Hello, Crochet Spot Readers! I’ve been blogging here at Crochet Spot since October 2012, but I haven’t yet taken a moment to introduce myself and let you know what I am all about. I hope that this post will open a conversation so that we all can share a bit about who we are!

Although I have been a crafter for my entire life, I started crocheting in 2008. It has become my main hobby since then and I’ve had the opportunity to branch out into designing both here on Crochet Spot and in a new book called Crochet One Skein Wonders. I am the founding President of the first Mexican Chapter of the Crochet Guild of America. We’re called “Ganchitos,” which means “little hookies.”

I have a Master’s Degree in education, but lately I’ve been exploring the world of business in order to learn a different industry. One project that I’ve been working on for a long time is my personal blog, Art, Like Bread.

I started a craft blog in order to get over my fears and simply put my creations out into the world, and to call it art. I chose the name Art, Like Bread because of a poem by Roque Dalton. The line that resonated with me was “I believe that the world is beautiful and that poetry, like bread, is for everyone.” I share that belief.

My mother always taught me to appreciate the beauty of nature: to look, to notice. The world *is* beautiful. There is inspiration in every culture, and the ability to explore other cultures is a luxurious necessity. Multiculturalism is a passion for me, and has informed the entire trajectory of my education after high school. Multiculturalism is a personal, core value, and authentic intercultural interaction is of paramount importance in my life. Art can be the entryway because it is from the heart, and it touches us viscerally. If we approach multiculturalism from a place of love, we have a better chance.

I used to live in Berkshire County, MA, which is famous for the arts. (My hometown, Pittsfield, MA, was also the first American home of the Merino sheep!) Every time I was schmoozing at an art opening I never felt I could say I was an artist, although I felt like an artist inside. I would say, “I’m artistic, but not an artist.” This was mainly because I wasn’t creating anything I felt was original. For instance, I was folding lots of origami, but I was simply reproducing the forms. I was scrapbooking and making cards, but I wasn’t designing the stamps or paper.

Through blogging and listening to podcasts (Craftypod by Sister Diane, to be exact), I found crochet; which is a perfect medium for me, because I CAN design my own wearables, and the entire process feels more organic to me. Before I have a few balls of yarn and a hook, after I have something beautiful that I created with my own hands. Even if I am recreating another designer’s work, I usually modify it. I rarely use the suggested yarn. I feel that the final product is uniquely mine. It’s a great feeling. So through crochet and blogging, I’ve found that I am an artist, a crafter, and an artisan. 🙂

So what about you? How does crochet fit into your life? Do you feel like an artist, crafter, artisan, all three, or none? 🙂 Please leave your stories in the comments.

Tags: artlikebread, bloggers, Caissa McClinton, crochet, Fun Ramblings, get to know me!, multiculturalism

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 30th, 2013 at 8:15 AM by Caissa "Cami" McClinton and is filed under Fun Ramblings. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.