Rebecca Judd features One Two Tree in The Style School

Posted on November 29, 2016 by onetwoadmin

We have super exciting news to share! One Two Tree has recently collaborated with Etsy Australia and lifestyle/fashion blogger Rebecca Judd for her blog, The Style School.

Etsy kindly flew us down to Melbourne to be a part of an episode of The Style School. The blog has done a series of interior design blog posts/episodes and we were lucky enough to be featured in one.

In one of their latest episodes titled Etsy Kids Bedroom, a few of our products can be seen. This particular episode shows viewers on how to decorate children’s bedrooms with some amazing locally made products from Etsy Australia (including us!).

The adorable wombat, crocodile and kangaroo from our Little Aussie Treasures collection made an appearance in the episode. Our animal friends were also joined by our Rainbow Set, which shared the spotlight with other beautiful products from Etsy.

Also featured in the episode was our Message Board. Rebecca had her 9×3 board customised with her own message: ‘Where the cool kids are’. Of course, you can personalise it anyway you want for your kids but who can argue with that one?

Rebecca’s stylist Aimee Tarulli suggested that by having a specific colour theme makes it harder for kids to enjoy their rooms as they get older. So having our Little Aussie Treasures in its natural wooden shade, like in the episode, is perfect for any age.

Another tip from the episode was to style the room an age bracket up. It keeps the room interesting, as it’s not too young or too cutesy. Keep your kiddo’s room young and fresh for years to come by having these cute ‘toys’ and decorations up on display.

Check out the original blog post and video below:

Etsy Kids Bedroom – Ep 6 – The Style School

Celebrating a creative and sustainable Christmas

Posted on November 22, 2016July 3, 2017 by onetwoadmin

The festive season always gets us reminiscing about where we first started. Four years ago, we made our first family Christmas tree out of leftover hardwood and the seeds of One Two Tree were sown. We realised we had created something wonderfully unique: an eco-friendly, sustainable, stylish and quality handmade alternative to the throw-away traditional tree. Unlike the plastic ones, we made something that would last a lifetime. One of the perks of this job is seeing all the beautifully creative ways the One Two Tree Christmas Tree can be decorated and re-decorated every year.

We’re constantly conscientious about the impact we have on the planet and the purchasing decisions we make. As a result, we’re inspired by quality natural materials, movers & shakers of handmade craft and honest design. We’ve always stuck to our roots of creating beautifully finished handmade objects and simple design solutions for the home. Our products are made from sustainable woods right here in Australia. Staying mindful is the key – and this time of year should be no different. Here are some of our our tips for decorating and celebrating Christmas in a creative and conscious fashion:

Buy quality items to last
Shop locally: support your local community, local craftspeople, designers and small businesses!
Shop second hand for vintage / unique kitsch decorations
Use your hands and get hand-crafting: there are stacks of tutorials and templates you can find online to get you started. See our previous blogposts for inspiration.
Research sustainable products and materials: involve natural materials for that rustic / fresh feel – think sustainable woods, clay, yarn, organic fabrics, sea shells, pine cones, native plants and flowers
If you have kids, get them involved for a fun crafternoon activity
Up cycle
Incorporate decorations from previous years for a fresh feel
Refresh decorations from previous years by giving them a little facelift: a fresh lick of paint, watercolours or adding some glitter
Energy efficient LED lighting
Limit plastic, packaging and cheap disposables
Recycle and redecorate wrapping paper / packaging / gift boxes
Simplicity: less is more

This Christmas, remember to watch the waste – everything we use, buy and discard everyday makes an impact. ‘Tis the season for giving, so give a little back to the Earth what you have taketh during this year’s passed. We hope these tips get you inspired this season.

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and festive season, from the One Two Tree family to yours.

Gifts for everyone this Christmas

Posted on November 8, 2016July 3, 2017 by onetwoadmin

It’s that time of year again: a time to stress out on what to give your loved ones this Christmas! Fret no more because we got you covered – the suggestions we have for you below will surely put a huge grin on their faces as they unravel their presents on Christmas Day. Why get your loved ones generic presents from department shop giftoriums when you can shop with us? Because there’s simply nothing better than giving 100% Aussie made sustainable gifts for the ones you love.

