11 Unique Styles of Arkansas Jewelry and Gifts Designed and Made in Arkansas

From the state crop to the state insect to the state gemstone to the shape of the state of Arkansas, jewelry maker Bang-Up Betty has a huge variety of Arkansas themed jewelry and gifts designed and made right here in Arkansas.

While making jewelry and gifts in Little Rock and North Little Rock, Arkansas, for more than eight years, I’ve amassed a fairly large array of Arkansas-themed jewelry and gifts. From the Arkansas state crop to the state insect to the state gemstone to the shape of the state of Arkansas (plus the many cute and fierce wild creatures that populate the Natural State), I’ve cast so many symbols of Arkansas in bronze and silver pendants, stamped them onto brass necklaces, and designed funny Arkansas t-shirts and stickers. Here are 11 unique pieces of Arkansas jewelry and gifts designed and made in Arkansas by Bang-Up Betty:

If you’ve ever driven across the Natural State, you’ve probably laid eyes on a rice field. As the top rice producer in the nation, Arkansas produces more than 9 billion pounds of rice each year - which would explain why rice is an important dinner staple for many Arkansans, especially those experiencing hunger.

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, created by North Little Rock jewelry designer Bang-Up Betty, was made by casting real Arkansas rice flowers (from Cornerstone Farm, near Altheimer, AR) in bronze, and it’s also available in sterling silver.

Rice farmers are a big part of the Arkansas Foodbank. In the early 1980s, Arkansas rice farmers realized two things: they had a surplus of their crop, and they had hungry neighbors. By working together, they filled an important need by ensuring families and children had access to nutritious food. To this day, these producers donate millions of pounds of rice to food banks across our state, in turn feeding thousands of our neighbors experiencing hunger.

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.

Show your love of Arkansas with Arkansas-made jewelry that’s in the shape of Arkansas. These little bronze and 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. The necklace is made with an 18-inch 14K gold-filled chain, and the hoop earrings are made with 14K gold-filled one-inch hoops that are hypoallergenic, as is the necklace. The silver version is a sterling silver charm on an 18-inch sterling silver chain or sterling silver hoop earrings.

I made this little gem because... you know... The Diamond State...

This dainty diamond outline necklace is a nod to the Arkansas state gemstone—the diamond. Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, is one of the only places on earth where the public can dig for diamonds and keep what they find.

The Diamond State, the Natural State, or just home, sweet home… whatever you want to call the state of Arkansas, keep it close to your heart with this handmade Arkansas necklace made with either a woodgrain, water or diamond motif. You can get this pretty Arkansas necklace with the cubic zirconia in the center or in the top left for Northwest Arkansas, or if another part of the state is your favorite, email us to have the stone placed closer to there.

Celebrate the state insect of Arkansas, the honeybee, with this gorgeous bee necklace. I love this hand-cast, kiln-fired bronze medallion so much because it’s a little sweet and a little spooky. The bee in the design is very obvious, but if you look closely, you’ll see that the bee is resting on a spider web, creating a magnificently textured, multidimensional piece. The warm glow of the bronze in this handmade necklace is complimented by two beads of golden jade quartz that connect the pendant to a gold-filled chain. The chain measures approximately 19 inches long and ends in a spring clasp. Hand-cast bronze has a warm, golden glow and is tarnish resistant. This beautiful piece transitions perfectly from summer to winter; it’s light and happy, but also a little spooky. It’s perfect for a nature lover. This handmade bee necklace is also available in silver.

This spin on my sparkling cubic zirconia Arkansas necklace is made with blue cubic zirconia where Little Rock is or a dazzling display of blue cubic zirconia stones pointing out the counties that voted blue in the 2020 presidential election. Please note that the placement for the counties isn’t exact; I took some artistic liberty and liberties necessary for setting stones in bronze. Each stone is set by hand directly into the bronze.

Arkansas is home and it’s worth fighting for, which is why we’ve got to keep going, keeping calling our representatives and senators, keep making our voices heard, keep convincing smart people to run for office, keep working toward a more equal, equitable Natural State. This handmade Arkansas necklace features a cast bronze Arkansas pendant pressed with the words KEEP GOING to remind us to keep up the good fight.

