Human hands aren’t used for much more than typing or texting these days. With mobile phones doubling as music players and chat rooms replacing coffee shops, technology has become the connection between most people. But not everyone. “Can you believe it?” asks Lisa Chouinard of Feto Soap, her Houston-based company that markets her handmade soaps and bath products. “I’m in a knitting group. I get together with other people – guys and girls – once a month and knit….just like they did way back when.” Lisa is not alone; she is one member of the rapidly growing number of young professionals that have decided to unplug themselves and do something. Crafting is making a comeback. Whether a person crafts for fun or for business, more and more people are picking up their scissors, paint, wood, cloth, and everything else and making things. “It doesn’t matter what you make,” says Maria Ocampo of Mio Designs. “What matters is that you are creating something. I make fashion doll corsets, Lisa makes soap, and Stevie makes jewelry. Other people make scrapbooks, cakes, paintings…that’s not the point. All these things have one thing in common: human hands.” “Mainstream media is a showcase of sameness,” states Stevie Ballow of Rara Avis, a graphic design and creative projects company in Sugar Land. “Personal style is dictated by what the magazines publish and what the TV show actors wear. That’s why I decided to start crafting jewelry and add it to my company’s handmade product lines – I wanted to contribute to what I see as the ‘DIY revolution’ happening in communities like Houston, Austin, Chicago, and New York.” It’s no surprise that these women feel the same way about crafting and creating; all three belong to the Houston Craft Mafia, an organization that promotes and connects local people who want to make crafting their business – literally. The Houston Craft Mafia was formed in order to help individuals and “indie” businesses bring their craft to a larger audience. “Sure the title’s a bit funny, but you can easily see the meaning,” says Stevie. “Regardless of what we make, connecting different local designers and crafters with each other is a win-win for everyone. As a member of the HCM, I met Maria. I don’t collect fashion dolls, but my mom might…and she might be very interested in Maria’s corsets. See how it works?” The Houston Craft Mafia is part of the larger organization, the Craft Mafia. Started in Austin, TX by nine women business owners who saw the value of networking and cross promoting, the Craft Mafia has since grown to include NUMBER different chapters in the US, England, and Australia. Chapters take out cooperative ads in national magazines and host fashion shows, craft markets, and trunk shows. By pooling resources and offering a wide variety of items and talents, each individual business gains exposure to markets that would normally be out of reach. The Houston Craft Mafia is looking for new members in Houston and the surrounding areas. “We’re looking for people who want to make their craft more than just a hobby,” says Lisa. “We want people who have websites, people who want to go to markets – people who want to get involved. And that’s really at the heart of it all…what we really want is for the people in our community to support their neighbors and themselves.”