Leather Oaks Christmas
(2006 and Earlier)

Holiday Leathers and Rubber Basketry in a Fresh View!


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This Page last updated on December 26, 2013
Photo Content unchanged from December 25, 2006
Fieldsheer Riding Suit over Collared vest
  Caption:  Yours for a Warm, Black Leather Winter
     For twenty-six years, I've been sending Photo Greeting cards, and have gathered quite a following, besides trying a wide variety of gear on a mostly unsuspecting but amazingly appreciative audience.
     Herewith are the current leather offerings. The Fieldsheer riding suit at left has been featured in previous years, but I got dressy this year with a sleeveless, collared vest worn under it.
In the photo at right, I'm sporting red leather bibs from a company known more for motorcycle accessories and yes, the Seventies chain-maled jacket seemed too good a match to pass up.
      The links will take you to high-resolution versions of the same photos.
      Ahem! I guess I needn't mention that neither of these "Leather Cards" features "Leather Boots"! Maybe next year<G >!

     The greeting on this card reads, "Wishing you another Red Leather Christmas . . . from Leather Oaks!"
 Red Leather 2006
Red Leather 2006

Black & Grey Rubber 2006
Black & and Grey Rubber 2006
Greeting: Wishing you Warm, Rubbery and Wadered thoughts from Leather Oaks!
     Returning to recent tradition, there were FOUR cards published this year! To our left and right we have the two rubber editions.
     The "suit of rubber" is a cross-purposed pairing of a traditional skin-diver's neoprene shirt with the stylishly French Le Chameau "Super Chamosec" chest waders.
The sun was fiercely hot this year (no trees, get it?), so wearing less, even in rubber became a laudable, or at least comfortable goal. The "Melon" rubber briefs are made from camp pad rubber.

     The greeting on this card reads, "Enjoying a Garden Melon Medley from Leather Oaks!"
 Melon Rubber 2006
Melon Rubber 2006

Red Rubber Bibs 2005
Red Rubber Bibs 2006
     The choices were very tough this year!! There are another quartet of candidate poses that didn't rate a conversion of Kodak® but were just too good to pass up entirely.
Knowing how much my leather afficianados detest any show of fabric, I regretfully didn't use the leather pose at the left.

     The rubber photos were an even bigger problem. There were many more sessions that COULD have been used, and several great poses within those two selected. Some folks might prefer this grey and black rubber pose to the one I chose: I'm not sure now why I didn't use it either!
Grinning Grey Rubber 2006
Grinning Grey Rubber 2006

Stream-straddling Grey Rubberman 2006
Stream-straddling Grey Rubberman 2006
  Would this make a good Christmas Card?
     I'm rather partial to this sort of pose, but I have no idea what kind of caption would have keyed into the Christmas Season. Well, give me a while, OK?
     There was a purpose being served by the set of photos taken in my monkey grass! The Elephant Ears may be called "Cast Iron Plants", but that also tells you how fragile they are when beaten upon by wind.
     So, should I just rest in the sea of grass, as suggested in the pose that DID become a card? Or is it best to just "Declare Victory" as seems to be the point of the pose to the right?
     What I actually did was carefully clip all the damaged ends off each leaf, but that doesn't photograph well, believe me. Nor, was it a "Ho Ho Ho" moment!
Tree Stump Rubber 2005
Triumph over Monkey Grass? -- 2006