It’s a widespread joke among Dogtown residents that we always have to go over the river for everyone and everything because folks on the other side act like we live on another continent. Meanwhile we’re over here on the north side wallowing in great bars, lovely neighborhoods, excellent schools and affordable living. We’ve got a good thing going over here, but we’re happy to cross the river to visit you. Do the same for us!

At first glance, this retro-inspired design looks like a fun, groovy shirt promoting North Little Rock (which it is!), but when you get closer, the snarky “stop being a snob about coming to” part adds a dose of funny realness.

The half sun design beneath "North Little Rock” is not only fun, it’s a throwback to the North Little Logo you’ve probably seen on top of the city buildings in Argenta. The old logo has half of what looks like a water wheel, probably a nod to the Old Mill, under the name North Little Rock. I grew up in North Little Rock and live here now and I remember the logo from years ago. This North Little Rock shirt is currently available in blue and groovy yellow.

The North Little Rock shirt design is also available as a weatherproof, sun-resistant vinyl decal. You can grab it with the groovy sun design or with the “Stop Being A Snob About Coming to North Little Rock” text on the sticker.

These handmade bronze butterfly earrings are fit for a monarch… or a Diana fritillary butterfly, the state butterfly of Arkansas, which is more what these butterfly earrings resemble.

Each butterfly charm is hand-cast and kiln-fired bronze, handmade in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The ear wires are 14K gold-filled, so they’re hypoallergenic , and each earring is topped with a hand-wrapped bead of yellow jade (a variety of quartz). The beautiful butterflies are imprinted with an Art Deco fan pattern to make them even more gorgeous and elegant. These handmade bronze butterfly earrings make the perfect gift for any butterfly lover. These butterfly earrings pair perfectly with my matching bronze butterfly necklace.

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!

The Gallery Collection: Art History Jewelry

The Gallery Collection is jewelry inspired by art history, long walks in monumental museums, and the little-told stories of the images and symbols that shape our view of the past and present.

The Gallery Collection is jewelry inspired by art history, long walks in monumental museums, and the little-told stories of the images and symbols that shape our view of the past and present. This collection of art history jewelry by no means even begins to encompass the vast history of art, which spans every inhabited place great or small across the globe and includes every culture on our diverse planet. Consider it more like a room—a small gallery—wherein I’ve hung a handful of meaningful works to contemplate and paid homage to them with my own method of interpretive reproduction. 

Given the time, assets and freedom, I could have never stopped making this collection; that is to say that if your favorite artist isn’t featured, well, neither is mine. I also explicitly chose works by artists who were active in the early 20th Century and before, as I felt uncomfortable re-interpreting works by living or recently living artists for sale. 

This collection is dedicated to my brother Steven, who was an avid reader and lover of all things history and art. He especially loved Gauguin, and as you’ll learn from my Van Gogh-inspired necklace, had an affinity for a certain painting by the artist. 

If you’ve ever gazed up at the dreamy glow of sunlight diffusing through a rose window in a Gothic cathedral and marveled at the lengths to which mankind will go to create divine wonder on earth, you’ll cherish the Rose Window Necklace, inspired by the stained glass rose windows of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

If you’ve ever gazed up at the dreamy glow of sunlight diffusing through a rose window in a Gothic cathedral and marveled at the lengths to which mankind will go to create divine wonder on earth, you’ll cherish the Rose Window Necklace, inspired by the stained glass rose windows of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. This cloisonné style enamel pendant measures about 1.5 inches across and hangs from a 14k gold-filled chain that measures 20 in total length but can be fastened up the chain wherever you like so that the length is customizable if you’d like it to sit higher on your chest. The pendant is nickel-free zinc alloy. 

Rose windows are a major staple of Gothic architecture and can be found in major Gothic cathedrals across France and elsewhere. Though the stained glass of the Notre Dame rose windows is not original, the windows did survive the 2019 fire that damaged much of the cathedral. 

My Caravaggio-inspired Medusa head necklace features a cast bronze or sterling silver pendant of Medusa’s head with wild, curling snakes for hair.

Caravaggio’s (Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio) often dark and violent subject matter, paired with his signature chiaroscuro (or use of heavy contrast using light and dark) echoed the dramatic, tumultuous life he lived, peppered with murder, assassination attempts, arrests and exile. His famous Medusa, painted in 1596-97, depicts the moment when the legendary snake-haired gorgon of ancient Greek myth was beheaded by Perseus, and the artist experiments with casting his own face as Medusa’s. 

