I visited the museum and jewelry store when they were in a strip mall at the edge of brisbane…read more They had lots of information and lovely stuff at reasonable prices. Also awesome stuff for the richer shopper. My daughter was at a conference in the center of the city and I told her to taxi over on her lunch hour and pick her Christmas present. Sadly I have not been back sincfavor. Mo Ed into a larger space for the museum but I have made several online orders (from California usa). The business is very reliable. The size and the quality is as expected and small packages arrive very fast from eastern australia.. Get on his mailing list. There are sales several times a year which are quite good value. Shipping to the states you don't pay the sales tax and the exchange rate has been in our favor

This establishment showcases beautiful pieces of all sorts of opals! The knowledgeable and…read moreenthusiastic staff were quick to help and show us around their museum. I was able to learn new things, and I thought I knew a lot already. Customer service truly is number one here! Being able to visit an Opal museum/shop in Australia has been a huge dream of mine since I was just a little girl 'ooo-ing' and 'ahh-ing' over these fiery treasures. My dream couldn't have come to fruition at a better location.

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.

Park your high horse on the street outside and dash into this little nook of a shop in Wilston…read moreVillage. Upittee is primarily an online store, specialising in selling beautifully designed labels from Australia and overseas, such as Mollini, Zoda, Mimosa and Foxton Danger, to name a few. This flagship store stocks the best (and newest) of their online collection - everything from cocktail dresses, casual tee's, trenchcoats, bright, sky-high heels, floral sandals, belts, earrings and hand bags. Their style reflects the latest trends for women ranging in age from 22 to 50. So check out their website and if you're like me and need to feel the material and actually try something on before you buy it - then pop in to this little store. Plus the staff are super friendly and provide better conversation than your laptop will!

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.

Full of quirk and charm, Mombasa is one of my favourite…read morestores to pop into at chermside. The clothes here range from cute 50's silhouettes and prints (Think polka-dot, bows, pleats and peter pan collars.) and are pretty reasonably priced all things considered. (Between $40-60 ain't too shabby.) ...The ace in their deck however, has to be their range of unique, odd and very cute home wares and accessories. ( I admit that this may be one of the sole reasons for me coming here.) And while the newly expanded store size makes the shop seem a bit more bare than before, I'm sure it's not long before they manage to cook up some more amazing wares to wedge on the shelves. The sales ladies I've encountered here have been exceptionally lovely (and were more than tolerant of my aimless pursuing.) And it's location in the chermside megaplex makes for a more than convenient shopping pitstop.

As recently as two years ago, I'd never have set foot inside a Portmans. I always viewed it as a…read morepoor woman's Sportsgirl - more frumpy than funky. (I blame it on the Yuppie Years - when it seemed to be filled with conservative work attire, chambray shirts and not much else) But recently I've noticed sequins. And digi prints. And great jeans (like the pair of indigo skinnies I got recently for $79.99 - they had $20 off for one week only). I'm a curvy size 10, and not only do they suck my Kardashian-sized arse in, but they also don't go baggy and saggy after wear. I'm such a Portmans convert now that last week, I to be physically restrained by my mother from buying a lined, antique-style cropped jacket, with muted bronze sequins on it (on sale! For only $70!) Her argument was that it was 32 degrees outside with 85% humidity. Sigh. Another thing that's won me over is that there always seems to be a mid-season sale on. And several racks of clothing with $20 off. And this store at Carindale is particularly spacious, well organised and rarely manic - I've never had to queue for a changing room, nor wait to be served at the till.

I absolutely love this portmans store. I recently visited the store to stock up on some new work…read moreclothing as a I was starting a more "serious" office job. A bubbly staff member walked me through the store handing me a few items and acting almost like a stylist! It was like a first class experience. The even better part was that she picked quite a few items I would have never picked out myself - and these were the winners! Really could not fault the customer service here.

I quite like looking at this shop, it is airy and bright and suits being near the harbour. The…read morestyle of the shop is elegant and sophisticated. They have quite a few things I "could" buy, but for some reason I don't. Why is that? I can't quite put my finger on it, although it might be the price or it might be that some of the items would be a once only wear. That said, it is worth a look and it is a nice shopping experience. They have some nice jewelry if you like your bling.

I like the look of Yoko and I spied a few garments I'd wear - there are some really pretty frocks -…read morebut lots of them were pitched at the older woman I think and decidedly aimed at a girl with a fatter wallet than mine. There are some cute ojects d'art and jewellery; I even spied some very cute walking sticks with carved knobs, but at over $200 a pop I'd have to have a bad limp.

This was the costume shop in Red Hill, but they've just moved - I must say the location isn't as…read moregood, and I'll miss driving past their weird mannequins, but they were CRAMMED into that tiny shop so I'm sure costume fanatics will appreciate the space. There's a big range, and they claim to be Brisbane's most affordable costume hire - which is probably true as some of their stuff does seem a little cheap. Persevere and you'll find something decent - and it'll be heaps easier to locate now!