High Ground & Cold Water – a Branson leather stamping study, Volume II

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

A September study.

For Branson, Missouri – five designs we call High Ground & Cold Water. Volume II.

First, the fact the whole place rests on. The old river was dammed into still water, and the hills have held it ever since. We ran the ridgelines the length of the tag and threaded the river through a gap between them, widening into a ruled lake under THE HILLS HOLD THE WATER.

The Hills Hold the Water black-and-white stamp artwork from the High Ground & Cold Water leather collection of Branson, Missouri.

Looks great when stamped onto the leather – the navy tag most of all.

A navy leather luggage tag stamped with The Hills Hold the Water design from High Ground & Cold Water of Branson, Missouri.

A forest-green leather luggage tag stamped with The Hills Hold the Water design from High Ground & Cold Water of Branson, Missouri.

A golden-tan leather luggage tag stamped with The Hills Hold the Water design from High Ground & Cold Water of Branson, Missouri.

Next, down below the dam, where the water runs cold enough for trout. A dry fly rests on the surface inside one ripple ring, and the trout tips up in the second before the take – TANEYCOMO around the rim, because the people who fish that water call it by name.

The Taneycomo Rise black-and-white trout stamp artwork from the High Ground & Cold Water leather collection of Branson, Missouri.

It looks genuinely beautiful.

A navy leather keychain stamped with the Taneycomo trout rise from High Ground & Cold Water of Branson, Missouri.

A golden-tan leather keychain stamped with the Taneycomo trout rise from High Ground & Cold Water of Branson, Missouri.

Then up to the high ground. Just past town the hills break open into balds – bare dolomite ledges where a wind-bent cedar keeps its grip on the rock. We stamped HIGH GROUND low in the corner of the kit, warm gray stone stacked over chestnut earth.

The High Ground black-and-white dolomite bald stamp artwork from the High Ground & Cold Water leather collection of Branson, Missouri.

Two leather toiletry bags stamped with the High Ground dolomite design from High Ground & Cold Water of Branson, Missouri.

After that, a standing appointment. Downtown remembers an old-growth oak by the water that served as the town's gathering place, so we grew it back in solid black and arched MEET ME AT THE OAK over the canopy – the right words for a catchall tray, which is where the pockets of a house agree to gather.

The Meet Me at the Oak black-and-white stamp artwork from the High Ground & Cold Water leather collection of Branson, Missouri.

Looks absolutely gorgeous when stamped onto the golden tan.

A golden-tan leather catchall tray stamped with Meet Me at the Oak from High Ground & Cold Water of Branson, Missouri.

And finally, the week worth writing down. Each spring the dogwood turns these hillsides white for a few days, then lets go. We set the sprig in the corner of the cover under APRIL IN THE OZARKS – naming the days the pages are for. On pale greige the bracts read like pressed flowers; on deep green, like the woods they came from.

The April in the Ozarks black-and-white dogwood stamp artwork from the High Ground & Cold Water leather collection of Branson, Missouri.

A pale greige leather journal stamped with April in the Ozarks from High Ground & Cold Water of Branson, Missouri.

A forest-green leather journal stamped with April in the Ozarks from High Ground & Cold Water of Branson, Missouri.

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 these made real, or anything here changed – say hello through our contact page.