You probably know about the big hulabaloo that is INDIEana Handicraft Exchange in June - a giant…read moreindoor/outdoor shopping fair. But did you know they host a smaller version in December, which just so happens to (smartly) fall on First Friday? The one in June can be very hot and very crowded, so I preferred the wintertime version, although there were not as many vendors. The crowd favorites were still there, like Newfangled Confections, Homespun, Crimson Tate, Farizula Designs, Silver Linings Jewelry, Hoosier Proud, USI, Revival Food Co...the list goes on. Don't forget to check out vendors down in the basement and explore the open studio spaces! I love this bi-annual celebration of all things local and will put it on my calendar for 2016!

I'm not one to dilly dally in flea markets or call myself a "shopper" but boy, oh boy, do I light…read moreup when there's an event that specifically celebrates local and creative businesses. Everything from up cycled jewelry and nostalgic candy to local meads and Hoosier themed apparel. It's essentially a one stop shop for all that is quirky and cool. And because I'm always down for some tasty eats, I have to add that you'll find some of the best at the Handicraft Exchange such as Duos, Scratchtruck, LICK ice cream, New Day Meadery, Sun King and more. Parking can get on the crazy side with the Talbott Art Fair going on just up the street. Give yourself time and have fun!

This was a birthday celebration time with my little cousin and we had a great time! As you walk in…read morethere is a wall of white ceramic items from which you choose something. It ranges from $5 to $50 and many are around $20 or $30. It was interesting to see all the options! I would have liked a few $10 options but we settled on two things each as a celebration. You pay and then they set up yup with a table and brushes. They have paint labeled with colors as well and a multitude of stencils and stamps plus other gadgets that you can use for your creation. They mentioned several times that you need to paint everything three coats in order to have a vibrant color. I will say that takes much more time than one would think so definitely give yourself time to paint several layers without rushing. My only other thought was next time I would pick a bigger object for our small ones to do as opposed to the tiny hand. Painting was very frustrating for them. We were able to help, but next time e Id pick only big easily painted objects. It was a fun airy spot with lots of tables and creativity abounded! Once you are done they fire your objects and you come back later to pick them up. I would definitely go back and try something else with friends or for a date night even.

We came on a rainy Saturday morning around 11:30 and this place gets a lot of business! Even so,…read morethere's plenty of tables and seating so we had no issues with finding a spot and painting for hours. When you come in it will probably take you some time to first pick an item to paint. They have a variety of options to choose from with various price points. The price includes all the materials and supplies as well as the glazing process and the excellent service you receive. They do a great job with labeling paints, having different size brushes, switching out jars of water, and checking on you throughout the process. I will say that since it's best to paint 3 hours it takes a lot longer than you would think. So come with the mindset of getting lost in the therapeutic process of painting. We took 4 hours to paint our items. We will have to come back to pick up our items. They have a sign and provide clear communication on when to expect our items back. We had such a blast. I noted they have a party room that can be reserved so this would be a fun way to celebrate a special occasion! Will definitely be back to paint some more.

Very fun experience, however, I wish the staff was friendly and more helpful as it was our first…read moretime here. They also didn't have a graphic that we paid for so we are awaiting a refund in that. All in all very pleased with our creations

I really like this place. They will Tie Dye pretty much anything....shirts, masks, headbands, bags,…read moretowels, socks, sweatshirts..... They are not open on Mondays, FYI. There is huge parking lot there that it shares with the other businesses in the strip mall that it is in. I got there as soon as they opened so, I was in and out in about 40 minutes. The place starts to back up as the day goes on. They only have 3 to 4 people working the floor and assisting customers at any given time. The staff is awesome. They were very friendly and extremely helpful. They made the process very easy and simple. The shop is very clean and well organized. The first thing that you do is get a card to fill out (one card per item). You then pick the item you want to tie dye. My little went with a tote bag and a shirt. They have most of the items on display around the store and shirts on a rack that you can try on to get the right size. You then pick the colors you want to use.from a swath of colors on the table. The also have each color on shirt displayed around the shop. Three colors are included and each additional color is a buck. After all that you pay for your item or items get some disposable gloves and aprons and they send you to a work table (either high or low). They bring out your items and the color dyes that you picked out. From there you pick your tie Dye design, from stripes, swirl, or patches and they set your shirt up to the design you selected by using rubber bands. My little chose stripes for the tote and swirl for the shirt. After it is set up you add the dye in the designated areas between the rubber bands (front and back). After that, they take the item or items and prep them. That takes about 10 to 20 minutes depending on how busy they are. During that time, you can play one of their board games they have there or write on the chalk board or play on your cellular device. After they have prepped it, the last thing you have to do is rinse your items out in the sink until the water comes clear and then run them through a wringer and you are done. The bad up your stuff, give you some important care directions and then send you on your way. One thing to note during this is to be carful. As the signs say at most of the tables, "dye dyes everything", so if you get it on your hands or clothes it will be there for a while. In the case of your clothes, forever. This was an awesome experience and my little had a lot of fun and loves her creations. It is a tad on the pricey side, but well worth it. Great indoor family fun and you get to bring something home to show for it. They do birthday parties, corporate events and field trips. I highly recommend checking this place out.

