LEATHERWORK may be a dying art, but for Peter Grabyn it symbolises a love affair he's had with the craft for almost 40 years.

It all started in Townsville 39 years ago when Mr Grabyn noticed a lady engaging in the age-old art, and was fascinated.

"I didn't have anything to do so I was wandering through Townsville and there's an old lady doing it and I thought 'that's interesting'," Mr Grabyn said.

She taught him the technique and Mr Grabyn has been creating leather pieces ever since.

"I bought some tools, I started doing it," he said.

Mr Grabyn has lived in Bundaberg with his wife Mala for about 15 years after his adventures around the country.

He now enjoys creating wallets, dog collars, handbags and many more items.

"I do anything," he said.

Mr Grabyn said he was even inspired by current events, taking a news image of recent flood events and engraving a leather stubby holder with the scene - complete with a floating critter.

"I was watching the TV and I see the house floating in the river in the last flood in New South Wales so very quickly while it was still fresh in my mind, I made a drawing of it, not quite every detail but most of it and I thought it would be good on a stubby holder, so I did (it)," he said.

The creative crafter carves and bevels his works, some of them getting a paint job and others being accented with glitter.

Among some of the items Mr Grabyn has created, is a wallet made from the belly skin of a crocodile.

Croc leather is deceptively soft, he says.

Humour plays a part in Mr Grabyn's creations, with one electronic tablet case featuring a fisherman on one side, and the image of a shark taking his catch on the other.

Mr Grabyn said he started out by making stubby holders only, but started to branch out after a few years.

"Now I make wallets with hair on them, to keep your money warm," he joked.

Mr Grabyn said he sometimes sells his wares at markets and from his home, but anyone wanting to snap up a piece could call him on 0401 755 194.