Locally Made Mother's Day Gift Guide: 18 Arkansas Made Gifts Mom Will Love

Handmade gifts are always a great idea, and these Arkansas-made products are perfect for Mother’s Day.

So you’ve outgrown making Mom macaroni necklaces, but you still want to give her something handmade (with a lot better craftsmanship) from the heart? Giving something handmade in Arkansas is like giving TWO gifts because you’re giving a super cool, creative item someone poured their heart into as well as the warm fuzzy feels that come with shopping small and local. I’ve rounded up some of my favorite locally made gifts in this Mother’s Day gift guide. Check out the decorative, useful, wearable and edible gifts here, all made in Arkansas.

Ceramicist Carla Churchwell makes these adorable ceramic houses that double as incense burners. Carla’s gorgeous pottery includes stacking heart-shaped trinket dishes, cute “worry warts,” Guinea hens and more. Find Churchwell Pottery here.

The Red Bird Designs is tie-dye reimagined with gorgeous color palettes. Laura Grimes dyes every piece by hand, so they’re all wonderfully unique. Check out her gorgeous apparel as well as tableware here.

Bang-Up Betty’s custom birthstone necklaces are the perfect gift for mothers, grandmothers or anyone with several special people close to their heart. Wear the birthstones of each little one in your brood! Check out the whole Birthstone Cluster Collection of handmade jewelry here.

These custom “Real Housewives” wine glasses are hilarious, and you can have Lux + Soul print them with your hometown. Lux + Soul offers a wide range of candles and lounge wear as well, so you can create a whole self-care package for Mother’s Day. Shop Lux + Soul here.

Artist Sherry J. Williamson’s colorful and delightful paintings light up any room, and her wide array of greeting cards, prints, stickers, magnets and more make cheerful gifts. And Sherry is always donating to worthy causes through her work! Check out Sherry’s shop here.

Dessert chef Matcha Norwood’s inventive and delicious cheesecakes are unforgettable. Follow her at Cheesecake On Point to keep up with what she’s cooking up and where she’ll be!

Bang-Up Betty’s Arkansas Rice Flower Necklace is a nod to the Natural State that gives back. This necklace pays homage to Arkansas’s staple crop while giving back to the Arkansas Foodbank, the largest hunger relief organization in the state. The Arkansas pendant was made with real Arkansas rice flowers (from Cornerstone Farm, near Altheimer, AR). Get the Arkansas Rice Flower Necklace here.

North Little Rock-based woodworker Paul Milholland’s mid-century modern handcrafted wooden birds are the perfect addition to any birdwatcher’s shelves. Paul’s Danish-inspired work includes incredibly beautiful furniture as well as gorgeous figurines like whales, herons and geese as well as the birds above. Check out Milwerk Modern here.

Moms who would love an uplifting book to add to their collection of bedtime stories will treasure Crystal C. Mercer’s From Cotton to Silk: the Magic of Black Hair. Publisher Et Alia Press describes this book perfectly: “Sprinkled with #BlackGirlMagic and an ode to cultural beauty, From Cotton to Silk encourages girls everywhere to appreciate their hair in its natural state and love themselves just the way they are. Its enchanting pages reveal 467 hours of hand-stitching poured into textile renderings that blend cloth, culture, and the superpowers of the kinky, curly coif.” I could spend hours staring at all the intricacies of Crystal’s illustrations! Get your copy here.

Encourage mom to do some journaling or make it easy for her to keep track of her busy schedule with a handmade fillion from Little Mountain Bindery. You can even build a custom one to make it extra personal. Shop Little Mountain Bindery here.

In my family, you can’t go wrong with the gift of tea from Abbi’s Teas & Things. Abbi Siler hand blends all of her teas and sources consciously, so you’re sure to get the very best tea that’s ethical and free of added sugars. Her Watermelon Rose blend is legendary! Some of my other favorites include Cherry Chamomile, Lavender Lemon and Lavender Pear. Shop Abbi’s teas here.

If your childhood was filled with empty threats, immortalize them on a Bang-Up Betty custom keychain to create the funniest Mother’s Day gift ever. Get the Don’t Make Me Turn This Car Around keychain here, or click here to customize your own keychain.

Up mom’s relaxation game with CBD gummies (plus salves, cookies and drops!) made from locally grown hemp. These new watermelon CBD gummies from Hawgs Hemp Refinery in Birdtown, Arkansas, are so tasty it’s hard to not eat the whole bag in one sitting. Get them here.

Bastet Glassworks got her stained glass start renovating antique church windows, and sometimes she even incorporates antique windows into her own quirky window hangings. These stained glass feather sun catchers would look beautiful in a birdwatcher’s window. Message Felicia directly on Instagram here to purchase a stained glass feather or have her create something custom for you.

Speaking of stained glass… This necklace from Bang-Up Betty’s Gallery Collection inspired by art history was fashioned after the rose windows of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. It would make a perfect Mother’s Day gift for moms who love to travel and need to stop and admire all the beautiful churches when they do. Find the Rose Window Necklace here. It’s part of my Gallery Collection of jewelry inspired by Art History.

