The turning of the seasons always brings interesting and memorable moments. At the beginning of March in Christchurch, I could smell autumn in the air - a little drier, with a subtle shift in its fragrance. Deciduous trees started shedding their leaves, and that melancholic feeling, which always arrives with autumn, struck me.
At the intersection of Feb and March - summer meeting autumn - I took Tree Children to the NZ Gift Fair in Auckland. It was our first time at a gift fair, and though I felt a bit overwhelmed, I learned so much from meeting other small business owners and creators. We secured our first wholesale vendors and even made some friends along the way!
  
During that trip, I brought my family to explore the forests near Auckland, choosing a trail near Piha Beach. Driving along Forest Hill Road and then Piha Road after leaving the city, my son Leo and I started shouting every time we spotted a Rimu - and there were lots! They stood tall, surrounded by their extended family: Kauri, Totara, and a profusion of Kanuka and Manuka. Pongas thrived in the understory, and this part of the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park buzzed with vitality. You can truly feel the land’s happiness.
  
To my delight, we were greeted by an abundance of Kawakawa right from the start of the trail! Since I’d already planned to feature it in our March box, this felt like serendipity. I spent a long time observing them — taking photos and videos, touching, smelling, soaking it all in. I was in my happy place. It was a hot day, and the uphill climb was challenging, but the sweet scent of Kanuka and Manuka was a comforting distraction. The cicadas' unrelenting songs filled the air - a sound I hadn’t noticed as much in cooler Canterbury.
Back at home, this month, I’ve been working hard with our product designer Hannah on the Kawakawa Box (which finally launched yesterday!! 🎉 See details here). We’ve also created 2 limited-edition greeting cards (See details here), printed from my drawings inspired by Kawakawa.
   
Beyond that, we’ve been reflecting on the direction of our products and have started sketching out new ideas. I'm really excited about what’s coming, and once we have a prototype ready, I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Some lovely news: Tree Children was recently awarded a small prize from the Women’s Entrepreneur Fund — we’re honoured to be recognised and supported by such a meaningful organisation 💛
And we’re partnering again with Envirokids to host another session on March 29, 2024 — this time, we’ll help kids discover the magic of Kawakawa and create nature art together!
In the coming month, we’ll be slowing our pace a bit with box launches, and instead spending more time exploring new product ideas. There’s so much we want to share with parents and kids, and we’re more passionate than ever about our mission to connect children more deeply with nature in a fun, meaningful way.
We’ll be indulging in some nature time ourselves too - and we hope you enjoy a beautiful autumn wherever you are.
With warmth,
Violet Fan
Founder, Tree Children