My Caravaggio-inspired Medusa head necklace features a cast bronze or sterling silver pendant of Medusa’s head with wild, curling snakes for hair. The pendant hangs from an 18-inch 14k gold-filled or sterling silver chain. The necklace pairs perfectly with my Medusa Serpent Earrings form my Siren Collection inspired by Greek Mythology, and you can learn more about Medusa and those earrings here.

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. 

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. 

The entire length of the necklace including the cat and mouse charm is about 17.5 inches, and the chain is 14k gold-filled. It can be fastened up the chain if you prefer a shorter look. It’s also available with JUST the mouse charm on a 16- or 18-inch chain. 

These cast bronze and sterling silver hand earrings were inspired by a pair of earrings she actually owned and painted into her work in Self Portrait, Dedicated to Dr Eloesser, a 1940 work depicting her in the pair of oversized hand-shaped earrings that she was also photographed wearing. This self-portrait is a widely circulated painting of hers, and Frida fans will recognize the nod to the hand earrings, which were given to her by fellow artist Pablo Picasso when she visited Paris. 

With Frida Kahlo’s bold dissection of herself, the way she painted pain and suffering, culture and ideas, into self-portraits that stared brazenly and honestly back at her, it’s safe to say she created one of the boldest, most-recognizable styles in art history. The life behind her art was so compelling, it’s no wonder why she’s the favorite artist of so many people the world over. She was my favorite artist for years beginning in adolescence, and she’s still one of my very favorites; in my closet somewhere is a study I painted of one of her works in high school. 

These cast bronze and sterling silver hand earrings were inspired by a pair of earrings she actually owned and painted into her work in Self Portrait, Dedicated to Dr Eloesser, a 1940 work depicting her in the pair of oversized hand-shaped earrings that she was also photographed wearing. This self-portrait is a widely circulated painting of hers, and Frida fans will recognize the nod to the hand earrings, which were given to her by fellow artist Pablo Picasso when she visited Paris. 

These cast bronze or sterling silver hands are left and right hands to mirror each other and suspend from 1-inch wide hypoallergenic 14k gold-filled or sterling silver hoops. 

My Georgia O’Keeffe-inspired floral cow skull necklace combines the artist’s motifs of skulls and flowers in a solid cast bronze pendant that hangs from an 18-inch 14K gold-filled chain that can be fastened at shorter lengths if that’s your preference. 

Georgia O’Keeffe is simultaneously one of the most celebrated woman artists of the 20th Century and one of the most misunderstood. You’ve definitely seen her work, the most well known of it being large-scale, magnified views of colorful, beautiful flowers. You’ve probably also heard that the flowers are erotic representations of female anatomy. This interpretation of O’Keeffe’s work has been perpetuated for decades and widely accepted, despite the artist’s lifelong struggle to debunk the sexual interpretations foisted onto her work by male art critics and the “male gaze.” 

Inspired by the New Mexico landscape and culture she fell in love with and called home, O’Keeffe’s work often included animal skulls. Sun-bleached and weathered presumably by the desert, the skulls are hauntingly beautiful memento mori. Her well-known 1931 work Cow’s Skull: Red White and Blue elevates the weather-beaten skull to national symbol.

My Georgia O’Keeffe-inspired floral cow skull necklace combines the artist’s motifs of skulls and flowers in a solid cast bronze pendant that hangs from an 18-inch 14K gold-filled chain that can be fastened at shorter lengths if that’s your preference. 

The beautiful, mysterious Unicorn Tapestries have captivated human hearts for centuries, much like the mythical beast they portray. My Unicorn Tapestries Necklace, complete with carnelian rosary-style chain, pays homage to the tapestries.

The beautiful, mysterious Unicorn Tapestries have captivated human hearts for centuries, much like the mythical beast they portray. The symbolism, weavers and occasion for which they were commissioned is still largely unknown. Created in the late middle ages, the tapestries surely hung on the walls of an aristocrat’s home; large tapestries were beautiful and functional, helping to insulate cold walls and provide privacy between areas of the home. 