Creative moms will love the handmade watercolor paint sets created by Wild Ozark. Madison Woods makes the paints by grinding up actual rocks, clay and earth from Arkansas, creating the most beautiful natural pigments. Check out her shop here.

Jewelry maker Elizabeth Rogers electroforms copper around gorgeous gemstones to create her signature stud earrings. These deep blue lapis lazuli studs are just one example of the dreamy stones available through her shop Web and Rock.

Give Mom the gift of a new hobby! Beading is such a fun, creative activity, and the folks at Argenta Bead Company make it fun to learn, shop and socialize with their workshops and extensive shop filled with all the supplies you need to get started making jewelry. Visit them in SoMa or call them to get a gift card. Visit the Argenta Bead Company website for more information.

The Handmade Signature Bang-Up Betty Mug Made Locally In Arkansas

As if I needed another reason to sip coffee and tea literally all day long while I make jewelry, this handmade mug is my new obsession! It was made in Arkansas by local ceramicist Valerie Goetz, and it has the perfect handle. Arkansas pottery meets Arkansas jewelry.

I’m obsessed with a great handmade mug, so I had one of my favorite local Arkansas potters create a beautiful mug with my logo on it that I can sip tea from every day, and I had her make a handful more of them in case you appreciate a gorgeous handmade coffee mug as much as I do. I’ve long been a huge fan of Arkansas ceramicist Valerie Goetz (AKA “Native Works”), and when I saw her making logo mugs recently, I knew I had to have one of my own.

This handbuilt mug has the perfect handle, too! I’m an amateur ceramicist myself, and I appreciate a perfect handle on a mug more than anything; it’s big enough to fit my whole hand inside. Each mug is made completely by hand, meaning they’re all a little bit different and unique. They are hand-glazed as well. I love that each one is slightly different. It’s like you’re holding a moment of that ceramic artist’s life because you can see and feel the work put into making each one by hand.

Hello, new favorite mug! Time to clear out the cabinet because you’re the only one for me. Arkansas jewelry meets Arkansas pottery with this beautiful handmade coffee mug made especially for me by Arkansas potter Valerie Goetz.

I have just a handful of these gorgeous Bang-Up Betty handmade mugs, made in Arkansas, that would make awesome holiday gifts if you have a friend who loves pottery and likes to support local. They would pair nicely with some phenomenal local tea from Abbi’s Teas and Things (might I suggest the Banana Nut Too, Cherry Fig, or Turmeric Sunrise?)!

This unique handmade mug is dishwasher safe, but Valerie doesn’t recommend microwaving it.

The Siren Collection: Handmade Jewelry Inspired by Greek Mythology and Made in Arkansas

The Siren Collection, inspired by my favorite Greek myths, tells the stories of gods and goddesses through handmade bronze jewelry.

I remember the first time I read Edith Hamilton’s Mythology. It was during the 8th grade in an English class, and, keeping in mind that our next assignment would be choosing a Greek god or goddess that we loved or connected with and presenting their story in front of the class in costume, I carefully considered the personality traits of each deity, looking for pieces of myself in each one. Was I a strong, intelligent warrior like Athena? Did I find myself in Poseidon’s love of horses and the sea? Was I as clever as Hermes, or as crafty at Hephaestus? 

In a move that both echoed and fueled the burgeoning moody, contemplative, somber attitude  that really raged during my teen and young adult years and that I like to think has matured like a fine goth wine in adulthood, I chose Persephone, goddess of the underworld. Dressed in a purple-black panel of satin scrap fabric that I draped like a toga over my shoulder and belted with a faux-jewel-encrusted braided belt I found at Goodwill, I told the first-person account through painted black lips of how Hades, lord of the underworld, had stolen me from my mother, carried me to heck, presumably defiled me, and lured me into eating magical pomegranate seeds that would force me to return to the dark realm for half of each year to oversee my death kingdom. I know, I know… pics or it didn’t happen. Thankfully I held onto a single photo of me in this getup that I saved in my secret stash of meaningful trinkets, so I must have been REALLY proud of this presentation. Skip ahead to the Persephone necklace to view my embarrassment. 

Rereading the book a few years ago in preparation for a trip to Greece, I rekindled my love for Greek mythology. I found myself once again, unprompted by homework, looking for traces of myself in the gods. I believe that one of the things that makes the ancient Greek gods so endearing and memorable is how human they are. They are wonderfully flawed in such mortal ways, and, therefore, relatable. Like us, they are jealous, they feel sadness, they miss each other, they fall in love and lust, they can be generous or selfish, they will ruin your life if you sleep with their man. I imagine their devotees thousands of years ago looking for glimpses of themselves in the gods, just as we do now, seeking solace in the gods who had felt their same pain and asking for help from the gods who offered wisdom in the ways they needed. 

Inspired by some of my favorite myths, I created a collection of hand-cast bronze jewelry I hope Hephaestus would approve. Each piece is a symbolic, talismanic nod to a god, goddess or legend. They are handmade with bronze, semi-precious stones, 14K gold-filled chain and ear wires, meaning they’re high quality and carefully crafted. This is the most meaningful collection of handmade jewelry I’ve ever designed, and I hope it speaks to your soul. Maybe you’ll see yourself reflected in the glimmering bronze, or maybe in the stories each piece has to tell. You can shop it all here, or browse the highlights below, peppered with a couple of historical related photos.

