hello, crafts question!

[magpie girl]

hello loli your work is fantastic in response to your first question you have used art as your form of distraction and you have kept yourself busy.But problems and grief always find there way to the surface,and you are no longer able to just push these thoughts to the back of your head.So you now associate your art as being unable to cope. It will pass loli just give it time,and grieve for your grandparents,take the offer of therapy from your gp and remember panic attacks and anxiety cannot kill you xxxxxx

[loli1982]

thank you, and good advice!

[PoppyC]

Hi again Loli
I hope you get the help you need. I can appreciate how you are feeling, and it must be tough. You have a real talent and I hope you soon feel up to completing your work. Maybe once you have counselling you will feel a lot more positive towards things.
A lot of artists get a 'block' sometimes dont they. You can overcome this - just dont pressure yourself with worrying about it all too much.
My son is a very talented musician and also at uni studying for a Masters, - he puts a lot of pressure on himself and is a bit of a perfectionist - and he gets times when he thinks he can no longer play and is no good at what he does and he gives up for a while, but then bounces back again eventually and goes back to being good at what he does.
Instead of thinking 'what if' I can't do this anymore, try to think 'ok for now I feel unable to, but it can change and I won't always feel this way'
You are so talented that I hope you get back to feeling how you used to.
Don't worry about the pity party - you are entitled to.
Sending you hugs

[BabyRachel]

Wow, your stuff is really beautiful!

I understand it is hard to be creative when your feeling anxious. Im a makeup artist, im finding it hard to look for a job because I had such a bad time in college im finding it hard to not associate makeup with college memories. Did you perhaps have a bad experience and have associated your work with anxiety/bad experience?

Why don't you try making something for yourself, instead of making it for orders/etc. Just take your time and think of something you would really like, and in your own time make it for yourself. That way you will know u can still do it, and your taking the pressure off because your doing it for yourself.

xx

[i love tea]

Hi again Loli Your work is gorgeous, just amazing!

I agree with what the others have said. BabyRachel's idea of making something for yourself is a good one. Or perhaps you could try doing something else creative instead - something enjoyable that's just for you. Maybe that would give you a bit of encouragement and help relax you a little. When I don't feel like drawing or painting, sometimes I just make a card. Something simple. I also got an origami booklet and papers for Christmas, and found that really relaxing and enjoyable, because I had to focus on following the instructions, and my mind couldn't wander - it was also satisfying to have created something I hadn't done before...

Anyway, I'm rambling now, but I think the main thing is to try and take the pressure off yourself and concentrate on doing things that make you feel better for now. Things will get better

[loli1982]

the pity party continues. well just thought id update this, looks like thats the end of that. should be starting college tommorow, instead im going to be phoning and telling them i wont be back. my workshop is getting emptied and put in storage at the end of the month, no earning or getting bursary, no workshop. i still cant get off the couch, cant go outside, cant draw etc. to top it all off, my joints in my hands have really swollen up, probably the start of arthritis, probably should go to gp, get some anti inflamitorys before it gets too bad, but oh yeah, cant leave the house. insult to injury, im going to have to cut off my rings at some point, their stuck. exept cant get to my workshop to get the tool to do it... cause i cant leave the house. am completley and utterly misrable, fed fxxxing up,had enough. ...um again, sorry for the rant.

[Typer]

I understand that. Creative people are often sensitive people too.

I love to craft, and make some jewellery and sorry I missed seeing the link to yours. Right now I find it very hard to make anything. But it will pass...honest.

There is an idea that creating, especially artistically (writers, artists, etc) uses the same part of the mind as emotion (still not well understood).

[SarahG]

Try to think positively hun (I know, I know, it's very hard at times and when people say it to me I think "Yeah right") Deal with the anxiety first and then worry about the silversmithing later. This is a skill and a talent you have and is therefore always something you can go back to at a later stage when you feel up to it. How are things for you now?