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 Made Mother's Day Jewelry Picks for 2021: Birthstones, Florals, Customizable and More

Mother’s Day feels like it’s coming up faster than ever this year. Don’t let May 9 sneak up on you! Here’s a list of my top picks for handmade jewelry magic that’ll make moms smile, be fun to personalize, and is made in Arkansas so you can feel great about shopping small and local.

Whether mom loves to garden, hike, or just stop and smell the roses, my newest cast bronze jewelry embodies Mother Nature, and most of it can be personalized by adding birthstones. Find the cast bronze sunflower necklace here, the dandelion seed necklace here, the rattlesnake tail necklace here, and the bronze butterfly earrings here.

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 by casting real Arkansas rice flowers (from Cornerstone Farm, near Altheimer, AR) in bronze, and it’s also available in sterling silver. 20% of the sales of these necklaces go directly to the Arkansas Foodbank. Each bronze Arkansas Rice Flower Necklace sold raises enough money to fund 58 meals for hungry Arkansans, and each silver necklace funds 67 meals for Arkansans in need. Get the Arkansas Rice Flower Necklace here.

If your mom is as into cats as my mom is, she’ll appreciate the Leonardo da Vinci-Inspired Cat and Mouse necklace from my Gallery Collection inspired by art history. If you’re surprised to learn that the man who painted the Mona Lisa spent a lot of his time observing and sketching cats, I’m with you. “Even the smallest feline is a masterpiece of nature” is a quote attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, whose sketches of felines and studies for a painting he intended to finish portraying the Madonna and child holding a cat attest to the artist’s reverence for the animals. For my da Vinci-Inspired Cat and Mouse Necklace, I chose to focus on this playful fact and add a layer of my own friskiness. This necklace features a large cast bronze medallion impressed with the likeness of one of da Vinci’s cat drawings, and I added a hand-sculpted cast-bronze mouse connector charm above the cat to appear as if it’s stalking the mouse. Click here to get the Bronze Cat and Mouse Necklace.

If your childhood was filled with empty threats, immortalize them on a 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.

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. Each mixed stone birthstone cluster necklace is unique. You select up to seven (7) stones for your necklace. Click here to get the custom birthstone cluster necklace from my Birthstone Cluster Collection of jewelry. Be sure to order this one ASAP! The pendants take a few days to make.

If you love the custom birthstone pendant necklace but think mom would be more into a stackable strand version or you’re looking for a custom birthstone necklace that costs a little less, check out the custom birthstone strand necklace here.

And if you already found a necklace here and you’d just like to add a personal touch to it, it’s affordable and easy to add a birthstone or two or three to your necklace. These birthstones are gemstone chips, and they’re the perfect addition to a vertical bar necklace or charm necklace. Just add the necklace you want to your cart (may we suggest the custom vertical bar necklace?) and then add this listing with your chosen birthstone to your cart. Create your own custom birthstone jewelry! These birthstone chips look great with vertical bar necklaces and charm necklaces, but we don’t recommend them for horizontal bar necklaces. Click here to add a birthstone to your necklace.

These dainty, Art Deco Arkansas state necklaces and earrings are simple and beautiful. These little bronze or sterling silver Arkansas charms are cast with a beautiful Art Deco fan pattern and come as a dainty necklace or a set of hoop earrings. Find the Art Deco Arkansas Jewelry here.

Custom name necklaces are a great gift for Mother’s Day! Keep those you love close to your heart, figuratively and literally with this sweet, classic custom name necklace stamped by hand. Click here to get the Personalized Name Necklace.

Is mom your missing puzzle piece? Get a friendship necklace for you and one for mom with these puzzle piece necklace sets. Handmade bronze puzzle piece charms are about one inch across and hang from gold-filled chains. Please note that the pieces don’t fit PERFECTLY together, as is the nature of hand-cast charms (they’re all unique!). But they are cast from matching puzzle pieces. They are available with a decorative, Art Deco pattern or without a pattern and also available on 18-inch and 20-inch chains. Find the Missing Puzzle Piece Friendship Necklaces here.

