Welcome. I’m Autumn Beckman, artist and founder behind Hand/bag Bling. My journey has been a unique blend of art, science, handbags, and a deep appreciation of the natural world.

Art is my foundation. Having won my first national art competition at 6 years old, I later studied drawing, painting, photography, film, animation, and digital arts throughout high school and university, culminating in a B.A. in studio art and a 10 year art teaching career.

Science has also been a lifelong passion due to my insatiable curiosity about the world. I was fortunate to volunteer and work with animals at zoos and veterinary clinics while in school. I double majored in psychology and ultimately earned a M.Ph. in social-personality psychology which gave me a deeper understanding of how we operate both individually and together.

I was raised in poverty but worked hard to move beyond it and have always loved nice things so, while teaching in 2016, I launched a YouTube channel about luxury handbags for people with average incomes: luxury living on a budget. Until then, the luxury bag channels had all been led by people who could afford to buy them brand new several times per year. I was the first to represent the rest of us, for whom these purchases did not come so easily, and in doing so I created a subgenre within the luxury bag community on YouTube. I have been thrilled to watch this subgenre explode in the years since.

I was born and raised in Houston, TX but lived in New York City twice for my studies. In 2023 I moved with my husband (also an artist and scientist), two rescued dachshunds, and my chatty African grey parrot to Oregon to be surrounded by the incredible beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Since then, I have been a solopreneur with my channel, I design and sell planner pages to help you organize your bag collection and your life, and now I’m back to jewelry making which I dabbled in 20 years ago. We also added two budgies to our family.

This blend of art, science, handbags, and an appreciation for the natural world is the foundation of my jewelry designs for Hand/bag Bling. Each bead strand combines substantial hardware in real gold or silver with beads made from natural materials such as gemstones, shells, or fossils. They are a tribute to the earth that sustains us and, with the versatility of being able to wear them 4 ways, an extension of luxury living on a budget.