#glassjewelry
I was super busy all of September getting ready for the Wheaton arts Festival of Fine Craft which was this past weekend! The weather was perfect and I was lucky enough to have my booth space next to my friends @phyllisseidnerpottery @chartreuse_glassworks and @studio_del_vetro
It was great to connect with new and old artist friends and I had a super successful event overall! It was a really great experience but I also can’t downplay the amount of stress and struggle it was for me also.
As you have probably heard me talk/write about in the past, I am diagnosed with CPTSD and panic disorder that impact my life daily. These conditions can make simple things like driving, social situations, dealing with crowds and even just leaving my house difficult at times. As you can imagine, the quarantine exacerbated these issues quite a bit. This was my first time vending an event since 2019 and also my first multiple day event. My anxiety levels were through the roof for weeks leading up to the festival. I had some major panic attacks before, during setup, and during the festival but I managed to rally myself to be social, run my booth and make it through the entire event. I did even manage to enjoy myself quite a bit. I couldn’t have done it without the support of my trusty assistant/support/ wonderful father, @raybebak who helped me throughout the whole weekend (Thanks Dad ily!)✨
Unfortunately, the stress took a toll on my physical body. Anxiety is notorious for disrupting the body’s functioning especially in the digestive system. Sadly with the prolonged stress I was experiencing surrounding the festival I have developed a stomach ulcer which has had me in great discomfort even as my anxiety has subsided.
To give myself a change to catch up and heal, I have put my online shops on vacation mode for the time being. I’m still working on finishing up and mailing out online orders I received prior to the festival. I hope to have them all shipped by the end of this week as well as updating my website inventory from sold items. Shop will reopen asap! Send me some healing vibes please