Is your mom the queen of Bingo? Get her a trophy she can wear to let the world know she plays for keeps. Find the Bingo Queen Necklace here. It’s cast from a real Bingo chip!

My Rose Window Necklace was inspired by the stained glass windows of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and 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.

Is the mom in your life a total goddess? Then I bet she’d love something from my Siren Collection of jewelry inspired by Greek mythology. This necklace is the Hera Peacock Necklace inspired by the queen of the Greek gods. Find the whole Siren Collection here to see which god or goddess fits your mom.

If you’ve found a necklace mom will love, but you think she’d like a little bit longer chain for it, add one of these extenders to your order and I’ll attach it to her necklace so it’s ready to gift when it arrives! Get a necklace chain extender here.

Thank you for shopping small and shopping local this Mother’s Day!

What Does Your Birthstone Mean?

Birthstones aren’t just beautiful gemstones to commemorate the months of our birth. Each stone itself has so much more meaning beyond just the month it represents. Every month has had multiple different birthstones over time, too, but here are some of the most prominent stones that I’ve made part of my Birthstone Cluster Collection and which are now available to add on individually to necklaces on my site. Of course I don’t endorse these stones having any healing properties, but it’s fun to know some of the reasons why they’re significant. It’s also fun to find great reasons to wear stones that aren’t your birthstone:

The January birthstone, garnet, with its rich crimson hue, is particularly luxurious and elegant. Garnet is named for the latin word for pomegranate because of its luscious color. Garnet is associated with creativity, purification, love, strength and protection. 

The February birthstone, amethyst, with its violet hue, is particularly romantic and alluring. Amethyst is associated with balance, temperance, pleasant dreams, positive energy and healing. 

The March birthstone, aquamarine, with its sea blue-green hue, is particularly mystifying. Aquamarine is rare and precious and is associated with courage, calm, clarity and tolerance. 

The April birthstone, diamond, is possibly the most coveted of all. Because diamonds are rare and valuable and diamond chips aren’t readily available, we’ve substituted a beautiful alternative: the Herkimer diamond. Herkimer diamonds are quartz crystals that are double-terminated; each end of the crystal has a point. Quartz is associated with healing, enlightenment and clarity. 

Double-terminated quartz, also called “Herkimer Diamond,” makes a gorgeous substitution for diamond as the April birthstone in my Birthstone Cluster Collection. Here is a line of Herkimer Diamonds as a Birthstone Strand Necklace.

The May birthstone, emerald, with its rich green hue, is particularly exciting and energizing. Emerald is associated with love, domestic bliss, friendship and positive actions. 

The May birthstone, Emerald, as featured in my Birthstone Cluster Necklace with a personalized stamped brass monogram.

The June birthstone is often said to be Alexandrite, one of the rarest and most expensive gemstones on earth, but we prefer its equally elegant counterpart, the pearl. Pearls are associated with nurturing, calm, integrity and femininity. 

The July birthstone, ruby, with its lush red hue, is particularly romantic. Ruby, a variety of corundum, is coveted and second only to diamond in its hardness. It is associated with passion, protection, peace and prosperity. 

The August birthstone, peridot, with its otherworldly green hue, evokes magic and mystery. Peridot, a form of olivine, is associated with protection, happiness, well-being and transformation.

Peridot, the August birthstone, seems to glow from within with eerie green light, especially when it’s set against silver. Check out the August Birthstone Cluster Necklace here.

The September birthstone, sapphire, with its deep blue hue, is rare, cool and dreamy. Sapphire, a variety of corundum, is associated with wisdom, spirituality and kindness. 

The October birthstone, Pink Tourmaline, an alternative to opal, has been associated with creativity and enlightenment. In many cultures throughout history it has been a stone of protection. 

The November birthstone, citrine, with its amber hue, is particularly warm and inviting. Citrine, a variety of quartz, is associated with clarity, energy, creativity and imagination. 

