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Blocks don’t get much more natural than this
By Jeremiah | February 18, 2009 | 3 comments / Comment now
Canadian-based online retailer Natural Pod sent us a lovely set of Tree Branch Blocks to check out. While the concept had me imagining rural swindlers collecting sticks and selling them to big-city rubes, in practice they make a lot more sense.
Natural Pod's Tree Branch Blocks are made from kiln-dried alder branches that, I kid you not, fell down by themselves, or by being looked at funny. The branches are cut to lengths ranging from 1" to about 8", their ends smoothed, and a few are split lengthwise. Some of you could make these yourselves, others would get hurt. Either way, it's a nice thought, and it has me thinking about stuff we could find outside to contribute to this set which would be as clean and durable and wouldn't end up feeling like junk we shouldn't have brought in the house.
Tree Branch Blocks are fun to build with and make nice tower villages for sketchy plastic fairy types. They run $40 Canadian (about $32 USD) and can be purchased from the Natural Pod website.
Natural Pod's Tree Branch Blocks are made from kiln-dried alder branches that, I kid you not, fell down by themselves, or by being looked at funny. The branches are cut to lengths ranging from 1" to about 8", their ends smoothed, and a few are split lengthwise. Some of you could make these yourselves, others would get hurt. Either way, it's a nice thought, and it has me thinking about stuff we could find outside to contribute to this set which would be as clean and durable and wouldn't end up feeling like junk we shouldn't have brought in the house.
Tree Branch Blocks are fun to build with and make nice tower villages for sketchy plastic fairy types. They run $40 Canadian (about $32 USD) and can be purchased from the Natural Pod website.
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i. want. these. now. please.
Jeremiah, these are fantastic. Thank you so much for bringing them to our attention.
More notes on Z’s use of these at her grandmother’s house: The “fairy trees” have been a big success. They serve to be a wonderful natural component that adds to her rather odd choice of plastic treasures. She can imagine the trees to add either a “darkness” to a scene she is playing out, or a sense of nature drama and light to the ongoing story. Trees are used to bring imaginary creatures above their human counterparts, both to protect and to intimidate them. Trees are used to hide and block access to her “friends.” I can see a very tiny set designer in the works here.