The Black Run Collection – Voorhees, New Jersey, in stamped leather

From the Practice Log – Volume I-C, an ongoing series of leather stamping studies. This one is a collection of original designs.

A September study.

The Black Run Collection – four designs for Voorhees Township, New Jersey, where the streets run out toward the Pine Barrens and Black Run Preserve keeps 1,300 acres of them one town over. Each design was drawn to be stamped into full-grain leather.

First, we followed the preserve's needle-strewn path between the pines and let it wander toward the light, with THE LONG WAY HOME set underneath – a luggage tag may as well admit what the trip is really for. It runs lengthwise along the tag.

Black-and-white stamp artwork showing a winding pine woodland path with THE LONG WAY HOME for leather gifts in The Black Run Collection of Voorhees Township, New Jersey.

Looks great when stamped onto the leather.

A forest green leather luggage tag stamped with a winding pine woodland path with THE LONG WAY HOME, from The Black Run Collection of Voorhees Township, New Jersey.

A warm amber leather luggage tag stamped with a winding pine woodland path with THE LONG WAY HOME, from The Black Run Collection of Voorhees Township, New Jersey.

A warm gray leather luggage tag stamped with a winding pine woodland path with THE LONG WAY HOME, from The Black Run Collection of Voorhees Township, New Jersey.

Next, a pitch pine cone for the keychains. Pitch pines seal their cones in resin, and some hang closed for years until enough heat finally opens them – so we drew one mid-opening and arced IN ITS OWN TIME over the crown. A patient companion for a ring of keys.

Black-and-white stamp artwork showing an opening pitch-pine cone with IN ITS OWN TIME for leather gifts in The Black Run Collection of Voorhees Township, New Jersey.

A chestnut leather keychain stamped with an opening pitch-pine cone with IN ITS OWN TIME, from The Black Run Collection of Voorhees Township, New Jersey.

A forest green leather keychain stamped with an opening pitch-pine cone with IN ITS OWN TIME, from The Black Run Collection of Voorhees Township, New Jersey.

Then, the journals. Black Run is a headwater of the Rancocas, a river that begins as a line thin enough to step over. We drew faint threads gathering one by one into a single sure stroke above the word HEADWATERS, because every page of drawing starts the same way.

Black-and-white stamp artwork showing five streams joining above HEADWATERS for leather gifts in The Black Run Collection of Voorhees Township, New Jersey.

It looks genuinely beautiful.

A forest green leather journal stamped with five streams joining above HEADWATERS, from The Black Run Collection of Voorhees Township, New Jersey.

A caramel leather journal stamped with five streams joining above HEADWATERS, from The Black Run Collection of Voorhees Township, New Jersey.

The same stamp went at generous size onto the golden tan catchall tray – the place where everything in your pockets runs down to at day's end.

A golden tan leather catchall tray stamped with five streams joining above HEADWATERS, from The Black Run Collection of Voorhees Township, New Jersey.

And finally, the toiletry bags, honeyed russet over chestnut. On the preserve's still water stand low domes of woven sticks, every stick carried and placed by the resident. We set one on its waterline with its reflection and wrote BUILT BY HAND beneath – true of the lodge, and of a good gift.

Black-and-white stamp artwork showing a woven-stick lodge and its reflection above BUILT BY HAND for leather gifts in The Black Run Collection of Voorhees Township, New Jersey.

A warm amber and chestnut leather toiletry bag stack stamped with a woven-stick lodge and its reflection above BUILT BY HAND, from The Black Run Collection of Voorhees Township, New Jersey.

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

P.S.

A warm amber leather luggage tag stamped with a winding pine woodland path with THE LONG WAY HOME, from The Black Run Collection of Voorhees Township, New Jersey.