The December birthstone, turquoise, with its blue, greenish blue and sometimes robin-egg blue hues, is a variegated surprise, kind of like azure confetti that comes out of the earth. Turquoise is associated with protection. 

It’s typically a face-off between blue topaz and turquoise for December’s birthstone, and we’ve chosen turquoise for the win. Turquoise, with its blue, greenish blue and sometimes robin-egg blue hues, is a variegated surprise, kind of like azure confetti that comes out of the earth. Turquoise is one of the oldest stones used by humans, found in artifacts as old as 5,000 B.C. Turquoise is associated with protection. Check out my turquoise Birthstone Strand Necklace featured above here.

Made in Arkansas Jewelry That's Perfect for Valentine's Day (Even If You're Not That Into Valentine's Day)

Whether your Valentine is sweet, salty or a little of both, there’s probably most definitely a piece of handmade jewelry at Bang-Up Betty that will make their heart throb.

Whether your Valentine is sweet, salty or a little of both, there’s probably most definitely a piece of handmade jewelry at Bang-Up Betty that will make their heart throb. Since the big VD is just one month away (or less if you’re reading this after January 14), I’ve added a handful of new, lovey-dovey handmade designs and rounded up a few of my (and your!) favorite picks for lovers this holiday. From simple, dainty earrings to bold, beautiful necklaces, here’s a list of jewels that’ll give you heart eyes. And the icing on the heart-shaped lil Debbie is that all of this jewelry is made in Arkansas.

This clever heart necklace is a throwback to the romantic symbolism of Celtic knots, made with just one rope, and the playful macramé knot work made popular in the 1970s (inspired by 13th Century Arabian weaving and passed down over centuries until it blew up massively in the ‘70s). The rope heart pendant was made using a single piece of rope, then cast in bronze. It’s a substantial, meaningful piece of handmade jewelry that would make a perfect Valentine’s Day, anniversary or wedding gift for a love bird. Find the bronze Macramé Heart knot Necklace here.

Sometimes “love” (and the perfect pair of earrings) is all you need…

These sweet, simple, hand-crafted matching half heart earrings are hand-cast in bronze and pressed with the word “love” onto each heart half. They’re dainty, lightweight, and go with absolutely everything. The ear wires are 14K gold-filled, so they’re hypoallergenic. Get the Love Matching Heart Bronze Earrings here.

It's almost Valentine's Day, and I've got a tragic love story for the holiday. 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. The obsidian bead above the lovers and on the matching 14K gold-filled hoop earrings has a marbled effect, echoing ancient Greek sculpture.

Get the Orpheus and Eurydice Necklace here.

A simple, beautiful bronze necklace that says “forever” without speaking a word…

This handmade necklace features an oval charm pressed with the infinity symbol. The solid bronze charm measures about an inch across and hangs from a 16- or 18-inch 14K gold-filled chain; you can select the length at checkout. Mega hint: This necklace is great for an 8th anniversary — It’s the bronze wedding anniversary! Get the Bronze Infinity Symbol Necklace here.

Didn’t expect it to get this dirty, did you??? With custom keychains it can get as nasty as you want. Or as funny. Or as sweet. Custom keychains are also great go-to unisex gifts! Check out my collection of key tag phrases or let me stamp a custom phrase onto a keychain for you here.

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 (or loveship!) necklaces. Get the My Person Bronze Heart Necklace Set here.

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. 

Get the Aphrodite Pearl and Shell Necklace here.

Birthstone jewelry is a beautiful gift for any occasion, and being able to personalize it even more with a monogram makes it even more special. My Birthstone Cluster Collection allows you to do just that and comes in these gorgeous handmade pendants or in simple, streamlined strands of birthstones that are great for layering with another favorite necklace. Check out my birthstone jewelry here.

Keep those you love close to your heart, figuratively and literally with this sweet, classic custom name necklace stamped by hand. I had to personalize mine with the names of my cats since I’m a loving cat mom, but of course these custom stamped necklaces are great for kids’ names, significant others and anyone else you hold close to your heart. Find my Personalized Name Necklaces here.

