A few months back I posted about Shooting Diva fashion accessories. I’m pleased to announce that I have found (or should I say she found me?) what I was hoping to find – truly unique and high quality jewelry made out of bullet shells! That’s right divas, you know you’ll have to add to your jewelry collection!

Once I started talking to Julie, the designer and owner of Oak City Gallery, I knew instantly that I had a new best friend because we share the passion for shooting. Below you’ll find out about her story and beautiful creations.

Q: When did you start shooting?

A: My first experience shooting was as a teenager during a camping trip. I had an excellent teacher who taught me safety, how to handle a rifle, and how to respect it. From that point I was hooked.

It wasn’t until I was an adult that I actually took a course and obtained my CCW.

Q: What do you like about shooting?

A: I enjoy shooting because it keeps me focused. It takes me away from everyday life and makes me concentrate on one thing at that moment. It not only clears my mind, it reminds me of what I’m capable of doing. It’s like learning to play an instrument. At first you’re frustrated with the learning process but when you finally learn to play it’s tranquil, you’re centered, and you know that you’re in total control of the instrument and the outcome is strictly your doing. Everything is played out in perfect harmony. It’s a great feeling to pull your target and see your centered shots.

More importantly, I know I have the ability to protect myself. In a given situation a cell phone will not save my life. Knowing how to handle a firearm and carrying one may save not only my life, but someone else’s as well. I hope it will never come to that – but if it does, I know I’m capable.

Q: How did you get into making jewelry?

A: I’m embarrassed to say I don’t have a definitive answer, I guess it’s because one thing lead to another. I started my art career at an early age. I was a kid who was allowed to run with scissors. I always worked with my hands: drawing, creating stuff out of found objects, and fixing things after I broke them.

My art work supported me through college. I took courses in oil paint, acrylics, wood carving, canvas, clay…you name it, and I had my hands all over it. If I saw something I liked, I had to know if I could make it.

I attended street and art fairs in California where I saw some of the most beautiful and creative artisan jewelry, and I was hooked. I couldn’t afford it but I wanted it. I told myself someday I was going to be able to make it or buy it.

Some of my commissioned art work required inlaying of turquoise, coral and other stones. Rather than purchasing precut stones, I learned some basic lapidary skills and made my own. I had left over stones so I decided to try my hand at silver work, making bezels and small jewelry pieces.

Time went on and I saw beautiful lampwork beads I wanted to use for some bracelets I was starting to create. Buying quality artisan lampwork beads became costly so I took several classes and learned to make my own. One thing lead to another and that’s how I started making jewelry.

I still love working with other mediums; tooling leather, working with stone or gourds, etc. But in reality, I love making jewelry because if I make a piece I find irresistible, I keep it for myself. It makes me smile thinking back to when I saw beautiful jewelry at the art fairs and wondered if I’d ever be able to own any – now I do. That makes me happy, and I want to share what I make with others so they can own something that makes them happy as well.

Q: What led you to start making bullet jewelry?

A: We live in desert country, around these parts there’s a trail of brass following behind any truck on a gravel road. Casings are found everywhere; we pick them up to help clean up the environment. I have quite a collection of dirty, sand encrusted spent shells; I always wondered what I was going to do with them.

I read about a company who made bullet pendants for movie stars. I was curious about these pendants that sold for up to thousands of dollars. What on earth would make them worth that much, especially if they were in fact spent bullet casing? That company said, “The bullets had been used in war zones, streets and other troubled areas.” That’s great, but I wonder: who from their company goes to the war zones, streets and other troubled areas to collect these shells? I doubt you’d be able to walk into a police department and ask for spent bullet casings found on the streets and troubled areas. Either way, I find it noble that $5.00 from some of their sales goes to charitable causes.

I did some research and couldn’t find any bullet jewelry I personally wanted to wear. They were either too trashy, mass produced fake bullet casings from some foreign country, too plain, or just too expensive.

I was determined to create something out of a spent casing that would be beautiful to look at, reasonably priced, and designed like no other. It took me some time to experiment with designs, the process, and finding stones, gems and crystals that would fit. Finally I came up with something. I eventually put them on my site to see if they’d get a reaction. They did, and that’s how it all started.

My bullet jewelry is attractive to both women and men, is reasonably priced, and I can truthfully say the shells I’ve gathered off the ground are cleaned, safety checked, and each is individually designed and made in my studio. These are truly recycled bullet shells. They may not be from a war zone or streets of troubled areas, but I do know that I’ve helped clean up the environment, one bullet shell at a time.

Q: Do you take custom orders?

A: Yes, lots of them! Custom work gives me the opportunity to interact with customers. I like to find out a little about who it’s for, what age they are, is it for a man or a woman, the more information the better. It all plays a major part in creating custom pieces.

I have to admit I’ve had some strange requests and they’ve been fun. Let’s be honest, wearing jewelry makes us feel good. We wear it to show off or make a statement of sorts, or because it has meaning to us. We love it, and almost everyone wears jewelry. The fun part is when someone admires your jewelry and you get to say “I had it custom made”.

I’ve just introduced a line of bullet charms and I’m allowing the customers to pick which crystal color they’d like in the bullet head. I make the charms so why not let the customers pick the colors or the design they want?

Jewelry is special to most everyone, in one way or another. Is my jewelry special? I would hope so. If you love and wear it, then I consider that special. My jewelry has to be special to me before it can be for anyone else. I make jewelry the way I buy it: I make sure it’s not only beautiful but also comfortable to wear. There are dramatic and gorgeous pieces out there but they’re not practical, it’s eye candy at best. It’s the little things that make a piece special (like being well balanced so it doesn’t spin on your wrist or your neck). Little things like that are what count. My husband and friends think I’m nuts when they see a finished piece that I won’t sell because I’m not happy with it. That’s the way it is with me, if I’m not happy with what I’ve made I don’t take that chance. My customers are the reason I’m doing what I do, without them I’m nothing.

Q: Any other fun info you’d like to share?

A: If you live in an area where people shoot or have gun clubs, get some friends together, go for a walk and start collecting shells off the ground. If you don’t know what to do with them, send them to me, I’ll be happy to take them. If you’re new to shooting, save your first fired shell and have it made into a pendant or charm. “Shoot” me an email if you have an idea for a pendant or bracelet – I’m always looking for new ideas and I’ll be sure to mention your name in my design. If you shoot, make sure you pick up your shells. And please remember that owning a firearm isn’t a crime. So always be responsible, be wise, and be safe.

I placed my first custom order (yes I’ll be placing more) last week. My necklace arrived yesterday but I worked late and wasn’t able to get it. So today I ran home during my lunch break to pick it up! I am HIGHLY pleased with Julie’s work! It is so much more than I expected! Julie’s pictures do not do her work justice! Take a look at my fast, affordable and beautiful order.

Are you ready to place your order? Visit Oak City Gallery today!

Do you know of another Shooting Diva with amazing talents or pursuits that I should feature? If so send me an email at elisa@shootingdivas.com.

Happy Shooting!
Elisa