If you’ve walked around the pockets of shops off the Monon Trail at 54th Street in south Broad Ripple, you may have noticed a door with an eye-catching mural of scissors. Beyond that door is where owner Shelly Leer offers HomeRoom, a creative DIY modern makerspace. HomeRoom empowers guests to move beyond their fears by teaching them how to design, repair, and create useful and meaningful objects for themselves, friends, family and the community.

Don’t expect the run-of-the-mill paper, glue sticks and glitter crafts. Instead, think drills, hammers, handsaws — and even sewing machines. Kids 7 and older get to try these “scary” things, all under the adult supervision of Leer and her team. Leer is an experienced expert and educator, and a contributor to Real Simple, Bob Vila online, Country Living, Apartmenttherapy.com, and the