Make Valentine’s Day Fun and Meaningful With These 20 Gifts from Bang-Up Betty

From sweet and sentimental to hilarious and snarky, Bang-Up Betty’s gift shop and handmade jewelry store in Argenta has something to make your Valentine’s Day extra special. Our unusual, quirky and colorful shop is filled with locally made jewelry, funny cards, thoughtful home decor and clever gifts, including lots of Arkansas-made pottery, art, candles, tea and more. Here are some of our favorite Valentine’s Day picks that will make your sweetie swoon:

Heat things up with delicious hot sauces. Or maybe heat up the conversation with this fun card game geared toward couples. Make them laugh with a pair of “trophy husband” socks, or maybe a keychain of their favorite musician will make their heart sing.

Bang-Up Betty is known for their jewelry, pins, stickers and shirts designed in-house: The bronze infinity symbol necklace is the perfect way to say “forever” and the Art Deco Arkansas earrings are timeless. The “Ask Me What I’m Reading” lapel pin and “Bibliophile" sticker are perfect for book lovers. We’re smitten with these celebrity keychains, including stars and characters like Betty White, Ted Lasso and Dolly Parton. These mandala-patterned heart dishes are made in Arkansas by Carla Churchwell. “Romantic comedy” takes on new meaning with this retro Blockbuster-themed card. Chocolates don’t have to be traditional with these key lime pie and pride-themed chocolate bars.

Bang-Up Betty’s greeting card selection is out of this world hilarious, but it’s also filled with gorgeous and sweet cards, like these locally-made cards by Arkansas artist Sherry J. Williamson. We especially love this Johnny Cash card.

Do you have a sentimental something that you say to your sweetheart? Maybe a pet name or a quote? Get it stamped onto one of Bang-Up Betty’s custom mantra cuffs for a super-special personalized gift. Or pick from their list of inspirational mantras to give your Valentine a little loving motivation.

Light up Valentine’s Day with a candle that looks as lovely as it smells. These non-toxic soy phrase candles come in sweet and snarky phrases. Phrases include “You Got This,” “This Must Be The Place,” and many more.

Give the person who has the key to your heart a keychain with the keys to your love shack or your love nest with a custom stamped keychain. If you’ve got a lovey-dovey phrase or an inside joke, we can also stamp those.

Add a sprinkle of love to your home with a colorful throw pillow that will brighten up your decor. We think our new ice cream cone and heart hands pillows make extra sweet Valentine’s Day gifts, but rainbows are always perfect for everything.

Tell them you only want yo be with them using one of the funniest, cutest greeting cards on earth. We’re huge greeting card fans at Bang-Up Betty and we always have a huge supply of cards that will make you laugh, like this Hootie and the Blowfish-inspired card.

If your significant other has a green thumb, get them a beautiful new flower pot for spring. We’ve also got colorful locally-made macrame plant hangers that brighten up any space.

Get the goddess in your life a beautiful, meaningful piece of handmade jewelry from our Greek mythology jewelry collection. The Aphrodite necklace represents the goddess of love and beauty, the Orpheus and Eurydice necklace tells a dark and beautiful love story, and snakes (like the gorgeous ones in our Medusa serpent earrings) have been love symbols for centuries.

Bang-Up Betty is located at 429 Main Street in Argenta. Hours are Thursdays and Fridays 11-5:30 and Saturdays 11-5 with extended Valentine’s Day hours coming soon. Shop online at www.bangupbetty.com and follow them at instagram.com/bangupbetty and facebook.com/bangupbettyjewelry. Email stacey@bangupbetty.com for custom jewelry and other inquiries.

2020 Retrospect: Finding the Gems in a Rough Year

2020 was undeniably one of the worst years in probably all of our lives, and it’s almost impossible to find any redeeming aspects besides Joe Biden winning the presidency 2,584 times, but a few moments stick out as special in my heart.

2020 was undeniably one of the worst years in probably all of our lives, and it’s almost impossible to find any redeeming aspects besides Joe Biden winning the presidency 2,584 times. It certainly was no bang-up year for me personally. I typed a whole paragraph listing the atrocities of the year on a personal and global scale and then deleted it because, well, I thought it was too dark for a blog post I’m using to try to lift my spirits and document some of the good things that managed to shine through it all. In the spirit of hope and trying to turn lemons into lemonade or at least some sort of off-brand, 10-years-expired fruit barrel sugar water I used to beg my mom to buy me at the Hostess outlet bakery, here is a list of moments that I don’t want to forget from the worst year.

