Made in Arkansas Gift Guide 2022: 21 Gift Ideas by Local Artisans and Makers

There’s nothing more special than a handmade gift. At Bang-Up Betty, we’re focused on finding and supporting Arkansas artisans and artists who make art and gifts we truly love. Our jewelry and gift store in downtown North Little Rock showcases unique, unusual and excellent Arkansas-made items that you can bet will bring a surprised smile to your loved ones’ faces this holiday season. Not only is every piece of jewelry (and there are hundreds) made here in Arkansas by us, our storefront is stocked with art, pottery, candles, and more by artists all across the state of Arkansas. Here are 20 of our favorite local gifts that you can find at Bang-Up Betty:

Hot Springs ceramicist Carla Churchwell stocks our store with tons of her cute and creative pottery, and we especially love her rainbow and cardinal ornaments for the holidays.

You better believe our fridge at home is stocked with this incredible locally made hot sauce called Opera Sauce. We’re total hot sauce snobs and we give this one two thumbs way up.

If you’ve ever wondered why our store smells so good, it’s because of these candles. Dogtown Scents candles are made in North Little Rock, come in several delightful winter scents, and we’ve even got our own glittery signature Bang-Up Betty scent.

North Little Rock artist Paul Milholland is known for his groovy wooden bird sculptures (which we carry!), and these handmade wooden Arkansas magnets are like collectable pieces of art for your fridge.

Hot Springs pottery maker Carla Churchwell’s little ceramic trees are perfect for building a tiny Christmas village for your holiday decor.

Our handmade Shine Star Necklace comes in bronze and sterling silver and benefits Methodist Family Health in Arkansas. It’s the perfect gift that gives back. Find it in store or online.

Bentonville water-colorist Joseph Buchanan’s beautiful Arkansas landscapes make gorgeous gifts, and this year he’s made holiday cards of scenes like the snowy Old Mill and War Eagle Mill so you can easily mail them to your loved ones who are far away.

Made in North Little Rock, Deal Family toffee is the best toffee we’ve ever tasted. You better come buy it before our staff eats all of it!

These beautiful floral Arkansas keychains by Clever + Tidy let you carry a little Arkansas with you wherever you go.

Made in Maumelle, these colorful Summit Valley Soaps smell as good as they look.

Santa Claus is definitely coming to Dogtown because we’ve been really good this year. These adorable Dogtown ornaments by Heather Reed of Thriftpologie will look perfect on your tree, and the matching reusable cups are great hostess gifts. These will be sold exclusively at Bang-Up Betty starting November 18!

Hot Springs ceramics artist Carla Churchwell’s completely adorable wildlife trinket dishes are always a huge hit when she brings them to the shop. They always go quickly, so hurry in for one!

Sherwood-based illustrator and graphic designer Ashlee Nobel of Lee Lee Arts + Design is one of our crowd favorites, and her new collection of spooky creature prints is beautiful any time of year.

Our custom, hand-stamped mantra cuffs are some of the most popular gifts in our shop. Whether you love a good motivational phrase, have an inside joke, or simply would like a loved one’s name, we can stamp pretty much anything onto one of these bracelets. If you’re looking for more custom jewelry options, we also make custom name necklaces as well as tons of other personalized creations.

The bookworm on your gifting list will love a thoughtful book by a local author. May we recommend From Cotton to Silk: The Magic of Black Hair by artist and writer Crystal C. Mercer or But First, Save 10: The One Simple Money Move That Will Change Your Life by Sarah Catherine Gutierrez? These titles and more are available in store at Bang-Up Betty.

Arkansas artist Studio Dust Co. keeps it creepy crawly yet gorgeous with these handmade, framed works of wooden art.

We gotta love a mug that matches our shop! You can feel like you’re at Bang-Up Betty while you drink your morning coffee in one of these groovy rainbow mugs by CSF Design.

Lapel pins make perfect stocking stuffers. We’ve got dozens of designs at Bang-Up Betty, including these crowd favorites that say “dogs are my love language,” “cats are my love language” and “ask me what I’m reading.”

