Pulp paper is magical because it draws me with its stunning paper, quirky stationery, unusual gift…read morepackaging and most of the unique event especially Christmas decorations. There is a choice of over 300 design papers and over 200 bespoke ribbons. Every visit here is a true treat to the senses as I love to rifle through the little bags that hold various cards. I have a collection of objects at home including doilies made out of old newspapers that I use for gift tags, decorative wooden doves, paper lanterns, gift boxes and bags waiting to be used that have been bought from Pulp Creative. Drop in for a browse and if you don't buy anything at least enjoy the visual celebration which Pulp executes with much success.

Love love love. Walking in here to buy a card I was totally overwhelmed by the stationary…read morepossibilities. My mind was racing - 'What could I use that for? Who could I give that to? Oh, look at that!'. Every inch of this space is covered in something beautiful, cute and quirky. There are of course cards for every occasion but also available is invites, stamp sets, stationary, journals, gift bags, paper, tape, even knickknacks for little ones. This place really is a treasure trove of anything and everything to do with stationary. I only ended up walking out with a card, but a beautiful one at that. It did set me back $7 but it does really put the perfect final touches on a gift.

The unlikeliest stationery/arts store you'll ever meet…read more What is with all the Mexican flavour infusing everything these days? Not that I mind, of course. I sense a new fad. Typo has a new line of - let's broadly call it stationery- called !Ay Caramba. Yes, I have put the exclamation point in the right place. No, it's not a 'typo', har har. It's not JUST stationery, of course. It's everything a high schooler might need to look a little cooler, and make school a little less boring. Funky pencil cases, pens, and satchels. Satchels are important, in high school, as I recall. Folders, binders, journals, notebooks, wall art, desk accessories.. it's all here, and it's all awesome, you can take my word for it.

I know I'm going to sound like a girl when I say this, but...I love pretty little, shiny things!…read moreThat's why I can never stroll past Abode without a cheeky browse at whatever they have in there. It's hard to define what this store is about, it has home-wares but it also has plenty of awesome novelty gifts. I'll admit I am guilty of walking in there, buying a present for a friend and then falling so in love with it that I keep it. I'm a horrible person, I know, but you try it! You'll go bonkers for all the gorgeous, funny and random things in there. Whether you feel like adding something quirky to your home, buying a card for a loved one or getting a present for someone, you'll find it in Abode. Just make sure to give yourself at least half an hour in there, I guarantee you'll keep getting side tracked.

Abode is the home of pretty things! This is the sort of shop you could browse in for hours trying…read moreto decide on the right card or gift for someone. The wooden floors, non in-your-face staff and quirky Things make this a really welcoming place to hang out in. Much like a place called Abode should be really. I don't see the point of greetings cards that aren't tailored to the person being greeted, and Adobe has a great selection of fun/arty/beautiful cards on top of the wide array of unique gifts for another person (or yourself of course). If you're looking for the likes of a unicorn lamp to a Dali-esque "melting clock" or just have no idea what to get your funky friend for their birthday, Adobe is a damn good place to start.

Amazing Paper - a shop that needs little further description. It sells a huge variety of paper -…read morehand marbled, oriental, Western and exotic prints on thick sheets of glorious paper. This is the type of shop to inspire you; creativity exudes from the walls and the owners, who are happy to help. A great place to buy gifts, wrapping paper, cards, diaries, art and craft supplies, invitations, ribbon and all manner of wonderful stationary. DIY invitations, bookbinding and more mean that amazing paper has got all of your papery needs sorted.

This is an iconic Newtown/Enmore emporium of exotic papers, ideas and inspiration. Perfect for…read moreanyone moved by a creative project, you'll find this creative den will help you add enormous value to whatever you have designed. They closed their funky shopfront in Enmore and relocated in the artisan quarter of Chapel Street Marrickville. If you've been wondering where they had gone to, your resource centre is back in your life.a

Smiggle strikes me as being the childish version of Typo. It, like Typo, specializes in stationery…read more Of every colour. No, really. Looking at the store, is like looking into a rainbow. Everything is organized neatly by colour, and all of it is stationery. I don't know if I like it or not. It's kind of hard on the eyes, to be honest. I would probably prefer it if the colours were all mixed up, rather than being separated in blocks and aisles. Either way, they do have some cool stuff, at reasonable prices. I particularly love their bookmarks that are in the shape of paint-smears... not quite sure how to explain that one, but they're only about $3, and you should check it out if you want to know what I mean.

