2023 Arkansas Made Mother's Day Gift Guide: 21 Gifts by Arkansas Artists

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

Spring never ends when you're wearing this cast bronze or sterling silver handmade daffodil necklace or earrings. These necklaces and earrings were designed using the texture of actual petals during the casting process. Atop each flower is a bead of yellow jade to echo the sunshine color of living daffodils. Find the Daffodil Necklace and matching earrings by Bang-Up Betty online here or at our jewelry and gift shop at 429 Main Street in Argenta.

The queen bee deserves a beautiful handmade, framed bee by Little Rock artist Studio Dust Co. Available in store at Bang-Up Betty.

If mom loves to knit or crochet, she’ll adore this handmade yarn bowl or ceramic thimble vase by Fayetteville, Arkansas artist Pyrogenic Arts.

This gorgeous watercolor print of the Old Mill in North Little Rock is a little piece of spring you can keep on your wall year round. Find these prints and many more Arkansas scenes by Bentonville artist Joseph Buchanan in store at Bang-Up Betty.

Sometimes gorgeously simple isn’t as simple as it seems. These monogram initial necklaces are each made from hand-cast bronze and fired in a kiln. Each piece is uniquely handmade. The chain is an elegant paper-clip style chain that’s 14k gold-filled, so it’s hypoallergenic. Find these Monogram Initial Hexagon Paperclip Chain necklaces online here or in store at Bang-Up Betty.

Meow! These incredible wooden cats by North Little Rock artist Paul Milholland have moveable heads so you can position the cat looking at different angles. Find these sculptures in store at Bang-Up Betty.

We love flowers that never die! these gorgeous ceramic floral ring dishes by Hot Springs artist Carla Churchwell are available in store at Bang-Up Betty.

Moms and birds go together like birds of a feather. If you’re mom is into birdwatching, be sure to check out our new collection of bird jewelry called the Aviary Collection by Bang-Up Betty. Find it online here or at our store in North Little Rock.

Let mom know how loved she is by so many with this handmade print by North Little Rock artist Chelsea Allen. Prints available in many styles and colors in store at Bang-Up Betty.

Mom’s morning coffee routine needs an upgrade. These gorgeous handmade mugs by Hot Springs artist Carla Churchwell come in loads of different styles and are available in store at Bang-Up Betty.

Birthstones are beautiful and meaningful, and if you order one of Bang-Up Betty’s birthstone cluster or strand necklaces in advance we can customize the stones you’d like, so you can mix and match your family’s birthstones. Birthstone necklaces by month are available in store or online here.

Tell mom how much she means to you with a handmade card. These colorful and meaningful greeting cards by Maumelle artist Sherry J. Williamson are available in store at Bang-Up Betty.

Have I mentioned how much we love birds? These wire-wrapped bird nest necklaces are available in silver and gold and also with your choice of white or blue pearl eggs. Bird nest necklaces are available in store at Bang-Up Betty or online here.

Elevate the art situation in mom’s house with a stylish triptych of prints by Little Rock artist Banimilk. Find these prints and much more of her work in store at Bang-Up Betty.

What do you get the mom who has everything, including anxiety and too much on her to-do list? A ceramic worry wart by Hot Springs artist Carla Churchwell. You tell it your worries so you can set them free. Find a huge selection of Carla’s worry warts in store at Bang-Up Betty.

Let mom know she is a rainbow with one of these gorgeous handmade macrame wall hangings by Little Rock artist Amy Darragh of Creative Cords. These rainbow macrame hangings are available in store at Bang-Up Betty.

Does mom have a generous spirit? Then she’d probably love one of these “shine” necklaces by Bang-Up Betty that benefits Methodist Family Health in Little Rock. Find them in store or online here.

Show mom you love her with a little handmade wooden ring dish created by North Little Rock artist Paul Milholland. Find these gorgeous hearts in store at Bang-Up Betty.

Make mom’s kitchen so much cuter with a one-of-a-kind handmade ceramic spoon rest by Hot Springs artist Carla Churchwell. Find a huge selection of Carla’s spoon rests at Bang-Up Betty.

If mom is into horoscopes, she’ll love one of these gorgeous, colorful hand-printed works of art by Little Rock artist Bri Peterson. We’ve got the entire collection of zodiac prints in store at Bang-Up Betty.

These beautiful handmade flower vases by Hot Springs artist Carla Churchwell are the perfect way for mom to bring what she’s growing in her garden indoors to enjoy. Find a wide selection of Carla’s vases in store at Bang-Up Betty.

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

The Handmade Shop Local and Online Arkansas Gift Guide 2020

Every holiday season, I like to round up some of my current favorites in a little gift guide that highlights Arkansas artisans, artists and makers to help you shop small and shop local. Normally I’d show off new finds from craft shows or new things at our shop, but since I’m shopping online as much as possible this year to keep myself at home, I thought I’d focus on Arkansas made gifts you can have delivered straight to your door. From pottery to lapel pins, tea to trinkets, this guide has stocking stuffers and heartfelt gifts that will make this holiday season magical despite how strange this year is. Handmade gifts make the best gifts!