My Unicorn Tapestries Necklace is modeled after one side a vintage locket depicting The Unicorn In Captivity, popularly considered the final panel of the tapestries, in which the unicorn is subdued in what appears to be happy captivity. The unicorn rests beneath a pomegranate tree bursting with ripe fruit dripping onto the unicorn’s back. The creature is encircled by a small fence and held by a loose tether, but appears to be content. 

Unicorns were sometimes considered to symbolize Christ, so I chose a rosary-style gold-plated chain beaded with carnelian, a stone that has been used for centuries to create carved seals that people used as signatures. The chain measures 18 inches long. 

My Van Gogh-inspired Smoking Skull Necklace is a substantial piece of sculpted cast bronze that hangs from a 14k gold-filled chain that measures 18 inches in total length but can be fastened up the chain wherever you like so that the length is customizable if you’d prefer it to sit higher on your chest. 

Of Vincent Van Gogh’s prolific portfolio, what immediately comes to mind are his warm, sunny floral landscapes and flowers; colorful, swirling self-portraits; dizzying Starry Night; and interiors of peculiar perspectives. But you’ve also probably seen this dark but somewhat amusing painting of a skeleton with a lit cigarette in its teeth. This painting has a particular place in my heart because it held a special place in my brother’s heart; he liked it enough to get a tattoo of it. 

Head of a Skeleton with a Burning Cigarette, according to the Van Gogh Museum, was an early work: “This skeleton with a lit cigarette in its mouth is a juvenile joke. Van Gogh painted it in early 1886, while studying at the art academy in Antwerp. The painting shows that he had a good command of anatomy. Drawing skeletons was a standard exercise at the academy, but painting them was not part of the curriculum. He must have made this painting at some other time, between or after his lessons.” 

My Van Gogh-inspired Smoking Skull Necklace is a substantial piece of sculpted cast bronze that hangs from a 14k gold-filled chain that measures 18 inches in total length but can be fastened up the chain wherever you like so that the length is customizable if you’d prefer it to sit higher on your chest. 

Van Gogh’s troubled life and mysterious death are well-known, including acts of self-mutilation, a stint in an asylum, and a suicide that was theorized to be murder by some. I think people who can turn suffering into beauty as Van Gogh did universally captivate us.

My Judith Slaying Holofernes Necklace is a nod to the gruesome, powerful scene by Artemisia Gentileschi, with Holofernes’ severed head above two daggers and a garnet drop of blood.

There’s something scintillating about seeing Artemisia Gentileschi’s image of Judith Slaying Holofernes, a biblical scene also depicted by Caravaggio and other male artists of the Baroque era, and realizing that this c. 1620 painting of a robust, ruthless Judith mercilessly and dutifully slicing the head from Assyrian general Holofernes was painted by a 20-something-year-old woman. If you don’t know the story behind the painting, Holofernes is about to ransack Judith’s city, but he drinks too much before the siege, allows beautiful Judith to enter his tent thinking it’ll be a good time, and Judith cuts off his head while he’s drunk. It’s kind of a lovely feminist twinkle in the Bible if you ask me. What’s so special about Artemisia’s work, (besides finding a well-known woman artist of this era being like finding a needle in a haystack) is the strength and brutality of Judith. Many other works depicting the theme portray Judith as a seductive, demure or more delicate beauty, but Artemisia went really Rosie the Riveter with her Judith, giving her impressive arms that hold Holofernes down while she violently saws off his head, him writhing and blood spurting everywhere. 

My Judith Slaying Holofernes Necklace is a nod to the gruesome, powerful scene by Artemisia, with Holofernes’ severed head above two daggers and a garnet drop of blood. The cast bronze or sterling silver pendant hangs from an 18-inch 14K gold-filled or sterling silver chain and is accented with a flat-cut, teardrop-shaped garnet (also the January birthstone if that’s your month).

My Calder-inspired mobile earrings evoke the spirit of Calder’s hanging mobiles and modern aesthetics, suspending cast-bronze circles from hand-bent wire connected to 14k gold-filled hypoallergenic ear wires. The bronze discs are set into motion by your movement.

Alexander Calder’s background in engineering and mathematics intertwined in his prolific artistic works, of which he is probably best known for his hanging sculptures, dubbed “mobiles” by artist Marcel Duchamp. Calder’s earlier mobile works included motors to give them movement, but he found the predictability of the motor-driven movements monotonous, so he began to suspend the mobiles, allowing airflow to give natural kinetic motion to the sculptures. Calder’s dynamic portfolio included jewelry, paintings, theatrical sets and so much more.

