Honest Work – a leather stamping collection in the Arts and Crafts spirit

From the Practice Log – an ongoing series of stamping studies on real-world logos.

A September study. Volume I-A.

A small collection in the Arts and Crafts spirit, named Honest Work – acorns and pinecones held in square frames, with the construction left visible. Leather takes this vocabulary as naturally as quarter-sawn oak does.

First, a pinecone hung from its arch of long needles, every scale cut separately, in a tall four-square frame – and beneath it, FAIR WEATHER. A pinecone opens its scales when dry days are coming, which is exactly the promise a luggage tag should make.

Black-and-white pinecone and FAIR WEATHER artwork for the Honest Work leather stamping collection.

It looks genuinely beautiful – here on golden tan, deep green and on deep wine.

An Arizona leather luggage tag blind-stamped with the pinecone and FAIR WEATHER design.

A Forest Green leather luggage tag blind-stamped with the pinecone and FAIR WEATHER design.

A Sangria leather luggage tag blind-stamped with the pinecone and FAIR WEATHER design.

Next, two acorns under their overlapping oak leaves, a small solid block in each corner of the frame, and the old proverb's opening to carry them – FROM LITTLE ACORNS. The mighty oak goes without saying.

Black-and-white oak leaves, acorns, and FROM LITTLE ACORNS artwork for the Honest Work collection.

Looks great when stamped onto the leather.

A Caramel leather keychain blind-stamped with the FROM LITTLE ACORNS design.

A Blueberry leather keychain blind-stamped with the FROM LITTLE ACORNS design.

The same acorns sit low in the corner of the toiletry bags – golden tan over chestnut, new oak over old.

Arizona and Sicilian Brown leather toiletry bags blind-stamped with the FROM LITTLE ACORNS design.

Then, William Morris's famous rule cut down to the two words that survive every test – USEFUL AND BEAUTIFUL – pressed into the corner of the journals, a single acorn standing over the letters. One journal in deep brown, one in pale sea-blue, the glaze color this tradition has always loved against oak.

Black-and-white USEFUL AND BEAUTIFUL artwork for the Honest Work leather stamping collection.

A Dark Espresso leather journal blind-stamped with the USEFUL AND BEAUTIFUL design.

A Turquoise leather journal blind-stamped with the USEFUL AND BEAUTIFUL design.

And finally, the design that names the collection. A wedged through tenon drawn straight on – the joint mission furniture is proudest to show – over the words HONEST WORK, pressed at generous size into the center of the golden tan tray.

Black-and-white wedged tenon and HONEST WORK artwork for the Honest Work collection.

Looks absolutely gorgeous when stamped onto the leather.

An Arizona leather catchall tray blind-stamped with the wedged-tenon HONEST WORK design.

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 these belong on your shelves, or you'd like anything here changed – say hello through our contact page.