Gifts for dad

Dad will always hold a special place in your heart, but is often the trickiest to buy for. One Two Tree’s Large Christmas Tree would be the perfect treat for dad. We recently added The Large Christmas Tree, which now stands at 150cm tall and would be a great addition to the family living room for many festive seasons to come. We think he will definitely appreciate its minimalistic and timeless design.

Gifts for mum

To complement mum’s gift to dad’s (like how they complement each other), try getting her our wooden Christmas tree ornaments. The adorable decorations come in the Bauble Set or the Santa Set in different sizes and packs. Our signature Christmas Tree will stay on-trend with the help of mum’s decorating skills.

Gifts for the brother

Our linen prints are a fun addition to any room and we think any brother would appreciate the nautical ones. The nautical linen prints are perfect to hang above the bed or simply on the wall to add a nice a naval feel. They’re available in a variety of colours and prints for every kind of brother out there!

Gifts for the sister

The latest Treasure Boards range could not be a better gift for the sister. These fantastic Treasure Boards are available in different shapes and sizes: Play House, Wally Wombat, Dream Cloud, Rain Cloud, The Circle and Australia. All of the Treasure Boards come with shelf inserts that cleverly (and safely) locks together so she can conveniently display all her delicate trinkets.

Gifts for the bestie

Besties aren’t necessarily family but they are the family you choose and for that, they deserve a special gift. We suggest you get her one of our wooden Message Boards; it’s simple and easy to personalise with our Custom Wooden Letters. Like our famous Christmas Tree, the Message Boards are 100% Aussie made and environmentally friendly. What more could one want from a gift?

Gifts for the little one

For the last but definitely not the least! The littlest one needs a pressie too and we got just the perfect thing. Treat your little one to some (or all) of our furry friends from the Little Aussie Treasures collection. It ranges from our native Kangaroo to the Koala to even a Rainbow and they are super cute available in an array of pastel shades. If you like to keep it simple, they’re also available in their natural wooden shade. Bonus tip: this collection of wooden goodies goes hand-in-hand with the Australia Treasure Board!

TuBu Kids styles One Two Tree in kids bedroom makeover

Posted on September 27, 2016December 13, 2016 by onetwoadmin

One Two Tree is thrilled to be featured in Tubu Kids latest kids bedroom makeover. Bobby’s bedroom went from dull and lifeless to bright and playful with the incredible kids style vision of Catherine McGowan.

Standing out on the wall is our original My Treasure Board – Australia. We can honestly say it looks awesome up there with a fab custom print beside it. And that gorgeous recycled denim patchwork bean bag below.

Tubu Kids has clearly created a vibrant sanctuary and a delightful man cave for little boys alike. Our My Treasure Board fits right in with the array of colourful Australian made children’s decor. Together, it creates a fun and harmonious blend of Australian and Scandinavian styling.

We hope Bobby enjoy’s his cool new space and loves displaying all his trinkets and knick knacks up on our My Treasure Board – Australia!

To see all the before and after pictures of Bobby’s bedroom makeover visit the Tubu Kids blog right here:
http://www.tubukids.com.au/boys-bedroom-makeover/

Plywood care & maintenance

Posted on April 1, 2016July 3, 2017 by onetwoadmin

Recently we were asked by a customer to share some tips on plywood care for our Christmas Tree. We leave most of our timber products unfinished for a gorgeous raw and natural aesthetic. Raw timber develops character over time and ages beautifully if treated with the right care. However you do need to be mindful when it comes to care and maintenance.

Please take note of the our tips in order to keep your timber looking fab and in it’s best condition.

Tips for care & maintenance:

Avoid leaving the timber in direct sunlight for long periods, as exposure will slowly tan the timber over time. Our products are suited to UV filtered light. In order to maintain the plywood in it’s natural original tone, you may want to consider applying a UV timber finish.

Be mindful of moisture and exposure to the elements. When not in use, store the product in a dry, cool place.

Natural oils will stain the plywood, e.g. Blu-Tack, oily/moisturised hands, foods, flowers etc.

Be cautious with the raw timber around liquids. Do not leave spills to sit on the surface. Any spilt liquids will leave a watermark. Use a dry cloth to absorb spills immediately.

