These days, it’s hard to find jewellery and accessories that are even remotely original.

The Internet is your best friend when it comes to sourcing jewellery that is unique and affordable, and one of my favourite sites for this is Shop Moose.

Shop Moose is a local site that showcases the work of Australian designers. I’ve bought a couple of pieces from the site in the past and have always received comments and compliments on them.

My current favourite collections are from Drink Me, Alice (I already own the Sugar and Spice earrings and Original Bluebird pendant) and Jess Viscarde (how cute are the Fly Free earrings, pictured here?).

Shop Moose also has a fibre collection of handmade textile and paper products, as well as ceramics and art.

By Caroline Warnes

My latest obsession is Pandora charm bracelets: they’re a new take on the more traditional charm bracelets.

The Danish company began making bracelets, necklaces and charms over 25 years ago and today sells jewellery that is both unique and affordable.

I am absolutely in love with the charm bracelets - they start from $39 at Pandora Charm Bracelets and run right through to an eye-popping $1533 for a 14ct gold bracelet. You can choose bracelets with either a traditional clasp or the Pandora bead clasp.

Then there are the charms and beads that you can add to your bracelet as time goes on. Pandora’s charms use a combination of precious and semi-precious stones to create the charms. Murano glass is used to create the spacing beads that you place between the charms to give the bracelet bulk (check out the Pandora website for some inspiration).

The charms on offer range from letter plates to birth stones, and the Murano glass beads are a work of art in themselves.

Pandora also sells a range of rings, necklaces and toe rings, so check out the website for stockists.

By Caroline Warnes

When I first heard about a jewellery collection based on Disney movies, I was dubious to say the least.

Retro kitsch has never really been my thing, and neither have Disney movies since the mid-to-late 1980s (though Lady and the Tramp will always hold a special place in my heart).

I was also concerned that this jewellery had the potential to be incredibly tacky. And though some pieces in the official Disney Couture collection are a little on the tacky side, others are actually quite cool.

For the past eight months I’ve been drooling over the Bambi bangle bracelet on Regencies.com, complete with Swarovski Austrian crystals and gold plating. Not to mention that Bambi charm. Every few months I get so far as putting it in my online shopping cart and heading to the checkout before talking myself down from the ledge by reminding myself that Mr Amex is already pretty cranky with me.

Miijo.com has a small range of Disney Couture (click here to see it), with prices starting from $60. I’m a fan of the Poison Apple necklace.

Other sites to check out for Disney Couture stuff are 80s Purple and MyCatwalk, which is a local site.

A few smaller retailers around the country do stock Disney Couture jewellery as well. Last time I was in Melbourne, Cactus Jam did, and you could also try Melbourne’s four Fat stores.

By Caroline Warnes

If you’ve left your Christmas shopping to the last minute, don’t panic - you’ve still got time! Here’s the best gift ideas I’ve seen this week…

For her

* Oroton has released the Lucky necklace (pictured here), which is a reinterpretation of the label’s iconic mesh purses. The original mesh purses are a collector’s item with vintage fans - I bought a 1960s version from a second-hand shop in Sydney’s Castlereagh Street several years ago and it was one of the finds of the year for me! Priced at $195, the Lucky necklace comes in antique gold, silver or gunmental.

* If you’re shopping for someone with wavy or curly hair, she’ll love the Curl-ease towel. Curly hair is notoriously tricky to wash and dry without ending up with a mountain of frizz. The Curl-ease towel is completely flat, so no strands can get caught and frizz up. It retails for $19.99.

* Hollywood Fashion Tape makes a great stocking filler for most girls, especially in the party season. It’s double-sided tape that sticks to both clothing and skin, so you can avoid any potential waldrobe malfunctions, particularly with skimpy tops and dresses on New Year’s Eve. You can find it at a range of boutiques, specialty stores, spas and beauty salons.

* Target has 20 percent off fragrance gift packs until Christmas Eve. I don’t recommend buying perfume for anyone unless you’re fairly confident you know what they like - fragrance is a very individual thing and what smells good on one woman may end up smelling like toilet cleaner on another.

