Crazy Label's Treeson by Bubi Au Yeung
with Jager

Have you ever opened a toy box and just felt happy? Not because you finally ended your quest to find that rare toy you've been searching for, but because the toy itself just seems to smile back at you? Treeson from Crazy Label is just such a toy. This little guy just makes me feel better about things when I look at him. Maybe it's his little happy smile, or maybe it's that he looks fuzzy and soft, or maybe it's the tree branch sticking from his heart. Wha?

The brief story of Treeson
Treeson was raised by trees. When a person comes to cut down his mother, he fights the person but ends up losing and getting a branch stuck into his heart! He seems okay though. Then he meets his best pal Ren. They enjoy each others' company and play around for a bit but soon they realize the chilling truth. They are both dead and are ghosts! Bet you didn't see that one coming. I sure didn't. But that doesn't stop them from having more adventures like mending broken hearts. There are more stories on the Crazy Label web site, check them out.

Back to the toy
For Treeson's design, simplicity is the name of the game. He stands 5 inches high and is made of some very sturdy all white vinyl. He's not solid plastic, but the vinyl was poured into the mold generously making for thick, hefty "walls". The entire body, besides the face, is covered in rounded points; giving the illusion that Treeson is very furry. It really came off well and from the profile he even looks a bit chubby. His face is just a simple smile: eyes, mouth, and blushed cheeks all painted cleanly. Again, very simple, but really works well. Then there is the afore mentioned branch sticking from his heart. This visually breaks the symmetry of the toy and adds some interest to the design. The branch comes out and what's on the end? Treeson's heart of course! As you probably noticed in the overview, this is a pretty sad/twisted story with a very cute character. That's the kind of toy I like. One that leads you one way and then pulls the rug out from under you. Artistic driven design and high quality control is important too and since Treeson has all this, I'm really digging this toy.

The packaging is also very nice. He comes in a box sporting a sketch of his face and care instructions on the side, while the back has a brief tale of Treeson and Ren. I was particularly impressed with the plastic case the toy came in. It was all white but Crazy Label took the time to print "Treeson" on the front. I know it may seem unimportant to mention, but this is just an example of how much attention was paid to each detail of this toy.

Like I said, I really love Treeson. He is made well and he just warms my heart when I see him. I know I'm a sap. This toy is the perfect gift for your girlfriend who just doesn't understand why you spend so much money on vinyl or maybe you just need a friend.

You should check out Crazy Label's web site. It has info on their projects, artist pool, and you can buy a Treeson straight from the source and eliminate the middle man.

Treeson is available at almost every Designer Toy retailer including Free Bento, Rotofugi, and kidrobot.

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