Our leather journals come from our lessons with local home school groups of children. We taught them how to make this lovable and simple maritime "Amalfi (Italy)" style journal a few years ago, and decided to include our own take on this style in our collection. We had just made them for each other, and friends and family before, and in much smaller form (cute!). At first (and still sometimes) we used vintage papers from Vermont's local fine small presses, a collection we had amassed over the years. However now, to keep the quality and usefulness consistent, we stick with new Strathmore archival artist quality acid-free paper. These journals are designed for mixed media creativity, and any kind of writing utensil. You will notice the live edge of the animal hide in these journals, like many of our leather accessories feature. This takes time and reduces the amount of work we can make this way with each piece of leather. Still, we believe the elusive quality of this live edge is worth preserving, and so look for the perfect flow in each journal's edges and wrap, and try to keep this wildness in the design wherever possible.
Our unique home grown and hand crafted applewood and butternut buttons can last lifetimes. We oil them gently by hand with organic jojoba oil. Each Autumn we prune our small fruitwood orchard. Sustainably this way we collect various size branches that are perfect for buttons, clasps and handles. We plant new nut and fruit trees each year,
Our unique home grown and hand crafted applewood and butternut buttons can last lifetimes. We oil them gently by hand with organic jojoba oil. Each Autumn we prune our small fruitwood orchard. Sustainably this way we collect various size branches that are perfect for buttons, clasps and handles. We plant new nut and fruit trees each year, partly in order to harvest their pruned branches for timeless buttons of all sizes. The winter months inside while it is snowing are perfect for the quiet and calm process of hand carving our wood. We also grow and carve butternut, maple, cherry, golden birch and ironwood. This years applewood will be darker and more spalted.
We have usually used wild Ethically harvested and vintage finest quality globally sourced leathers of all kinds. These hides have been stored in timeless ways for decades, used in small quantities for bespoke projects and special moments.
Yet now these times are unusual, and we aspire to be better than ever as we get through into a bette
We have usually used wild Ethically harvested and vintage finest quality globally sourced leathers of all kinds. These hides have been stored in timeless ways for decades, used in small quantities for bespoke projects and special moments.
Yet now these times are unusual, and we aspire to be better than ever as we get through into a better future. Our Current skins come from the mid west of the United States. We use the finest American vegetable tanned oiled saddle leather (cow), and vegetable tanned goat skins. This tanning process is natural and uses husks of nuts and tannins from other plants and trees to create an Earth tone color palette that is safer for human skin and has a non toxic legacy with ultimate longevity. These lots of cow skin were not mass produced and so are always in limited supply, and exhibit true character.
We are inspired by timelessness, the universal joy and awe of being immersed in a pure natural landscape. Our designs come from a mountainside and the sky, days and night spend searching the clouds and stars for wonder. Honoring the animals, extending their afterlife into ours.
