I’m not really a flowers-and-chocolates kind of girl. Well, okay. I am a chocolate kind of girl. But flowers? Eh … not so much. That is, until I discovered a very special bouquet of blooms that actually appeals to my love of firearms and firearms training.
I know that I am probably not alone when I say that I enjoy seeing (and possibly purchasing!) items crafted from bullets, casings and other elements from cartridges and rounds. But one of my favorite items of late is a clever and beautiful little design from Bullet Bouquets. A unique tchotchke for a desk or a dresser, the little terracotta flowerpot is blooming with an assortment of expanded, clear-coated hollow-points (typically a mixture of 9mm Luger, .40 S&W and/or .45 ACP) growing from copper stems and planted in empty .22 LR brass cases as “soil.” It’s definitely a fun attention getter and a great conversation starter. Everyone who’s seen mine has been instantly intrigued … and has immediately begun imagining where he or she could display such a lovely bouquet.
As most people know, a hollow-point bullet is designed to expand on impact, release most of its energy inside a target and then stop — rather than continue through the target. Depending largely on the medium these bullets hit, many brands and types of spent hollow-points open up, resembling flowers. Bullet Bouquets has not only recognized this cool phenomenon, they’ve made a business out of these beautiful bullet blooms.
It may only be the end of March, but (in my humble opinion) it’s not too early to be thinking of mothers, grandmothers, wives and other special ladies for Mother’s Day. From three blooms up to 20 and from mixed calibers to solely .45 ACPs, you can choose a pre-designed bullet bouquet or create a perfect custom combination. This little beauty is a gift that you can even personalize with a laser etched name, message or logo. And even though their classic bullet bouquet is still the No. 1 best seller, for those thinking ahead to birthdays, anniversaries and even weddings, there are some other unique selections to consider—from a bullet bobby pin or tie tack to a boutonniere or even mixed flower bouquet (think bullet blooms on a stem that can be mixed in with real flowers).
Bullet Bouquets are definitely beautiful and memorable. And as Bullet Bouquets owner and creator Anthony Zambai says, “While [hollow-points] expand with amazing uniformity from one round to the next, each one is unique.” But beyond their distinctiveness, probably my favorite aspect of this little bunch of bullet blooms is that they will most certainly last a lot longer than their traditional flowery counterparts. Furthermore, they also pair just as well with chocolates!
