Field Notes: Moving Toward Offering No. 2

On autumn, intuitive creation, and the references guiding the next Tempered Earth collection.

Field Notes for Offering No. 2: early visual references for the collection.

I’ve been thinking about Offering No. 2 these past few weeks, and I’m hoping to release it in October. At this point, I don’t know what the pieces will look like. I haven’t sourced the final materials or settled on designs, but I’ve pulled together a few things I already own that represent some part of that direction.

So far I’ve been sitting with stones with rough and irregular surfaces, carved and patterned beads, brass components, wire, tools, and other items that fall into the color story I’m envisioning (plum, rust, terracotta, black, bone, brass). These aren’t necessarily materials that will appear in the finished collection. But I’m using them as visual references for the feeling I want to explore when I begin sourcing.

Moving from water toward earth

Offering No. 1 began with water. Its palette and designs were inspired by intuition, reflection, and the emotional landscape of Cancer season. For autumn, I feel myself moving in a direction that feels warmer and closer to the earth.

After the outward energy of spring and summer, autumn feels like a time to slow down, go within, and reconnect with ourselves. My background in Ayurveda has taught me to pay attention to how our bodies feel during seasonal shifts, and there’s a sensuality to autumn for me. We warm up and layer our clothes. We reach for comforting, nourishing foods. We get cozy with ourselves and the people we love. Even the simple act of bundling up can make us more aware of the body—what feels good against it, what helps it relax, and what helps it feel supported.

The natural world changes around us, too. Greens gradually turn into to rust, ochre, red, brown, and deeper shades of purple. Those colors feel warm, but they also feel bold. They make me think of fire and confidence, but also blood and bone—where we come from, what we inherit, and what keeps us rooted.

That’s where some of the early themes of Offering No. 2 are coming from: inheritance, sensuality, groundedness, and what it means to feel fully at home in the body. I’m unsure how those ideas will translate into the physical offering, but I’m noticing the relationships forming between them and how they inspire me.

The beginnings of the conceptualization process for Offering No. 2

I use this cork board as a moodboard, pinning beads, pendants, photos, and tangible samples of the types of pieces and materials informing a collection I’m working on. I prefer this approach over saving photos alone. Being able to touch my inspiration makes the process more engaging and exciting.

The start of a new Offering

I’ve spoken before about the intentional and intuitive approach behind the studio. This is what that approach looks like at the very beginning of an Offering.

I collect materials I’m drawn to, sometimes before I know exactly how I’ll use them. Once I have them in front of me, I begin creating from what I’ve gathered. I notice how the colors, shapes, textures, and what they represent communicate with one another and the story I want to tell. I notice which combinations may not feel quite right and which ones feel balanced.

The body also becomes part of that conversation. A piece can look one way on a table and feel entirely different once it is worn. Length, weight, movement, and the way a material rests against the skin often change the direction of a design for me. So I can begin with a palette or an idea, but I can’t fully decide what a collection will be before I work with the materials themselves. Some choices are made through planning, while others become clear through touch, arrangement, experimentation, and wear.

Before sourcing my materials

Right now, I’m still in the stage before collecting what I need to start creating.

I’m noting what keeps catching my eye and allowing space for more ideas to come through. In the coming weeks, I’ll begin sourcing materials, testing combinations, and exploring how these early references might translate into necklaces, bracelets, earrings, or even something else I haven’t considered yet.

The palette may shift, certain themes may be tabled, or a component that feels central now may be removed from the final collection altogether. That uncertainty is part of the process, and these Field Notes are a way for me to document this first stage.

Offering No. 2 is tentatively planned for October 2026.

More details soon.

An early color and texture study for Offering No. 2. These objects are visual references and not necessarily the final materials.