My Calder-inspired mobile earrings evoke the spirit of Calder’s hanging mobiles and modern aesthetics, suspending cast-bronze circles from hand-bent wire connected to 14k gold-filled hypoallergenic ear wires. The bronze discs are set into motion by your movement.

Many of Mucha’s illustrations feature beautiful female profiles and shapely feminine bodies haloed by the floral and geometrical patterns signature of the Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles, and this is where I chose to draw inspiration for the Alphonse Mucha-Inspired Art Nouveau Cameo Necklace.  

Getting his start in Paris as a magazine illustrator, Czech-born illustrator Alphonse Mucha is one of the greatest names of the Art Nouveau movement that flourished at the turn of the 20th Century. His theatrical posters of actress Sarah Bernhardt catapulted his career in the mid 1890s, leading to prestigious projects with clients like JOB cigarette papers, Beers of the Meuse, Moët-Chandon champagne—all of which became vastly celebrated works in his collection. At the turn of the century he designed a calendar for La Plume which depicted a woman’s head encircled by Zodiac signs, which led to his The Seasons series. Many of Mucha’s illustrations feature beautiful female profiles and shapely feminine bodies haloed by the floral and geometrical patterns signature of the Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles, and this is where I chose to draw inspiration for the Alphonse Mucha-Inspired Art Nouveau Cameo Necklace.  

At the center of this cast bronze or sterling silver medallion pendant is the profile of a young woman with billowing vintage hair surrounded by an Art Deco fan pattern. The chain measures 18 inches and is 14k gold-filled or sterling silver. 

These cast bronze Corinthian Column Earrings celebrate one of the most decorative column styles. You might recognize them from my Siren Collection inspired by Greek mythology because I’m reviving (pun intended) them from that collection.

One of the first things we learned to identify and appreciate in my college art history classes was architecture styles, and columns were an enormous (no pun intended) part of that. Being able to identify a column helps you date the work, even if that work isn’t thousands of years old, but part of a revival period. These cast bronze Corinthian Column Earrings celebrate one of the most decorative column styles. You might recognize them from my Siren Collection inspired by Greek mythology because I’m reviving (pun intended) them from that collection. Columns interweave with art history just like Greek mythology does, and I felt the column earrings belonged just as much with the Gallery Collection as they do the Siren Collection. 

The column charms of the Corinthian Column Earrings measure about 1.25 inches long and are wire wrapped by hand to hang from hypoallergenic 14k gold-filled ear wires. 

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.

Midsummer Night's Gleam: A Mini Collection of Handmade Jewelry Celebrating Summer's Small Gifts (Plus a Murder Hornet)

Midsummer Night's Gleam: A Mini Collection of Handmade Jewelry Celebrating Summer's Small Gifts (Plus a Murder Hornet). Each bronze charm in my newest collection is made by hand, many using antique French stamps, kiln-fired to perfection, and accented with gorgeous gemstones.

With summer officially starting this week, things are heating up, and even though I know the absolutely oppressive fire and humidity of an Arkansas summer is just on the sizzling, heat-wave horizon, I can’t help but savor the little gifts of the season. My garden is at its peak. And by that I mean it’s blooming and green and the sun hasn’t scorched it to brittle twig skeletons yet, which it ALWAYS does, because I am a lazy gardener and beloved by mosquitos and would rather not leave the safety of my screened-in porch. I got to eat real-life Arkansas strawberries plucked off a vine (that I didn’t grow) and was reminded of the pure ambrosia that is a locally grown strawberry in this state. My butterfly bush is TRYING, DAMN IT, despite all of my best efforts to completely ignore caring for it. And murder hornets are still a crisis that exists on the internet for me, but let’s be real, they’re coming. This year cannot be trusted.

ANYWAY. I’m still social distancing, which means I have ample time to create jewelry, and it’s a bonus that making things relieves stress, because, as mentioned, 2020 is rank. To keep spirits up, I created a mini collection of handmade bronze jewelry using different gorgeous gemstones, like amethyst, strawberry quartz and garnet and hand-cast bronze charms, most of which were made using vintage French stamps straight from France, which makes them extra special in my opinion.

