Winter Solstice Collection: Spirited Jewelry Handmade in Arkansas

Bang-Up Betty’s Winter Solstice Collection features handmade bronze charms in supernatural shapes. Luxurious bronze charms have a glowing finish, good weight and are finished with gold-filled chains.

The Winter Solstice is Dec. 21, but I’m celebrating a little early at Bang-Up Betty by releasing a mini-collection to match the mood of the longest night of the year.

The Winter Solstice collection is perfect for the spooky at heart and elegant enough to be worn year-round. Every charm in the collection is handmade in bronze, so they have a luxurious, substantial feel and glowing bronze finish. Most pieces come in a variety of patterns and with or without cubic zirconia touches, so there’s something for every level of glam.

Handmade bronze Ouija planchette necklace with or without text and cubic zirconia touches. This charm just feels good to hold, and it hangs on a 20-inch gold-filled chain to give it a little extra length.

Spooky humor is the best humor. It wouldn’t be Bang-Up Betty without a morbid joke here or there. The “Dead Inside” bronze coffin necklace was the first creation in this collection and inspired it all. If you’re feeling slightly livelier than “dead inside,” the solid bronze option is elegant and subtle.

In the Dead Inside or solid bronze coffin necklace, you’ll be the daintiest ghoul in town. Like my coffin-shaped trinket dish? I made that, too. You can find a selection of them at Stifft Station Gifts in Little Rock or ask me about what’s in stock right now.

So many people have asked me for an homage to Arkansas, so I created my own Arkansas charm in three options: woodgrain Arkansas, water wave Arkansas, and “Diamond State” Arkansas. Diamond State Arkansas has a cubic zirconia in the center as a nod to the Natural State’s other moniker.

Some people also call the Natural State the Diamond State because of its diamond mine. Either name you prefer, I think Arkansas is pretty and wanted to make something pretty to show it off.

We’re a little bit batty at Bang-Up Betty (we being the cats and I). Bat fever induced me to create this matching set of gold-filled, oblong hoop earrings with tiny, dainty bronze bat charms and tiny bronze bat necklace. It’s hard to pick a personal favorite from this collection, but this tiny bat necklace really has me smitten.

I’m completely batty for this tiny, dainty bronze bat charm. The matching bat earrings are cute, too!

Tiny, dainty bat earrings on luxurious gold-filled, oblong hoops. They’re my new favorite earrings to wear.

I’m not big on crushing spiders (can’t say the same for the cats). I think they’re just has beautiful and fascinating as the prettiest butterflies. This cubic zirconia-accented spider charm is just about the prettiest spider I’ve ever seen. If sparkles aren’t your thing, it comes without the extra flair.

This cubic zirconia-accented bronze spider probably weaves the loveliest web.

Browse the shop page of the site to view the Winter Solstice collection and all of the varieties of each handmade charm.

Shop Local Gift Guide: Arkansas Made Gifts

Looking to shop small and local this holiday season? This gift guide of Arkansas made goodies will make things easy for you.

‘Tis the season for finding great gifts for the people you love. There’s something extra special about unwrapping a gift with handmade, local character and a story to go along with it, not to mention that for every $1 spent with small businesses, 67 cents stays within the local community*.

To help make community-boosting local shopping super easy for you this season, I rounded up a collection of my favorite Arkansas-made and -designed products by local artists and artisans. From handmade jewelry to delicious jams to card games that’ll keep your family get-togethers interesting, there are things for every person on your list at every price range. And to make it extra extra easy, you can find all of these Arkansas-made creations at Stifft Station Gifts in Little Rock.

Bear Kingdom Vineyard, based in Little Rock, Arkansas, makes delectable jams and jellies in dozens of flavors. Find blackberry, muscadine, mango, pomegranate, strawberry, cherry and more at Stifft Station Gifts for $5.99.

Cindi Booth creates these beautiful woven wall-hangings by hand, and they come in a variety of colors. $24.99 at Stifft Station Gifts.

