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If you’re a crafter, I bet you’ve made certain items that are more special to you than the rest. Maybe the piece was inspired by something or someone dear to you, or maybe it’s simply because it came out better than you’d envisioned in your head. Whatever the reason, we all have our favorites. Here are mine.

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1. The Two Trees pendant: This simple twist on the traditional wire-wrap tree design marked the beginning of my ever more complicated fantasy-inspired jewelry. It was also my very first hit product. In fact, I’ve made over a hundred of these so far. This is when I learned that even a simple design can resonate with people when you draw inspiration from what you genuinely love, rather than just trying to make a pretty piece or copying others.

2. The tree-of-life crochet bracelet: I absolutely love this one and I wear it all the time. To me it’s the perfect combination of simplicity and intricacy. Since it’s just yarn and wire, it’s very light and perfect for every day. Plus, I like having an excuse to do some crocheting every now and then.

3. The gemstone leaf pendant: If gemstones grew on trees, this is how I imagine they would look like. I’ve always loved drawing inspiration from nature, even as a child. Everything from making rings from flowers I picked in the back yard, to the pendant I made from an interesting seashell I found on our family vacation, nature’s designs have always fascinated me. Even something as simple as a leaf.

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4. The tiny tree pendant: This one is a bit different from the others, because the inspiration didn’t come from a book or nature, but from the stone itself. I was going through my inventory of labradorite gemstones, and this one caught my eye. I stared at it for a while and thought about a design that would best compliment the beautiful stone. I knew I didn’t want to cover it up with a standard wire-wrapped tree. Instead, I wanted the stone to be the main feature. But at the same time, it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t put some sort of element of nature in there. So I came up with the idea of just a tiny tree up in the corner and the rest of the stone left uncovered.

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5. The fantasy necklace: Do you remember the first item on this list? Well, this is what that simple pendant gradually lead to. An intricate necklace that not only depicts the two trees, but tells their entire story. I normally like symmetry in my designs, so I like how the necklace turned out, having a different element on either side but still remaining symmetrical. If you like these items, there are plenty more to see in my Etsy shop: www.etsy.com/shop/jessyherc

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