Towards the beginning of the pandemic, I posted these hand-stamped SOCIALLY DISTANT heart necklaces and gave $5 from the sale of each one to a person on our local virtual tip jar list of people who were out of a job or had reduced hours from the shutdowns. I got to give tips to dozens people in the Little Rock community from the necklace sales.

2020 brought the birth of Bang-Up Bingo! During the spring, I hosted several virtual bingo games and gave away handmade jewelry, funny enamel pins, feminist stickers and more at no cost, just for funsies and to bring a little sunshine to our indoor existences. This screenshot really embodies my enthusiasm for my favorite Bingo call.

This year, I created these I DISSENT gavel necklaces as a nod to our most dearly departed RBG and donated proceeds to the Arkansas Association of Women Lawyers’ scholarship fund. Through the sales of this necklace I was able to donate $432 and will continue the donations into the new year.

This year, Arkansas Times readers voted me Best Artisan for handmade jewelry in the Arkansas Times Best of Arkansas, and my favorite little gift shop Stifft Station Gifts got runner-up for Best Gift Shop. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!!

In the spring, back before Michelle Obama made it cool as hell to wear a “vote” letter necklace, I taught a virtual workshop on how to make a similar style of necklace. Pet names, feminist sentiments, and funny words were a big hit, but I guess we should have all been making them say VOTE! If you want to stay up to date about my virtual and future in-person workshops, join this group on Facebook.

I guess sitting at home gave me a lot of time to think, because I released four collections of handmade jewelry in 2020, the most dear to me being the Siren Collection of jewelry that was inspired by Greek Mythology. This is my favorite collection of jewelry I’ve ever made in my life, and I hope to make more like it in 2021. Check out the full Siren Collection here.

I, especially as a white person, certainly can’t capture the emotions of this summer in one entry, and I have very mixed emotions about just wanting to throw 2020 in the trash and ring in a new year. 2020 taught us so much and was maybe the closest we’ve gotten to shaking up change over the epidemic of racial injustice within our justice systems, education systems and beyond. We CANNOT forget the summer of 2020. We can’t forget Breonna Taylor and George Floyd and what brought people across the WORLD into the streets during a pandemic to shout BLACK LIVES MATTER. It was uplifting to see so many people come together to help bail out protestors in our city, and I was happy to put my hammer to work where I could to raise money for the Little Rock Freedom Fund. I posted a few rounds of these hand-stamped cuffs to raise funds that went immediately to the bail fund, totaling about $950 with 100% of the funds going straight from donors to the fund in exchange for a cuff. .May we fight just as hard in 2021 as we did in 2020, if not 1,000 times harder.

Never passing on a chance to fuck with Faulkner County’s stinkiest state senator, I made this magical little hand-stamped heart necklace that said JEZEBEL WEAVING A SPELL after one of he-who-must-not-be-named’s little internet tantrums against one of his constituents. Obviously I auctioned this off on Facebook for $125 that went to Arkansas Abortion Support Network. It was the only proper thing to do.

2020 did manage to produce the finest sour ale this city has ever seen (If I do say so myself, and I do), in the form of this partnership with the brewers of East Sixth Brewing Co. (Hey, Becca and Josh!!!) and my good friend Ashlee Nobel of Lee Lee Arts + Design. Together we created this tribute beer to the late, great Betty the boy cat. You can still grab a pack of it at your local liquor store. I grabbed some last night from 107 Liquor in Sherwood.

The year was 2020. The godforsaken election was heating up. A political goddess took the stage opposite a turd in a white toupée, and naturally a fly landed on his head. The next morning I made a necklace to commemorate the hilarious occasion. The necklace said I’M SPEAKING and had a tiny fly charm. I thought, “Tee hee hee hee, what a funny pic to share that no one will really care about buying,” and WOW WAS I WRONG. This fly necklace may be the only thing I make for the rest of my life. Just kidding. Kind of.

And, after stamping approximately 1,543,567,546.67 I’m Speaking fly necklaces, I turned into an actual fly. I blogged my DIY fly costume here in case you want to know how it was made.

2020 was a cruel monster to small businesses, and Bang-Up Betty didn’t come out unscathed. I’ll always remember the two magical months of January and February when we were open for regular shopping and had some really fun creative workshops. You never know when a global pandemic is going to wipe through like a wad of endangered toilet paper and smear you off the map. We had to close Stifft Station Gifts this month, and this beautiful little best-kept-secret gem in Little Rock will be sorely missed. Bang-Up Betty is online as always and will resume pop-ups, craft shows and in-person events as soon as it’s safe and not a moment sooner.