Our products require minimal cleaning – the only maintenance required is dusting. Use a dry dusting cloth to remove dust and dirt.

Avoid contact with heat and take care when placing abrasive objects on the timber.

If any scratches or nicks appear, gently sand the area with a fine grit sandpaper.

You can lightly sand the surfaces with a fine grit sandpaper to refresh the timber’s appearance. This should be done minimally, e.g. once every couple of years.

Our recommended finishes:

If you would like a more finished look you may add a finish to the timber. We recommend the following products which are available from your local hardware store:

Beeswax

Intergram Exterior UltraClear UV Timber Finish in Satin

Please note that when you are applying a wax or satin, it will enhance the wood a shade darker.

We do not recommend applying a lacquer finish to our products as it will marginally increase the thickness of the wood and therefore may affect how certain elements of the product interact.

Alternative Finishes:

Whitewashing (diluted white paint), for a faded washed out look

Coloured timber stains (water based only)

Linseed Oil, for an enriched warmer look

*Always conduct a test patch on a separate piece of timber to ensure you are happy with the desired effect.

If finishing a product with multiple parts (e.g. the One Two Tree or My Treasure Board), each part will need to be treated individually. Allow adequate time for drying/curing before reassembling the product.

We recommend and encourage the use of water-based finishes, products that are non-toxic and are free of harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Always check the materials and safety data sheet (MSDS) for detailed information on any hazardous chemicals present.

Little treasures in the making

Posted on March 14, 2016July 3, 2017 by onetwoadmin

Currently in the One Two Tree studio, we are in the midst of a very exciting project. The type of project that gets our blood pumping, and our hearts in a little flutter. We’ll give you a few clues: it involves hand-crafting, some plywood (sustainably sourced, of course), and our signature touch of Australiana. Yes, we’ve got some Little Aussie Treasures in development!

We love our Aussie Treasure Board so much that we’ve decided to design some furry friends to perch upon it. Our beautiful country of Australia has some of the most unique animals in the world, and we’d like to share them with you. Meet the Wombat, Kangaroo, Echidna, the Koala that sits in the Gum Trees. And a rainbow ‘cos Australia is just our pot of gold.

We’re still in the prototyping phase, but they are already looking so darn cute! We just couldn’t keep them to ourselves! Here’s a sneak peak of how the little tackers are shaping up so far:

Stay tuned for more adorable updates coming soon.

Creativity + Motherhood with Child Magazine

Posted on March 11, 2016July 3, 2017 by onetwoadmin

Thank you to Jenna from Child Magazine for interviewing and featuring us in their blog under Creativity + Motherhood. This is definitely a humbling moment for One Two Tree. And also perfect time to stop and reflect on our journey thus far. We’re feeling inspired and motivated to get cracking into the new year. Read below for the interview titled ‘Sustainable Family Home Décor’ with our Creative Director, Lucy McNamara and Child Magazine.

Jenna Templeton, a lover of all things handmade and Australiana, spotted One Two Tree’s Aussie treasure boards on Instagram and interior mags and had to find out about the people behind these beauties. Today, she chats to co-creator and business owner Lucy McNamara about her sustainable and Australian-crafted home décor and about raising a family in Bondi Beach.

One Two Tree all started when we began looking for our first Christmas tree. It was going to be our first Christmas as a family with our son Ziggy and we were looking for beautifully designed, well-crafted goods that would endure many Christmases to come. Chopping down a plantation tree for such a short time didn’t appeal and neither did the cheap plastic versions. We were looking for something more environmentally friendly, when it occurred to us that we could make it ourselves! So, we created our first tree using leftover hardwood from my husband’s landscaping contracts, tweaked the design and incorporated sustainable wood. Once we were finished, we realised we’d created a unique, eco-friendly, stylish alternative to the traditional Christmas tree.

We feature many of our products around our own home in Bondi Beach. My boys absolutely love helping to set up the Christmas tree each year and refused to let us take it down for weeks. Being a mother has inspired me to create good quality, sustainably-made products that kids can enjoy and decorate their rooms with, in particular the Treasure Board and Alpha Prints.