Get whatever you like stamped onto a brass key tag by North Little Rock jewelry maker Bang-Up Betty, or choose from a lineup of hilarious sayings that are sure to make the recipient laugh out loud. Bang-Up Betty custom stamps jewelry and key tags at Stifft Station Gifts Tuesday and Thursday from 11-6 p.m. $22 at Stifft Station Gifts and here.

Pure Soy candles are hand poured in Saline County, Arkansas, and available in dozens of delightful scents at Stifft Station Gifts. My personal favorite is “Passionate Kisses” because it gets that song stuck in my head. $8-$15.

Wear your Arkansas pride for all to see with a locally-printed t-shirt. Find Arkansas-themed and humorous shirts, like this Arkansas shirt by North Little Rock artist Erin Lang (ArkieStyle) in all sizes at Stifft Station Gifts. $25.

Give something with an extra personal touch. North Little Rock jewelry designer Bang-Up Betty’s line of birthstone jewelry is dainty and colorful and can be custom created with multiple birthstones. Bang-Up Betty hand-wraps birthstone necklaces Tuesday and Thursday at Stifft Station Gifts in Little Rock, or you can order a necklace here. $46.

Just about everybody loves honey —not vegans— and Stifft Station Gifts is honey haven. Find local creamed honey and raw honey —people say it helps with allergies!— as well as an entire display of honey accessories and honeybee tea towels, jewelry, and more starting at $4.

Handmade pottery is always a magical gift. Valerie Hanks-Goetz‘s (AKA Native Works) handmade ceramic creations are made in Bigelow, Arkansas. This beautiful trinket dish is only $5, and you can find spoon rests, horse hair pottery, and adorable “mug-ly” mugs —spoiler alert: they’re not ugly— for incredible prices at Stifft Station Gifts.

Local jewelry designer Cindi Booth (AKA Bijou Booth) makes these cute, clever enameled “lucky penny” earrings out of real pennies. They come in a variety of poppy and neutral colors and have matching necklaces. $30 at Stifft Station Gifts.

Local potter Lois Davis creates these cute ceramic Arkansas-shaped magnets in two sizes with glazed and raku finishes in many colors. $3-$5 at Stifft Station Gifts.

Little Rock comedian, musician and all-around creative Adam Hogg created People-Person card game with illustrations by Arkansas artists, so the game is not only fun, it’s fun to look at. $15 at Stifft Station Gifts.

There’s no better way to warm up in cold weather than with a hand-woven scarf or cowl, and with an entire yarn store within Stifft Station Gifts, you better believe we’re scarf central. Hand-woven creations start at $25 and come in all the colors of the rainbow. They are made locally by Cindi Booth and Pam Gibson.

From face oil to healing salve for feet, muscle rub to natural deodorant, bath soak to moisturizing body butter, Little Rock’s own Kind Folke bath and body products have got you covered from head to toe. Starting at $8 at Stifft Station Gifts.

To me, there’s nothing more meaningful than the gift of learning, and there’s an incredible chance to learn copperplate calligraphy with renowned and published calligrapher Sarah Richardson, an Arkansas native, at Stifft Station Gifts Dec. 22. That’s just in time to write the most beautiful post-holiday thank you notes ever. $125 includes supplies; Sign up here.

Looking for great stocking stuffers? North Little Rock jewelry designer Bang-Up Betty’s array of funny and feminist lapel pins should do the trick—and maybe ruffle some feathers. $13 at Stifft Station Gifts or here.

Stifft Station Gifts is located at 3009 W. Markham Street in Little Rock, Arkansas, right next to the Oyster Bar. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Stop by Stifft Station Gifts Nov. 30 for Small Business Saturday with freebies, discounts, drinks and chocolates while supplies last and a chance to win a custom stamped cuff by Bang-Up Betty. Get more info here.

*stat from American Express’s Small Business Saturday campaign.