What do you get the person who hung the moon to you? Moon jewelry! The bronze full moon necklace in this handful of handmade jewelry is my Artemis Moon Necklace with Crossed Arrows, representing the goddess Artemis in my Greek mythology jewelry collection. Find the Hammered Crescent Moon Earrings with iridescent beads of moonstone here. The Witchy Woman stamped crescent moon necklace in silver is here, and I’ve got a larger version in brass here.

Think of these hand-stamped custom Mantra Cuff Bracelets as your Wonder Woman cuffs. (Cuffs don't come with super powers, but you do!)

Keep yourself motivated to keep being the badass you are with these stamped mantra bracelets. Cuffs are solid brass or solid aluminum, polished so there are no sharp edges, durable and adjustable. Each cuff is hand stamped letter by letter with the mantra of your choice. Get your custom mantra cuffs here.

What? You thought I was going to get to the end of this jewelry blog without another dirty joke? WRONG. These custom cast bronze heart necklaces are great for short, sweet notes, but I prefer to make them say funny things. Funny things you might just heart… Get them here.

Speaking of big hearts and big boobs… We’ve got HUGE HEARTS for Dolly Parton over at Bang-Up Betty. I made this necklace in honor of the queen herself, because we could all stand to model our ways a little more after her and her big heart. Get the What Would Dolly Do heart necklace here.

Are you absolutely BATTY over your valentine? This tiny bat necklace will make your heart and their heart flutter…

Tiny handmade bronze bat charm dangles from an approximately 16-inch gold-filled chain that ends in a spring clasp. The bat itself measures approximately 3/4 inch across the wings.

Do yours and your Valentine’s stars align? Maybe your zodiac signs do, too? 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. Get the Hand-Stamped Astrology Constellation Necklace here.

Want to add a card to your gift without even having to go into a store? Want to mail your gift directly to your Valentine with a sweet note? We’ve got you covered! Add one of these illustrated greeting cards by Lee Lee Arts and Design to your order, and we’ll hand write whatever you like inside of it to send to someone special. You can take your pick from the “Love You To Death” or the “Get Your Happy On” card, and you’ll be prompted at checkout to tell us what you’d like your note to say. Find the greeting cards here.

Simple, Elegant Birthstone Jewelry, Just In Time For Mother's Day and Wedding Season

Simple, elegant birthstone strand necklaces and earrings make perfect Mother’s Day, birthday and bridesmaid gifts this spring. You can even select your own stones to create a custom multi-stone birthstone strand necklace.

For more than a century, birthstones have been a delightful way to celebrate your children, loved ones and yourself in a simple, gorgeous, meaningful way. To me, birthstones are a language for people who know birthstones, much like folks who are really into astrology sort of have their own language. This proud Virgo has always adored her birthstone—sapphire. But I notice immediately when I meet a person wearing other birthstone jewelry. I can see right away that someone very dear to them is an August baby. Or maybe their sweet grandmother left them her collection of amethyst jewelry because they shared a February birth month, much like my incredible grandmother gave me her September gemstones because she adored that we shared a birth month. I like to guess which precious person their birthstones represent, and if I’m lucky, they’ll share the story.

Last year I created a collection of birthstone jewelry that is still very dear to my heart, especially because I originally created it to give to my bridesmaids, mother, mother-in-law and my honorary bridesmaids at my wedding (See all of my handmade and heirloom wedding jewelry here!). This spring I added to it with a line of necklaces and earrings that are simple, elegant, straightforward pieces the layer well when you’ve already got a special necklace you wear all the time or you just can’t pick one necklace to wear. My Birthstone Cluster Strands represent all of the colors of the year and come on individual card backs that explain just what they mean and why these stones are important. Their matching earrings are just as elegant and versatile and also pair perfectly with my original Birthstone Cluster Necklaces, which feature pendants made of birthstones.