All of our products have a natural feel and are sustainably made in Australia using sustainable hoop pine sourced from Queensland. We have an amazing manufacturer based in Melbourne who produces all of our plywood goods. Our linen prints are all hand-sewn (with 100 percent linen) archival prints and printed using acid-free inks. The ceramics are all handmade using earthenware clay at our studio in Alexandria, NSW.

My background is in fine arts, film and television, sculpture, leather and fashion. After becoming a mum, since starting One Two Tree, I can now add product designer to the list. Creativity was always encouraged by my parents growing up, especially by my mum. She used to say I was a creative little thing, as I started handcrafting and designing things from a young age.

My kids inspire my work and the love of running my own business also keeps me inspired. I have a strong passion for design and creating beautiful interiors – beautiful objects for homes and for children. Having a broad range of customers but focusing on the children’s audience and seeing gaps in the market keeps me motivated.

A typical work day for me involves the alarm clocks going off at 6am, followed by getting the kids dressed, fed and bags packed for day care and if I’m lucky, breakfast for myself. I’m in the studio part-time – Antony and I decided to get the kids into day care after having baby Rhodes, so I could have three days to just focus on my work. The rest of the week, I’m home as a mum. There’s no typical day in the office for me. I work on everything from the design process to organising couriers, or replying to email enquiries. One day we can be crafting ceramics, or doing photo shoots – everyday is different.

Our studio is part of The Nest Creative Space, a communal creative space for artists, designers and small businesses. Everyone here is so hard-working and dedicated to their craft. It’s a very encouraging space and we’re so fortunate to be around such talented and delightful people – it’s a beautiful place to come to work.

The creative process for us is like a journey where things just sort of fall in to place. It’s a very organic process. We start off with an idea, research it, the design process goes back and forth and various iterations occur. When I have an idea I have to see things from start to finish. Sometimes they happen very quickly, but sometimes they take months and months.

In 2016, we’re working on a set of Australiana-themed wooden toys and trinkets for our Treasure Board. Storage solutions and shelving designs are also on the cards for the year ahead.

I love being Creative Director and watching the journey of each product from concept to where they are now. One of the perks of the job is when customers share the pictures of our products in their home – knowing we’re designing sustainable products that people enjoy and want to decorate their homes with. Time management, running every single facet of the business and staying organised are still challenges for me. In saying that, I enjoy the freedom of having flexibility in the days I work and it works well with family as well. It’s hectic but I love it!

People often say parenthood changed them. Do you feel that’s true for you? Absolutely, it’s made me work harder and it’s changed my perspective on life. You kind of go around with blinkers on before having kids and I think being a mother’s made me become much more patient, considerate and aware of everything around me. My favourite project to have worked on is being a mother – raising my two boys in conjunction with Ants.

We’re all about celebrating Australian motherhood and creativity on child mags blog. What does it mean to you to be an Australian creative, who’s also a mother?
I feel like I’m a part of a very creative team of Australian mothers who are fearless, fierce and not afraid of doing the hard work – we get in there and get it done! There’s amazing and inspiring things happening on Instagram at the moment – a huge community that’s full of homeware designers and talented Australian designers.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with other mums who may be trying to combine their lives as creatives and caretakers?
There’s no rush! Take things in baby steps and somehow find a harmony and balance between being creative, being a beautiful mother and focusing on your children. Set yourself small goals, you definitely can achieve it!

Lucy McNamara, 35, is Creative Director and co-business owner of Australian sustainable product design brand One Two Tree, with her husband Antony. She’s mum to boys Ziggy, 4, and Rhodes, 2. They live in Bondi Beach, Sydney, NSW, and love sharing their daily life via Instagram. You can see their latest handcrafted collection via the One Two Tree website, blog and shop.

Interview: Jenna Templeton

A merry one two tree christmas

Posted on December 1, 2015July 3, 2017 by onetwoadmin

There really is just something about Christmas…

Whether it’s time off with your loved ones, delicious feasting and community spirit or pressies given and received, we love it through and through.