I had to give a shout out to my most loyal virtual students, Girl Scouts! This year I did multiple virtual workshops, from charm necklaces to beaded spiders, with some of the region's brightest young crafters and I hope we have many more Zoom dates in 2021.

I think the biggest gem of 2020 had to be getting a new president elected. The lines of enthusiastic voters across the country was so inspiring to see, and personally it was such a huge motivation to see all of you post photos of yourselves voting while wearing Bang-Up Betty jewelry. From the Vote So Hard enamel pin, to the VOTE necklace, to the I’m Speaking Fly Necklace, it made my heart nearly explode seeing it all. Thank you!

My DIY Fly Costume to Complement My I'm Speaking Fly Necklace

Good morning to Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and the fly on the Mike Pence’s head. My I’m Speaking Fly Necklace commemorates the epic Vice Presidential Debate that gave us The Fly.

There’s not a whole lot to laugh about right now in America, but I think we can agree that the fly on Mike Pence was the kind of comedy we were all needing in our lives.

I made this “I’m Speaking” Fly Necklace the morning after to embody both heroes of the Vice President debate: Senator Kamala Harris and the fly on Mike Pence’s head. I spent the next 4 weeks up to my hairline in brass flies.

This very unofficial debate commemoration necklace features a brass flay charm alongside a stamped brass circle that reads I’M SPEAKING. Be like Kamala Harris. Don’t let any man talk over you. Tell them to buzz right off. The chain is 18 inches and 14K gold-filled. This necklace is also available in silver with an aluminum stamped circle, sterling chain and brass fly (all fly charms are brass and therefore gold-colored).

The fly consumed my life so much that I became it on Halloween. Check out my DIY fly costume below.

Buzz off. My homemade fly costume to honor the fly that landed on Mike Pence’s head during the debate. Photo by Becca Bona.

I started with basic black jeans, black boots and a long-sleeved black shirt. Using about a yard of fuzzy black fabric from a craft store, I cut a pair of sleeves that I safety-pinned around the sleeves of my shirt. I cut a baggy hood from the fuzzy fabric and I used the leftover fuzzy fabric to cut a long strip for a scarf. For the eyes, I cut a sphere of floral foam in half, set each half on a paper plate and painted them both several times with red glitter glue. When they were dry, I used some of my lapel pins that were damaged and hot glued them onto the flat side of the sphere halves, then stuck them onto the hood I made. I took two black pipe cleaners and wrapped them around a black headband to make the antennae. For the wings, I took two wire clothes hangers apart and shaped them into teardrops, then I twisted them together and used duct tape to secure them. I cut the legs off a pair of white pantyhose and slid them over the wire frames, tying them at the ends and securing them with more tape. Then I drew the veins onto the pantyhose using a Sharpie and tied them onto my shoulders using two long ribbons. The final touch was sticking a card stock cutout of Pence’s stink head onto a wooden dowel.

Good morning to Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and the fly on the Mike Pence’s head. My I’m Speaking Fly Necklace commemorates the epic Vice Presidential Debate that gave us The Fly.

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.

Wear Your Zodiac Sign and Constellation with These Hand-Stamped Astrology Necklaces

Find your own zodiac sign and constellation necklace in my new zodiac jewelry collection. Each pendant is hand-stamped letter by letter and star by star in my North Little Rock, Arkansas, studio.

Consider these hand-stamped constellation necklaces as star charts you can wear close to your heart…

Wear your zodiac sign proudly and cleverly with a celestial astrology necklace that displays your sign’s name alongside the constellation of your zodiac sign. Each constellation and zodiac sign is stamped by hand, letter by letter and star by star. You can see a little difference in the size of the dots that represent the stars, where there are bigger impressions for larger stars and smaller ones for smaller stars in each constellation.

These zodiac constellation pendants will make you want to get out your telescope and take up star gazing if you haven’t already.

Pendants measure approximately 7/8 inch across and hang from 18-inch chains. The silver zodiac constellation necklaces are made with polished aluminum pendants and sterling silver chains. The gold constellation necklaces are made with brass pendants and gold-filled chain.

Each pendant is stamped by hand, so each necklace is unique and may be slightly different from the next, as is the nature of hand-stamped and handmade jewelry. Because I’m a Virgo and therefore a perfectionist, they all mostly look like the photos you see.

Find your own zodiac sign and constellation necklace in my new zodiac jewelry collection. Each pendant is hand-stamped letter by letter and star by star in my North Little Rock, Arkansas, studio.

Each necklace comes on a cute card back, so it’s easy to gift and makes a perfect birthday gift or gift for a pal who can tell you your sign just by talking to you for 30 seconds.

