Month: May 2024

A Little Competition…In Custom Leatherwork

Creativity, Leather Carving

If you don’t push yourself you won’t grow.

It’s true of any skill, job or art form.  Whether you want to grow in your job, a sport or in art, if you don’t push yourself to reach new heights, learn a new skill or refine what you do, you will just be stuck in the same place.  Stagnant.

A custom leatherwork notebook with floral carving.
My World Leather Debut entry, a custom made leather notebook cover.

That is why I enter the World Leather Debut show in Sheridan, WY.  I have no illusions that I can actually win at this competition.   It is filled with the art work from some of the best leather workers in the world.  Not just the US but exceptional artists from Japan, China and Europe. Their skills and styles are diverse and they bring a full lifetime of pursuit of their art to this show.  For people like me that make artwork in leather, this show is the pinnacle of our art.

Custom Leatherwork

Whenever I am making custom leatherwork I am always trying to do my best.  Each item is made uniquely for that particular customer and I try to make each item as special and exceptional as possible.  But making something like this notebook for a competition that includes some of the best craftsmen and women in the world definitely pushes you to another level.  It also makes you look more critically at your work.  You examine and put more thought into each detail.  You know how high the bar is and you think about how you can improve each step so you can get closer to that bar.

Back cover of a leather notebook cover with floral caring design and geometric stamping
Rear panel of my World Leather Debut notebook.

So while this notebook didn’t win any awards, I know it is some of my best work.  And I believe I will carry the lessons and insights learned in making it into each custom leatherwork piece I do in the next year, so that next year my work will have leveled up just a little bit and I will be that much closer to that high bar.

If you are interested in a custom leather notebook or journal similar to this one, contact me and I will be happy to make something like this for you.

Custom Leather Notebooks

Life of a Maker

While going through some of my old pictures on my computer I ran across images of this notebook I made twelve years ago.  I had forgotten I had even made  a notebook like this.

Hand Carved Leather Notebook with oak leaf designs in the corners.
Custom Leather Notebook With Oak Leaf Designs

This was a custom leather notebook made to order.  I really like oak leaf carvings and I don’t get to make them as often as I should.  Oak leaves are traditionally a symbol of strength and they used to be very common decorations for stone buildings, furniture and yes leather carving.  

I’ve made many different carvings using oak leaves, from wallets to notebooks, but one thing I’ve never made is an oak leaf carved belt.  If you’re out there reading this and that sounds like a cool idea to you, contact me and let me know.  I would be happy to make someone a oak leaf belt and would probably give you a discount to do it too just because I think it would be a cool project.

Custom Leather Notebooks

Custom leather notebooks used to be my speciality and it’s what I started out making for people.  My very first custom orders were for custom leather notebooks like the on shown above.  These notebooks were almost always laced around the edges like the one shown here because at the time I didn’t know how to hand sew leather.  But I also liked the look and I still make some projects like this.  Most of the notebooks had western floral designs on them but every once in a while I would get to make a Celtic knot or oak leaf design like this one.

Close up of oak leaf carving on leather.

If you have a need for a custom leather notebook, leather journal or wedding guest book, please let me know.  I’m always happy to make leather notebooks and journals for people.  Let me know what ideas you have for your design and I will do everything I can to make your idea come to life.