Cute Hand-Stamped Cat Lady Cuff to Benefit Arkansas Rescue Group CLAWS

George (AKA George Meowchael) the cat came to us from CLAWS cat rescue in Arkansas last August. To give back to CLAWS, I created this cat lady stamped cuff.

Just a few months ago, I was having margaritas at a SoMa restaurant. My heart was still pretty sore from losing my best kitty cat friend of 12 years, Betty the boy cat, and I’d spent some tearful afternoons at local shelters petting kittens and trying to figure out if I was emotionally ready to adopt. Through the window, I saw a woman in front of the gas station across the street waving a paper sign. I squinted for a better look, and the words “kittens and cocktails” leapt off the paper at me. The last sip of margarita lit a fire in me and I decided to follow that hand-scribbled sign behind the gas station, even if it led me to a kidnapper’s van.

It led to a new vet clinic, where cat rescue group CLAWS (Cats’ Lives Are Worth Saving) was showing off adoptable cats. My heart throbbed from the sight of all the kittens (and probably from the very strong margarita), and in one room were two little black kittens, all alone, no one to pet them. Within five minutes of cuddling the funny-looking tuxedo boy, despite his noxious farts, I was in love. Then people noticed and started getting interested in my kitten and I was prepared to fight if I had to. I left that very hour with George Meowchael in tow.

Almost four months later, George is still cuddly and a lot less farty. I’m obsessed with him, and I think (desperately hope) he’s obsessed with me, too. I wanted to do something for the rescue group that brought us together and took such great care of George before we were united, so I created a piece of jewelry to raise money for their cause.

These hand-stamped cat lady cuffs are stamped locally in Little Rock, Arkansas, and benefit CATS: Cats’ Lives Are Worth Saving.

This hand-stamped cuff is not only cute, it gives back to the furry critters you love most in life. Each cuff is stamped by hand in Little Rock, Arkansas, at the Bang-Up Betty studios to read CAT LADY with little whiskers surrounding the words. Silver cuff bracelets are made of polished aluminum; gold cuff bracelets are made of solid brass. Bracelets are 6 inches long and adjustable.

50% of the sales from these cute kitty cuffs will go to CLAWS: Cats’ Lives Are Worth Saving, a cat rescue group in Arkansas. CLAWS is “an experienced (30 years +), cooperative TEAM of foster homes, dedicated to rescue, fostering, healing, spay/neutering cats and kittens, then adopting them to new homes where they are cherished family members for the rest of their lives.”

George Meowchael was not as thrilled about his holiday photo shoot with Katie Childs as I was.

Funny Hand-Stamped Key Tags with Outrageous Sayings

There’s Food At Home Key Tag for those of us who need a gentle reminder that there’s perfectly good gruel at home.

Key tags make the perfect, universal gift for any person. Add a personal or funny touch, and you’ve got the perfect gift they’ll carry with them everywhere.

Getting into the holiday spirit, I just added a ton of new funny key tags to the shop, including ones that say “Did You Turn Off the Stove?” and “There’s Food At Home” for those who need a little help being responsible adults and ones that say “Hang Onto Your Britches, Bitches” and “Get Out of My Way” for the speed demons in your life. Then there’s the “Parallel Parking Extraordinaire” key tag for the extra special talented ones…

I also made it easier to shop the classic keychain phrases all in one place through the “Key Tags” tab of the site. There you can find all the funny key tag phrases you’ve probably seen on our Instagram account: the “My Other Car Is Your Dad” key tag, the “Jesus Take the Wheel” key tag, the “Don’t Make Me Turn This Car Around” key tag and many more.

Tell your dad I said watch out… “Key To Your Mom’s House” Key Tag

Don’t see a keychain that suits just what you need? You can come up with your own saying and I’ll stamp it for you! Just order a custom key tag here.

Custom key tags are perfect for anyone who has car keys, house keys, apartment keys, dorm keys, keys to your moms house, etc.

Bead 'n B*tch: Beaded Spiders - Not Your Grandma's Crafting Circle

Relax, eat spooky snacks and get crafty as we learn how to make beaded spiders just in time for Halloween. This class will be held at Stifft Station Gift in Little Rock, Arkansas, and is taught by jewelry maker Bang-Up Betty.

