About Midnight Ruin

Hello there! I'm Ashley, the owner and designer behind Midnight Ruin—formerly known as Patriot Beads and Brass. Thank you so much for visiting and supporting this evolving small business journey. As a 12-year veteran of the Army National Guard with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, my creative journey began in an unexpected place: the firing range in Afghanistan in 2014. While prepping to return ammo, I wondered, “What happens to all this spent brass? Could it be turned into something beautiful?” That spark of an idea, mixed with donated brass and long nights overseas, became the foundation for what launched in the summer of 2015. Midnight Ruin is more than just a name—it’s a reflection of transformation, grit, and rebirth. Art became my anchor after returning from deployment, navigating the aftermath of divorce, single motherhood, and going back to school. Creating jewelry from discarded materials like bullet casings was my way of turning pain into purpose. Each piece I create tells a story: just as used casings wear thin with each round, service members carry the wear of every deployment. But like that brass, we can be reshaped—transformed into something striking and strong. Midnight Ruin is a celebration of that resilience. While our military missions may end, our stories, strength, and purpose live on in new and powerful ways.Read their story