Texts, tweets and Tinder might be all the rage but I firmly sit in the corner that believes sending…read morea beautiful card for an array of occasions beats the obligatory Facebook message or wall post. That's why I'm thankful that a store like Card & Caboodle, located on the lower floor of Queens Plaza, is still around. Much like hen's teeth, a shop dedicated to the art of correspondence via a carefully deliberated card is hard to find. Much like Suzannah B, I often find selecting a card far more exciting than the gift it may be presented with. Their range is some of the best in Brisbane and extend from classic humour, modern design and quirky.There's a card for almost all occasions and you'll also be able to stock up on wrap, ribbon or a fancy-pants gift bag.

Every year I tell my friends I'm going to write them a personal letter and post it. We all agree…read morewhat a great idea this would be and spend awhile reminiscing about the good ol' days before email. I've never yet written such a letter although Card and Caboodle has certainly tempted me with their range of stationary. Some of their writing sets are so pretty. Plus, anyone would be pleased to receive best wishes from their intricate pop-up card range. Their cute stamps, stickers, hanging ornaments and magnets would make perfect 'filler presents', the sort you would get for your workplace Secret Santa or that cousin you don't know very well but you suspect she's a girly girl. If you're looking for something more original than your stock standard newsagency range, then try Card and Caboodle for all matters stationary related.

Go to Nook on a day that your resolve is as strong as steel. Don't risk a visit to this shop on a…read moreday that you're feeling remotely vulnerable - your wallet will regret it later. Michelle, the owner of Nook, has for a number of years expertly gathered a refined selection of home wares, 'knick-knacks', clothes, bags, handmade arts and paper goods in this West End abode. I want to resist this comparison, BUT, to give you context, if you're in any way interested in Etsy, Frankie Magazine, one-of-a-kinds or twee anything, Nook is and will be a delight to visit. This is my go-to store for gifts for myself, cards for special occasions, notebooks and my new favourite nail polishes by Kester Black. Be sure to say hello to the shop cat, Pedro, if you get the chance! zß

A contained delight, Nook is the quintessential cute gal on…read morethe bloc. The owners have searched high and low and stocked this little shop with a killer selection of art cards, fancy twine, cake tins, bear cufflinks, stationary spectaculars and more. Come with some greens as you'll find it hard to leave without some Paper Boat Press ornaments (or ALL the nifty Pannikin goodies on display.) A veritable feast for the eyes, It's the perfect little nook to get your cute fix.

You know those nerds who get more excited about designing and making the party invitations than the…read moreactual party? Yeah, they're so weird. And I happen to be one. Even back in the late 90s when my birthday came around, I was to be found on our hulking IBM computer make invitations with coloured, comic sans-style fonts and the ever-classy clip art. They usually said corny things like IT'S PARTY TIME! If only Invitation House had existed in those days, and I could have saved myself some Microsoft Word-related embarrassment. Luckily, Invitation House opened not long before my 18th birthday and so I finally had access to more than Windows 95 to create my masterpiece. When you go in you'll see the the walls are floor to ceiliing stacks of paper and card of varying patterns, colours, and textures. They have sheer overlay sheets, cute pins and embellishments, ribbons, and stamps. You can pick out what you want and dream up your own invitation, or the staff can help you. You can also pay them to assemble them all for you, or take your supplies home and do it yourself. Since my 18th I have also used Invitation House's wares to make 21st invites for me and for friends' parties, and often pop in to buy some nice paper or card if I'm making something special. Such a great idea for a shop, and I bet they do great business because it's such a niche market. Well done, Invitation House!

Stationery really excites me. Like REALLY excites me. I think it's the prospect of being super…read moreorganised while looking cute at the same time. Stickers, pens, writing pads, stamps, you name it I love it! I am unashamedly geeky in that sense. So Invitation House, which funnily enough specialises in invitations, got a little excited squeal from me as I walked through their doors. Floor to ceiling shelves of different sorts of paper. Embossed, bridal, paper with cupcakes on it, floral, dinosaurs, oriental and SO much more. There is literally paper for any occasion here. It's stunning quality and averages around $1.00-$1.50 per piece so depending on the size of the event you're hosting it could become quite expensive. In my opinion though, receiving a paper invitation in this digital age is a little taste of the past, and it sets the tone for whatever the event is that the invitation is for. If you are getting married, having an important birthday celebration or hosting some sort of event which requires an old-school invitation, I definitely suggest popping in to Invitation House for some inspiration.