Maumelle-based painter Sherry J. Williamson is one of our absolute favorites, and you’ll find a huge selection of her colorful, inspirational prints and greeting cards at Bang-Up Betty.

Our handmade jewelry is far out (and our jokes are corny). Our Space Age Collection of space-themed jewelry is perfect for any hopeful cosmonaut. We’ll be wearing the Eclipse Earrings to pump ourselves up for the total solar eclipse coming to Arkansas in 2024. Check out the Space Age Collection in store or online.

We can’t get enough of these handmade ceramic stemless wine glasses by Hot Springs artisan Carla Churchwell. Grab a whole set of them or just one for yourself while supplies last at Bang-Up Betty.

Bang-Up Betty is snarky, meaningful, well-made jewelry made in North Little Rock, Arkansas, as well as funny and feminist pins, stickers and gifts. Shop our handmade jewelry alongside clever gifts and local art at our Argenta storefront located at 429 Main Street in North Little Rock above Ristorante Capeo.

2022 Arkansas Made Mother's Day Gift Guide: 14 Locally Made Gifts Mom Will Love

Mid-mod birds, macramé vases, honeybee necklaces, Arkansas-made bath soaks, gorgeous Arkansas art and more make our 2022 Arkansas-made gift guide.

On the hunt for an original Mother’s Day gift? Make it extra special this year with something colorful, delightful and handmade locally by an Arkansas artisan. These handmade creations by some of our favorite Arkansas artists and makers are sure to bring a smile to the moms in your life. Each of these Arkansas-made gifts can be found in-store at Bang-Up Betty’s handmade jewelry and gift store, located at 429 Main Street in Argenta.

North Little Rock woodworker Paul Milholland’s mid century-modern wooden bird sculptures are impeccably made and delightfully fun to display. These birds are one-of-a-kind, so if you see one you need, hurry in before it flies home with someone else! Available in store at Bang-Up Betty.

Every piece of jewelry at Bang-Up Betty’s Argenta jewelry store and gift shop is made in-house, including the popular One Tough Mother necklace that’s a hit even when it’s not Mother’s Day. Available in store or online.

Bentonville water-colorist Joseph Buchanan shows North Little Rock’s iconic Old Mill a lot of love with this gorgeous matted print of his original painting. You’ll also find scenes of Argenta along with the Old Mill. Available in store.

Hot Springs ceramicist Carla Churchwell’s unique handmade flower pots are one-of-a-kind. We especially love her mandala flower pots that match her mandala ring dishes. Available in store alongside a huge assortment of Carla’s pottery.

Little Rock artist Kristin Sauer designed these Argenta tea towels especially for Bang-Up Betty. This design is also available in store as a print. Tea towels are available in store and online.

A gorgeous faceted drop of citrine is the honey on this bee necklace by Bang-Up Betty. Find this necklace in store and online along with tons of nature-themed jewelry and gifts.

Abbi’s Teas are hand-blended in Little Rock by Abbi Siler, who hand-crafted this custom “Bang-Up Bettea” tea blend exclusively for Bang-Up Betty. It’s an exciting black tea blend with tropical notes and a dash of edible brew shimmer to make your cup sparkle. Find it in store and online.

Hot Springs ceramicist Carla Churchwell’s flower frogs are always a huge hit, and they make especially great Mother’s Day gifts. Place these floral flower frogs on a jar or glass and slide the flower stems through the holes to keep your flowers perky and upright. Available in store.

These luxurious and creative bath soaks come in three cosmic scents and are made in Bentonville by The Bathing Native. Grab them in store or online.

Little Rock macramé artist Amy Darragh (AKA Creative Cords) made these beautiful macramé vases using upcycled mason jars. They’re perfect for holding Mother’s Day flowers, and they’re available in store.

Looking for a Mother’s Day gift that gives back? These “Elect Women” necklaces by Bang-Up Betty give back to Emerge Arkansas, a grassroots organization working to get progressive women elected to office in Arkansas. Available in store or online.