You can choose your astrological sign at checkout. Choose from:

Aquarius: January 20 - February 18

Pisces: February 19 - March 20

Aries: March 21 - April 19

Taurus: April 20 - May 20

Gemini: May 21 - June 20

Cancer: June 21 - July 22

Leo: July 23 - August 22

Virgo: August 23 - September 22

Libra: September 23 - October 22

Scorpio: October 23 - November 21

Sagittarius: November 22 - December 21

Capricorn: December 22 - January 19

Find your own zodiac sign and constellation necklace in my new zodiac jewelry collection. Each pendant is hand-stamped letter by letter and star by star in my North Little Rock, Arkansas, studio.

Zodiac constellation necklaces are hand-stamped in North Little Rock, Arkansas. If you like my zodiac jewelry, check out the rest of my handmade jewelry in my shop page! I’ve also got a collection of zodiac necklaces with funny phrases to suit each sign, or you can customize each pendant with your own funny or inspirational phrase or word. Click here to see my inspirational and funny phrase zodiac jewelry collection.

Bang-Up Betty is snarky, funny, and feminist handmade jewelry created in Little Rock, Arkansas. You can shop Bang-Up Betty jewelry and gifts online at www.bangupbetty.com or in person inside Stifft Station Gifts located in Little Rock. Stifft Station Gifts is our headquarters and gift shop!

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

Custom and Handmade Gift Ideas to Make Mother's Day Extra Special

I’ve been missing my mom so much while self-quarantining. We usually hang out every Sunday (and like 3 other days of the week, honestly), and the closest we’ve gotten to hanging out in four weeks is when I sat on the other end of the porch from her and my dad and scolded them for getting too close to the mailman. Not seeing my parents has been the hardest part of isolation for me. That and finding dried beans. Ok and maybe a lot of other stuff. And, yes, I know I have it easy compared to a lot of people, but I’m gonna make a bean joke where I can. (I;m thinking about thos Beans.)

Anyway, I keep thinking about how Mother’s Day is going to be…. er… weird this year. This was actually going to be the first year in several years that I was going to skip participating in a craft show and spend Mother’s Day with my mom. Now I’m scheming up ways to make Mother’s Day special from afar, and I know a lot of you are doing the same thing.

I’m already working on custom jewelry for husbands to give to their wives, wives to give to their wives, kids to give to their moms, and moms to give to their kids who have just become parents. I thought I’d round up some of my most-loved and most-creative jewelry ideas for all kinds of moms this year.

Whether mom is just really into working puzzles or she’s your missing puzzle piece right now or all of the above, this handmade bronze puzzle piece necklace will soothe her soul. These hand-cast bronze puzzle piece charms are modeled after pieces from my favorite puzzle I have at home and which I’ve been working a lot these last few weeks. You can order just one necklace with one bronze puzzle piece or get a matching one to send to your missing puzzle piece person to brighten their day.

Immortalize mom’s empty threats from childhood with a keychain that says “Don’t Make Me Turn This Car Around.” These hand-stamped brass keychains can be customized to say whatever you like. They also make great gifts for dad if your dad was more of the mother figure in your life.

These custom birthstone necklaces can feature the birthstones of all the special people in mom’s life. You can also get mom a gorgeous strand of just her birthstone. See all my birthstone jewelry here.

Custom name necklaces are always a hit with moms. Add custom stamped tags for the little ones in mom’s life, and the necklaces come in silver and gold. You can also mix and match the color of the tags like the necklace shown.

Whether mom is edgy or sweet, these custom stamped mantra cuff bracelets can say her favorite catchphrase, snarky mantra or inspirational quote. Bonus: they are on sale while we’re working from home. Some of the favorite phrases right now are “Get Shit Done,” “Indomitable,” and “Take No Shit.”

Maybe mom needs a little motivation right now. Maybe she misses traveling and hiking in the great outdoors. This “Keep Going” stamped mountain range necklace will make her heart sing.

Maybe mom’s got a case of Arkansas pride. Maybe she misses Arkansas. Either way, this handmade bronze Arkansas necklace is the perfect thing to add to her jewelry collection. The hand-cast bronze Arkansas charm has a warm, golden glow and a substantial, luxurious feel. These Arkansas necklaces are handmade and kiln-fired in my North Little Rock, Arkansas, studio.

Is mom the bee’s knees? Tell her with this elegant honey bee honey drop necklace that features a faceted citrine as a little drop of honey with a brass bee charm on a gold-filled chain.

Happy Mother’s Day to dog moms and cat moms, too! Anyone who knows my work knows there is an extensive selection of cat lady and cat mom jewelry in my collection, so I’m shining a light on these dog mom necklaces.

