The Story Behind My Orbit Collection
When my son was 7, we walked to school and back every day the weather allowed. My daughter was 4, and she came along in the stroller. I had this massive jogging stroller that we got for free because it had a wonky wheel and we were broke at the time. My husband easily fixed the wheel, and we used that stroller for years and years.
I'll bet you're thinking, "What does this have to do with your Orbit collection?" and you're right, it has very little to do with it, but as I'm sitting here it's a nice memory and I thought I'd share.
One day on our walk to school, my son pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and showed me a drawing. They were studying the solar system at school, and he was amazed at the thought of all the planets going around and around and around us in the sky. His drawing sparked an idea, and during my daughter's nap time, the beginnings of the first Orbit ring were born. This must have been in the fall of 2010, because I remember the exact spot (in front of this gorgeous Tudor-style house with excellent window boxes), and I remember it was sunny and slightly cool.
The base of the Orbit collection is the ring and pendant. Both are similar in size — the pendant is very slightly larger and has a flush edge, while the ring has a tiny lip at the base. I make each of these pieces one at a time, and every single one is different. They are a joy to make. I start with flat wire that is 2mm high and 0.5mm thick. I cut the pieces to length and form them into organic circles — this is the fun part. Each circle nests into the next size up, giving a rough idea of what the ring or pendant will look like when it's finished. These concentric rings get soldered closed and then placed on a textured piece of sterling silver sheet, where they're soldered down. In the beginning, I started from the outside and soldered the rings down moving inward, but over time I learned it's more efficient to start with the smaller rings and move outward. Some rings touch, some don't, and they always form a wonky solar system. The stud earrings are made the same way, with fewer rings. The tops of the rings are sanded flat, and a bail or ring shank is added last. A patina is added last to enhance the swirling, concentric circles.
Over time, I added a textured gold ring or a diamond accent to my Orbit pieces. A dangle earring followed, and a bracelet that loosely follows the Orbit theme was added as well. I have other ideas for this collection, but the foundation of my work will always be my Orbit ring and pendant. If you sign up for my newsletter or follow me on Instagram, you can see all the new Orbit pieces as they are created and listed.
You can find the entire Orbit Collection here.
If you own a piece of my Orbit Collection, I'd love to hear what it means to you. How does it make you feel when you wear it? Is it for special occasions or every day wear? Was it a gift or did you purchase it for yourself? Let me know in the comments below.