The Poseidon Seahorse Earrings and Necklace play on the sea god’s gift of horses to humankind. Sea sediment jasper beads mimic the red tones of coral and the marble of ancient statues.

Poseidon ruled and dwelled in the sea. In classical art, he is often seen riding a wave in a chariot drawn by aquatic horses, as he was the one who first gave horses to man and was revered for that gift. It is said that when he rode atop the waves, his chariot calmed the turbulent seas. 

I’ve chosen to represent the powerful Poseidon using the daintiest of sea creatures—the seahorse. The Poseidon necklace and earrings feature handmade bronze seahorses, cast from an actual seahorse skeleton I found in a vintage shop. The hand-cast bronze seahorse charms measure approximately 3/4 inches long and are paired with red sea sediment jasper beads that have a beautiful marbleized appearance. The necklace chain is 14K gold-filled, 18 inches long and ends in a spring clasp. The earring wires are 14K gold-filled. This necklace and earrings set is available in .999 fine silver upon request. 

The Poseidon Seahorse Earrings and Necklace play on the sea god’s gift of horses to humankind. Sea sediment jasper beads mimic the red tones of coral and the marble of ancient statues.

Using a vintage stamp, I hand-cast this bronze full moon pendant to represent the moon goddess Artemis necklace. The crossed arrows above the moon are for her infamous silver arrows.

Artemis, huntsman to the gods and lover of nature and all wild things, was also a protector of the youth. Sister and counterpart to Apollo, Artemis is the moon goddess, and is represented by the moon and a pair of crossed arrows in the Artemis Necklace. 

This handmade bronze pendant of the full moon was hand-cast using a vintage stamp and is accented with a smaller bronze charm featuring two crossed arrows, as Artemis was known for her silver arrows. The bronze moon pendant measures a little less than one inch across and hangs from an 18-inch, 14K gold-filled chain that ends in a spring clasp.  This necklace is available in .999 fine silver upon request. 

Each full moon bronze necklace is handmade in my North Little Rock, Arkansas, studio. It can also be made in fine silver upon request.

Medusa was a misunderstood character in Greek mythology. The Medusa Serpent Earrings are made of hand-cast bronze. Think of them as snakes in your hair.

Medusa, with her hair of snakes, is one of the most ubiquitous images of Greek mythology, but the legends surrounding her are mysterious and often untold. She was a Gorgon, and according to the poet Ovid, Medusa was extremely lovely. Here’s where it gets dark… Poseidon raped Medusa in a temple of Athena’s, and Athena was so outraged by it that she cursed Medusa, turning her into a snake-haired beast who could turn mortals to stone if they looked at her. The hero Perseus went all Tom Cruise in Legend on her and used a reflective shield to deflect her deadly stare so that he could cut off her head, which he gave to Athena to wear on her shield. Poor Medusa. 

The stories about Medusa often overlook how she was respected as a symbol of protection. If the story of Medusa inspires you to smash the patriarchy as much as it does me, you’ll enjoy this Vice article by Christobel Hastings.

The Medusa Earrings feature a pair of handmade bronze snakes that mirror each other. They’re fierce symbols of warning or protection, whichever you choose. The hand-cast bronze snakes measure approximately 1 1/2 inches from tail to head. The earring wires are 14K gold-filled, so they’re hypoallergenic.  These earrings is available in .999 fine silver upon request. 

The Medusa Earrings make a lovely match with the Apollo Serpent Necklace.

The Medusa Earrings feature a pair of handmade bronze snakes that mirror each other. They’re fierce symbols of warning or protection, whichever you choose.

Gray-eyed Athena, the wise, warrior goddess of Greek mythology, is represented with her signature owl in the Athena necklace.

The fierce warrior goddess Athena (Pallas Athena) sprang fully-grown and clad in armor from her father Zeus’s head. Zeus trusted her to carry his mighty armor and thunderbolt. She was a protector and partial to craftsmanship and agriculture. Poseidon may have given horses to man, but Athena tamed them. She was wise and often referred to as “gray-eyed,” and her symbol is the owl. 

The Athena Necklace features an intricate perched owl centered within a shield, combining Athena’s signature bird with strong, warrior imagery. The owl pendant is handmade from bronze and accented with a blue-gray, faceted bead of jade.

Poseidon may have given horses to man, but Athena tamed them. She was wise and often referred to as “gray-eyed,” and her symbol is the owl. The Athena necklace tells her story.

I like to think Zeus, king of the gods, wielder of the mighty thunderbolt, would approve this necklace and earrings set created to represent him.

Zeus, King of the Gods and wielder of the mighty thunderbolt, was lord of the sky and bringer of rain. He was the most powerful of all the deities and resided in Olympus. He was known for his ravenous sexual appetite and his many love affairs with gods and mortals alike. 

Representing Zeus is a stunning bronze handmade lightning bolt pendant, hanging from a gorgeous 14K gold-filled chain. The lighting bolt charm in the Zeus Necklace measures approximately 1 1/2 inches long and is hand-cast and kiln-fired. 

