The Arkansas Necklace and Earrings: Jewelry Made in Arkansas

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get Crafty and Social Online with this Virtual Naughty Word Necklace Workshop with Jewelry Maker Bang-Up Betty

I miss you all so much that I’m taking Bead ‘n B"*tch online so we can still make crafty things and hang out while keeping each other safe. Reserve your spot in this online Naughty Word Necklace workshop and get ready to get creative and social.

Get crafty and social while maintaining a safe distance during this virtual Bead ‘n B*tch workshop where we’ll remotely make “Naughty Word Necklaces” together. Participants will receive a package in the mail that contains the tools and supplies before this online workshop with jewelry maker Stacey Bowers of Bang-Up Betty. They’ll be sent a private link to join a Zoom video call where Stacey will walk everyone through how to make these funny, clever necklaces and be ready to answer questions. You will be able to customize the color of your necklace and the letters you’d like, up to 8 letters. You’ll be sent enough chain to make a necklace that is up to 20 inches long. If you would like to return the tools after class by dropping them off with Bang-Up Betty in Little Rock/North Little Rock or mailing them back, $5 will be refunded to you after we receive the tools.

This class will be held online Wednesday, May 13, from 6:30-8 p.m. Space is limited, and reservations are required. Invite your friends! Reserve your seats by purchasing this listing. No previous jewelry making experience necessary!

Bead ‘n B*tch is a creative new handmade class series curated by Bang-Up Betty with the intention of conjuring up camaraderie through crafting in a relaxed environment where attendees can unwind with a low-budget, low-pressure art form, tasty snacks and good company right here in central Arkansas (when we’re not social distancing). Think of it as a good old-fashioned stitch ’n’ b*tch, but with beads. After class, you should be able to carry on this art form at home if you like without a big investment in tools and equipment. 

By purchasing this listing and registering for a class, you agree to allow us to communicate with you via the email you provide at checkout. Please make sure it’s the right email! We may also need to contact you by phone in case of an emergency. 

Cancellation Policy: If you need to cancel your registration, please do so no later than 7 days before class is scheduled. Cancellations that occur before then will be 100% refunded. Cancellations that occur after May 6, 2020, will not be refunded. Thank you for understanding that a lot of love and prep work goes into each class and supplies are bought ahead of time. Please email stacey@bangupbetty.com to cancel a registration. In the event that the instructor needs to cancel the class, registration fees will be refunded in full and registrants will be notified by email. 

Get Crafty and Creative with Spring Arts Workshops at Stifft Station Gifts in Little Rock

Learn to make pressed flower arrangements, charm bracelets, macrame plant holders and cursewordy cross stitch at Stifft Station Gifts in Little Rock this spring.

If “learn something new” is on your list of New Year’s resolutions, the spring season of crafty classes and workshops at Stifft Station Gifts in Little Rock offers a variety of creative ways to check it off while having tons of fun.

We’re starting the year off by inviting local Arkansas artisans to our shop to teach the basics of jewelry making, macrame, cross stitch and pressed flower arrangements.

Learn the basics of jewelry making with Arkansas jewelry designer Stacey Bowers of Bang-Up Betty in this fun charm bracelet workshop January 26.

You’ll be simply charmed by this fun, creative class where jewelry designer Stacey Bowers of Bang-Up Betty will walk you through making your very own retro-inspired charm bracelet. Stacey is bringing her big vault of funky charms for you to choose from, and she’ll demonstrate basic jewelry-making skills needed to complete a silver or gold bracelet that reflects your personality. Bonus: everyone who registers for a charm bracelet class is signed up for a drawing to win the fun Caboodle seen in the photos.

Supplies, charms, tools, festive snacks and refreshments will be provided, but if you have charms that you’ve always wanted to add to something, bring them with you. This class will be held January 26.

Get ready for spring planting with your very own handmade macrame plant hanger. Amy Darragh of Creative Cords Macrame will teach this beginning macrame class February 23.

Learn the basics of macrame and make your very own plant hanger just in time for spring planting. Amy Darragh of Creative Cords Macrame will lead this workshop. All materials will be provided, and no previous macrame experience is necessary. Participants will learn 3 basic macrame knots that will enable them to make their own plant hanger. Note: we will be mainly on our feet for this project but can definitely make accommodations. Class will be held February 23.

Learn the basics of cross stitch with Deb King, known for her snarky and cursewordy cross stitch creations. She’ll be teaching in Little Rock March 15.

Learn the basics of cross stitch with hilarious cross stitch extraordinaire Deb King, known for her outrageous and unexpected designs as “allNstitch.” Deb is coming all the way from Northwest Arkansas to Little Rock teach this class at Stifft Station Gifts March 15.

Participants will be able to choose from a couple of funny designs to work with that are good to learn the basics of cross stitch. Images shown are not those designs, but we’ll update you soon about what they are. Deb will provide all the supplies, and no previous cross stitch experience is necessary.

Erin Pierce, known for Organized Chaos Collection, will be teaching a pressed flower arrangement workshop using Arkansas flowers April 19 in Little Rock at Stifft Station Gifts.

Do you love wild-flowers and making things yourself? Join Erin Pierce, the artist behind Organized Chaos Collection, for a spring workshop where you will get to make your own pressed flower arrangement using Arkansas wild-flowers.  Erin will provide each attendee with a collection of pressed and ready flowers from her adventures around the natural state. A “floating” 8’’x10’’ frame as well as all the tools you will need come included in the class fee. You will use a variety of flowers to construct a visually attractive arrangement that will look striking in the “floating” frame (floating frames have a transparent front and back making your flowers seem to float). Erin will also provide as much or as little help with designing and gluing your arrangement that you prefer! No experience is necessary. This class will be held April 19, 2020.

All classes will be held at Stifft Station Gifts, located at 3009 W. Markham Street in Little Rock, Arkansas. Stifft Station Gifts is home to seven rooms filled with incredible gifts, including lots of Arkansas made products for those who like to shop local.

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!

Spring 2018 Collection

I've been furiously hammering jewelry in my little North Little Rock studio this spring and feeling majorly inspired. Here's what's new at Bang-Up Betty! Flip through the gallery below to see all 15 new styles, including handmade necklaces and bracelets, enamel lapel pins, feminist bumper stickers and more jewelry and apparel made in Arkansas. 

You can find the entire new collection of handmade jewelry in the shop now, or zip right to the sparkly you want by clicking the links below: 

Buzz Off Bee Necklace

I Wanna Dance with Somebody Enamel Pin

I Don't Care / No Fucks Given Necklaces

Let Me Grow Necklace

Love is Queer Bracelet Benefiting Lucie's Place

Don't Need a Man Necklace

Tough Titties Necklace

Maid of Dishonor Necklace

Not your Maid Mermaid Necklace

Crafty Bitch Necklace

One Tough Mother Necklace

Freewheelin' Necklace

Large Smash the Patriarchy Sticker

Cat Whisperer Necklace

Food Over Dudes Necklace