て-form vs verb stem to connect clauses?

Beginner here. I’m trying to understand the nuance between using て-form and verb stem to connect clauses in Japanese. I came across this sentence today:

いつも苦労して作った椅子を見て、今まで感じたことがないような気持ちになり、とても嬉しかったです。

My question is about this part:

気持ちになり、とても嬉しかったです

Why is it なり instead of なって? Are there any rules or nuances about when to use verb stem or て-form when connecting clauses?

by OralBonbon

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