The Zeus Necklace is made to be paired with the Zeus Lighting Bolt Gold-Filled Hoop Earrings. These 14K gold-filled hoops measure 1 inch across and are affixed with handmade bronze lighting bolts slightly smaller than the charm of the necklace.

Snakes are incredibly meaningful, often seen biting their tails to symbolize eternity. This serpent is coiled in a shield-like medallion, affixed with a marquise-cut red cubic zirconia that is set by hand and cast directly into the bronze. The Apollo Necklace represents the light god’s conquering of the Python.

Apollo, or Phoebus Apollo, is most commonly known as the sun god or god of light. He was also a talented musician, playing a golden lyre; the archer god, shooting a silver bow; the first to teach humans the art of healing; and the god of truth—his light illuminating falsehoods. 

Apollo slew the formidable Python, a serpent that lived in the caves of Parnassus, after a grueling battle during which the snake finally fell victim to the Light God’s precise arrows. I’ve chosen this story to represent Apollo, using a glimmering, coiled serpent with a glowing red eye in the Apollo Necklace.

Snakes are incredibly meaningful, often seen biting their tails to symbolize eternity. This serpent is coiled in a shield-like medallion, affixed with a marquise-cut red cubic zirconia that is set by hand and cast directly into the bronze. This handmade bronze charm is finished with a 18-inch 14K gold-filled chain that ends in a spring clasp.  This necklace is available in .999 fine silver upon request. 

The Hades Necklace is a beautiful memento mori. It is elegant and edgy. It evokes a classical feeling reminiscent of the funeral mask of Agamemnon, but it’s also modern.

Hades, god of the underworld (also called Hades), is the king of the dead and god of wealth and precious metals (remember the custom of needing a coin under your tongue or over your eyes to pay the ferryman Charon to cross the River Styx?). Besides his abduction of Persephone (which was downright terrible, he is not viewed as an evil god despite his deathly position. He is seen as a just god. 

The place Hades isn’t like the Christian Hell of fire and brimstone. According to legend, Hades is divided into realms: Tartarus, where souls are punished; The Fields of Mourning, where lovers wander and never forget their lost loves; The Asphodel Meadows, which sounds like a pretty ok place to be if you have to be dead; and The Elysian Fields, where exceptional people are treated to a really pleasant eternity. 

The Hades Necklace is a beautiful memento mori. It is elegant and edgy. It evokes a classical feeling reminiscent of the funeral mask of Agamemnon, but it’s also modern. The hand-cast bronze skull measures about 3/4 inch across and is accented with 4 cultured seed pearls as the skull’s teeth.

Hades, god of the underworld (also called Hades), is the king of the dead and god of wealth and precious metals (remember the custom of needing a coin under your tongue or over your eyes to pay the ferryman Charon to cross the River Styx?). The Hades Necklace, made of hand-cast bronze, features 4 cultured seed pearls as the skull’s teeth.

The Aphrodite Necklace tells the story of Aphrodite’s birth. It features a handmade bronze seashell pendant, cast using an actual shell that I plucked from a beach in Indonesia on my honeymoon.

By far the most beautiful of all the gods was Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty. She was completely irresistible and fun-loving. Her power over men is often considered destructive. 

Aphrodite is famously portrayed rising from the waves on a clam shell (as in Sandro Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus”), for she was born from sea foam. 

The Aphrodite Necklace tells the story of Aphrodite’s birth. It features a handmade bronze seashell pendant, cast using an actual shell that I plucked from a beach in Indonesia on my honeymoon. Atop the bronze shell is a single cultured pearl. Pearls have been incredibly symbolic throughout history, associated with love, perfection, purity and the moon. In Aja Raden’s Stoned: Jewelry, Obsession, and How Desire Shapes the World, she says that “In parts of the ancient Near East, the belief that pearls were a product of tears shed by a goddess under the moonlight persisted for millennia.” There is just so much goddess energy in this necklace. 

A modern take on the pearl necklace, this Aphrodite Necklace borrows from the story of the Greek goddess’s seafoam birth.

This necklace is so regal, it’s fit for a queen of the Greek gods. Hera’s symbol is the beautiful peacock, which I’ve used to represent her in the Hera Necklace.

Hera was the queen of the ancient Greek gods and worshipped as the protector of marriage and  married women. Her daughter, Ilithyia, helped women in childbirth. Married to Zeus, king of the gods, an infamous skirt-chaser, Hera knew how to hold a grudge. You just didn’t cross Hera. Hera’s symbol is the beautiful peacock, which I’ve used to represent her in the Hera Necklace. 

The Hera Necklace, featuring a peacock, was inspired by the queen of the Greek gods in Greek mythology.

Grab the bull by the horns. The Minotaur Necklace was inspired by the half-man, half-bull monster of Greek mythology.

Half human and half bull, the ferocious and beautiful Minotaur dwelled in the labyrinth made by Daedalus to contain it. Youths were sacrificed to the Minotaur inside the winding maze, from which they couldn’t escape. With the help of Ariadne, who tells him that Daedalus’s trick to reemerging from the labyrinth is to unwind a ball of thread as he traveled inside so that he could retrace his steps, the hero Theseus volunteered himself to be sacrificed, then found and slew the Minotaur with his bare hands. 

