A Plastic-Free Way of Life- Be Part Of The Change

Do you think it’s possible living a plastic-free life? Here are a few ways to help you take a new approach.

Zero waste living comes with a conscious effort. We live in a world controlled by plastic packaging and changing the lifestyle or habits would take tremendous effort.

The future generation needs to see a plastic-free environment and in order for that to happen, small changes need to be implemented now. Plastic-free comes with an added cost, yet using these products enables you to take a step by step approach towards zero-waste living.

Residing without waste doesn’t suggest you need to stay without life’s luxuries, it’s merely a method of greater awareness of your choices. By saving money on wasteful expenditures you eventually reduce your own environmental footprint, and you would be doing yourself a favour.

Wooden Christmas Tree from One Two Tree Designs
Plastic- Free Living

Here are 10 ways you can go plastic-free

  1. Say no to plastic bags
  2. Shop for environment-friendly products
  3. Buy wooden/ handmade toys for kids
  4. Give up plastic bottled water and carry your own reusable bottle
  5. Shop from your local manufacturers
  6. Shop for plastic-free presents
  7. Encourage a plastic-free Christmas tree
  8. Plan plastic-free birthdays and return gifts
  9. Preserve food without plastic
  10. Use plastic-free cookware

It is equally important for children to get involved and understand the process of plastic-free living and encourage eco-friendly habits as they grow older. This practice starts at home and hence involving them in hands-on activities is a way of teaching them.

Plastic- Free Playhouse Treasure Board in Omri's Room - One Two Tree Designs
Handmade Treasure Board for kids

You can streamline your life by streamlining your shopping list and what you embrace inside your home. You will find that you have more time to do the things that matter as a result.

You will also help solve the flourishing plastic epidemic of our world by refusing to buy items stored in single-use plastic. It really is a great start to living a plastic-free way of life.

Great Eco-Friendly Christmas Gift Ideas

It’s the most wonderful time of the year to have an eco-friendly Christmas by going green, reducing waste, being kind to the environment, and buying eco-friendly gifts this season.

Christmas is the most loved time of the year that brings the family together, yet it also consists of lavish meals, gifts, unnecessary gift wrapping, and lots of wasted food. These habits are built over the years and are usually difficult to get rid of.

A few new traditions can be created, keeping the old ones also intact that would bind families together and make them feel safe and comfortable, and we can create those traditions this year by opting for eco-friendly Christmas decorations, trees, and gifts.

Australia Treasure Boards - Floating Wall Shelves by One Two Tree Designs
Display your favourite toys, trinkets, and collections on our Treasure Boards
Child Friendly Wooden Shelf - Floating Wall Shelves by One Two Tree Designs
Our child- friendly Treasure Boards to gift your loved ones
Christmas gift ideas -An interior shoot of the Wally Wombat Treasure Board, by Petite Interior
Treasure Boards as Christmas gift ideas

Minimal changes can make a big impact in reducing our environmental footprint during the holiday season.

Christmas Tree Baubles Set - Tree Decoration Ornaments by One Two Tree Design
Handmade Bauble Set
Christmas Tree Decorated with Wooden Reindeer, Santa Hat, and Angel Ornament Set
Wooden Santa Ornament Set
Hand Made From the Love - Mini Sandwich Message Board from One Two Tree Designs
Custom Message Boards

Buying sustainable gifts can be part of the holiday season ritual

Simple ways such as the following can help the environment

  • Buying a wooden Christmas tree
  • Consider buying sustainable gifts
  • Shop locally
  • Buy eco-friendly Christmas decorations
  • Wrap gifts with recycled paper 
  • Buy plastic-free presents 
  • Use LED lights
  • Minimize food wastage
  • Send out handmade cards or Ecards

By taking these small steps towards saving the environment is a great lesson to be passed on to the next generation who will continue to preserve the environment

This way you can show people in your life how much you care for them while still caring for the environment, by giving sustainable, eco-friendly gifts.

Green gifting gives you a range of eco-friendly gifts that will allow you to take part in the holiday season without compromising your sustainable values. 

So head up to your local store, eco-friendly product websites, flea market, or an antique emporium! An eco-friendly gift will always be unique, and shopping for handmade gifts can be lots of fun too. You never know what treasure you’re going to discover.

Decorations for the perfect Christmas Tree

Yay! You’ve finally got your Christmas Tree from us. Now, it’s time to brighten it up with some of our beautifully crafted decorations that we’ve made this year.

It’s been a long time coming but we finally came around to making our very own ornaments. They sit neatly and perfectly on the top of each branch of your One Two Tree Christmas Tree. It’s just the ultimate pairing!