Get bitten by the beading bug at this laid-back crafting class where we’ll learn how to make beaded spiders while getting into the Halloween spirit. Supplies, spooky snacks and refreshments will be provided, and jewelry maker Stacey Bowers of Bang-Up Betty will walk us through how to make adorably creepy little beaded spiders with bendable legs. You’ll leave with your very own handmade arachnid, the skills to make more and the good spirits that come with spending the afternoon unwinding with friends and getting your creative juices flowing. These cute critters make great Halloween decor, and they transition well to Christmas ornaments!

This class will be held inside Stifft Station Gifts (3009 W. Markham Street, parking and entrance in back) Sunday, October 6, from 3-5 p.m. Space is limited to 10 people, and reservations are required. Bring your friends! Reserve your seats by purchasing this listing.  

Refreshments will be provided, and ages 21+ are welcome to BYOB. This class is for ages 18 and up. If enough interest in a kid-friendly class arises, we’ll do our best to accommodate! Please email Stacey@bangupbetty.com if you are interested in a kid-friendly class.

Design your own colorful, quirky beaded spider at this laid-back class that’ll serve spooky snacks and get you into the Halloween spirit. This classes is part of Bead ‘n Bitch, a new series of crafty classes in Little Rock, Arkansas, curated by jewelry maker Bang-Up Betty.

Bead ‘n B*tch is a creative new 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. 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 4 days before class is scheduled (cancel by Oct. 2.) so that we have time to fill your space. Cancellations that occur in that window will be 100% refunded. Cancellations after Oct. 2 and before Oct. 5 will be refunded at 50%. Cancellations that occur on Oct. 6 will not be refunded. Thank you for understating! 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.

Bang-Up Betty Is Calling Stifft Station Gifts Home: Custom Jewelry Stamped Onsite

Starting in September, you can shop Bang-Up Betty’s extended collection of jewelry and gifts at Stifft Station Gifts in Little Rock or have a custom piece of jewelry made at the gift shop.

Starting September 2019, Bang-Up Betty is calling Stifft Station Gifts home. You’ll be able to browse a huge selection of Bang-Up Betty pins, stickers, gifts and jewelry all in one place and have custom jewelry made while you shop the absolutely magical and gigantic variety of gifts for all ages, handmade jewelry, local goodies, yarn and other crafting supplies that Stiff Station Gifts offers in the heart of the historic Stifft Station neighborhood in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Tuesday, Thursdays and extended hours during the holidays, you’ll be able to drop by Stifft Station Gifts and have custom jewelry stamped while you shop, and Bang-Up Betty’s extended section of jewelry, gifts, pins and more is available during store hours. The Stifft Station Gifts store is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and is located at 3009 W. Markham Street with parking in the rear and a back entrance for convenience.

To celebrate Bang-Up Betty’s new partnership with Stifft Station Gifts, we’re throwing a party Thursday, Sept. 5, from 5-8 p.m. at the boutique. Say hello, enjoy refreshments, see the new digs, and put your name in the hat for prizes; we’ll be doing a giveaway every hour!

Bang-Up Betty is subversive and sweet hand-stamped jewelry made in Little Rock, Arkansas. Starting in September, you can shop Bang-Up Betty at Stifft Station Gifts and have custom jewelry made while you shop.

Stifft Station Gifts was opened in 2015 by Cindi Booth, a longtime craftsperson, weaver and artisan jewelry maker behind Bijou Booth jewelry. Her boutique showcases a huge selection of locally made crafts and jewelry as well as gifts for animal-lovers, children, artists, nature-enthusiasts, puzzle-workers, dog and cat parents, cooks, and those with a wicked sense of humor. Learn more about Stifft Station Gifts here. Find Stifft Station Gifts on Instagram and Facebook for updates and new gift inventory.

Stifft Station Gifts offers a bountiful selection of gifts for gardeners, cooks, crafters, nature-lovers, dog and cat parents and more in Little Rock’s historic Stifft Station neighborhood.

Local jewelry designer Stacey Bowers, AKA Bang-Up Betty, has been hand-stamping funny, fierce and activist statement jewelry since 2013. Bang-Up Betty jewelry, pins and apparel have been published in Bust Magazine, Chris Guillebeau’s 100 Side Hustles, Erin Wood’s Women Make Arkansas, and has been seen on Buzzfeed, Huffington Post and a few celebrities. You can find updates from Bang-Up Betty on Instagram and Facebook and at bangupbetty.com.

Funny, Customizable Zodiac Jewelry to Celebrate the Summer Solstice

Wear the best, snarkiest, and truest pieces of your sign proudly with a customizable zodiac necklace. Choose from my crafted phrases or come up with your own here.

