Megan Green's Stinkybomb Soap (Credit: Chris Casella)

A mafia has taken over the streets of Columbus, albeit an adorable one; they have glue guns, and cats. Their calling is handmade. Their reach is far and wide – like, other-side-of-the-world far. They are the Columbus Crafty Cotillion.

This collection of creative ladies is like a sorority for the DIY movement. Endless amounts of hard work, good will and time goes into making each individual product by hand and educating the community. Not to mention marketing their businesses by taking photos, updating websites, answering emails and packaging products. Despite these industrious efforts, most of them still consider their handmade creations to be just a hobby.

“I don’t know anybody that just does their craft work and makes a comfortable living on their own, including myself,” said Olivera Bratich, owner of local store and craft hub Wholly Craft!, which she operated for almost six years as a second job. Bratich was finally able to transition to making the shop her full-time gig last year.

Even AmyD, a much-loved local seamstress of quirky apparel, is still working toward turning her hobby into a full-time business. But these crafters keep working to revolutionize the way people think about shopping. The principle is summed up by their unofficial mantra: ‘Why buy your soap at Target when you can buy mine?’

“It’s been proven that statistically when you buy locally, that money goes back to local businesses,” said Megan Green, owner of Stinkybomb Soap. “I want my money to go back to my city and my town and my friends.”

Their relentless local efforts have garnered national and even international attention through the popular e-commerce site Etsy.com. Stinkybomb has shipped to New Zealand, Germany, France, Italy, the UK and Australia.

Amy Neiwirth of Sweet Stella Designs speaks highly of her crafty “family,” explaining that each crafter celebrates and supports the others’ successes and unique creations. They look out for each other instead of competing with each other. Copycats beware, however: their glue guns are drawn.

“If someone was ripping off someone else’s stuff, there would be some trouble,” Neiwirth said. “Watch out.”

This is one group of ladies who mean business.

Connect with this formidable collection of crafters at www.cbuscraftycotillion.blogspot.com.

Meet the makers

Stinkybomb Soap

Owner: Megan Green

Website: www.stinkybombsoap.com

When life hands you a grenade mold, you make soap. Inspired by her husband’s replica grenade and bayonet prop business and her newfound free time as a stay-at-home mom, Megan Green redefined the bar of soap.

“Without traditional crafts, none of us would be here, but we’ve kind of taken it to a more modern platform,” Green said of the Columbus craft community.

Stinkybomb Soap has now evolved from the original grenade-shaped bars into soaps in the shape of cassette tapes, baby doll heads, digital cameras and states (Ohio, Michigan and Indiana to be exact).

TsuruBride

Owner: Meghan Willis

Website: www.etsy.com/shop/tsurubride

A Toronto native with a flair for fashion, Meghan Willis dreamed of New York City but ended up in Columbus as a technical designer for Abercrombie & Fitch. Leather scraps left over from school projects and a yearning to flex her creative muscles spurred her line of animal-shaped metallic leather accessories.

When she earned the elusive “Featured Seller” spot on Etsy.com, a rush of orders sent her into handmade hell. After a quick call for help, fellow Columbus crafters were at her side forming a handmade handbag assembly line.

“Everyone was willing to stop what they were doing to come help me cut out lining,” she said. “It’s such a great, nurturing environment that I don’t think I would have found anywhere else but in Columbus.”

Sweet Stella Designs

Owner: Amy Neiwirth

Website: www.sweetstelladesigns.com

This creator of too-cute-to-eat sweets is a K-12 art teacher by day, and a polymer clay jewelry-maker by night. Although not on Saturdays – being Jewish, Amy Neiwirth observes Saturday as a day of rest.

“One of the prohibitions on Sabbath is against selling and handling money and buying things,” she said. “You’re not supposed to create anything either.”

So Neiwirth spends her weeknights and Sundays crafting tiny bits of polymer clay into culinary-inspired accessories like petite pie rings and small-scale snow cone studs.

“It makes people happy,” she said. “I think everyone can relate to tiny, little food.”

Get craftin’

“Columbus has a really strong arts culture and it’s not so exclusive that new people can’t find a way in,” said Elizabeth Jones, of the online stationery shop Poshta Design (www.etsy.com/shop/PoshtaDesign). Stop by one of these upcoming events to support the community or join in yourself.

Midwest Craft Caucus: This conference for beginner handmade business owners will be held June 4th and 5th. Sign up during April at www.midwestcraftcaucus.com.

Artisan Sundays: Local crafters and artisans set up shop outside the North Market on the first and third Sundays of each month from May through October.

Craftin’ Outlaws: Featuring the region’s top crafters, designers and artists, this mega craft show takes place annually in October. Visit www.craftinoutlaws.com for a sample of last year’s vendors, and check back for forthcoming details on this year’s show.