Below is a sample of the many birthstones and styles available now. To view the full collection of Birthstone Cluster Necklaces, Birthstone Cluster Strands, and Birthstone Cluster earrings, click here.

Faceted sapphire stones represent September’s birthstone in our simple, elegant birthstone jewelry collection that’s perfect for layering. Find the matching faceted sapphire earrings here.

The January birthstone, garnet, with its rich crimson hue, is particularly luxurious and elegant. Garnet is named for the latin word for pomegranate because of its luscious color. Garnet is associated with creativity, purification, love, strength and protection. Find our January Birthstone Jewelry here. Photo by Collin Buchanan.

The May birthstone, emerald, with its rich green hue, is particularly exciting and energizing. Emerald is associated with love, domestic bliss, friendship and positive actions. Find our May Birthstone Jewelry here.

September and August birthstones shine in the light on these birthstone cluster earrings. The August birthstone, peridot, with its otherworldly green hue, evokes magic and mystery. Peridot, a form of olivine, is associated with protection, happiness, well-being and transformation. The September birthstone, sapphire, with its deep blue hue, is rare, cool and dreamy. Sapphire, a variety of corundum, is associated with wisdom, spirituality and kindness. Find our September and August birthstone jewelry here. Photo by Collin Buchanan.

Choose your stones to create your own custom multi-stone birthstone necklace and represent everyone in your brood.

Our original Birthstone Cluster Necklaces feature birthstones set into cluster pendants and are customizable with stamped discs that fit up to three letters. Monograms, the word “mom” and a heart shape fit perfectly. Photo by Collin Buchanan.

The November birthstone, citrine, with its amber hue, is particularly warm and inviting. Citrine, a variety of quartz, is associated with clarity, energy, creativity and imagination. Each birthstone necklace comes on a card back that explains the stone’s significance. Find our birthstone jewelry here.

Hammered in Arkansas: A Jewelry Maker's Best Moments of 2018

Bang-Up Betty has been stamping handmade jewelry in Arkansas since 2013. Celebrating a 5th anniversary, seeing Julianne Moore wear my jewelry and supporting great charitable causes were among some of the highlights of this Arkansas jewelry maker’s 2018.

Looking back on the year, especially as all my friends are sharing their “best nine” Instagram posts, I always like to pick and choose my personal “best nine” since photo “likes” sometimes don’t do the right things justice (but are always appreciated and welcome!). 2018 was a banner year at Bang-Up Betty. I celebrated some huge milestones, saw celebrities wear my jewelry, got to raise money for several local causes that are close to my heart, and was recognized in some really amazing ways.

Thank you so much to everyone who brought a piece of Bang-Up Betty handmade jewelry into their lives or gave it to a loved one this year. Thank you to everyone who came to see me at pop-up craft shows and events. Thank you to everyone who shared social media posts and told pals about my jewelry. Thank you to my stockists across the country who brought my jewelry to their cities. Every year I do this is more magical than the last. Every morning I wake up grateful and astounded at the support my home state of Arkansas has given me. Thank you, thank you, thank you again.

Now, for the countdown…

Janelle Monae wore my I Believe in Science pin along with many other makers’ enamel pins during her Today Show performance.

1.) Janelle Monae wore my pin. The Janelle Monae. She wore my pin. My I Believe in Science enamel pin. She wore it in an assortment of feminist and activist pins on her Today Show appearance. I am still in recovery.

That’s my I Believe in Science enamel pin on the right. On Janelle Monae’s outfit for her Today Show appearance.

At some point in time I packaged that I Believe in Science pin with my own hands and sent it off and it landed on the lapel of THE. JANELLE. MONAE. I am breathless.

Bang-Up Betty has been making artisan jewelry in Arkansas since 2013 and celebrated five years in 2018 with a pop-up in Little Rock.

2.) I had my 5th anniversary. In April of 2018 I celebrated five whole years of making jewelry in Little Rock, Arkansas, and threw a big party complete with this confetti cake that WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL CAKE I MADE. I made a unicorn-shaped cake for the occasion and Betty the cat ATE IT when I wasn’t looking the night before the party. He is a savage.