The Minotaur Necklace features a handmade solid bronze bull’s skull, affixed to a 14K gold-filled chain by its horns. Two round beads of howlite accent the necklace, mimicking the marble of ancient Greek sculpture.

Howlite beads top each horn of the Minotaur Necklace, echoing the marbled look of Ancient Greek sculptures.

The Persephone Necklace features a substantial handmade bronze pomegranate cast with glittering red, round-cut cubic zirconia stones representing the seeds Persephone ate in Greek mythology.

As a maiden, Persephone was snatched by Hades, god of the underworld, and brought to his dark realm, where he, smitten by her, held her captive and wed her. Her mother Demeter, goddess of the harvest, was so utterly heartbroken that she wandered the earth in search of her daughter, letting the crops wilt and the landscape wither in her sadness. The people starved, and Zeus had to do something to intervene, so he bade Hades return Persephone to her mother, but not before Hades lured Persephone into eating pomegranate seeds (whether it was one seed, four seeds or six seeds varies by legend). Because she ate from the pomegranate, she was made to split her time above ground with her mother and below ground with her dark lord husband. Each year when winter comes and the earth withers, Persephone is underground and her mother mourns. Hence, Persephone is the reason for the seasons. 

Persephone’s story is such a dark tale, but it is her multidimensionality that makes her so unique. She is a goddess who dies, unlike the other gods, and she rises from the dead. After being abducted, she is never again the carefree maiden she once was; she is forever somber. She is often depicted as sympathetic for her deceased constituents, as in the case of Orpheus and Euridyce. “But in their grief and at the hour of death,” Edith Hamilton wrote in Mythology, “men could turn for compassion to the goddess who sorrowed and the goddess who died,” speaking of Persephone and Demeter. 

The Persephone Necklace features a substantial handmade bronze pomegranate cast with glittering red, round-cut cubic zirconia stones representing the seeds Persephone ate. The pomegranate charm is hand-cast bronze, approximately 1 1/4 inches long, and the stones are set by hand and cast directly into the metal.

As promised, the only photo of me in my 8th grade handmade Persephone costume that was inexplicably laminated and made into a cut-out bookmark. Long live black lipstick.

The Siren Collection wouldn’t be complete without matching earrings! These Gemstone 14K Gold-Filled Hoop Earrings mix and match with necklaces within the Greek mythology collection. This pair is moonstone and meant to match the Artemis Moon Necklace, but they stand alone easily.

Hoop earrings, in their beautiful, elegant simplicity, are always in style and go with absolutely everything. Dressed up or dressed down, hair up or down, hoops are always a yes. These hoop earrings are 14K gold-filled, so they’re hypoallergenic, and they measure an inch across, so they’re not too big and not too small. Accenting each hoop is a semi-precious stone of your choice. Stone choices include: Garnet (teardrop), Pearl (round), White Marbled Howlite (round), Lava Rock (round), Blue-Gray Jade (faceted round), Moonstone (teardrop), Marbled Obsidian (round). These 14K gold-filled hoop earrings were made to match the Siren mythology collection, but they stand perfectly on their own. They are also available in sterling silver hoops.

Mix and match these 14K Gold-Filled Gemstone Hoop Earrings with necklaces in the Siren Collection. They’re also available in sterling silver.

I chose imagery very special to Bang-Up Betty while representing Hephaestus. The Hephaestus Necklace features two crossed hammers, just like the Bang-Up Betty logo.

It’s probably not surprising that I, as a metalsmith and craftsperson, have a special affinity for Hephaestus, the god of fire and the forge and (together with Athena) patron of the arts and crafts. In his workshop, Hephaestus created armor and weapons for the gods with the help of his handmaidens that he forged from gold. Although he forged weaponry, he was a gentle and peaceful god. While in Athens, I had the honor of visiting a temple dedicated to him. 

I chose imagery very special to Bang-Up Betty while representing Hephaestus. The Hephaestus Necklace features two crossed hammers, just like the Bang-Up Betty logo. The handmade bronze pendant measures approximately one inch across and is forged in a kiln in my studio in North Little Rock, Arkansas. I think the fire god would be proud. A fiery red cubic zirconia is set by hand and cast into the bronze.

Visiting the temple of Hephaestus, whom I like to think is the Greek mythology patron saint of Bang-Up Betty, in Athens a few years ago.

The Adonis Necklace and Earrings feature a beautiful face, reminiscent of classical marble sculptures, with bright, dazzling round-cut cubic zirconia stones for eyes.

Adonis possessed otherworldly beauty and was the mortal lover of the goddesses Aphrodite and Persephone. As an infant, the abandoned Adonis was found by Aphrodite and given to Persephone to raise. Then he became a total hottie and the two fought relentlessly over the right to carnally possess him. Zeus eventually got fed up with their feud and mandated that Adonis spend part of the year below ground with Persephone, part of the year with Aphrodite, and the other part with whomever he chose, and of course he chose Aphrodite because he wasn’t brave enough to handle the goth Queen of the Dead Persephone, who probably was into some kinky shit, I’m just saying…

Adonis was gored by a wild boar and died in Aphrodite’s arms, his blood mingling with her tears to create the anemone flower. 

