To make a long story short, all sewing commissions are temporarily closed.

I am working on the corset orders already arranged, and I welcome inquiries, but I cannot commit to new commissions at this time.  I do not know when I will open my business to new orders again.

The long story sounds like the Perils of Pauline.  This is a vastly abridged version.

I have been dealing with worsening chronic, often debilitating pain, which has contributed to slow turnaround of orders in the past few months.  I have not had normal health insurance in years, but was able to get limited county health insurance last March.  I have been able to see doctors, but not receive the care I really need because referrals and requests for tests get hung up in the approval process and denied.  If I could get proper health care (real diagnostic tests and physical therapy), it’s likely I could regain a great deal of my mobility and see a huge reduction in pain, but instead I continue to get worse.  This limited health care runs out at the end of October, and I don’t know if I will will be able to find even half-assed health care elsewhere.  I could write volumes about what is wrong with the health care system of the US if you are unfortunate enough to be poor and become ill.

To top that off I have lost my day job, which also provided my home.  As a result I am busy trying to move, which is horrifically difficult to do when physically disabled.  I am therefore homeless, but I do have friends who are giving me some space in their home temporarily.  I am taking only what I need to work on current orders, and some art supplies.  The rest of my belongings are going in storage, to the thrift store, or to the garbage.

I don’t know how things are going to pan out in the next year.  I have absolutely no idea.  If I’m lucky, I’ll be able to find other health care.  If I can find the fortitude, I’ll start creating art again.  If my health allows, and the economy doesn’t shoot me in the foot, I’ll manage to find a paying job which I’m physically capable of doing.  At the very least I’ll slowly work on the corset orders I have, and the portrait commission.

When life gives you the boot and kicks you when you’re down, grab hold and don’t let go.