A coffee shop opened in the cold days of January. Coffee and Crafts is two doors west of the Monon Trail, just south of 54th Street. The shop is situated between So.Be.Fit. and Good Dog Day Spa. Cynthia Wright had the idea for Coffee and Crafts for some time. "I do a lot of crafts myself and go to lots of craft stores," explained Cynthia, "I wished I could get something to drink there. I thought that would be a neat thing, parents could sit and have something to drink while their kids are in a craft class, or the adults can have coffee and a snack while working or crafts or while in a class. I love working with kids. It is great to have everything together in one place."

Coffee and Crafts offers classes for all ages. All necessary supplies are included in the class fees for the children's classes. For toddlers ages 3 and 4, there are 30-minute classes with play dough and washable paints. For children ages 5 to 12 years old, there are classes on projects that include working with beads, yarn, paint, popsickle sticks, foam, clay, and much more. Children can be dropped off for these hour-long classes. This is popular with parents who want to walk the trail while their kids would rather work on crafts.

Classes for adults, ages 13 and up, include Learn to Knit and Learn to Crochet, where the project might be a basic scarf, belt, potholder or hat. More advanced classes could include making blankets or sweaters. Other adult classes on jewelry-making and gems/rhinestones are also available. Some classes include project kits, and others use a sample project and supplies from the shop. There are themed classes during holiday seasons.

In addition to classes for groups, classes for individuals are welcomed, although Cynthia pointed out that it is more fun to take a class with friends. There are no set class times at Coffee and Crafts. Classes can be scheduled by calling Cynthia to arrange a convenient time. Parents could even schedule a class for themselves plus a few friends to occur at the same time as a class for their kids. Most classes are scheduled to take place before 6pm, but night classes can be arranged.

Coffee and Crafts is easy to get to from the Monon Trail. Trail visitors can make a quick stop off for a cold drink and a candy bar or chips. As you have figured out from the name, Coffee and Crafts serves coffee. In addition to regular and decaf coffees, Cynthia serves a higher-caffeine coffee called Java Alert. Several flavors and syrups can be added to any of the coffees. Cold drinks available include lemonade and flavored tea, sodas and juices. Candy, chips, crackers, Danish, and coffee cakes are among the snacks for sale.

A combination craft and snack at the shop (and a gift idea) is the Cookie Jar. It is a glass jar layered with the ingredients for a batch of cookies. The shop is filled with crafts to buy, such as purses made from placemats, pillows, scarves, and knit and crocheted blankets. Granny squares are available in a range of colors for $1 apiece. Crafters can pick out the colors they want and either sew the squares into a blanket as a project or have Cynthia put it together for them. Cynthia's children's clothing sets include a dress and a hat and are available in many colors. Her husband has hand-crafted wooden boxes and chests for sale.

Cynthia has entered many of her craft projects in the Indiana State Fair. As soon as you meet her, you realize that she loves working on crafts and helping her customers with their projects. Drop in at 54th and Winthrop - either for a cup of coffee or for a class. The parking lot is behind Mama Carolla's Italian Restaurant, with the entrance on Winthrop, a little south of 54th Street. Or, just stop in the next time you are on the Monon Trail for a cold drink. The Gazette welcomes Coffee and Crafts to the southern Broad Ripple area.