The best and worst thing you could ever give me is a Folio books voucher…read more I will be elated for days greedily thinking about all the books I have had my eye on, but when the time comes to pick the one book that gets to come home with me I start to panic. Will it be the limited edition Graphic Novel? the book on the history of Swiss Design? the vintage tattoo encyclopedia? the hilarious cat flip-up book?? Of course Folio books has such offerings and a whole load more. It's shelves are groaning with fat glossy art books on show and a large range of fiction to boot. to make matters worse for my wallet, I have recently discovered their online store (+ $9 postage anywhere in australia!) Goodbye money! Hello GREAT RAILWAY MAPS OF THE WORLD (Mark Ovenden, 2010)

If you walk near Albert Street or you're a QUT student, you'll no doubt have fallen across Folio…read moreBooks, but have you gone inside? This guy is just a place with wall-to-wall books on everything from design to art, fashion, food, photography, poetry, design, and just about every topic that's ever been written about. They also have a pretty sweet collection of fiction and some truly fantastic journals and diaries bound to look like antique books. So good. The trouble is picking a section in which to start browsing, because you get turned around and dazed with so many book and category choices. A kind of strange thing that stands out about Folio Books for me is that everything is shiny and new. I like a little bit of history to my books but this isn't an antique store, I must remind myself, so I shouldn't be too judgmental. This place has a ridiculously extensive range of books to delight and inspire.

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.

Pen & Paper is a fantastic shop but I'm not sure how many people would find it appealing. As the…read morename suggests, this store specialises in stationery. Not like Officeworks. Not at all. I would say this place is to stationery as what Max Brenner is to chocolate. There is a strong sense of decadence but for writing implements. The shop is relatively small but there is a large array of pens, paper, quills, inkwells, and other such objects. It would be a great place to find a gift for someone, though it can be kind of pricey. There was this lovely green quill set when I went there that was $39.95, which was marked down from $70 and seemed reasonable since you can't really find quills just anywhere. If you or someone you know is a fan of this sort of stuff, or even if you just want to learn calligraphy, then it's worth a look.

Purchased a fountain pen, broke within 2 days of regular use, beyond repair. Had a post on their…read morewall of ACC law, detailing that if an item was broken, you could get a replacement or refund. They refused the refund and argued black and blue. Will not be coming back.

This shop is like a cornucopia of strange little gifts, knick-knacks, cards, and bits'n'bobs…read more Exactly the kind of store you pop into in search of a birthday card for someone, and end up browsing amongst the eclectic gifts for at least half an hour. There was everything from teddy bears to photo frames; mugs and calendars to christening gifts; musical jewellery boxes to happy birthday banners. I can't lie and say everything was top notch, but I do recommend a potter if you've got time for a browse, or you have some time to kill while waiting for a bus. Like Mary Poppin's handbag, you never know what's going to come out of it...(or what you'll come out with!)

I love going into any Riot store as it always gets the creative juices flowing. The ladies at this…read moreparticular store are amazingly helpful, they always have an answer and there is never any silly questions. There is so many ideas for art and craft that you can get from these store. Also so many gift ideas for any body of any age. I would differently recommend heading into a Riot store first if you are going to undertake any projects. I have been into a number of different Riot stores but I would have to say I always get the best service from these ladies at Mount Ommaney.

Dandelyon Gifts is a store full of a wide variety of odds and ends. Here they sell mainly homewares…read moreand gift-type items. It really is impossible to list everything; they have jewellery, wall hangings, clothing, photo frames, you name it. The place has somewhat of a bohemian vibe, which I love, and they offer fortune telling on occasion (I can't remember the exact branch of reading, I'm sure I'm offending many with the use of the term 'fortune telling'). It's a calm, peaceful shop that will be sure to amuse you for a while, thanks to the many packed shelves as well as things hanging off the walls and ceiling. Even the front of the store is appealing, with many of their items artistically arranged to tempt passersby. When I visited, there was a group of tourists taking pictures of the eye-catching display.

We're coming into the season of joy and giving! This truly is one of the most exciting and…read moreenriching times of the year, filled with food, drink, friends and the giving and receiving of useless things someone will never use or want. Where else can one procure such items other than Dandelyon Gifts! All right, perhaps the above was a bit harsh. I in fact know of many people who would the ecstatic to receive a sleeve of incense, a birdcage or some mildly charming sign to wedge in their garden. In fact, I have been known to stalk stores like this, purchasing gifts for friends who revel in the receiving of such items. The problem is, when you yourself start receiving gifts of this nature, when you'd be much happier with a bottle of Bombay Sapphire or a gift pass for a massage. I went to this store with a friend of mine who was particularly enthused by it products. Like a child he would squeal with joy as he moved from each adorably vintage object to the next. I have to admit that I don't quite get it. This being said, I know exactly where to go if I need to buy someone a gift but have absolutely no idea what to get him or her. Personally this place isn't my thing but it will be for many others. Prices are reasonable, if one considers the objects to be of any particular value. With this in mind, it's a perfect spot to hunt for gifts these upcoming holidays.