Every time I see potter Mariah Hatta share one of her adorable ceramic pigs, it makes me squeal with delight. Mariah creates unique pottery under the name House of Terriers, and right now she’s part of the Arkansas Art Center’s virtual Museum School Sale, so these little piggies can cry “wee wee wee” all the way home to your tree without you having to leave the house. Check out Mariah’s work here. This gift is also great for hog callers. Woo pig!

This year, my good friend Ashlee Nobel of Lee Lee Arts + Design collaborated with East Sixth Brewing Company and me to create a beer inspired by Bang-Up Betty, and we used Ashlee’s incredible cat skull art in the design for the beer we named Betty’s Ninth Life. This clever cat skull art print lives in my studio now, and you can get Ashlee’s beautiful art on everything from pillows to blankets to hoodies. Check out her new yoga collection for the yogis on your list! See Ashlee’s work here.

A couple of months ago, I released my Siren Collection of handmade bronze jewelry inspired by Greek Mythology. This jewelry is handmade in Arkansas by me, and I chose to feature the Artemis Moon Necklace with crossed arrows in this gift guide. The Artemis necklace is elegant, meaningful an mystical, much like the rest of the Siren Collection. See the whole collection of handmade Greek mythology jewelry here.

I’m absolutely OBSESSED with Abbi’s Teas and Things in Hillcrest, and I’m so proud of how she’s gone the extra mile to keep her business safe during the pandemic. You can find Abbi Siler at her outdoor tea stand Wednesdays and Saturdays, or you can shop her blends online. Right now I’m all about the Cherry Fig, but I also highly recommend the Banana Nut Roo, Turmeric Sunrise and Cherry Chamomile. Shop Abbi’s Teas online here.

I’d say it’s a happy coincidence that my favorite little gift shop in Little Rock also stocks lots of Arkansas made products, but Cindi Booth is too wonderful a curator of handmade goods to chalk it up to serendipity. Candles are like booze; they almost always make a great gift. And these locally made candles come in adorable vintage-style jars, so they look great in your home. You can shop TONS of incredible things on the Stifft Station Gifts website. Here is a link to the candles in many scents.

Funny and feminist enamel lapel pins and stickers make perfect stocking stuffers, coworker gifts, teacher gifts and angsty teenager (or angsty grown-up) gifts. My line of enamel pins is huge, so you’ll likely find something perfect for a funny, sassy person in your life. Shop Bang-Up Betty enamel pins and stickers here.

Speaking of great enamel lapel pins, Little Rock textile artist, poet and author Crystal Mercer released a collection of enamel pins this year that are phenomenal. Choose from “Black Glow Matters,” “An Arrest Is Not Enough,” her Duafe Pin or Normalizing Nipples pin, and be sure to check out the Kickstarter she just announced for her forthcoming book “From Cotton to Silk: The Magic of Black Hair,” to be released by Et Alia Press. Check out Crystal’s work here.

And speaking of Et Alia Press, the bookworms on your list are bound to love something from this local “small press for big voices.” Be sure to check out “The Hospice Doctor’s Widow” by Jennifer O’Brien or “But First, Save 10” by Sarah-Catherine Gutierrez. I read Sarah-Catherine’s book a couple of months ago and I couldn’t recommend it enough for pointers on how to get your savings on track. Check out Et Alia press here.

I’ve been a fan of Tub Tonics for a long time. Andrea knows how to make a damn fine bath bomb. Like the skull bath bomb in the intro photo to this gift guide? Amazing! Andrea makes perfect little gift sets on her site too, so you can cross someone completely off your list in one place. Check out her soaps, bath bombs, gift sets and more here.

I’m in love with macrame by Creative Cords. Amy Darragh’s wall hangings, like the pink one in my intro photo to this gift guide, make my heart sing, but I’m extra in love with her adorable macrame Christmas ornaments she’s been sharing lately. Check out Creative Cords macrame here.

I’m always in awe of the way Erin Pierce of Organized Chaos Collection harvests beauty all around us in the form of Arkansas plants, insects, spider webs and other natural things and turns them into breathtaking art and jewelry. Erin takes pride in finding and pressing her own flowers to make these gorgeous sun catchers. See more of Erin’s work here.

Whether you want perfectly cute cookies for the holidays, need a great cookie mix to make your own, or are looking for recipes to make holiday desserts from scratch, Sarah DeClerk of Ann Potter Baking has you covered! She even has DIY cookie kits you can order online to decorate yourself, and she JUST released a cookbook! Check out Ann Potter Baking here.

This year, it’s more important than ever to shop small, and I hope this Arkansas gift guide helps you cross a few names off your list while getting those warm and fuzzies you get when you support an awesome small business you believe in. Happy (and safe!) holiday shopping!

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.