Treat mom like the queen she is with this Queen Mother hand-stamped necklace. When you get to see her again, have tea with her, too. Missing mom’s bear hugs? Then maybe the Mama Bear stamped necklace is more her style.

Mom could always use a reminder of how strong she really is. This Strong As Hell stamped necklace is the perfect gift for one of the strongest people in your life.

Like the look of the custom name necklace but want to add a little more flair to it? These custom name necklaces with lockets will let mom put a tiny picture of someone she loves in a locket and wear it near her heart.

How many times have you heard mom deny you a Happy Meal with the phrase “there’s food at home’? Immortalize her favorite shut-down with a custom brass stamped keychain.

Want a cute or snarky card to go with your Mother’s Day gift? You can add one of these greeting cards to your package. If you want to mail mom’s gift directly to her, we can fill out the card by hand with whatever you want it to say.

If you are looking for more ideas of great mother’s day jewelry, please email me at stacey@bangupbetty.com and we can work together to create something perfect.

Bang-Up Betty is handmade, hand-stamped jewelry created in my North Little Rock, Arkansas, studio. When we’re not self-isolating, you can find my jewelry at Stifft Station Gifts in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Sweet and Snarky Jewelry Made in Arkansas for Your Valentine

Matching “My Person” hand-cast bronze friendship necklace set from my spring, Valentine’s Day mini collection.

Maybe I’m a little biased, but I think handmade jewelry is the perfect Valentine’s Day gift. From a jewelry designer’s perspective, it’s so fun to work with people to create something perfect and unique for their loved one. When I’m designing jewelry for myself, of course I’m going to add a pinch (maybe more) of humor to the mix. Then I throw it out there and hope you like it and retreat quickly in case you don’t (Please don’t throw rocks at me over a boobs necklace). So here’s me throwing out a mini-collection of spring and Valentine’s Day handmade jewelry I’ve been working on. I hope you like it.

Every piece of jewelry in this collection was molded by hand by me and kiln-fired right here in Arkansas, complete with gold-filled chains or ear wires that are made in the USA.

Wear a small handful of your favorite thing around your neck with these hand-cast bronze heart charms that say either BOOBS or BUTTS and hang from an 18-inch gold filled chain that ends in a spring clasp. Bronze heart charms measure approximately 5/8 inch across and are hand-stamped letter by letter. Each piece is handmade, so letter placement and finish will be slightly different per piece. If something else that’s 5 letters or less strikes your fancy better than these, shoot me a message at stacey@bangupbetty.com and I’ll make it work!

A purrrfect gift for the cat lover in your life, this hand-cast bronze cat face charm has just the right amount of sparkle with two cubic zirconia eyes and a set of adorable whiskers to boot. Each cat face pendant is handmade and will differ slightly from all the others, so each piece is unique. Chain is gold-filled and ends in a spring clasp; it measures approximately 16 inches but can be longer upon request. Mrowr.

Just a sweet little sentiment for your ears…

These hand-cast broken heart earrings are hand-stamped with the words FUCK OFF, one on each earring. Handmade bronze charms measure approximately 5/8 inch from top to bottom and are hung with gold-filled ear wires. Each pair of earrings will vary slightly from the rest, as is the nature of handmade jewelry.

Whether you’ve got a partner in crime or you want both of these Fuck Off broken heart charms all to yourself, we can accommodate…

These handmade broken heart charms are hand-stamped with the words FUCK OFF, one on each heart half. Handmade bronze charms measure approximately 5/8 inch from top to bottom. Each will vary slightly from the rest, as is the nature of handmade jewelry. This piece comes EITHER as one necklace with both charms on it OR two necklaces with one charm each on them as a friendship necklace set, so please read carefully when you select your version at checkout. Chain is gold-filled and 18 inches long, ending in a spring clasp.

A combination of lucky symbols with the horseshoe and the four-leaf clover give this handmade bronze charm necklace double the lucky charm.

This hand-cast bronze horseshoe and four-leaf clover charm is made from a vintage type block. The charm measures approximately 5/8 inch across and hangs from an 18-inch gold-filled chain that ends in a spring clasp. Each charm will vary slightly, as is the nature of handmade jewelry.

A little something for you, a little something for your person…

These hand-cast broken heart charms are hand-stamped with the words MY PERSON on each charm. Handmade bronze charms measure approximately 5/8 inch from top to bottom and are hung from 18-inch gold-filled chains. Each heart charm will vary slightly from the rest, as is the nature of handmade jewelry. This listing is for a set of TWO matching friendship necklaces.