Your zodiac sign can speak volumes about you. Let your zodiac necklace say a little extra about the most charming — or hilarious — parts of your personality.

I used to have my doubts about the truth behind what your zodiac sign supposedly says about you, but after too many friends called me out for being the world’s biggest Virgo , I started to believe.

This Virgo zodiac necklace was made by a particular, neat-freak, overachieving Virgo just for you. I will make sure it’s packaged perfectly and shipped quickly, for my fellow perfectionists. Click here to see the zodiac necklace collection.

I’m not on the level of being able to list all your flaws to you when you tell me your sign, but I had a lot of fun researching each sign’s characteristics and creating a mantra, funny catchphrase or snarky word or two to complement each zodiac sign.

Each zodiac sign in this collection of necklaces is represented here with a solid brass charm pressed with the name of your sign, the glyph and animal or character symbol. Zodiac charms swing freely over a 3/4-inch brass or lead-free pewter circle that is hand-stamped with a phrase I came up with or a phrase of your choice, up to 24 characters. Longer phrases will be stamped with a smaller font (see the Taurus necklace below for an example).

This Taurus zodiac necklace was made for the strong-willed, stubborn, ambitious Tauruses out there. It reads “Nevertheless She Persisted.” Click here to see the entire zodiac necklace collection.

If you select “silver,” your necklace with be made with an 18-inch sterling silver chain, lead-free pewter circle and brass zodiac charm. If you select “gold,” your necklace will be made with an 18-inch gold-filled chain, brass circle and brass zodiac charm.

I stamped each of the pictured necklaces with phrases I came up with to pair perfectly with each zodiac sign’s significant characteristics or mantras that I thought suited them:

Aries Necklace: Don’t Cross Me

Aquarius Necklace: Leave Me Alone

Cancer Necklace: Ride Or Die

Capricorn Necklace: Boss Bitch

Gemini Necklace: Bookworm

Aries are known to be confident, determined and optimistic with a hint of impulsiveness and a short temper. Don’t get on their bad side! Click here to see the entire zodiac necklace collection.

Leo Necklace: Have Courage

Libra Necklace: It’s Ok To Say No

Pisces Necklace: Be Careful With Me

Sagittarius Necklace: Keep Moving

Scorpios are known to be loyal, passionate friends, but don't accuse them of being wrong. Click here to see the entire zodiac necklace collection.

Scorpio Necklace: Always Right

Taurus Necklace: Nevertheless She Persisted

Virgo Necklace: Judging You

To view the whole collection and see how well your zodiac necklace matches your personality or to come up with your own phrase, click here. If you would like your own phrase, up to 24 characters, you will be prompted to enter it at checkout. Please double check it for spelling and correctness!

Wear Your Own Monogram in the Style of Anne Boleyn's Necklace

My monogram just happens to be the same as Anne Boleyn’s, but you can wear your own monogram in the same style of necklace. Photo by Collin Buchanan.

During her time, the infamous, ill-fated Queen of England Anne Boleyn was renowned for her wit, charm, intelligence, interest in the arts, etiquette and fashion sense, among many other attributes she picked up while coming of age at the French Court. Today she is mostly remembered for her gruesome end — beheaded by her husband, Henry VIII, King of England — as well as her part in reforming the church through her scandalous marriage to the king after he divorced his first wife and her incredible daughter with Henry, Elizabeth I.

Late Elizabethan portrait of Anne Boleyn wearing her letter B necklace.

Portraits of Anne Boleyn often depict her wearing a bold, fairly decadent monogram B necklace, with three massive teardrop-shaped pearls hanging from the bottom of the letter B and a short string of pearls holding it around her neck. As a massive royal history nerd with an outright obsession with Anne’s story and someone who shares a monogram with Anne the Queen, I originally made this necklace very self-indulgently, but decided it would be magical for my fellow history buffs and Anne fans to be able to wear their own monogram in the style of Anne Boleyn’s signature necklace.

Nearly every letter of the alphabet is available, so you can wear your own Anne Boleyn style monogram necklace.

I gave this necklace a modern touch, lengthening the chain to a comfortable length of about 17 inches. Half of the chain is elegant, gold-plated chain made with cultured seed pearls, with the back half of the chain being gold-filled cable chain that ends in a gold-filled lobster clasp. The monogram letters are solid brass and measure a little less than one inch from top to bottom. Dangling from the bottom of each letter is one to three pearls, depending on how many could fit onto each letter. Teardrop-shaped pearls are cultured.

