Fifteen Years of Jewelry Made from Musical Instruments: The Story Behind Hang Ups Jewelry

When Kristi and I decided to start a business together, we didn't know it would become this.

We were both entrepreneurs already. She ran a graphic design business. I was an HR consultant. We wanted to create something together that felt meaningful, something that combined our skills and our values. So we started making jewelry from vintage items like silverware, typewriter keys, things with history, and we donated a portion of every sale of our word jewelry collection to Literacy Kansas City.

Then in 2014, everything changed.

The Moment Everything Shifted

Kristi and I were presenting at One Million Cups, a community event for entrepreneurs in Kansas City. We were talking about our business, our journey, and what we were trying to build. After our presentation, Mike Meyer came up to us. He was the Chairman of Band of Angels, a non-profit that collects unused musical instruments from the public, refurbishes them, and gives them to kids in need who want to participate in band and orchestra programs.

Mike had a problem. Band of Angels sometimes received instruments that were too damaged to repair, but he didn’t want them ending up in landfills. He wondered if there was a way to honor those instruments by giving them a second life.

Could we turn those broken instruments into jewelry?

The answer was a resounding YES.

A Partnership Built on Purpose

The moment we started working with Band of Angels, we knew this was what we were meant to do.

I'm a parent of two musicians. I've watched firsthand how music changes a child's life. It builds confidence, calms anxiety, and creates community. Not every child has access to an instrument or the money to rent one. Band of Angels changes that. They don't just loan instruments. They give them. Kids get to keep them. And every summer, they send kids to music camp on scholarships.

So we committed: 30% of every sale goes directly to Band of Angels' scholarship fund.

For the past eleven years, that's been our north star.

The Evolution

Kristi was with me for eight of those eleven years. We built this partnership together, refined the craft, and grew the business side by side. In 2022, she had to step away for personal reasons, but we're still the best of friends. The work we did together laid the foundation for everything that's happened since.

Over the years, I've expanded my instrument collection. I now work with 27 different kinds of instruments, from violins and cellos to saxophones and French horns. Each one tells a story. Each one becomes a piece of wearable art that connects the wearer to music in a tangible way.

I've shipped pieces to 17 different countries. I've donated more than 360 pieces of jewelry to Band of Angels fundraising events. I’ve watched customers wear their pieces to recitals, auditions, and performances. Music educators wear theirs proudly in the classroom and give pieces to graduates from their programs to celebrate their accomplishments. I’ve read messages from people who say wearing their instrument jewelry makes them feel more special, more creative, more themselves; and proud of the profession and musical community they’re part of.

Why This Matters

Here's what I've learned over fifteen years: jewelry isn't just about how it looks. It's about what it means. It's about the story it tells. It's about who you become when you put it on.

When you wear a piece of Hang Ups Jewelry, you're wearing a retired instrument. You're wearing history. You're wearing the belief that music matters, that every kid deserves access to it, and that beauty can come from something broken.

And you're making a difference. Every purchase sends a kid to music camp. Every piece donated helps a young musician feel seen and supported.

That’s what keeps me happily working in my studio, using big-girl tools to create small jewelry from big instruments.

Celebrating Fifteen Years

This September, I'm celebrating fifteen years of Hang Ups Jewelry.

I'm offering my only sale of the year to say thank you. Thank you for believing in what I'm building. Thank you for wearing these pieces and telling your friends about them. Thank you for understanding that this business is about more than profit. It's about purpose.

If you've been thinking about adding a piece to your collection, this is the moment. And when you do, know that you're not just getting beautiful, handcrafted jewelry. You're giving a kid the chance to play an instrument and discover who they're becoming through music.

With gratitude and pride,

Carolyn