Papillion’s Indigo Cottage Crafts opened shop with one simple but lasting goal in mind: to make the arts accessible to everyone, regardless of their individual skill level.
“We are a DIY arts and crafts studio, and we focus on bringing community and arts together,” says owner and veteran Brandy Prettyman. “It doesn’t matter your skill level. You can come in and do what you love to do.”
So, she explains, when customers enter her shop near the southwest corner of 96th Street and Schramm Road, they’re not just entering a studio, but a place where creativity and people come together in many ways.
One of the most popular features, Brandy shares, is the Spatter Zone.
“You literally get to take a Jackson Pollock-inspired moment,” she says. Guests are given a canvas board they can prepare however they like—taping off shapes, pre-painting, or adding vinyl letters to remove later—before taking it into the zone and letting loose with paint.
“We provide all the paint and the gear, so you’ll be covered and protected,” she says. Some guests “rage paint” as a stress release, while others carefully craft their vision. Either way, the result is a fun, messy, and unique experience that painters of all ages, from as young as two to adults, enjoy.
Another favorite is the acrylic pour experience. Guests learn techniques like the “dirty pour,” using Indigo Cottage’s special in-house paint mix. “You don’t need an artistic eye to get something truly beautiful out of it,” Brandy says. “Everyone needs a creative outlet. I often remind people that they don’t need an artistic background to do something artistic.”
Indigo Cottage Crafts serves as more than a studio, however. Offering a place for customers to come together after their time creating with a full-service bar that includes cocktails, mocktails, sodas, and kid-friendly treats like popcorn and cotton candy.
“It really helps with the parties,” Brandy says. Parents can relax with a drink while the kids craft, or guests can linger, socialize, and unwind if they finish their projects before the rest of the group. The bar also supports events like Paint and Sip nights, where a complimentary drink is included with the ticket.
The shop also holds a retail space, spotlighting local artisans and authors, particularly poets, through Brandy’s connection with the Nebraska Poetry Society. From hand-stitched journals to art kits and locally made gifts, Indigo Cottage Crafts offers a wide range of take-home treasures. The studio also hosts “Verse and Vibes,” open poetry nights that blend performance with the arts.
Indigo Cottage Crafts offers open studio hours for walk-in crafting and nearly round-the-clock availability by reservation. And with a growing presence on social media, the studio continues to expand its community so that creators as well as those just looking for a unique experience can do just that, create and enjoy!
Because at the end of the day, as Brandy says, “There’s no wrong way to do art, so there’s no mistakes when you come into Indigo.”
402.315.9469 | indigocottagecrafts.com