If you take a staircase up to a first floor shop on King’s Square in St George’s, be prepared for a surprise.

Because you will find an Aladdin’s cave of scrapbooking and crafting materials, and an impressive selection of party items — many of which can be customised and personalised.

And if the multitude of fun gifts, bright colours and happy face balloons are not enough to brighten your day, then meeting friendly owner Corinne Parris surely will.

Surprise! Scrapbook Boutique is filled with craft supplies that can be used for making greetings cards, party invitations, gift boxes and countless other possibilities.

There are scrapbooking supplies in abundance, and a good-size portion of the shop is given over to party items.

It might seem like an eclectic mix, but it’s one that has proved successful for Ms Parris, who started out in the party supplies business some 20 years ago before branching into the scrapbooking and handicraft side of things more recently.

When asked what is the attraction for people to design and make their own cards and gifts, rather than purchase something pre-made from a store shelf, she said: “Making something is more personal; knowing that you have had a hand in it. It’s about giving a little bit of you, and it’s fun.”

For those who don’t feel they have the ability to make their own cards, but still want something unusual or unique, Ms Parris sells some of her custom-made cards and gifts, along with a few that have been made by other card-making enthusiasts.

For many years she ran a party supplies store on Crawl, in Hamilton Parish. That side of the business has since been merged into the scrapbooking boutique in King’s Square.

When she started out, Ms Parris knew she would have to work at it to make the business a success. But she was also aware that there were very few people doing the same sort of thing.

She has built a loyal customer base, and while the shop in St George’s might not be as central as some would wish, Ms Parris is happy to deliver orders to customers elsewhere on the island. The shop has its own website and online store.

In today’s digital world some people might consider scrapbooks an antiquated concept, however Ms Parris said they still fulfil a useful purpose.

“It’s about preserving memories. It doesn’t have to just be old photos, you can put in it whatever you want,” she explained, flicking through a colourful scrapbook containing some of her own personal mementos.

“It is also something nice to do for your children — something to pass on to them.”

The shop sells bright, unusual and eye-catching backing cards for photos and mementos to be mounted on before being placed into a scrapbook.

Elsewhere in the store the party supplies range from customised gifts, such as pencils with names on, decorations, balloons and gift boxes filled with candies.

There is also a workspace where customers can make their own cards and gifts with the material they buy and, if needed, with assistance from Ms Parris.

Occasional classes are held in the workshop area, either in the art of card-making and scrapbooking, or in related activities. There have been recent workshops in calligraphy, taken by paraeducator Dawnette Lewis, and a bookbinding session led by professional bookbinder Corynne Bailey.

And on the last Saturday of each month the workspace is used for an evening of craftwork with customers coming along to work on their projects.

Surprise! Scrapbook Boutique is filling a niche in the market, and it is a business opportunity that Ms Parris said she is glad to have pursued. “I’m finding it very enjoyable,” she said.

Surprise! has a website at www.surprise.bm