Anyone who’s familiar with the One Two Tree story would know that it’s this wonderful time of year that inspired our journey into the small business world. We’re never ones for plantation chop-downs and cheap plastic destined for land fill. So we found ourselves stumped when searching for a beautifully designed, utilitarian and most of all eco friendly tree option for our first family Christmas. We donned our hard hats and decided to build our own, and have kept on building them ever since!

Minimal, sophisticated, neutral and luxe. The One Two Tree Christmas Tree has been our signature, Australian designed and made product for 4 years now.

That said, not a year has gone by without numerous requests for a large tree addition to the One Two Tree family. So, in 2015, those wishes have all come true!

This year at One Two Tree we present you with two gorgeous, sustainable wooden Christmas tree’s. Weighing in at 85cm and 150cm high, if you find you can’t choose, why not bring home both! We’ve built them to last you a life-time. Also to bring love and light to any corner of any room each and every Christmas season.

Stay tuned for more Christmas offerings from us! And whatever you do, we hope you give a little love to our planet this silly season. Whether it’s investing in well-made pieces and shunning plastic nasties, or recycling wrapping and shopping locally. Nothing’s ever too small to make an impact.

mini honeycomb tissue balls by poppies for grace

Posted on December 20, 2013December 13, 2016 by onetwoadmin

“Where do you get those beautiful paper baubles from?”. This has been a popular question for many of our customers. The answer is: Poppies for Grace

They are called the mini honeycomb tissue balls and they come in every colour under the rainbow. They also come with little a white tie string so you could easily hang them on your One Two Tree branches too. We decided to lose the string and just causally place them on top of each branch in a spiral formation of colour and we couldn’t be happier with the results.

Poppies for Grace is the work of besties Alana and Sara. Their business is quite simply a celebration of colour and paper. So if you are celebrating they have you covered with an array of beautiful paper decorations. Their range has it all from lolly bags to stationary, from confetti to wedding invites. It’s a well orchestrated collection of everything you need to soiree in style.

We will be stocking their honeycomb tissue ball very soon, but in the meantime check their website out. Both Alana and Sara are ever so helpful and will literally bend over backwards to help you out.

swing tags styling with your one two tree

Posted on November 10, 2013December 13, 2016 by onetwoadmin

Here we have a lovely minimalist look with our One Two Tree slightly open from it’s flat facing stand. We found these lovely metal swing tags! We thought how nice it would be to write the names of our family members on each one. If you were thinking how can you DIY this look yourself, try finding some beautiful coloured paper cards. Then make a similar swing tag template then hand cut them to size. Hole punch and thread a contrast ribbon through and voila! So easy.

diy : rainbow wrapped ceramic stars

Posted on September 17, 2013December 13, 2016 by onetwoadmin

Making your own Christmas decorations is not only rewarding. It’s also fun and it gives your One Two Tree a really lovely home made feel. With a little creativity and a bit of motivation you can easily make our rainbow wrapped ceramic stars. Not only do they look beautiful, they’re a simple craft activity perfect for the kids to join in too.

You will need: star shaped cookie cutters, a rolling pin, rainbow string or wool and air drying modelling clay. DAS modelling clay would be our choice if you were going to go for the prepacked stuff which you can easily purchase from any craft shop. We used some recycled clay from a friends ceramic studio which we had to fire in a kiln. Obviously we don’t all have access to a kiln and a potters studio, so this is where the air drying stuff comes in very handy.

Just like if you were making cookies, you roll out your clay flat to just under a 1cm thick. Best to do it either on a breadboard or cutting mat. Then you simply press your star cutters into the clay and transfer your perfect shaped stars onto a tray to air dry. Leave them to dry for 24hrs. If they feel a little uneven or rough get a wet sponge and lightly rub the clay smooth. We left our stars without a tiny hole in them as we wanted to wrapped them in rainbow string. If you wanted to leave them plain you could pierce the top of the stars before they are completely air dried with a drinking straw to create an even hole. That way you can easily loop them with the string and tie a knot.

Once your stars are air dried and hard to touch cut off roughly 30cm of string. Then experiment with wrapping and knotting different combinations around your stars. Then cut roughly 12cm of string so you can tie a loop and place the stars at the ends of your tree branches. Attach your loop string by threading it through the wrapped design and tie off the ends.

