Many artisans love making the Tree of Life pendant.  It's a deeply meaningful symbol.  However, every designer makes the Tree of Life differently.  Some of the most outstanding examples are made by Shannon Williams of Vixen's Natural Jewelry on Etsy.

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Moonlight Tree of Life Pendant

Her passion for making Tree of Life pendants is such that these have become her signature pieces. She works with much thicker wire than most people do. The addition of gemstone moons or suns and lovely metallic swirls make them uniquely hers.  She also makes them with beaded branches and can customize with birthstones for family trees. Shown here are some of my favorites.

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Mother Oak Tree

Why does she like the Tree of Life so much? She explains, "The Tree of Life has many meanings. My favorite is that we are all connected. It is a Universal symbol found in many spiritual traditions around the world. It symbolizes life itself, with it's branches reaching for the Heavens, and it's buried roots, linking to Earth." 

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Forest with Amber Sun and Bird
 
"There is something magical about cutting wire off of a spool, and turning it into a sculpture. I usually sip on coffee, go outside to create. Sometimes I sit by the window and let my hands guide me. I intuitively listen to the wire. It will tell me where to twist and bend. I guess the best way to describe it is lining our will powers together in unison. It is a harmonious dance, very organic. During that time I feel alive and completely in the moment. My head and all it's chatter turns off, and I feel like I am connected. It is the best feeling ever. The end result is a pretty tree, with a deeper meaning."

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Ancient Goddess Tree

All her Tree of Life designs are beautifully made and it comes as no surprise to learn that she is very experienced as she has made at least a thousand of them! She adds, "My mood can really influence how they look. If I am feeling happy, they are whimsical. If I am sad, they usually have a lot of soul to them. If I am feeling devious they might be really gnarly. I love how they have their own personalities. I find my rhythm in nature, and am always inspired by it."
 
While the Tree of Life is her favorite piece to make, it is not the only design style she does so do check out her store.

Giveaway
If you'd like to win one of her fabulous designs, please make a comment below. Make sure you leave contact info if you do not have an online shop or blog. 

Subscribers need to click on the post title to come to my actual blog. Scroll down and enter your comment. Pick Name/URL. If you don't have a store or blog, leave the URL blank. Please leave an email at the very least so I can contact you easily if you win.

This is an international giveaway.

Extra entries if you become or are a blog subscriber or follower etc. If you also do shout outs about this giveaway, those will count as additional entries too! Shannon also has a Facebook Page. Please say so in the comments.

It ends in a week's time at 6 pm EST Monday, April 30, 2012. I will pick a winner randomly and announce the results as soon as possible after. So be sure to leave a contact email if you don't have an online link or make sure you come back and check! Good luck!

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Original Post by THE BEADING GEM
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