Tree of Life

With the new year fast approaching, I've decided I'm going to concentrate on creating a themed set of wire creations for each event I'm going to be selling at. I want to participate next year at the Día de Muertos, which I've wanted to do for years! 2020 I'm going to make it happen! Along with Holy Shrines, I'm going to make skull jewelry, wire trees of life and wire leaves. 
I used a crystal with Amethyst chip beads to create this chunky tree of life.

This tree of life on this crystal I made a little different than the first. I like this style better as it was less fiddly. The bail is hidden in the back.
I got a strand of dyed crystals from our local hobby store. They have a side drilled hole at the top which I might consider using in the future for a different take on this pattern.

I created a traditional tree of life using a circle. This very basic shape was going to be a center of a more elaborate piece, but it ended up being to heavy looking for what I was trying to achieve.
Here is the piece I ended up making with the smaller/finer tree of life for the center.

I made some trees on some thin agate slabs too...
These all have a wire frame in the back that I've attached the wires to.

I actually like making the bare trees better than the ones with the chip beads. I'll continue to make both as I hone my skills to get better at making them.

I entered my wire jewelry at our local fair. This case below was entered as a "display" case and so it didn't get to be judged. Everything I made for this case was pirate themed...

 I was going to heavily "pirate" it up with netting, gold coins etc--- but time got away from me so it ended up being a very basic case. Cute, but plain in my opinion *wink*

 My competition case took first place. *woot-woot* I do play to win!

 The only down side to winning first place two years in a row... you don't get to compete any more... because... You're. Just. To. Good. My words not theirs lol ....

 Next year I will have to enter "wire wrapping" instead of wire weaving in order to compete.... nuts, I don't like wrapping wire. In the photo below you can see two single entries that I got ribbons in. Wire weaving, first place. Wire wrapping (bracelet) second place... wrapping is so boring. I've got a year to come up with some eye catching designs to garner a blue ribbon!

There was even a category for rock painting. I painted Jack Sparrow on a rock slab. This entry got first place. *big grin* I am not a painter by any stretch of the imagination... but I can fake it pretty well!

big hugs,
Cheryl