I called this mini collection “Midsummer Night’s Gleam.” Each piece of handmade bronze has a warm, golden glow, and the gemstones are bright, punchy colors. The bronze is tarnish resistant, and the chains are gold-filled, so the necklaces hold onto their shine, even in a sweaty southern summer. The earrings are simple, lightweight and elegant. They pair with messy, long, quarantine hair, as you’ll see in the photos, and they also look stunning with an updo.

These handmade butterfly necklaces are fit for a monarch…

Each butterfly charm is hand-cast and kiln-fired bronze, handmade in North Little Rock, Arkansas. You can choose from two style of ornately patterned butterfly charms, the “long” and “short” butterfly. The “long”butterfly has a long body, and the “short” butterfly is mostly wings with a little head on top. Each necklace is finished with round, yellow quartz beads that are hand wrapped, and your choice of a 16-inch of 18-inch gold-filled chain that ends in a spring clasp.

This flower ain’t delicate…

This bronze pansy flower charm is hand-cast in my North Little Rock, Arkansas, studio using an antique French stamp before being kiln-fired to perfection. Each flower charm is truly unique. A faceted, teardrop-shaped amethyst tops the pansy charm.

A necklace for those who love all the small, pretty things in nature…

This handmade bronze ladybug and leaf charm is hand cast in my North Little Rock, Arkansas, studio using an antique French stamp before being kiln-fired to perfection. Each bronze ladybug charm is dotted with cubic zirconia stones that are set into the ladybug’s back. Each charm will have slight variations, as each necklace is unique. To top it off, two round beads of red bamboo coral accent this piece

Because if they kick your hive, you’re going to do more than sting…

The unofficial animal mascot of 2020 has to be the Murder Hornet, which inspired this hand-cast, kiln-fired bronze charm that was made using an antique French stamp. Each bronze charm is cast by hand in my North Little Rock, Arkansas, studio. This necklace is accented with flat-cut, teardrop-shaped garnets that resemble little blood drops.

These simple and elegant drop earrings pair with the necklaces in my Midsummer Night’s Gleam collection, but they stand perfectly alone.

Choose between faceted strawberry quartz rondelles, faceted amethyst teardrops, or flat cut garnet teardrops. Each earring is made with approximately one inch of gold-filled chain and a gold-filled ear wire.

Expect slight variations in each gemstone, as is the nature of handmade jewelry. Each pair of earrings is truly unique.

This handmade necklace is as sweet as you are…

This bronze strawberry charm is hand-cast in my North Little Rock, Arkansas, studio using an antique French stamp then kiln-fired to perfection. Each necklace is truly unique. Atop each little strawberry charm is a faceted strawberry quartz rondelle that’s wire-wrapped by hand.

New "Vernal" Collection of Handmade Jewelry Draws from Nature and Quarantine, Made in Arkansas

This collection of handmade jewelry was inspired by nature and being stuck in quarantine during the beautiful Arkansas spring. This is just a snippet of the jewelry; you can see the entire collection below and shop it in my web store here.

This spring has been… well… weird, to say the least. Since we’ve been cut off from physically being in touch with other people, we’ve had to spend a lot more time with ourselves. We’ve had to keep ourselves entertained, find things to do to keep ourselves busy, and either try to keep our minds from worrying or sit more with our thoughts.

I’ve been sitting a lot with my thoughts, but I’ve been keeping a healthy mental balance by going for long walks around the lakes by my house, spending every waking moment that I can on the patio watching the cats watch the birds, and playing games and working puzzles to quiet my mind.

This collection of jewelry was inspired by all those long walks, by games played and puzzles worked, by all the spring cleaning that helped me come across mementos I’d forgotten, and by the mental rollercoaster that comes with being suddenly separated from friends and relatives while having to massively retool and revamp my handmade jewelry business to keep it going in these strange times.

The handmade jewelry pieces in this collection are hand-cast, kiln-fired bronze and they feature colorful stones to lift the spirit. I’ve been wearing them a lot, and I love the way each pendant feels when I hold it against my chest. It is such a comfort to be able to craft something like them, to spend all the time and energy it takes to meticulous create something that feels and looks so elegant and luxurious, to hold it for a little while, then to send it off to someone, hoping it will make their eyes light up and their spirit happy when they put it on.