 

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Star tree top - Xmas decorations

 

We’ve got a range of wooden decorations made from our sustainable Hoop pine and Tasmanian oak to adorn your Christmas Tree. Get the whole fam to have some fun and decorate the trees with our cute wooden decorations. We have two cute decoration sets appropriate for the festive season: Santa and Bauble

 

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Our popular Bauble Set is available in seven Australian-themed shades. While our Santa Set is available as a set of Red Santa Hats, Mocha Reindeers, White Angels. Each wooden decoration set includes three large and two small sizes or available as mixed packs of 20, 50 and 70 pieces – suited to your Christmas Tree decorating style.

Apart from our unique dowel prong decorations, we also have traditional hanging baubles available to order as well.
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Hold on, your tree isn’t complete just yet! It isn’t a Christmas tree without an angel perched up at the top. Finish off your beloved Christmas Tree with our Tree Top Angel with its clean and crisp minimalist design. If angels aren’t your thing, we’ve also got an adorable Tree Top Star in a refreshing lemon shade.

These decorations also work well as an awesome gift for your friends and family. Whether you like your Christmas Tree lined up or splayed apart, the wooden decorations are a sure-fire way to embellish your tree just in time for the festive season.

 

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Rebecca Judd features One Two Tree in The Style School

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.

 

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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.

 

Rebecca Judd feature One Two Tree

Rebecca Judd feature One Two Tree-2

 

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 Judd feature One Two Tree-3

 

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

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.
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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

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.

 

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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.

 

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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!

 

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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.  

 

My Treasure Board Australia

 

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?

 

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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!

 

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TuBu Kids styles One Two Tree in kids bedroom makeover

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/

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Plywood care & maintenance

OneTwoTree close up

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.

Sandwich Board Aframe OneTwoTree

 

Little treasures in the making

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:

Little Aussie Treasures one two tree

Stay tuned for more adorable updates coming soon.

Hanging with art

With the arrival of our new 30cm Art Hanger, we thought we’d share our favourite wall hangings to inspire you with some visual goodness. Now available in three sizes: 30cm, 50cm and 70cm! You’re bound to find one that is the perfect fit for your art hanging needs.

Hang anything from your linen tea towels, wall weaves, kids masterpieces. From collages to photographic prints and more. The plywood and natural tan leather string provides the perfect canvas for showcasing your art in a clean and minimal style.

With the larger 50cm and 70cm Art Hangers, a fab trick we love is hanging two smaller pieces side by side. A great idea for collating your kid’s artworks or a mini-series of artworks.

It is oh so simple to swap and change artworks on a regular basis for a refreshed feel. The Art Hanger – simple in design, but so genius in nature.

Care instructions:
Here’s a little tip for framing a precious paper piece of art. Cut one strip of paper or card, fold in it half and sandwich the original between them, then place it inside the Art Hanger. Firstly, this protects the corners of the original and secondly, it provides a better grip for any of your lighter weight papers. This is also a good idea if you are framing any pastel work, or anything that could smudge the Art Hanger. Our Art Hangers are raw and naturally unstained. Therefore, it needs a little bit of care and attention.

Art Hanger 30cm

30cm Art Hanger holding a weave by Staple & Seed.

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50cm Art Hanger holding a print by EggPicnic.

Claire Johnson Art Hanger

70cm Art Hanger holding two paintings by Claire Johnson.

Claire Johnson 30cm Art Hanger

30cm Art Hanger holding a poster by Claire Johnson.

Kids art art hangers

50cm Art Hanger (Top Left), 30cm Art Hanger (Bottom Right) holding kids masterpieces.

Little Treasure

My Treasure Board

A little over a year ago I began developing ideas for things to decorate my son’s room with. I ended up designing what is now known as the My Treasure Board. It was named ‘treasure’ after all the little trinkets and prized possessions you could display upon it. But also as an ode to our beautiful island nation.

Where else in the world can you find such wide-open landscapes displaying such a contrast of rich colours and textures? Our land is one of a unique mixture of luscious bushland, sunburnt plains and white sandy beaches. Home to many animals that are found nowhere else in the world. And home to people of many different backgrounds, cultures, religions and histories.

Let’s never forget to protect our natural environments – on-land, and under the sea. Let’s never forget to respect and be kind to one another. This Australia Day, and every other day, let’s never forget to continually discover, appreciate and enjoy the simple pleasures and beauties of this treasured land.

A merry one two tree christmas

merry christmas tree

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

mini honeycomb tissue balls

“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.

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honey comb one two tree

crystal pyramid poms – decorations now instore

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If you’re loving the decorations you see in the picture above well so do we. So much so we are now stocking the Crystal Pyramid Poms online in our shop right now for you to purchase.

