MIX Hosts Makers from all over the University

This semester, students, faculty, and staff have all been in the MIX creating, innovating, and collaborating on various hand-crafted items.  From workshops and tutorials to the Winter Handmade Marketplace in December, the MIX has been a contributor to the trending hand-crafted community at GMU.  The spirit of problem-solving and do-it-yourself attitude fed the energy of the hand-crafted movement within the MIX all semester.

The MIX hosted workshops revolving around providing training and tutorials in various handcrafted techniques.  Make-and-take workshops, such as the Decoupage Mask making tutorial hosted by Professor Shannyn Snyder, provided the Mason community the opportunity to learn Decoupage techniques to create a decorative mask they could take home with them after the workshop.  “This is just something I do for fun and self-care in the community,” said Snyder.  “It provides a creative outlet in a non-stressful environment.”.

MIX student intern Natalie Ledesma taught a jewelry-making workshop.  “I make and sell my own jewelry, and make custom commissions,” explained Natalie.  “I like teaching workshops to share with others the lessons I’ve learned and show them how they can make their own designs.”  This workshop was so popular that she plans to offer it monthly in the spring.

At the end of the semester, the MIX hosted the 2nd Annual Handmade Marketplace within the MIX, hosting makers and creators and providing the vendors a space to share and sell their handmade creations.  The goal was to help connect the Mason community to individuals and micro-businesses making a wide variety of hand-crafted, locally-made, and small-batch items.  The vendors represented students, faculty, and staff at Mason, and featured a wide variety of goods, ranging from jewelry, art, plants, and accessories.