April showers bring May flowers, but first they bring all those beautiful spring fungi that this handmade necklace celebrates. These playful pieces of jewelry were made of hand-cast, kiln-fired bronze and were made using a genuine vintage stamp. They mix groovy with sophistication in the perfect way. The bronze mushroom necklace is accented with a faceted green goldstone bead, and the bronze snail necklace is complete with four natural peridot chips. This handmade jewelry was made with care in my North Little Rock, Arkansas, studio.

Are you a night owl? A moon gazer? A lover of mystery and nature’s subtle beauty? If the thoughtful owl weren’t enough, the shimmering rainbow moonstone in this hand-cast bronze necklace ought to captivate you.

This bronze pendant featuring an owl at the center of a forest scene is made of hand-cast, kiln-fired, tarnish-resistant bronze that has a warm, golden glow and feels substantial and luxurious. The owl pendant measures approximately 3/4 inch across and is connected to an 18-inch gold-filled chain by a beautiful rainbow moonstone bead that shimmers when it catches the light and has a milky glow like the moon.

I love this hand-cast, kiln-fired bronze medallion so much because it’s a little sweet and a little spooky. The bee in the design is very obvious, but if you look closely, you’ll see that the bee is resting on a spider web, creating a magnificently textured, multidimensional piece. The warm glow of the bronze in this handmade necklace is complimented by two beads of golden jade quartz that connect the pendant to a gold-filled chain. The chain measures approximately 19 inches long and ends in a spring clasp. Hand-cast bronze has a warm, golden glow and is tarnish resistant. This beautiful piece transitions perfectly from summer to winter; it’s light and happy, but also a little spooky. It’s perfect for a nature lover. Get it here.

Inspired by all of the puzzles I’ve been working while self-isolating during the COVID-19 outbreak and all of the friends I miss and who I feel are my missing puzzle pieces right now…

Whether you’re just really into working puzzles or you’ve got a special person who is your missing puzzle piece right now or all of the above, this handmade bronze puzzle piece necklace will soothe your 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. If you select one necklace, you can specify which piece you prefer if you have a preference; there will be a box that prompts you to answer. Get them here.

If this necklace makes you want to shout BINGO when you see it, you’re probably a bingo queen like me.

This handmade bronze bingo chip necklace is cast using an actual bingo chip used to cover spaces on a bingo card and stamped letter by letter with either “BINGO,” “BINGO QUEEN” or “BINGO BITCH.” You can choose your preferred phrase at checkout. Hand-cast, kiln-fired bronze bingo chip pendants are handmade, tarnish resistant, and have a luxurious golden tone. They hang from 18-inch gold-filled chain. Get it here.

This handmade bronze scarab beetle pendant mimics the beautiful Egyptian Revival jewelry that was popular in the 19th Century, but with a modern touch. The hand-cast, kiln-fired bronze scarab beetle measures approximately 1 inch across, has a golden glow and a substantial feel, and is tarnish resistant. The pendant is handmade in my studio in North Little Rock, Arkansas. It is connected to a 20-inch gold-filled chain by a faceted bead of black onyx. This piece of elegant jewelry is so versatile. I’ve worn it with simple outfits and sweaters, and it pairs beautifully with evening wear. It’s one of my favorite pieces to wear from this collection. Get it here.

My newest enamel lapel pins were inspired by all the time spent in my own head and with my two cats lately. The Buried in Work pin really sums up what it feels like to suddenly have to close your shop, revamp your website, reschedule every event from the spring, and figure out how to teach classes online. The Cats Are My Love Language Pin was inspired by my two cats, obviously, who have been endless sources of cuddles. The Compartmentalizing Brain Pin perfectly sums up one of my greatest skills: being able to parcel things out in my brain and deal with them later, usually while I get to work.

This charming little necklace is especially special because it’s modeled after a piece of coral I found on a beautiful beach in Indonesia.

The kiln-fired bronze pendant measures approximately one inch long, has a beautiful golden glow, and you can feel the texture of the coral after which it was cast. To top it off, a red bamboo coral bead connects it to a 20-inch gold-filled chain. This handmade necklace is earthy and natural looking, but with the substantial, luxurious feel of bronze. Get it here.