The Adonis Necklace and Earrings feature a beautiful face, reminiscent of classical marble sculptures, with bright, dazzling round-cut cubic zirconia stones for eyes. The pendant is handmade of bronze, and the stones are set by hand and cast directly into the metal.

Starry eyes for star-crossed lovers… Adonis was the lover of both Aphrodite and Persephone. When he died in Aphrodite’s arms, his blood mingled with her tears to create the anemone flower. See the Adonis Earrings and Necklace here.

The hand-cast bronze Acropolis Column Earrings are an ode to strength and beauty. Like everything in the Siren Collection of jewelry inspired by Greek mythology, they are available in .999 fine silver upon request.

The Acropolis Column Earrings are an ode to strength and beauty. Thousands of years after civilizations fall, their artwork and culture survives, like the columns standing on the Acropolis in Athens and the mythologies we keep telling.

These earrings are hand-cast in solid bronze, but small enough to be lightweight. Their decorative tops are in the Corinthian style.

Depicted in solid bronze on the medallion of the Orpheus and Eurydice necklace is a pair of lovers, one holding a lyre, the other leaning over a column to swoon at the musician.

One of the most beautiful stories of Greek Mythology is that of Orpheus and Eurydice, a tale of true love and devotion willing to face fear and death. The greatest mortal musician, Orpheus, fell  deeply in love with the maiden Eurydice and married her. Soon after the wedding, Eurydice and her bridesmaids were walking in a field and she was bitten by a viper. So much for “happily ever after.”

Beyond distraught in his mourning, Orpheus took his lyre to the underworld, braving the terrible three-headed dog Cerberus and lulling it and the many terrifying characters in Hades with his beautiful music. He pleaded for the life of his bride with his song, and so moved the goddess Persephone and even Hades himself to give him back his new wife, but with one condition: Orpheus couldn’t look at Eurydice until they both emerged from the underworld. 

Grabbing Eurydice’s hand, Orpheus led her joyously back to the realm of the living, but in his excitement as he exited the underworld, he glanced back at her, only to have looked just too soon, seeing her disappear into the mouth of the cave, stolen back to Hades for Orpheus’s eagerness. He rushed to follow her, but was not allowed to enter the underworld a second time. Doomed to life without his true love, he wandered the earth mournfully and alone until a band of Maenads discovered him and tore him limb from limb. We can only hope he was delivered from the living world into the arms of his lover at last. 

Depicted in solid bronze on the medallion of the Orpheus and Eurydice necklace is a pair of lovers, one holding a lyre, the other leaning over a column to swoon at the musician. In this piece of handmade jewelry, I imagine the couple in the happy hours of their union, before the viper struck, and how I hope their eternity looked in the underworld together. 

In this piece of handmade jewelry, I imagine the couple Orpheus and Eurydice in the happy hours of their union, before the viper struck, and how I hope their eternity looked in the underworld together.

The Siren Necklace and Earrings feature a handmade bronze shark tooth I made using an actual shark tooth. The shark tooth is vintage, being one that I’ve had since I was a tiny child.

If you hear the sweet song of the Siren, you better hurry up and get right with your god. According to legend, the Sirens were enchanting creatures who lived on an island in the sea and lured sailors to their death with their beautiful voices. No one knew what the Sirens looked like, because no one lived to tell the tale. 

The Siren Necklace and Earrings feature a handmade bronze shark tooth I made using an actual shark tooth. The shark tooth is vintage, being one that I’ve had since I was a tiny child. The necklace and earrings are accented with gold metallic-plated hematite beads, making them look even more like sunken treasures.

The Siren Shark Tooth Necklace and Earrings were inspired by the savage sirens of Greek mythology. According to legend, the Sirens were enchanting creatures who lived on an island in the sea and lured sailors to their death with their beautiful voices.

Shop the entire Siren Collection here. This collection was forged over many long, thoughtful months. Thank you for visiting this glimmering moment of my life with me. A huge thank you to my husband Collin Buchanan for painstakingly and beautifully photographing this entire collection for me.

The Arkansas Necklace and Earrings: Jewelry Made in Arkansas

This handmade Arkansas necklace is made right here in Arkansas by jewelry maker Bang-Up Betty. This is the “Diamond” variety, a not to Arkasnas’s “Diamond State” monicker, and the cubic zirconia can be moved around the state to better represent your favorite Arkansas town.

The Diamond State, the Natural State, or just home, sweet home… whatever you want to call the state of Arkansas, keep it close to your heart with this handmade Arkansas necklace made with either a woodgrain, water or diamond motif.

What makes this Arkansas necklace so super special? It’s made right here in Arkansas, in my North Little Rock studio. Each pendant is meticulously cast by hand in bronze, the sparkly cubic zirconia stones set by hand as well and cast directly into the metal.

