Guess How Much We Donated to Arkansas Women's Outreach...

Strong as Hell Bracelet by Arkansas handmade jewelry designer Bang-Up Betty to benefit Arkansas Womens' Outreach in Little Rock. 

Y'ALL! 

Thanks to your generous support, I've been able to give almost $800 to Arkansas Women's Outreach! I KNOW!! RIGHT?!

Thank you so much for buying the Strong As Hell bracelets over the last couple of months and for sharing it and the mission of Arkansas Women's Outreach with your friends and families. And thank you for sharing your stories with me! I've had so many people reach out to me and tell me their "Strong As Hell" stories of battling cancer, going through rough times and more reasons that make you sometimes need a reminder that you're strong as hell. 

PLEASE, read up on the very real issues homeless women face on a regular basis. Check out this fantastic story by Becca Bona at AY Magazine to hear from Arkansas Women's Outreach founders Katy Simmons and Rachel Achor. They've got an Amazon wish list, too, if jewelry isn't your thing, or you can donate directly to them here. The bracelets are still available here. 

Left to right: Arkansas jewelry designer Bang-Up Betty, Arkansas Women's Outreach founders Katy Simmons and Rachel Achor

And can I just say that the conversations these women have started in the community have been FANTASTIC?? Internet "meninist" trolls, be damned. These gals have got a real thing going here.  

How You Get the Girl: Jewelry She'll Say 'Yes' To

If you're reading this, it means that Taylor Swift hasn't sued me yet for using her lyrics in my post title. It also means you're probably about to have a wave of warm, mushy, lovey-dovey feels wash over you.

Twice in my "career" as a jewelry designer has a guy asked me to make something so awesome that it would convince a woman to spend the rest of her life with him. TWICE have I succeeded in inspiring matrimonial bliss. I'm just kidding. They were both super awesome dudes and obviously INCREDIBLY thoughtful and I'm sure their soon-to-be-fiancées were already completely and totally head over heels for them, but I like to think I helped.

Exhibit 1: Adam and Shelley

Adam really wanted to sweep Shelley off of her feet, so he decided to shower her with bracelets stamped with heartfelt promises and this "Adventure Girl" necklace, which is completely appropriate because he then DROVE HER TO THE GRAND CANYON AND PROPOSED TO HER. Sorry. I didn't mean to shout that, but SERIOUSLY CAN IT GET MORE ROMANTIC THAN THAT?? NO. THE ANSWER IS NO.

Exhibit 2: Scott and Hannah

Scott thought of this all on his own, which makes him brilliantly clever and charming in my book. I can't take anything but stamping credit on this.

Scott takes Hannah to a damn fine dinner and gives her a classic monogrammed necklace, but... wait... why is the monogram wrong? BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO BE HER MARRIED MONOGRAM. THAT'S WHY. Confused, Hannah flips over the necklace. BOOM. It says "Marry Me?" on the back, and eternal swooning ensues because NO ONE SAW THAT COMING AND IT WAS FANTASTIC.

And that's how it works. That's how you get the girl. Bravo, gentlemen. Bravo.

March Fourth: Remembering Jessamy Samuels

I was saddened to learn recently of the passing of a smart, headstrong, compassionate young woman, a devoted member of the northwest Arkansas community, a scholar with huge dreams whom I am honored to have made giggle at least twice with my jewelry, according to her mother, Sallyann. 

Jessamy Eve Samuels was an inspiration to anyone she encountered. A student of anthropology at the University of Arkansas, she loved people. “One of her favorite things to say was, ‘People are the best,’ Sallyann said. Jessamy was interning at the Museum of Native American History in Bentonville, Ark., and wanted to study Vikings for her Masters at the University of Iceland. 

As founder of the Young Democrats of Arkansas’s (YDAR) Environmental Task Force, she had a gift for community organizing. One friend lovingly recalled Jessamy sneaking her phone into Arkansas Governor’s School to check in on the YDAR chapters she’d created: “I think Alma, Harrison, Clarksville, Ashdown and Cabot High Schools all owe their Young Democrat chapters to Jessamy.” 

Sallyann reached out to me a couple of weeks ago to share Jessamy’s spirit and to request several necklaces to give to her friends. Each necklace reads “March Fourth”, Jessamy’s birthday and an ode to her brave spirit, which marches forth through the lives she helped shape in her 19 years. 

A scholarship fund in Jessamy’s name has been established at the University of Arkansas, a tribute that scholarly Jessamy would surely adore. To donate to help another young leader march forth, please visit https://onlinegiving.uark.edu/ 

When you make your donation, please select “other department, program or fund” from the dropdown menu, then type “Jessamy Samuels Scholarship Fund” in the space provided. 

You can also mail a check with a memo that says “Designation of Gift: Jessamy Samuels Scholarship Fund” payable to The University of Arkansas Foundation, Inc. to:

Gift Services

300 University House

One University of Arkansas

Fayetteville AR 72701

A Weekend in Custom Necklaces II (or Escape to L.A.)

Last week custom requests were a little confused...

These are just a handful of my favorites from last week that I made before heading to L.A. for the holiday weekend to collect bacteria from Nicolas Cage's hand prints at the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Fun fact: the first movie my sweetheart Collin and I watched together was "The Wicker Man."

Anyway.... jewelry...

The best thing about that spectacular WWJD necklace is that it stands for "What Would Janet Do?" because Janet Young, duh. (Hey, Janet!) And somebody's smokin' bff got a "pole dancer" necklace to complement her g-string.

And finally, Sydney Brazil made my heart explode when she ordered this "Strong As Hell" necklace. Why? Because she's a Thea Foundation scholarship winner who could tap dance your face off and she is STRONG AS HELL! Sydney, I can't wait to watch you go to college and travel the world so my working ass can live vicariously through you.

I'll end this post with a flashback to 1999 and let you count the WWJD bracelets I wore...

A Weekend in Custom Necklaces

Every day I look forward to the quirky and cute custom requests I'll get from people looking for an inimitable gift or something special for themselves. Here's a peek at what I worked on last weekend.

Classic gold bar necklaces were on fire last week. Every single request I got was for one of these subtle statements that pair well with pretty much any attire. Each necklace is like a little bit of your soul you can wear on the outside.

Graduation season is in full gear; congratulations to Dr. White on her shiny new degree and her new nameplate necklace! I kind of what to keep this "weird but okay" one; it hits really close to home. And that "single" necklace has a naughty little secret.. it says "taken" on the back!

Of course, the most on fire (heh) order of all was this Khaleesi necklace fit for a queen... or a mother of dragons.

Feeling inspired? Order your custom bar necklace here!