Keeper – a leather gift collection for anglers and early risers (Volume I-D)

From the Practice Log – an ongoing series of stamping studies. Volume I-D.

A September study.

Keeper is a small collection of leather gifts for the man who is hard to buy for – the angler who measures everything, the early riser whose duffel waits by the door. Five stamps, pressed into small leather kit, from keychains to journals.

First, the design that names the collection. We took a striped bass from an old zoology plate and laid it over a measuring rule so it overhangs both ends, with one word beneath – KEEPER. An angler reads a fish too good to throw back; whoever gives the keychain means the man holding it.

Black-and-white die artwork of a striped bass overhanging a measuring rule above KEEPER, Volume I-D.

On the pale sea-blue fob it looks genuinely beautiful; on dark espresso it goes quiet and serious.

A pale sea-blue leather keychain blind-stamped with the striped bass KEEPER design, Volume I-D.

A dark-espresso leather keychain blind-stamped with the striped bass KEEPER design, Volume I-D.

Next, luggage tags for the one who is ready days ahead of everyone. We stood a small strapped suitcase beside the plain admission – PACKED SINCE TUESDAY – and ran the whole line lengthwise along the tag. It travels across three leathers here, deep navy through pale greige to warm caramel tan.

Black-and-white die artwork of a vintage suitcase beside PACKED SINCE TUESDAY, Volume I-D.

A blueberry leather luggage tag blind-stamped with a suitcase and PACKED SINCE TUESDAY, Volume I-D.

A gray-sand leather luggage tag blind-stamped with a suitcase and PACKED SINCE TUESDAY, Volume I-D.

A caramel leather luggage tag blind-stamped with a suitcase and PACKED SINCE TUESDAY, Volume I-D.

Then the toiletry bag, for the man who is already on the water while the house still sleeps. In the lower corner a half sun clears the waterline above the words FIRST LIGHT. The stack pairs navy with chestnut, and each bag carries the press blind.

Black-and-white die artwork of a half sun over water above FIRST LIGHT, Volume I-D.

One blueberry leather toiletry bag blind-stamped with the FIRST LIGHT sunrise design, Volume I-D.

One sicilian-brown leather toiletry bag blind-stamped with the FIRST LIGHT sunrise design, Volume I-D.

Then the catchall tray in golden tan, where his day actually ends. Around the order EMPTY YOUR POCKETS we drew what usually surfaces – a penknife and a stray hook among the rest. Looks great when stamped onto the leather.

Black-and-white die artwork of five everyday-carry objects around EMPTY YOUR POCKETS, Volume I-D.

An arizona leather catchall tray blind-stamped with EMPTY YOUR POCKETS and five pocket objects, Volume I-D.

And finally, the journal, for the one who writes it down. A small honest fish sits inside the dashed outline of the fish as it will be told at dinner – FOR THE RECORD, stamped in the lower corner of the cover. On black the press reads as a quiet shadow relief; on caramel it sits deep and crisp.

Black-and-white die artwork of a solid bass inside a larger dashed bass above FOR THE RECORD, Volume I-D.

A black leather journal blind-stamped with nested bass and FOR THE RECORD, Volume I-D.

A caramel leather journal blind-stamped with nested bass and FOR THE RECORD, Volume I-D.

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.