Other ideas. We left our stars plain white but you could easily get creative and start painting them with acrylic paints or drawing on designs. You can use Posca paint pens, two toning them with spray paint or stenciling on a design. Apply gold leaf, add glitter, glue on plastic gems or beads. Raid your local craft store. There are so many options. When your stars are still soft you can embossed them with buttons, shells, stamp designs and scribe in words or letters. Another idea is to mosaic them with the prepacked and pre cut tiny squares you can buy from spotlight. So many choices and so many ways to sparkle up your One Two Tree this Christmas. Stay tuned for more DIY’s to come. If you have any questions please feel free to get in contact with us. Happy Crafting!

show us your baubles

Posted on January 30, 2013December 13, 2016 by onetwoadmin

Nothing beats a beautiful shiny bauble on your Christmas Tree. We styled our One Two Tree using two boxes of baubles purchased from David Jones. Even better yet would be some your your Grans hand me downs with that lovely vintage patina. We spiraled the branches so they where evenly spaced and twisted them in three perfect full circles. Choosing branches and colours at random, we spaced the baubles so that they wrapped around from top to bottom.

One Two Tree is a very convenient size for most houses or apartments. Here, we showed how lovely it can look placed by the fireplace, by the window or even the kitchen bench.

one two tree will be for sale at the cool hunters first ever pop-up store

Posted on November 27, 2012April 22, 2016 by onetwoadmin

We are very happy to announce that One Two tree will be for sale at hood. It’s going to be an extraordinary design event and I highly recommend you making the effort and popping on down there. It kicks off in Melbourne on the 29th of November.

How amazing does the Rokeby studio look!

The incredible views from the exclusive Penthouse display suite at Pacific Bondi Beach.

styling your very own one two tree

Posted on November 21, 2012December 13, 2016 by onetwoadmin

One Two Tree is not only quick and easy to assemble, its design is versatile. Meaning you could essentially update your One Two Tree look daily, weekly and most certainly yearly. We hope our inspirational story board will help excite you with your One Two Tree styling this Christmas.

Tips for tree styling:

A handy tip before you start styling/shaping your tree is to loosen the top screw by half a turn or so making the branches easier to rotate. This way they are much easier to move and can be easily spun and positioned into your desired form. Once your design is finalised then tighten the real pokies online top screw which will more securely hold your tree into position.

Another tip when tree styling is not to forget about rotating your small spacer blocks in between your branches. Sometimes we line ours up with the bigger branches for a more uniform look or maybe we might offset them with the bigger branches for contrast and form. The possibilities are plenty.

all tied up with string with one two t

Posted on November 16, 2012December 13, 2016 by onetwoadmin

Another great idea for decorating your One Two Tree is a nontraditional one but a creative one. We styled our tree in an “X” formation and using two different colours of chord string we threaded and knotted through the holes of each branch.

To start with you need to cut two lengths of the pink chord string at 200cm and four lengths of the green chord one at 200cm. Knotting one end of the pink string you thread up from one corner of the bottom branches first, threading through the hole of each branch directly above. Work your way up to the top and then follow down the opposing side till you reach the bottom. Tie off the pink string keeping the line fairly tight but not too tight. Repeat this step on the other side, they will overlap at the very top.

With the green chord string you start at the very top of one of the four branches. Thread the green string through the top branch hole so that roulette online it evenly halves and you have two ends, one in each hand. Simply cross and tie the string like you are tying a shoe lace and thread one end through the next branch hole. Repeat the cross over tie and work your way down the branches one at a time tying off at the end. Again keep the string fairly tight but not too tight. Do this four times on each side. If the end of your chord string is fraying use a match flame to burn and melt the end so that it can be easily threaded.

You can easily experiment and do several different combinations. This is just one idea – imagine what else can be done. We will share another tied up idea with you very soon.

tin soldiers stand tall

Posted on November 10, 2012December 13, 2016 by onetwoadmin

A great idea for decorating your One Two Tree is to either hang or place tin soldiers at either end of your branches. We have just slightly twisted our branches in pair’s to form a partial spiral. Without over crowding the tree we have placed a soldier on every second branch. The possibilities are endless. By the way we found our wooden Tin Soldiers at David Jones in the city for $7.99 each.