Made by the talented artistic duo Dear Plastic they come in a DIY pack of four with easy to follow instructions and beautiful twine string to hang them straight onto your One Two Tree.

We discovered Dear Plastic online and instantly fell in love with their colourful creative ways. Handmade with a watercolor finish each POM is truly captivating and so vibrant and they truly complement our One Two Tree.

We asked Yumi and Taki from Dear Plastic five quick questions

1. How did Dear Plastic form? Dear Plastic started organically. Just the two of us creating and developing ideas together and making things for friends. I guess 3 years ago we decided that we wanted to develop it further and work on our ideas full time.

2. Is this a full time career for you both? Yes.

3. How does sustainability and the environment play a role in your work? The environment and nature is a big influence on our work. We both have a strong connection with Shinto belief and the idea that everything has a Spirit or God. This respect for everything around us leads to sustainable ideas. I guess that keeps us always thinking of ways of creating ideas that have the least impact on the environment.

4. What does POM stand for? POM is the sound of fireworks exploding in Japanese! Our POM’s turn from 2D to 3D over and over again by pulling a string and we think it similar to fireworks going off!

5. What’s next for dear plastic, new products? exhibitions? We are working on a window installation for Pieces of Eight gallery in Melbourne at the moment. That will open on the 3rd of Dec. We will have a stall at the upcoming  Markit at Fed Square in Melbourne and then at Finders Keepers in Sydney. We’re really interested in collaborating and working on larger spaces for installations.

We hope you like them as much as we do.

 

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one two tree pom kit decorations4

 

swing tags styling with your one two tree

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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.

 

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one two tree and sculptures by the sea

With Sculptures by the Sea in the air of Bondi we thought we’d inspire you all with a little coastal decorating. We sourced the Starfish and Sea Urchin decorations from The Society Inc shop down in Paddington. However, don’t be afraid to get your creative DIY juices flowing and make your own. A glue gun, good quality ribbon and some pretty sea shells or organic beach treasures would look just as fabulous.

For sourcing your own a coastal look try searching on Ebay and Etsy. We also discovered that Simply Shells has a great range online too.

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diy : rainbow wrapped ceramic stars

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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.

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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!

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one two tree branding by mark trzopek

 

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We couldn’t be happier with the way our One Two Tree branding turned out and we owe all of our good looks to Mark Trzopek. We’re lucky enough to personally know Mark and were familiar with some of his previous works so we knew we could expect something exceptional. We are not sure Mark had any idea of what sort of trouble he was getting himself into when he took on the One Two Tree brief because as far as clients go we are extremely fussy. Luckily for us he is just as dedicated to perfectionism as we are. Mark really took the reins on the brand design. In keeping with our green ethos, he delivered a smart and environmentally conscious product. We asked Mark a few questions about One Two Tree.

Can you sum up how you tackled the project and your thoughts behind the imagery?

This project sought its solution from the need for packaging that functioned and suited its purpose. The packaging needed to hold a heavy and bulky wooden product that could be re-used, shipped internationally, whilst also having retail appeal/presence. The branding solution originated through the business/product name and the ethos of simplicity and ease. The triangle device represents not only the primary material for the products, woods/trees, but also the easy and simple assembly, as evidenced through the 3 sided shape and its relationship with the wording One Two Tree. One side of the packaging makes use of a  axe silhouette, which is a nostalgic play on the old tradition of going out to fell the families Xmas tree. This brings an element of playfulness and tradition to a new and modern Christmas tree alternative.

What inspires and influences you as a graphic designer?

Well thought out ideas and execution. Less is always more. Art and museums. Surfing and beach culture. as well as making things outside the field of graphic design.

Describe your style as a whole?

I try not have a style in my commercial projects, but adapt what is suitable for the individual product/company and their objectives.

What will you be working on in the next coming months?

– More packaging/branding.
– Annual program for a Sydney based arts & dance organisation.
– E-book branding.
– Branding/rollout for a new cafe/bar coming to Sydneys Northern Beaches.

And hopefully lots more unexpected projects in the new year.

You can email Mark at marktrzopek@gmail.com with any web, design or branding enquiries.

tin soldiers stand tall

Tin Soldiers

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.

our story

one two tree – our story from One Two Tree on Vimeo.

We made this little video to introduce ourselves and to tell you about our One Two Tree story. Shot and edited by the talented Trevor King. A big special thank you to Sammy, Jackie and Aaron, without their kindness we wouldn’t have been able to make this video. We hope you like it.

welcome

Welcome

Welcome to our official One Two Tree website! We’re finally live and ready to spread our little Christmas tree far and wide. Remember that shipping to destinations within Australia is free until Christmas!