This simple yet edgy necklace takes mixed metal up a notch. A string of wire-wrapped brass beads that resemble gold nuggets hang from a sterling silver chain that really makes them pop. The strand of “gold nuggets” measures about 2 inches long and is wire wrapped by hand. The beads are in a unique cube shape and have a look like pyrite. The chain is sterling silver and ends in a lobster clasp. The entire necklace is about 16 inches long, so it’s great for layering with longer necklaces. If you need the chain longer, please email me at stacey@bangupbetty.com and I can make it up to 20 inches long. Get it here.

Moonstone was all the rage at the turn of the 20th Century, and we’re bringing back its luminescent, glowy charm for everyday wear. These hammered brass hoop earrings are affixed with three teardrop-shaped rainbow moonstone beads per earrings. Rainbow moonstone has an iridescence that plays in the light. Because of the way is plays in the sun, moonstone transitions beautifully from day to evening wear. These earrings are complete with gold-filled ear wires. Get them here.

Bang-Up Betty jewelry is made with love and care in Arkansas. When we’re not practicing safe social distancing, you can shop Bang-Up Betty handmade jewelry in person and have custom jewelry stamped on site inside Stifft Station Gifts, the cutest little gift store in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Handmade Matching Puzzle Piece Necklaces to Send to Your Missing Puzzle Piece

Whether you’re just really into working puzzles or you’ve got a special person who is your missing puzzle piece right now or all of the above, this handmade bronze puzzle piece necklace will soothe your soul. 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.

I’ve been working a lot of puzzles lately. I’ve also been really missing having a beer at a bar with my best friends and missing their smiling faces when they come to visit me at work at Stifft Station Gifts. It’s been a weird few weeks for everyone. Tomorrow marks 4 weeks of self-isolating for me and it’s also my business anniversary, which I usually celebrate with a big party with cake and drinks somewhere pretty where we can all get together and joke/marvel at how I’m still keeping it together, but this year the whole party has to be online (minus whatever dry-as-hell cake I bake in the toaster oven to improperly celebrate at home).

One way I’ve found myself connecting with people without physically connecting with them is through games. I’ve done several games of online bingo (public and private, join this group if you want to be in the know about my bingo games) to have fun and joke around and give things away to friends far and wide. I've been majorly failing at that drawing game in the House Party app (all line drawings are penises, sorry not sorry). I’ve been making my husband resent me by being a strategic asshole at Scrabble and Uno (also sorry, not sorry). And I’ve been getting a lot of therapy from working puzzles since I guess therapy is canceled too these days.

These necklaces are Inspired by all of the puzzles I’ve been working while self-isolating during the COVID-19 outbreak and all of the friends I miss and who I feel are my missing puzzle pieces right now. I took two fitting pieces from my favorite puzzle, a bunch illustrated birds with smug faces, and cast them by hand to make this bronze jewelry.

These necklaces are Inspired by all of the puzzles I’ve been working while self-isolating during the COVID-19 outbreak and all of the friends I miss and who I feel are my missing puzzle pieces right now. I took two fitting pieces from my favorite puzzle, a bunch illustrated birds with smug faces, and cast them by hand to make this bronze jewelry.

Whether you’re just really into working puzzles or you’ve got a special person who is your missing puzzle piece right now or all of the above, this handmade bronze puzzle piece necklace will soothe your soul. 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. I’m making them solid and with this pretty Art Deco pattern, and they also come on 18-inch or 20-inch chains, so there’s some versatility. When you buy one necklace for a pal and one for you, you get a discount off the set.

Thank you for supporting small businesses in the safest ways possible right now. I could go on about what a (not fun) rollercoaster ride this has been for every small business owner, but I’ll save that for another post because puzzles and friends are more fun to talk about.

If you can, join me for my online Bang-Up Bettyversary Friday, April 10, as we virtually celebrate seven years of snarky and sassy handmade jewelry made in Arkansas. Invite your missing puzzle piece so you can both play in the giveaways and maybe win some handmade jewelry or a feminist pin or something else. Or maybe send them something sweet from my site to brighten their day.

If you can, join me for my online Bang-Up Bettyversary Friday, April 10, as we virtually celebrate seven years of snarky and sassy handmade jewelry made in Arkansas. Invite your missing puzzle piece so you can both play in the giveaways and maybe win some handmade jewelry or a feminist pin or something else. Or maybe send them something sweet from my site to brighten their day.

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.