Austin DIY Studio is a brand-new maker space to gather and create by creative entrepreneur Mica May. She joined Studio 512 to talk about the inspiration for her business, as well as the upcoming Spring Mini Market where she’ll be offering crafts and craft kits.

When the pandemic hit, Mica says that she began filling her days with various craft projects for her three kids stuck at home. “Friends and neighbors joined in and before I knew it, what started as casual way for kids to safely spend the summer turned into a few years of hosting summer camps in my back house studio space. By the end of the summer of 2022, so many parents asked for birthday parties, after-school classes and workshops for adults. Oh a whim, I looked for a studio space and found the perfect spot on Burnet Road, the old Patcha’s location – a staple on Burnet for any old Austinites in the Allendale area! It had been recently renovated and updated – the perfect blank canvas for a craft studio. In two short weeks, I had found my dream studio and location, signed a lease, and put together a business plan for classes, workshops and birthday parties. I opened the doors of the new DIY Studio and has been filling the weeks and weekends pouring paint, making rainbow macramè keychains, and hosting private events.

“The heart behind DIY Studio is to empower everyone that walks through the doors to find joy in making something. The stories we are told about ourselves as young kids are so powerful. For years, I believed that I wasn’t an ‘artist’ because I couldn’t draw or do the things a typical artist might be able to do on the fly. But I have realized that we are all born to create, and that art is found in a variety of ways. You just have to believe in yourself and let down your guard enough to let loose, be willing to get a little messy and trust that the journey was just as magical as the actual outcome.

“We have four incredible workshops for adults coming up in the next few months, including Kinsugi, the art of Japanese pottery and filling in cracks with gold, painted bud vases and spring florals, and painting jean jackets! We also do corporate team building workshops and private parties, like bachelorette parties!

“We have been absolutely swamped with birthday parties every weekend! We have a variety of DIY projects to choose from, and we handle everything at our studio! From pour paint to a glamping ‘sleep under,’ if you are anything like I was when I was a little girl, this is a dream space for a birthday party.

“We also have after-school classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays where we focus on one project each week! We have made Pop-Tart squishy pillows, leather notebook folios and planters with succulents. We try and lean into anything seasonal, like Valentine’s Day and Easter-themed projects.

“With summer right around the corner, the studio space will allow for even more kids and lots more weeks of summer camps. The weeks are nearly filled up, so if you have a kid ages 6+, she has 10 weeks of epic summer camp themes ranging from tie-dye and DIY squishes to botanical masterpieces and jewelry making.”

Book your class today at AustinDIYStudio.com.

See Mica at the upcoming Spring Mini Market, which includes 55 woman-owned, small businesses selling everything from home goods to clothing and accessories! There will be a relaxation lounge by Hiatus Spa and Retreat including hand and chair massages, free drinks from Spritz Society and Canteen, coffee by Fara and small bites from Taco Flats. The event is Sunday, April 2nd from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Distribution Hall. It is free, family-friendly and open to the public – but RSVPs are encouraged for head count!