The handmade bronze Arkansas charm measures approximately 3/4 inches from top to bottom. “Diamond” at the center of the Diamond State themed Arkansas charm is a cubic zirconia. Chain is 18-inches long, 14K gold-filled and ends in a spring clasp. Don’t call Little Rock home? I can move the cubic zirconia to another part of the state upon request! The listing in our web store lets you automatically select either a CZ in central Arkansas or northwest Arkansas, but if another Arkansas town is closer to your heart, let me know and I’ll make one especially for you. Just email stacey@bangupbetty.com!

If you like the handmade Arkansas necklace, you’ll love the matching handmade bronze Arkansas earrings! They’re extra special because they’re made right here in Arkansas!

If earrings are more your style, you’ll love the matching handmade Arkansas earrings. The earring wires are 14K gold-filled and measure approximately 1 1/4 inches from top to bottom. It’s double the Arkansas! As with the Arkansas necklace, I can move the stone around in these Arkansas earrings if you have another part of the state that you love. Just email stacey@bangupbetty.com!

Keeping with the Natural State theme, the handmade Arkansas state shape necklace can also be made with a luxurious woodgrain pattern.

Keeping with the Natural State theme, the handmade Arkansas state shape necklace can also be made with a luxurious woodgrain pattern.  This necklace reminds me of all the beautiful forests, mountains and other wild natural areas in our beautiful state.

Our handmade jewelry is always available online and ships nationwide. You can also find our handmade jewelry at our gift shop in Little Rock! Stifft Station Gifts, located at 3009 W. Markham Street, is the home of Bang-Up Betty jewelry, where custom jewelry is also made on demand and you can find tons of other Arkansas made gifts. An Arkansas native, I’m proud to keep my craft in my home state. I’ve been a jewelry designer since I was 16 years old and have been crafting Bang-Up Betty jewelry since 2013. Thank you for voting Bang-Up Betty “Best Artisan” for handmade jewelry seven years in a row in the Arkansas Times’s Best of Arkansas! I’m excited to make something you’ll treasure forever. If you have custom jewelry in mind, please email me at stacey@bangupbetty.com.

Bang-Up Betty Jewelry Voted Best Artisan, Stifft Station Gifts Runner-Up Best Gift Shop in Best of Arkansas

A peek at my work bench, where I make and sell custom handmade jewelry inside Stifft Station Gifts in Little Rock, Arkansas. Thank you for voting us “Best Artisan” and runner-up “Best Gift Shop” in the Best of Arkansas!

I can’t say thank you enough for voting Bang-Up Betty “Best Artisan” and Stifft Station Gifts and Sundries runner-up “Best Gift Shop” in the Arkansas Times Best of Arkansas 2020. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for encouraging me to follow my dreams. Thank you for supporting my little business. Thank you for your kindness. Thank you.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for voting Bang-Up Betty “Best Artisan” for handmade jewelry and Stifft Station Gifts runner-up “Best Gift Shop” in the Arkansas Times Best of Arkansas 2020!

When I started making jewelry for the second time (my first job was at Argenta Bead Company in high school!) on my living room coffee table in 2012, I couldn’t see all the amazing places it would take me. I was just making funny jewelry as gifts for my gal pals because I couldn’t find funny jewelry that I liked anywhere and I like to try to figure things out myself. Other people also had a laugh at my snarky jewelry, which began as bracelets that said things like “STFU", “GTFO,” and other curse-wordy and insinuating phrases, so I started selling them on other people’s websites until I made my own, another thing I just had to figure out how to do myself.

My handmade jewelry has evolved in many different ways over the years, and it will continue to evolve as I keep yearning to improve and expand my craft. What started as hand-stamping evolved to jewelry that included vintage parts and pieces, jewelry with semi-precious birthstones and other stones, and hand-cast bronze and fine silver pendants.

Some of my newest jewelry designs involve hand-cast bronze or fine silver pendants that I create and fire in my North Little Rock, Arkansas, studio. You can find this owl necklace here, and take a look at my other handmade jewelry here.

A few years ago, I started designing enamel lapel pins, t-shirts, tote bags, koozies, vinyl bumper stickers, keychains and other gift items as well as jewelry. Along the way, my work was featured in some pretty amazing publications and websites that I’m still completely shocked by. Early on, one of my necklaces was featured in Bust Magazine; I've had jewelry and pin designs mentioned on Buzzfeed, HuffPost, Cosmo UK, Hello Giggles and more; and I was interviewed for Chris Guillebeau’s Side Hustle School podcast twice and featured in his book 100 Side Hustles. One of my enamel pin designs for The Outrage became official merchandise for the Women’s March on Washington in January 2017.

One of my first enamel lapel pin designs, my Smash the Patriarchy Hammer Pin, was among the flair I wore at my local Women's March in 2017.

In 2019, after being interviewed for Chris Guillebeau’s Side Hustle School podcast a few years back, he featured me in his book 100 Side Hustles along with a collection of my enamel pins and a peek inside my jewelry studio.

Some of my most proud and shocked moments of doing my craft were when celebrities showed up wearing it. I saw Julianne Moore wear one of my necklaces and Janelle Monae wear one of my lapel pins, and there were a few more sightings over the years.

