their supplies are limited for sculptors and ceramicists but this tends to be a niche market anyway with their own suppliers. Their craft section is surprisingly decent with a beautiful range of handcrafted paper. I ended up buying my wedding invitation paper here and attending one of their cheap card making workshops for inspiration. The workshop facilitator was friendly and full of practical advice. While these workshops are not for experts, they're good fun for the casual hobbyist or the lazy, aspiring artist.

This tiny store is surprisingly well stocked. The shop's main product seems to be its impressive…read morerange of paint, with tubes of different brands containing various colours in neatly arranged lines along the wall. Out the front stand a stack of oddly sized easels, with a few inside as well. Inside you'll also find a variety of paper available. This is a great place to go to get your own or unframed bought artworks framed. As well as the supply side of things, they hold small exhibitions of local artists here but despite the name, I would classify this as more of a store than a gallery.

My partner and I recently had some old posters framed at The Framer and they did a beautiful job on…read moreboth. One is a rare WWII propaganda poster that my boyfriend wanted to keep well protected. Choosing the cheapest frame (75x100mm), but with gallery quality glass and UV protection, it set us back around $400. For another, less precious, slightly smaller poster we had it done in the same frame without the special glass and it cost $220. The woman who works there was really lovely to deal with, had both jobs done on time and they look great. The Framer also doubles as a gallery and rumour has it there's a cafe coming soon too.

This was an unexpected find. I only went in here to ask for directions and ended up staying half an…read morehour. So what was it that captured my attention? It's more than just picture frames, which, to be fair, wouldn't have interested me for 30 seconds let alone 30 minutes. I loved the recycled trestle table (amusingly called an iTable) on sale for $250...which was long, but just wide enough for an iPad and a printer. I also loved the cute, sketches on canvas by Cary Davies - all little family tableaux; the antique style mirrors; and most especially the paintings for sale by mainly local artists (keep your eye out for the Brisbane cityscapes done by Vanda Hudson). All of that to look at, and I still managed to get the lovely store owner, Kerry Hart, to give me the right directions, too.

Inside the shopping centre, easy to get to, friendly staff, all the products that any Supanews…read morehave. Plus, we won $3 off an instant scratch it. That's kind of like they're good, right? I think the name is a little deceptive, though. There's nothing super about the news you find here. No more than anywhere else. Plus, if you're unsure how to spell super than do I really want to read your news, anyway? Things to ponder over.

Supanews at Nundah Villiage is an average size newsagent that stocks a wide variety of magazine,…read morestationery, greeting cards, and also all manner of lotto and scratches (like all good newsagents should!) Excellent local newstand if all you're looking for is a newspaper and a copy of 'Frankie' - however it doesn't seem to have as much in the way of publications for more niche interests. It is what it is - a local newsagent with friendly staff and a good location.