Sherwood-based artist Ashlee Nobel (AKA Lee Lee Arts) created these colorful llama prints based on her original art. They pair well with a “badass mama llama” card. Available in store.

Maumelle-based artist Sherry J. Williamson is known for her dazzling, colorful paintings that utilize meaningful quotes. This greeting card includes a Mr. Rogers quote we think is extra special for Mother’s Day. Available in store.

Bang-Up Betty’s birthstone jewelry is always a big hit at Mother’s Day, especially these customizable Birthstone Cluster necklaces. Available in store and online. Custom birthstone pendants take a few days to make, so it’s smart to order ahead and use code LOCALPICKUP if you’d like to pick it up in store.

Arkansas Jewelry Designer Bang-Up Betty Featured on THV11

Since 2013, Bang Up Betty has been serving up unique and fun handmade jewelry from Arkansas!

THV11 contacted me recently to chat about how I got started making jewelry, what inspires my handmade jewelry, what my bestsellers for holiday gifts are, and, of course, Betty the cat.

This interview with Ashley King airs Friday, December 14, 2018, during the 8 p.m. premiere of their new show, The Vine. It’ll be an Arkansas Christmas special focusing on what’s wonderful and local, and I’m so honored they chose to showcase my handmade jewelry.

I’m proud to be an Arkansas-based jeweler supporting local nonprofits and making folks laugh and smile with my jewelry!

Arkansas jewelry maker Bang-Up Betty at work stamping custom jewelry at Moxy Modern Mercantile. Bang-Up Betty handmade jewelry is designed and made locally in North Little Rock, Arkansas.

What a Jewelry Designer Wears to Her Wedding

Your wedding jewelry should be as magical to you as your wedding day. Especially when you’re a jewelry designer.

Full disclosure: I bought my wedding dress on a Dillard’s pink tag sale rack for less than $100. And I made my jewelry. That’s about as handmade as my wedding got, though. I don’t know how my discount dress ties into that, I’m just really proud of that deal I got.

My jewelry was literally the last thing that was ready for the wedding. I made my necklace that same morning. Like, four hours before the ceremony. Not because I wasn’t worried about it, but because I wanted it to be so perfect.

I wanted to wear something of my Grandmother’s, and I chose a little amethyst, gold and diamond charm of hers that I love so much. It was on a very worn, lackluster box chain, and that just wouldn’t do, so I built a new chain for it out of Czech glass beads, creating two graduated layers to frame the charm perfectly. I love this charm so much because it looks like a tiny stained-glass window and is so rich and warm in color that I can’t help but smile when I wear it.

I built an elegant and vibrant Czech glass chain in graduated layers to frame this beautiful little amethyst, diamond and gold charm that belonged to my Grandmother. I was sure that I wanted to wear something of hers on my wedding day.

For my “something borrowed,” my sweet sister was kind enough to lend me the handmade brass bangle she wore at her wedding. My “something old” was my Grandma’s diamond ring. For my “something blue,” I had my deep blue sapphire engagement ring that makes my heart sing whenever I see it. I think the little black diamonds studding the middle band are the best touch and really make the teenage goth girl inside me happy, er, sad.

My earrings I actually made as part of a collection of jewelry I released right after the wedding. I called it the “Stay Gold” Collection, and it was inspired by The Golden Girls. They usually pair with a pineapple necklace and include the same chain as my wedding necklace. This pair I’ll keep forever, but you can snag your own if you like them.

My wedding earrings were intended to be part of my Stay Gold Collection inspired by the Golden Girls. They featured a brass spiral circling Czech glass bead chain and matte gold chain in a long, elegant chandelier shape.

For my bouquet and each of my two bridesmaids’ bouquets, I created a brass charm stamped with C + S to attach to the ribbon. Anyone who knows me knows I wasn’t going to get through one day without stamped brass.