Turtleneck 1970
Turtleneck 1970
     There was Harold before Leather!!  It all began very innocently when I grew a beard while on a trip to England in Spring, 1970.  Then the weather turned suddenly warm, and I shaved it off. GrandDad 1971
GrandDad 1971
     When my Mother heard that I had "done a beard", she had to see it:  Seems her Father had also been facially hirsuted.  This pose tries to match "GrandDad"!
Leather 1981
Leather 1981
Leather 1982
Leather 1982
Leather 1983
Leather 1983
Leather 1983 Alternate
Leather 1983
Laughter
Leather 1984
Leather 1984
Leather 1985
Leather 1985
Leather 1986
Leather 1986
Leather 1987
Leather 1987
Leather 1988
Leather 1988
Rubber 1989??
Rubber 1989
or 1990??
Rubber 1991
Rubber 1991
Leather 1992
Leather 1992
Leather 1993
Leather 1993
My Favorite!
Leather 1994
Leather 1994
Leather 1992
Leather 1995
Leather 1996
Leather 1996
Rubber 1996
Rubber 1996
Leather 1997
Leather 1997
Rubber 1997
Rubber 1997
Leather 1998
Leather 1998
Leather 1998 Triker
Leather 1998 Triker
Black Rubber 1998
Black Rubber 1998
Red Rubber 1998
Red Rubber 1998
Leather 1999
Leather 1999
Rubber 1999
Rubber 1999
Leather 2000
Leather 2000
      When I posed the 2000 Leather Card, it was already with the knowledge of what the next year's would be! Rubber 2000
Rubber 2000
Leather 2001
Leather 2001
     There is some Rubber in this Leather Card.  I was celebrating the completion of my Tower Room, which while not yet open to the public, was already very much a success in other ways. Rubber 2001
Rubber 2001
     From my Green Frog series ! !   There's a better photo at the bottom of this page.
Leather 2002
Leather 2002
     The first indoor photo from my Tower Room.   Grandfather finally had a new home! Rubber 2002
Rubber 2002
     Caption: Rubber Aqua Therapy, Greeting:  "Ah, should one Dive, or should one Swim, or should one curl up . . . with a good Book?"
Leather 2003
Leather Card 2003
     There is some Rubber in this Leather Card.  It was staged, on Thanksgiving morning, in front of the Wader Wall on my Deck! The greeting was, "May your Holidays be a Red Leather Experience !" Rubber 2003
Rubber Card 2003
     From the Tower Room series ! !   The greeting was, "Thinking warm thoughts of you, in Buffed Rubber and Burnished Leather !"
Bound Rubber 2003
Bound Rubber 2003
     Somehow, the first two photos just seemed a little tame, so for my very special (or admittedly kinky?) friends, this card was offered, with the caption, "Leather harnessed hugs and rubber-bound warmth yield serious man-swelling bulges ! ! Full Rubber 2003
Full Rubber 2003
     This wasn't published as a card, but offered as a Web Site Extra, for those who just had to know the full extent of my WesCo laceup Big Boss Boots!
Leather in Alaska 2004
Leather in Alaska 2004
  Caption:  A warm, rubbery booted Holiday Greeting from Leather Oaks! 
Photo was made by my friend, Jim Sulver.
Glistening Rubber 2004
Glistening Rubber 2004
     The greeting on this card reads, "Now we're getting into the Swim of Things, Ho! Ho! Ho!!"
Harnessed Rubber 2004
Harnessed Rubber 2004
     Well, what do you know?  There were three cards published in 2004!    I somehow sensed that both the rubber and leather cards were a mite tame, and Some Folks might conclude (erroneously) that I had mellowed.   Well, I just happened to remember this set when I was trying out a new Posture Collar.
  The Greeting?   "I'm bound to inform you that you must have a Happy Holiday Season.   OK??!!"
Posture Collar on Rubber 2004
Posture Collar on Rubber 2004
Then I thought, how about a latex Surfer's Suit to go with the leather collar?   And how about some chain to set off the rubber?
This alternative view is for those who want a better look at the collar.   It is a very neat thing to wear, believe me!
Leather at Maltby 2005
Leather at Maltby 2005
     The red leather shirt in the photo was a 2004 Christmas present to myself, created using a 30-year old Simplicity pattern, adn the grey leather pants were the business section of a German Submariner's suit.
The Greeting:  Climbing to Ever Greater Leather Heights with Eagle-eyed Intensity!  Photo was made by my office associate, Phi Tran.
Glistening Rubber 2005
Glistening Rubber 2005
     This rubber photo gives a first view of my gloriously, brightly repainted garage, with a neoprene drysuit that just happens to match the paint job very well! Thanks Jim for passing your old suit on to a most appreciative new owner ! !
     The greeting on this card reads, "Here's for a Shining Rubber Holiday Season!"
Leather Post Katrina 2005
Leather Post Katrina 2005
     Even though my house was unaffected by Katrina, my yard was a mess! This very selectively posed photo almost became a Christmas Card, but the tacky wallet protruding from my shirt nixed the deal. The hyper-expensive metal roof did make it okay, too, and really does set off the rest of the house. Tree Stump Rubber 2005
Tree Stump Rubber 2005
     This alternative rubber pose is on what was left of a beautiful live oak in my back yard, one of four that fell.  Fortunately, the root ball was easily removed with almost no yard damage.
     Wouldn't it be great if downed trees could just magically dematerialize?
     There are now almost forty years of photos to page through, and you've only seen the oldest! The current year back through 2007 are all just one mouse click away! Click on logo at the right to continue your Christmas journey. Newer Christmas Cards! !

     Here's one more chance to tell me what you think!   And maybe help explain some of the other responses I've gotten to my cards! <G>

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Leather Oaks MAIN PAGE??


     For those who entered through a "Christmas Card" link, be advised there's MUCH more to Leather Oaks!
      If you'd like to find out what else a Leather-wearing, Rubber-loving bachelor might be doing in between Holiday Seasons, why not follow the link at the right?.
     For first-time visitors, I do request that you read my disclaimers on the first page.  I only aim for your enjoyment, not discomfiture!!
     Of course, "old hands" know that if they arrived from my Main Page, their Browser BACK button will return them to it.
     If you are indeed ready to see more, just click the photo of the friendly Green RubberFrog waiting at your right!!
Friendly Green RubberFrog