Almost every letter of the alphabet is represented, minus a handful with limbs too slender to be drilled and pearls attached. The available letters are shown in the images. Please be sure to find the picture of your desired letter to see how many pearls are attached. See the entire letter collection here.

To complete the royal look, pair your Anne Boleyn necklace with these matching pearl earrings, which perfectly balance the boldness of the necklace with their simple elegance.

Matching Pearl Drop Earrings complete the historically inspired look. Photo by Collin Buchanan.

Because each necklace is made to order, these necklaces are only available here and will not be available for sale in person.

Simple, Elegant Birthstone Jewelry, Just In Time For Mother's Day and Wedding Season

Simple, elegant birthstone strand necklaces and earrings make perfect Mother’s Day, birthday and bridesmaid gifts this spring. You can even select your own stones to create a custom multi-stone birthstone strand necklace.

For more than a century, birthstones have been a delightful way to celebrate your children, loved ones and yourself in a simple, gorgeous, meaningful way. To me, birthstones are a language for people who know birthstones, much like folks who are really into astrology sort of have their own language. This proud Virgo has always adored her birthstone—sapphire. But I notice immediately when I meet a person wearing other birthstone jewelry. I can see right away that someone very dear to them is an August baby. Or maybe their sweet grandmother left them her collection of amethyst jewelry because they shared a February birth month, much like my incredible grandmother gave me her September gemstones because she adored that we shared a birth month. I like to guess which precious person their birthstones represent, and if I’m lucky, they’ll share the story.

Last year I created a collection of birthstone jewelry that is still very dear to my heart, especially because I originally created it to give to my bridesmaids, mother, mother-in-law and my honorary bridesmaids at my wedding (See all of my handmade and heirloom wedding jewelry here!). This spring I added to it with a line of necklaces and earrings that are simple, elegant, straightforward pieces the layer well when you’ve already got a special necklace you wear all the time or you just can’t pick one necklace to wear. My Birthstone Cluster Strands represent all of the colors of the year and come on individual card backs that explain just what they mean and why these stones are important. Their matching earrings are just as elegant and versatile and also pair perfectly with my original Birthstone Cluster Necklaces, which feature pendants made of birthstones.

Below is a sample of the many birthstones and styles available now. To view the full collection of Birthstone Cluster Necklaces, Birthstone Cluster Strands, and Birthstone Cluster earrings, click here.

Faceted sapphire stones represent September’s birthstone in our simple, elegant birthstone jewelry collection that’s perfect for layering. Find the matching faceted sapphire earrings here.

The January birthstone, garnet, with its rich crimson hue, is particularly luxurious and elegant. Garnet is named for the latin word for pomegranate because of its luscious color. Garnet is associated with creativity, purification, love, strength and protection. Find our January Birthstone Jewelry here. Photo by Collin Buchanan.

The May birthstone, emerald, with its rich green hue, is particularly exciting and energizing. Emerald is associated with love, domestic bliss, friendship and positive actions. Find our May Birthstone Jewelry here.

September and August birthstones shine in the light on these birthstone cluster earrings. The August birthstone, peridot, with its otherworldly green hue, evokes magic and mystery. Peridot, a form of olivine, is associated with protection, happiness, well-being and transformation. The September birthstone, sapphire, with its deep blue hue, is rare, cool and dreamy. Sapphire, a variety of corundum, is associated with wisdom, spirituality and kindness. Find our September and August birthstone jewelry here. Photo by Collin Buchanan.

Choose your stones to create your own custom multi-stone birthstone necklace and represent everyone in your brood.

Our original Birthstone Cluster Necklaces feature birthstones set into cluster pendants and are customizable with stamped discs that fit up to three letters. Monograms, the word “mom” and a heart shape fit perfectly. Photo by Collin Buchanan.

The November birthstone, citrine, with its amber hue, is particularly warm and inviting. Citrine, a variety of quartz, is associated with clarity, energy, creativity and imagination. Each birthstone necklace comes on a card back that explains the stone’s significance. Find our birthstone jewelry here.

Betty the Boy Cat Bowers: 2007 - 2019

Betty Bowers nuzzled his last goodbyes in the loving arms of his mom, Stacey, before he crossed the Rainbow Bridge Wednesday, April 3, 2019. Everyone present agreed that he had been a good boy—one of the best boys—his whole tiny life. 