I’m grateful every day for the folks who believed in me and believe in me still. My favorite part of this is connecting with people over my work, whether they’re laughing at a middle finger necklace at a craft or trade show, sharing a heartfelt story about someone they love for whom I’m making a custom piece of jewelry, or getting hands on with me at one of my crafty workshops we hold at Stifft Station Gifts. Even though COVID-19 brought me physically apart from my amazing clients, I found so many ways to stay connected through social media bingo games, virtual birthday parties for my business, and virtual jewelry making classes here in Little Rock. Every day I’m thankful to get to wake up and do what I do and keep connecting to incredible people.

Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart, for believing in me and finding something special in my work.

DIY Easily Refresh, Repair and Revamp Your Jewelry At Home

Is your jewelry box filled with jewelry that you never wear anymore? Maybe it’s worn out, or it’s just not your style anymore, or maybe a clasp is broken or the chain is too long or too short for you. Before you get rid of it, consider upcycling it and creating something fresh and new that’s more your style. Maybe you have a pendant that needs a chain, or a collection of earrings that are missing their mates. Chances are, there’s something else sitting unworn in your collection that could be repurposed or just needs the tiniest bit of love to be wearable again.

Repairing jewelry or tweaking it to suit your style is often easier than you’d imagine. You just need a few simple tools that you may already have out in the garage, a pair of readers or a magnifying glass if your eyes could use a little help, and a little creativity when it comes to sourcing parts to make new jewelry from old jewelry you’re not wearing anymore. In this simple tutorial, I’ll show you how to create a new necklace chain using old chain, make simple repairs, and attach charms and pendants to chain necklaces and earring wires.

Two needle nose or chain nose pliers come in handy, as does a set of wire cutters (often built into needle nose pliers already); a ruler can be helpful, but isn’t essential; and whatever jewelry you have lying around that you can mine for parts.

If you’re interested in virtual and in-person jewelry making workshops as well as other creative classes, be sure to “like” Bang-Up Betty on Facebook and check out our roster of upcoming artsy workshops. We’re always teaching new crafty workshops inside Stifft Station Gifts in Little Rock, Arkansas and online.

This video originally aired on the Arkansas State Tourism Facebook page and was created by Collin Buchanan. Bang-Up Betty jewelry is handmade in Arkansas by jewelry designer Stacey Bowers.

Music: Little Cookie II - William Rosati Support by RFM - NCM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz7ro911rTc&feature=youtu.be

Winter Solstice Collection: Spirited Jewelry Handmade in Arkansas

Bang-Up Betty’s Winter Solstice Collection features handmade bronze charms in supernatural shapes. Luxurious bronze charms have a glowing finish, good weight and are finished with gold-filled chains.

The Winter Solstice is Dec. 21, but I’m celebrating a little early at Bang-Up Betty by releasing a mini-collection to match the mood of the longest night of the year.

The Winter Solstice collection is perfect for the spooky at heart and elegant enough to be worn year-round. Every charm in the collection is handmade in bronze, so they have a luxurious, substantial feel and glowing bronze finish. Most pieces come in a variety of patterns and with or without cubic zirconia touches, so there’s something for every level of glam.

Handmade bronze Ouija planchette necklace with or without text and cubic zirconia touches. This charm just feels good to hold, and it hangs on a 20-inch gold-filled chain to give it a little extra length.

Spooky humor is the best humor. It wouldn’t be Bang-Up Betty without a morbid joke here or there. The “Dead Inside” bronze coffin necklace was the first creation in this collection and inspired it all. If you’re feeling slightly livelier than “dead inside,” the solid bronze option is elegant and subtle.

In the Dead Inside or solid bronze coffin necklace, you’ll be the daintiest ghoul in town. Like my coffin-shaped trinket dish? I made that, too. You can find a selection of them at Stifft Station Gifts in Little Rock or ask me about what’s in stock right now.

So many people have asked me for an homage to Arkansas, so I created my own Arkansas charm in three options: woodgrain Arkansas, water wave Arkansas, and “Diamond State” Arkansas. Diamond State Arkansas has a cubic zirconia in the center as a nod to the Natural State’s other moniker.

Some people also call the Natural State the Diamond State because of its diamond mine. Either name you prefer, I think Arkansas is pretty and wanted to make something pretty to show it off.

We’re a little bit batty at Bang-Up Betty (we being the cats and I). Bat fever induced me to create this matching set of gold-filled, oblong hoop earrings with tiny, dainty bronze bat charms and tiny bronze bat necklace. It’s hard to pick a personal favorite from this collection, but this tiny bat necklace really has me smitten.

I’m completely batty for this tiny, dainty bronze bat charm. The matching bat earrings are cute, too!

Tiny, dainty bat earrings on luxurious gold-filled, oblong hoops. They’re my new favorite earrings to wear.

I’m not big on crushing spiders (can’t say the same for the cats). I think they’re just has beautiful and fascinating as the prettiest butterflies. This cubic zirconia-accented spider charm is just about the prettiest spider I’ve ever seen. If sparkles aren’t your thing, it comes without the extra flair.

This cubic zirconia-accented bronze spider probably weaves the loveliest web.

Browse the shop page of the site to view the Winter Solstice collection and all of the varieties of each handmade charm.