The Commonplace Collection – a leather stamping study for readers and writers

From the Practice Log – an ongoing series of leather stamping studies.

Volume I-C

A September study.

The Commonplace Collection – original stamps for people who live on the page, the readers who keep favorite lines and the writers still fighting for new ones. Five designs, one small exhibition.

First, one for the writers. We gave a blacksmith's anvil an open book for its working face, and set THE PAGE CAN TAKE IT above it – whatever the evening brings, the paper holds.

The black-and-white The Page Can Take It stamp plate from the Commonplace Collection.

It looks genuinely beautiful – on the journals in pale warm greige, the color of paper, and in navy, the color of ink.

A gray-sand leather journal blind-debossed with The Page Can Take It from the Commonplace Collection.

A blueberry leather journal blind-debossed with The Page Can Take It from the Commonplace Collection.

Next, the honest packing order. We filled a suitcase with book spines and wrote BOOKS FIRST THEN CLOTHES around it – clothes negotiate, books board first. Navy and warm red tags take a blind press; the true black tag carries the stamp in gold, like titling on a clothbound spine.

The black-and-white Books First Then Clothes stamp plate from the Commonplace Collection.

Looks great when stamped onto the leather.

A black leather luggage tag stamped in gold with Books First Then Clothes from the Commonplace Collection.

A blueberry leather luggage tag blind-debossed with Books First Then Clothes from the Commonplace Collection.

A poppy-red leather luggage tag blind-debossed with Books First Then Clothes from the Commonplace Collection.

Then, a stamp that does what it says. Among plain ruled lines we wrote a single line out and underlined it – A LINE WORTH KEEPING, carried on the ring that never leaves a pocket. Warm tan takes the blind press; the black fob carries the gold.

The black-and-white A Line Worth Keeping stamp plate from the Commonplace Collection.

A black leather keychain stamped in gold with A Line Worth Keeping from the Commonplace Collection.

A caramel leather keychain blind-debossed with A Line Worth Keeping from the Commonplace Collection.

After that, the catchall tray, where the evening lands. A ribbon bookmark drops through TO BE CONTINUED – the glasses come off, and tomorrow knows exactly where to start. Golden tan, pressed at generous size.

The black-and-white To Be Continued stamp plate from the Commonplace Collection.

An Arizona leather catchall tray blind-debossed with To Be Continued from the Commonplace Collection.

And finally, a small confession in the corner of the toiletry bags. A stack of books under NEVER BETWEEN BOOKS – the condition a serious reader maintains on any continent. True black over deep brown, blind debossed.

The black-and-white Never Between Books stamp plate from the Commonplace Collection.

Black and dark-espresso leather dopp kits blind-debossed with Never Between Books from the Commonplace Collection.

We made this out of love. Leatherius Woodman is on a mission to create and share artifacts of beauty, craft and love – this study is one of them, and we hope the feeling is mutual. Every image is a render – how we prototype before cutting a die.

If you'd like any of these made real, or anything here changed – say hello through our contact page.