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.