🏺 pass through the draping curtain of twisting vines and still stone columns to enter the orchard of the divine...

Decadent Orchard is a project inspired by still life and myth, aiming to capture a very specific aesthetic. This collection is all about celebrating the beauty of nature in fruit-bearing trees and the self-indulgence of their harvest. In beauty and decadence alike, all that is experienced is visceral and dark, untamed and exalted.

The project is organized into three "suites" that put the spotlight on three fruits in particular-- pomegranates, figs, and oranges. Each of these 'suites' features a bough, cut fruit, and blossom and will be unlocked as a group!

> Punica granatum
The pomegranate is a fruit that is steeped in history, symbolism, and myth. They call to mind abundance, indulgence, are a symbol fertility, and play a role in many myths-- most notably, that of Hades and Persephone. The red fruit, and vibrant, blood-red seeds hidden within are a captivating subject and beautiful plant. 

> Citrus × sinensis
The large baseball-sized oranges as we know them are actually a hybrid species, created from a cross of the pomelo (Citrus maxima) and mandarin (Citrus reticulata). Citrus taxonomy is a fascinating web, and well worth looking into if it strikes your fancy. Mandarins are considered one of the handful of citrus species that are ancestral, wild varieties of fruit. There are countless varieties and hybrids of oranges, each cultivar serving a slightly different aim or region. The fruit, leaves, blossoms, and wood of the orange are all used for culinary (and more) purposes. 

> Ficus carica
Interestingly enough, the fruit of the fig tree is itself the flowers, albeit, inverted. This form is known as a syconium, an outer fleshy body encases multiple inner ovaries. These tiny flowers bloom within the body of the fruit, pollinated by wasps. Fig wasps, to be precise, evolved alongside the fig as their primary pollinator, crawling through the tiny ostiole that opens at the bottom of the fruit, not knowing whether or not the fruit is a caprifig (hermaphrodite fruit) or fig (female fruit). If it is a caprifig, the female wasp will be able to lay her eggs and promptly die. The eggs will hatch in the safety of the caprifig, where the male insects will mate with the female insects, create tunnels out of the fruit, and die, having completed their role in the cycle. The females fig wasps, covered in the pollen of their nursery fig, crawl out and fly to another fruit they will enter. This is a one way trip for the wasp, as making it through the ostiole results in her wings being rent from her body. If the wasp has crawled into a female fig it will be unable to lay the eggs, but, the pollen from the nursery fruit will fertilize the fig. The wasp dies, and is fully absorbed and broken down by the plant. Something so delicate is born of a process so gruesome.

During the campaign, you can pledge to support the project at any of the open pledge levels! Remember, you will not be charged for just your pledge until the campaign has ended (provided it is successful).

After the campaign has ended, you will receive your surveys from Backerkit to select your chosen designs and calculate shipping costs. Shipping costs are paid upon finalization of surveys, separate from your initial pledge. You will also have the option to choose any additional add-ons during your survey, such as other pins or products!

└─── The campaign is live!

└─── The campaign ends, and backers are charged.

└─── Surveys go out to backers.

└─── A final 48 hour notice is sent out, and then surveys are locked and backers are charged for shipping costs. Details for manufacturing such as quantities and needed shipping materials are finalized.

└─── Manufacturing begins and the waiting game begins. 

└─── Inventory is received from manufacturers, which is then graded and packaged. 

└─── Rewards are all packed up and sent out to backers!

Designs may be altered during production (if they are, there will be an update) and colors may look slightly different than what you see on your screen, as they are a physical object vs. a digital asset. I do my best to match the digital/screen color with physical Pantone swatches to provide as much accuracy as one can manage for the mockups. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask! With many aspects of this type of work often out of my hands, delays are very possible, along with expected on my end at this point, but will not impact the quality of the product you will receive! Shipping time is the most affected by the circumstances, and you will be updated with any significant changes to the timeline.



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💖 WELCOME TO PINTOPIA — A creative celebration featuring over 175 creators launching pin and plushie projects on BackerKit from January 23 to February 13!

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