How about this amazing bouquet of tropicals by Hannah Allen?! Is it not a dream come true? It’s certainly mine.

I personalized my bridal and bridesmaids’ bouquets with brass charms stamped with our initials.

Little Rock floral designer Hannah Allen created this luscious bouquet of tropical plants and local flowers. It’s so dreamy!

Our wedding was a tad unconventional. We had yeti cake toppers, an inflatable dancing man on the dance floor, and I threw the bouquet to all the single men, much to the relief of all of my single gal pals. It was the most fun night of my life.

Back to jewelry. I wanted each of my honorary bridesmaids (and bridesman) to have something special from me, so I created each of them a unique necklace of their birthstone using real, natural gemstones, some in their raw and unpolished forms. I dropped each of the stones into resin to create a cluster of stones so that each one was unusual and couldn’t be repeated.

For each of my bridesmaids, my honorary bridesmaids and my honorary bridesman, I made a unique necklace of their birthstones, using real stones set in resin in an unusual cluster setting. I personalized them with their initials.

I loved making these cluster birthstone necklaces so much and getting to know all of the stones involved. I spent a lot of time researching and learning about gemstones, from their structures to their origins to their symbolism and historical use. I had to collect them all, and I made more necklaces so you can claim one, too! Find your birthstone necklace here.

See the entire Birthstone Cluster Necklace Collection and find your birthstone. Let me know which one you like the best!

Shoutouts to:

Katie Childs Photo for slaying my wedding photos.

My husband Collin Buchanan for photographing my birthstone jewelry.

Hannah Allen for going above and beyond with my tropical wedding flowers.

Angela Alexander for doing my hair and makeup perfectly.

The Edgemont House for being the most beautiful home to get married in.

Boulevard Bread Co. for the most delicious catering that I ate probably way past when I should have.

Kelli Marks of Cathead’s Diner for making our beautiful cake (and bringing donuts!).

Our friends and families for celebrating with us and supporting us. You are everything and more to us.

Freekend Weekend Pop-Up Brings Together Arkansas Artisans and Food Trucks Aug. 4-5

Hand-Stamped Necklace by artisan jewelry designer Bang-Up Betty, vintage clothing from Crying Weasel Vintage, and handmade leather clutch by O'faolain

It's a TAX Free-kend Weekend Pop-Up Shop at the Moxy Warehouse! Brought to you by the same crew who brought you the Speakeasy Pop-Ups last year! We are excited to come together again and bring you a few new vendors, some of our new goods, AND at TAX FREE prices! Woohoo! 

We will have a preview party Saturday night with complimentary beer so you can sip and shop and we will be there on Sunday as well with a complimentary self-serve (careful now) mimosa bar!

Freekend Weekend Pop-Up brings together Arkansas artisans with Little Rock food trucks for a shopping weekend that coincides with Arkansas's tax holiday

RSVP on Facebook!
 

Vendors List:
AR-T's
Bang-Up Betty
Crying Weasel Vintage
DOWER
Krystal Bijoux Jewelry
O'Faolain

Food Trucks:
Viva Vegan (Saturday Night 6:00pm-10:00pm)
Philly Phresh Water Ice (Sunday 10:00am-2:00pm)

Wanna know more about tax free weekend? 
Learn what it's all about and what items are tax free at: https://www.dfa.arkansas.gov/images/uploads/exciseTaxOffice/faqsConsumers.pdf

Handmade leather wallet by Dower, Arkansas t-shirt by AR-T's, Glamfestation brooch by Krystal Bijoux Jewelry

Thanks for Voting Bang-Up Betty Jewelry Best Artisan in Arkansas

Bang-Up Betty jewelry voted best artisan crafter in the Arkansas Times's best of Arkansas

I am so grateful and so humbled that y'all voted Bang-Up Betty jewelry best Arkansas artisan crafter in the Arkansas Times's Best of Arkansas 2018. It's so thrilling and so rewarding to hear from you that this little handmade jewelry business I started five years ago is meaningful to someone other than just me and my mama (who still doesn't approve of my nope middle finger necklace, that's for sure). 

