Pressed, Volume I-B – a leather collection on marks made by hand

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

A September study. Shops, Volume I-B.

Pressed – a small leather collection about marks made by hand. A carved die goes into the hide under firm pressure, and the lift shows what happened – the same reveal a block print or a hammered flower gives back.

First, we carved the whole method into a motto: a flower pressed flat with its petals thrown wide, and around it the only instruction a printing table ever needs – PRESS FIRMLY AND LIFT.

Press Firmly and Lift flower leather stamp design in black on white

We stamped it on three luggage tags. The deep green and the golden tan came first; the dusty rose we saved for last. Looks great when stamped onto the leather.

Press Firmly and Lift flower stamped on a Forest Green leather luggage tag

Press Firmly and Lift flower stamped on an Arizona leather luggage tag

Press Firmly and Lift flower stamped on a Parisian Blossom leather luggage tag

Next, we made a badge for the maker's side of the room – an open hand with a blossom resting in its palm, and MADE BY HAND arched over it.

Made by Hand open-hand badge leather stamp design in black on white

It rides the keychains in navy and in golden tan.

Made by Hand badge stamped on a Blueberry leather keychain

Made by Hand badge stamped on an Arizona leather keychain

And it settles into the lower corner of the toiletry bags, navy over chestnut, stamped blind.

Made by Hand badge stamped on Blueberry and Sicilian Brown leather dopp kits

Then, for the journals, we drew a wildflower in one unbroken line and wrote the exercise underneath – WITHOUT LIFTING THE PEN. Every drawing class begins with that faith in the hand.

Without Lifting the Pen one-line flower leather stamp design in black on white

It looks genuinely beautiful – in deep green and in dusty lavender.

Without Lifting the Pen flower stamped on a Forest Green leather journal

Without Lifting the Pen flower stamped on a Lilac leather journal

And finally, the catchall tray. Seven moons cross the base, new to full and back again, with the evening's one standing order beneath them – EMPTY YOUR POCKETS.

Empty Your Pockets seven-moon leather stamp design in black on white

Empty Your Pockets moon phases stamped on an Arizona leather catchall tray

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.