As someone with a disability who is also a creative, there's no question I resonate with ArtMix's…read moremission to transform the lives of people with and without disabilities through the creation of art. ArtMix is an Indianapolis-based non-profit organization that has been in existence since I was a kid in school, though it began life as Very Special Arts. They have four core programs, a variety of special projects, and quite a few opportunities to support them ranging from visiting their art gallery to joining them for First Fridays and others. As they note on their website, in the early days of public education for those with disabilities it was uncommon for us to be integrated into regular classrooms. An organization like this was used to fill in that gap. While I was often discouraged from creativity, this was an organization that encouraged it. The fact that I'm now a published writer, film critic, producer, and occasional actor is proof positive of how positive their influence can be. It should be noted that shopping in their gallery is by appointment only. Like a lot of non-profits, they have a small staff. The core programs for ArtMix include urban artisans, entrepreneur artisans, community classes, and artists-in-residence. In terms of accessibility, despite being in a challenging building they do well with ramps at the back entrance (and free parking in the back lot). The building itself is locked - there's a call box that you'll use (again, they request appointments). First Friday events are cool, the gallery is wonderful (and does support artists with disabilities. Yay.). I'm very pleased with this organization. It's only gotten better over the years. While I'm no longer that student sitting in a classroom, ArtMix reaches out even more these days and is truly a community organization. If you've never checked them out, I definitely recommend it.

Interested in supporting local artists, giving back, and purchase beautiful art? Art mix is the…read moreperfect place for this! I went for the second year to their holiday open house to do my yearly ornament shopping for family and friends. There are beautiful, one-of-a-kind ornaments, plates, bowls, and other ceramic pieces. All of the pieces are carefully made by the artists, fired on-site, and then made available in their gallery. I have been thrilled by the items I've purchased and the recipients love them!

Great selection of art by talented local artists. The artist who was working that day answered all…read moreof our questions too.

I adore this gallery! It's always a stop for us on Gallery Walk nights in Carmel. The people…read moreworking are always ready to help or answer questions. I love looking at all the new fun art and awesome unique gifts! It's so nice to see so many local artists and their work. They have some really nice pieces, some expensive, but I feel like they have things that would fit in a price point for everyone. I found some really nice note cards of the angel paintings I always admire and they even had a set of Carmel paintings. I adore seeing Nancy Keating's mosaic work here! She's so creative and I love the ice buckets! I am pretty sure I will be getting one for my husband for Christmas this year. It's just so fun and love the local touches on it!

My friends and I went to the Westfield location, which doesn't have a Yelp page. I would assume…read morethat most locations are similar. It was surprisingly not busy for a Saturday around lunch. This paint your own pottery studio is one of the better ones. They have tons of options to choose from, and they are fairly priced to my opinion. They also do not have a studio fee so what you paint is what you buy. They have tons of paint options and lots of stencils. The areas are nice and clean and staff frequently fills up your water so your paintbrushes remain clean. Staff was nice and friendly. I will definitely be coming again.

I went with my grandchildren and we had a great time! The helper workers were amazing and helped us…read morewith lots of suggestions. There was a lot to select from, and having someone guide my littles to a choice was very helpful. So much variety to choose from. I have gone to similar studios, and they really do not compare. The size of the space and the all inclusive rate was cheaper than most other places. I will definitely be going back.

I recently purchased a very expensive detector from this outfit. They provided me with a tracking…read morenumber that required me to be home to sign for the package. I had to rearrange my vacation and rearrange a hunt so that I could be here to accept the package. I find out they gave me somebody else's tracking number and when I contacted them about it their response was it was an honest mistake. This is about as unprofessional as you can get. Providing someone with the correct tracking number after a large purchase is not rocket science. Time for me to move onto another distributor that can handle shipping without huge mistakes and take responsibly for the mistakes they do make.

LOVE this hobby store. You will not be disappointed and the fact that you are supporting a local…read morebusiness is the icing on the cake. Irvin has the best store in the state!

Like a newborn toddler learning to walk and then talk, it's been fun to watch Big Car grow and…read moredevelop over the last few years. I actually believe my first time to the Center was for the Yelp 500 two or three years ago and since then I've been for art shows, film screenings, meetings or just to marvel at their tremendous parking lot gardens and chickens. There's something so raw and edgy that makes Big Car a perfect fit for its surroundings. Nestled between all of my favorite ethnic eateries and stores, the building and staff is very in tune with what is going on in Lafayette and tapping in to the diverse audience of the area. I would have to say my favorite part about the Service Center is the simple fact that it once served as a car repair shop but is now filled with Sun King beer, a screening room, and a calendar packed with classes and events for all ages. Can't wait to see what comes next for this creative powerhouse.

Big Car? Oh, you mean the place with the chicken coops…read more I've driven past this facility several times and I always wondered about what went on inside. (The last time I visited, it was a tire center, lol) I was pleasantly surprised by what Big Car had done with the place. I had the opportunity to participate in the Digital Disconnect event where you surrender your mobile devices for an evening of good old fashioned fun. Think board games, letter writing, and live music. Of course, I panicked when I realized that I wanted to tweet about the event and my cell phone was nowhere to be found. But, wow. How refreshing to remember life before being connected to EVERYONE 24 hours a day. Kudos to Big Car on a great event and on re-purposing an unused building on the NW side. I'm looking forward to returning soon and often.