I feel that making jewelry has been a part of my life forever. My sister Amy would take me to the original Argenta Bead Company in North Little Rock (where The House of Art is now), and let me pick out beads and make shiny things, and I felt so loved and encouraged by everyone in that shop, especially Ellie Roy, the owner. I made some TERRIBLE jewelry when I was 12 years old, but they let me try to sell it (no one really bought it), and therefore planted the seeds to Bang-Up Betty a long time ago.

Handmade necklaces by Arkansas artisan jewelry designer Bang-Up Betty. Find the I'll Cut You Necklace, Custom Heart Necklace, Made of Magic Unicorn Necklace, Salty Pretzel Necklace and more in the shop. 

I ended up working at Argenta Bead as one of my first jobs (I've always simultaneously had at least 2 jobs, always, because I'm a workaholic) and learned a lot more about making jewelry. I left for college with an arsenal of beaded necklaces I made myself, and I fit right in at the art studio in school. 

I put jewelry away in college and focused on getting a degree in communications (and minoring in binge drinking). I graduated with a good knowledge of marketing, writing, media, design, Español (my actual minor) and my entrepreneurial spirit intact. I interned at marketing firms, film sets and worked at stationery and invitation companies (hey, Mint Julep Paperie!) out of college, which sparked my first small business, Betty Pearl, hand-drawn greeting cards I printed myself. Like my jewelry, the cards were cute, offensive and salty. That's just what I do. 

Betty Pearl Valentine postcards, the prelude to Bang-Up Betty handmade jewelry 

I sold my stuff on street corners (at craft fairs! got you!!) while simultaneously working as a writer and editor in the Little Rock publishing scene until selling $4 cards ran me ragged and I retired Betty Pearl. Pretty soon after that, I found myself back into beads. Creativity and entrepreneurship needs an outlet. 

I made funny, four-letter-word bracelets for my friends as holiday gifts in 2012, after teaching myself how to stamp and drill copper and brass. When the bracelets were a success, I launched an Etsy site to make some money off my handmade jewelry on the side. It got kind of big kind of fast. 

One of the first Bang-Up Betty jewelry designs, a handmade stamped copper bracelet, called the four-letter-word bracelet. You could order customs! You still can in my brass or silver mantra bracelet. Photo by Arshia Khan. 

In the next couple of years, my handmade jewelry was featured in Bust Magazine, Buzzfeed, Huffington Post, Bustle, Cosmo UK and more. I created my own website. I expanded the business into wholesale, and now stores across the United States carry Bang-Up Betty jewelry, enamel pins, koozies, shirts and more. Oh yeah, I expanded the products as well. There are now about 100 designs in my repertoire, where I started with about four designs. I did all this while maintaining a thriving career as a nonprofit marketing director.

And when I say "all this," I mean all this. I do 98% of this business by myself. Designing and making the jewelry, marketing retail and wholesale jewelry, maintaining the website, fulfilling orders, photographing products, attending markets and craft shows, planning events, professional development, bookkeeping... that's all me. Shout out to Collin Buchanan and Katie Childs Photo for photography help and Lee Lee Arts + Design for graphic design help. 

Anyway, I've derailed from thanking you for voting Bang-Up Betty jewelry best artisan (for the fourth time!!). I guess I just wanted to share a little bit behind why this makes me feel so special. It's a lot of work (see above paragraph) to start, manage and expand your own business, especially if you yourself MAKE nearly every single thing that you sell. And it can be really scary to put your art out there, especially if it tends to lean one way politically and you live in a state that trends the opposite way. Sometimes my hands hurt, but my heart is always full. Thank you. 

Handmade jewelry artisan Stacey Bowers (AKA Bang-Up Betty) in her studio in North Little Rock, Arkansas, with her popular Smash the Patriarchy hammer. Photo by Katie Childs. I'm talking about myself in the third person. This is weird. But, you know, captions.