Have you ever wanted a remote control robot, or mustache-shaped cookie cutters, or scrabble tile…read morerefrigerator magnets and not been sure where to source such fabulous items. OOOOOOH man, do I have the store for you! Opus is a haven for everything fun and whimsical for your home or office. They have a spectacular toy section with something to make anyone grin from shoulder to shoulder. From stationary, to crockery, I dare you to stop in here and NOT find something for yourself or a friend. How do you feel about a mouse pad that looks like a mini rug? How about a reusable lunchbox in the shape of a giraffe's face? If there was such thing as death by cuteness, this store would be wise to line the back with hospital beds and IVs. Nurse, stand by... she's just spotted the teacups.

Oh, I love this store. It's so much fun. It's like a toy store for adults... (actually rereading…read morethat it sounds wrong).... well think more along the lines of fun awesome prezzies you want to give your friends for their birthdays - because your gift reflects positively on you. Opus is situated on the top half of Oxford street and contains a wonderful array of books, cards, homewares and novelty items. It's all quite classy so even if you're getting a "Captain Ketchup" ($12.95) squirt your tomato sauce gun, its designed so beautifully your house will look better for it. Prices vary as they have a mix of chic and cher. Whatever your budget you're guaranteed to find something you like in this shop. There is a HUGE range - many colours with many different options. I always stop by this store to find something special for my friends. The stores been around since 1968 and I sincerely believe all those years of finessing purchasing has paid off. Friends, if you want to buy me a birthday present - I can recommend anything here....as for everyone else - I promise you, discovering this store is my gift to you....

The smaller of the two I've been to it's still not that small given the multiple levels. Where you…read morehave me lost is that most of the ground floor is gifts souvenirs and trendy stuff/stationary. Normally I don't mind but I was surprised given the fact that everything upstairs seemed so condensed because of this like an aisle and that's it. Because of this I didn't get the type of time I wanted to have in what I was told was the biggest in Australia. Your mileage may vary on this obviously but for me that's a dealbreaker. On lighter notes staff were scarce and while nice didnt have what I was looking for. Books were in the best condition of the two and I was impressed by that as again I don't have that where I'm from. Despite that Sydney will eventually be my home I'll definitely be looking to shop in Melbourne more for the genres of my tastes.

Absolute garbage service. I PRE ORDER a textbook MONTHS in advance. I then have to reach out to…read moreTHEM to confirm my order as they didn't do so. They extend the delivery date out another 23 days, whatever, fine. I reach out again 20 odd days after that date, only to be told they don't have the book anymore. I demand a refund. They REFUSE. THEY HAVE THE *GALL* TO REFUSE A REFUND UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES!?!? The demand my bank account number! They demand 4-6 weeks turn around time for their "Accounts" team to process the refund. WHAT. A. JOKE. Don't bother with this clown company. Absolute clown circus square go.

Collector is full of funky, cool, trendy, lovely things. From dresses to shoes to jewellery it's…read moreall great stuff in here. The catch is the prices. This store is not cheap by any means. If you have cash to burn this is the store to do it. I could happily and easily drop hundreds of dollars in here in minutes...if I had hundreds of dollars that is. If the fashion and jewellery don't win you over, there's a great collection of children's clothing and funky homewares to pore over.

If I had a million dollars (or a sugar daddy) I would happily and freely collect everything inside…read moreCollector Store and outfit my life in awesomeness. The hybrid shop consisting of female clothing, gifts, jewelry, accessories and home decor has everything you need to make you smile on the day to day. For me, some standouts were the strappy leather sandals on display as you walk into the store. With different varieties of tan, black and brown leather straps all woven in different ways, you could likely find your staple summer shoe among this bunch. I did, but because I didn't have over $100 at my disposal, I had to wink and walk away... making promises to come back (that I hope I can keep). Toward the back of the shop (up the stair, careful not to trip), I found my second little love: Parisian thread bracelets. Made simply out of thick thread and metallic beads and finished with small pompoms, these bracelets are as sweet as they come, and fairly affordable at that. Give Collector Store a try if you're hankering for something unusual. I reckon you'll find it here.