Recycling Bullet Casings into Jewelry

Another design from the never ending fountain of:

1,000 Jewelry Inspirations
Beads, Baubles, Dangles, and Chains

Sandra Salamony

A visual catalog for jewelry, bead artists and crafters who will relish the opportunity to have so many ideas at their fingertips to inspire their own projects.

This book is the second volume of Quarry's 1,000 series--an eye candy-laden follow-up to the very successful 1,000 Artist Trading Cards (Quarry, Spring 2007).

A showcase of stunning jewelry bits and pieces, "bling" and embellishments, will feed the creative appetites of crafters and jewelry makers everywhere. This second craft collection offers color, sparkle, texture, dimension, and clever, creative use of materials. One piece of jewelry might have several points of interest to be highlighted: an antique clasp, textured lampwork beads, and intricate knots.

An author of various books on art techniques, home decor, and crafts, Sandra Salamony makes a living as an art director, designer, and artist in northern Michigan. Her projects and designs have been featured in magazines, books, and on television.

I flip through this book practically daily. I probably make a piece of jewelry every day (or at least try to) and this book is a wealth of inspiration (as the title states) Duh. Just in case you're wondering what my desk looks like I am offering full disclosure here.

Today's project comes from inspiration from this page in the

Vintage and Repurposed chapter of 1,000 Jewelry Inspirations

and

a trip to the firing range.

(click on image to enlarge)

On this page there are two pieces made from soda can tab pulls, buttons, and my favorite-a thimble!

In between taking my turn shooting I was gathering up empty casings on the floor at the range and I came home with, what else, crafting supplies! Doesn't everybody?

I built a little jig on my drill press to help hold the casing in place while I drilled small holes for the jump rings. (I should mention I washed the casings first)

I then linked up the casings on a way-cool repurposed chain that reminded me of the linkage that machine gun rounds are held together with.

If making jewelry from hardware and industrial stuff check out this other Quarry book(another personal fave):

Making Designer Jewelry from Hardware, Beads, and Gems

By

Nicole Noelle Sherman

and to see a set of jewelry I made from shotgun shells pop over to this post!

Comments

[Tammy]

The button earrings and rings are cute. I like you the earrings have layered buttons on them attached with wire.

[Renee]

I"m wondering how you got the firing pin/primer out. It looks like there still in there.

[Alison Kobylnyk]

Hi Sandra: I have just borrowed your 1000 Artisan Textiles book from a friend and cant put it down. I am a fibre artist myself and wondered if you would be publishing a book like this again and if you could send me the jurying forms if so.

Thanks

Alison