Betty the cat perches in the Bang-Up Betty handmade jewelry studio. His name and personality inspired the name of the business, and he is a small internet celebrity. Follow him on Instagram at @bettyisaboy.

3.) Betty the cat made the evening news. Anytime I can get Betty the cat in a magazine or on the tv is the best time of my life. In 2018, KARK stopped by my jewelry studio and fell in love with Betty. I think he got more air time than I did and I have no complaints.

Only in Arkansas: Bang-up Betty's creations are not the usual jewelry items.

Arkansas bride: My gleeful expression after saying my vows (that I wrote!) at the Edgemont House in North Little Rock, Arkansas, in September. Photo by Katie Childs.

4.) I got married! This is really number one on the list BUT THE LIST IS OUT OF ORDER. Collin, don’t get mad.

In September 2018, I got hitched to a very wonderful, supportive, encouraging, hilarious, handsome, incredible guy who was totally fine with us having a weird wedding. It was the most fun day of my life and we’ve been keeping the party going ever since we said “I do.” You really can’t stop the party once you buy a six-foot inflatable dancing man for your wedding and can’t return it.

The inflatable dancing man at our wedding at the Edgemont House in North Little Rock, Arkansas, may have been more of a hit than the bride and groom were. Photo by Katie Childs.

Read all about our wedding in this blog post I wrote about how crafty I was and how ridiculous our decor was.

Julianne Moore wears a One Tough Mother Necklace by Bang-Up Betty at a Moms Demand Action conference.

5.) Julianne Moore wore my One Tough Mother necklace AND I raised close to $600 for this incredible charity that’s so close to my heart. I had no idea that when one of the loveliest women I know bought a necklace from me, she meant to bring it to the Moms Demand Action conference and give it to Julianne Moore. Julianne Moore then wore it in a PSA for the organization that encouraged people to vote!

Arkansas jewelry designer Bang-Up Betty’s “Stay Gold” collection is inspired by the Golden Girls and features vintage and limited edition pieces. Plus those big Miami colors!

6.) I made a jewelry collection inspired by The Golden Girls. I had so much fun designing this collection of vintage-inspired jewelry that my husband then photographed for me on our Lanai. Hahahaha. I’m a Dorothy at heart, but the necklace in the image above was inspired by Blanche.

See more of the Stay Gold collection and read more about what inspired it here!

Bang-Up Betty was voted Best Artisan for the fourth year in a row in the Arkansas Times’s Best of Arkansas for jewelry design.

7.) Y’all voted me Best Artisan in the Arkansas Times’s Best of Arkansas issue! For the fourth year in a row! I am so incredibly grateful for the support my fellow Arkansans have given me over the years. Thank you for giving me the courage to keep making jewelry and putting myself out there.

You also voted my jewelry best in Arkansas Handmade Products in AY Magazine’s Best. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Bang-Up Betty jewelry was voted best in Arkansas Handmade Products by AY Magazine readers.

Bang-Up Betty’s Love is Queer Bracelet 100% benefits Lucie’s Place, a shelter for homeless LGBT in Little Rock, Arkansas.

8.) I got to support Lucie’s Place by making things. Earlier this year, I dedicated this Love is Queer bracelet to Lucie’s Place, donating 100% of the profits to the nonprofit organization that provides shelter for homeless LGBT in Arkansas. I love being able to use my craft to raise money for progressive nonprofits in the state of Arkansas and across the country.

My new Birthstone Cluster Collection features rough, raw and natural gemstones and is inspired by nature. Photo by Collin Buchanan.

9.) I released the Birthstone Cluster Collection, which is inspired by nature and features raw, rough-cut and natural gemstones to celebrate the wearer. Happy birthday to you! These necklaces are by far my favorite things to make right now and can be personalized. Grab your custom birthstone necklace, or maybe one celebrating your child or another loved one!

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.