For him

* The iconic Aussie Stubbies have been reinvented - and you’ll hardly recognise them. No longer restricted to those sporting the so-called trasdesman’s crack, they now come in a range of vintage prints and styles. Check them out at your local Myer stores in NSW, Victoria and Queensland. (They also make Stubbies for women, and they are oh-so-comfy…)

* If the man in question has some metrosexual tendencies - or just looks after his skin - Nivea For Men recently released some new products, including a Moisturising Body Lotion and Extreme Comfort shaving gel and balm. While I can’t vouch for the effectiveness of the men’s products myself, for obvious reasons, they have received good feedback from my male friends and I do love the women’s products, (the Nivea Visage Anti-Wrinkle Q10 Repair Night Cream is one of the best supermarket night moisturisers I’ve used).

* For adventure-seekers, the Oregon Scientific Action Cam is one of the coolest new gadgets around. Its maker claims it’s the world’s first amateur waterproof and shock-resistant hands-free digital vide camera - you can mount it on helmets, handlebars or even on your arm to capture all the action when you’re surfing, mountain biking or generally getting up to antics in the great outdoors. You can pick it up for under $200 from camera shops, including Camera House and Ted’s Cameras.

* For photography nuts, the Lowepro Flipside Camera Backpack is a great gift idea. It’s designed for carrying a dSLR camera with lens attached as well as extra lenses and accessories.

For kids and babies

* The Bonds Easysuit is one of the best products for babies to hit the market in recent times. There are no press studs, buttons, velcro or zips - it’s a three-step suit so mums and dads alike will have an easier time of changing baby.

* Little Tots is a brand new site that offers Australian-made clothing for sizes ranging from 1 to 5.

* If you’re shopping for a little girl who loves Dora the Explorer, how about the fragrance? It’s a bargain at only $14.95.

For your office Kris Kringle

* If your Kris Kringle at work thrives on stress, the new book Flip the Switch (available at major bookshops) offers tips for dealing with workplace stress and improving your quality of life.

* The Lloyds Christmas Chocolate Lovers gift box from Target is perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth.

* The holidays are a great time for BBQs, so the BBQ Sauce Triple Pack makes a nice office gift - for only $12.99.

By Caroline Warnes

I always go into a state of mild shock when December arrives for the year.

Although I always have a general vague sense of time passing throughout the year, it isn’t until the final month arrives that I start to panic about clocking up another year, not doing most of the things I resolved to do last year, generally wasting time, etc etc.

But of course, the end of the year isn’t all bad. There’s also the bonuses of having a break from work, spending time with your family and, of course, an excuse for presents.

I personally don’t expect gifts from other people at Christmas, and I definitely don’t ask people to get me certain things (my father, bless him, famously gave me a $20 Caltex voucher one Christmas, and I definitely didn’t ask for that, though naturally it came in handy). I think gift giving should be entirely voluntary, otherwise what’s the point? But I usually do treat myself to one gift at the end of each year. This year I’m tossing up between:

* These Marc Jacobs pumps. I love the fact that they are sexy and feminine enough to wear out at night, but are also practical and demure enough for work. Marc Jacobs shoes are sold at Myer locally. I’d recommend trying shoes on instore rather than buying them online, unless you have bought shoes from that particular designers before. Sizes do vary greatly between designers. They can even vary within a designer’s range.

* This five-piece champagne set from Target. I think it’s a bargain at $49.99. At the start of summer I always have visions of hosting a fantastic cocktail party on a balcony somewhere wearing an equally fantastic cocktail dress, however this never actually happens. In any case, the champagne set would still come in handy.

* A Leona Edmiston dress. I have been absolutely in love with her dresses for years, but have never actually owned one. They are so flattering and feminine. I could seriously see myself buying any of the dresses in her current collection, however I’m particularly enamoured of the Emerald Style.

* A PlayStation 3 games console. My last games console purchase was the original Xbox several years ago and I think it’s time for an upgrade. And seeing as I have an high-definition ready flatscreen at home, I want to play HD movies as well! Thankfully, the PS3 is an all-in-one device and allows you to do that.

* Anything from the Cartier Panther collection. Okay, this one is in no way realistic given that Cartier jewellery tends to be without a price tag, well within the “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it” category. However I can always dream, right? A similarly animal-inspired (and more affordable) option is the Karen Walker Owl Ring. Still not cheap, but it’s an absolutely gorgeous piece of jewellery.

Lastly, I was excited to hear that Evelyn Miles is having a BIG sale for three days only (until Sunday). With up to 40% off new season stock and up to 60% off the already reduced sale stock, my credit card is already groaning in protest…

By Caroline Warnes