In the summer of 2007, on break from college and working part-time at Eubanks Veterinary Clinic in Levy, Stacey discovered a tiny, rambunctious, long-haired tabby kitten in one of the cages in the back. As the story goes, the little critter had been found in a ditch with its unlucky siblings who weren’t able to be rescued. This little kitten had a cloudy eye, a respiratory infection, a crooked tail and a funny mole in its side that an X-ray later revealed to be a BB. Whenever Stacey opened the cage to check on it, the kitten, so eager for love, would take a brave, flying leap onto her chest and she’d wrap her arms around it. Stacey fell in love with the kitten, named Natalie by the kind soul who had recovered it from the ditch, and began the short struggle with her mother to keep the kitten even though Stacey was going back to college out of state in just a few weeks.

The kitten seemed to enjoy car rides at first, being swept home to win over its grandma Sue’s heart while Stacey took lunch breaks from work at the vet clinic. Sue is a sucker for cats, and after only a few visits agreed that the kitten needed some extra love and would stay with her until Stacey finished college. Stacey waited until after Sue had agreed to keep the kitten to reveal how many times it had gotten motion sickness in the car—once inside her purse. 

During one car ride, Stacey jokingly asked the kitten what it would like to be named, because Natalie was far too long and precious a name in her opinion, just as Ram Jam’s version of “Black Betty” came on the radio, and Stacey took it as an omen. She’s always been a bit embarrassed about the origin of Betty the cat’s name, but the name stuck and would come to mean so much to her over time. Stacey went to PetSmart and picked out a pink rhinestone collar and an engraved name tag for Betty. A few weeks later, the vet revealed Betty to be a boy, but the name was a done deal. 

At the beginning of the summer, Stacey’s heart had been broken for the first time by a boy, and she was taking it incredibly hard. By the end of the summer, a new boy—with four legs, a bad eye and a girl’s name—came along and fixed everything. 

During the two and a half years while Betty lived with Sue and his grandpa Jeff, he was a wild child. He was a high jumper, and would perch on your shoulder like a furry parrot. He was a busybody and got into everything. He was accidentally destructive and once smashed a flatscreen tv; all televisions had to be screwed down going forward. He knew intrinsically how to fetch, and preferred you to throw plastic-wrapped soft peppermints for him to bring back to you. He loved little stuffed toys, especially from McDonald’s Happy Meals, the green lizard being his favorite. His uncle Steven called Betty’s toys his “doodads” and loved to play with him. Betty was wiry and skinny, and he puked all of the time on everything, but his family loved him anyway. 

When Stacey graduated college, she took Betty against his will briefly to Shreveport, which he hated endlessly. For several months he rebelled, even running away once and hiding under a busted toilet in the neighbor’s junkyard. He was especially upset when a chubby, feral , calico kitten came into the house and never left. He never really came around to his sister Pearl, but they learned to coexist after several months of vicious wrestling that resulted in swollen toes and gooey eyes. 

Stacey took Betty and Pearl home to Arkansas when she finally landed a full-time job there. For several years they bounced from rent house to apartment to rent house and met more than their fair share of mom’s new boyfriends. Betty never met a stranger and was friendly to everyone who was friendly to him, but when he knew it was time for his mom to have a fresh start, he would get a little passive-aggressive, sometimes even resorting to peeing in a boy’s laundry if he overstayed Betty’s welcome. From the start, Betty was always there for his mom when her heart got broken. When she met a boy named Collin in 2015, Betty never protested. Collin grew to love Betty about as much as Stacey did, and Betty loved him back. Eventually Betty stopped sleeping with Stacey at night and migrated permanently to Collin’s side of the bed. 

When Stacey started making jewelry in 2013, she lovingly named her little venture Bang-Up Betty after her best friend. People always asked Stacey when they saw her out selling her jewelry if her name was Betty, and she smiled and told them the story of her boy cat named Betty. People loved the story of Betty, and he had his picture featured in a handful of magazines. Once a tv station even stopped by Stacey’s workshop to feature Betty on the evening news. Stacey’s not sure how she’s going to answer the question “Are you Betty?” going forward; she’s expecting it to hurt quite a bit for a long time. 

Until his very last days, Betty loved to sit in the window in Stacey’s workshop overlooking the flowerbed, right in front of her desk while she worked. He loved to soak up the warm sun and get the occasional petting while he napped. Stacey knew for several weeks that Betty might not be around much longer. His health, never very good, was quickly declining. When Betty was ready to say goodbye, Stacey planted him in the flowerbed under the window where he loved to sit. He will always be her delicate little flower.