Welcome!

Meet the Mountainside Crew ♡

AMBER

Amber started Mountainside Jewelry in 2018. What started as a side hustle making jewlery while teaching at a local elementary school led to signing up for more and more craft fairs and events, creating an online store, and eventually opening a shop in the beautiful town of Felton California. Amber loves staying creative, exploring outdoors, crossword puzzles, homemade soups, old books, old music, new experiences, hot sauce, warm sun, backroads, bike rides, hot springs, campfires, wildflowers, folklore, farm stands, flea markets, tiki bars, deep dives, late nights, slow mornings, learning about local flora and fauna, and connecting with the local mountain community.

Favorite piece of Mountainside Jewelry - Aura ring ( to make) Demia hoops ( to wear)

Favorite dessert - Pie!

Favorite books / movies - old sci fi books and old spaghetti westerns

Mostly daydream about - traveling, road trips and someday sewing my own clothes

Most proud of - growing/raising a veggie garden and growing/raising a little baby boy

Can’t live without - green tea & Tiger Balm

Best way to relax - an early morning cold plunge or reading on a hot rock by the river

Best advice - try everything, twice

KIERA

Kiera was born and raised in North County San Diego and moved to Santa Cruz to attend college in 2016 where her background in agroecology and farming began. She is a total plant nerd and can assist you with any botany questions you may have. Kiera's most notable trait is her love and care for the natural world and all it provides. You can catch her running through Fall Creek, foraging for mushrooms and scouting salamanders to birding through the high desert in Joshua Tree.

Favorite piece of Mountainside Jewelry - Roma necklace as it was her very first piece purchased in Mountainside's first year of business

Favorite dessert - Anything with peanut butter and chocolate

Favorite book/movie - Into The Wild

Favorite animal - Red- Tailed Hawk

Mostly daydream about - Owning land with several gardens and raising children outdoors

Most proud of - My resilience in living with Crohns Disease

Can’t live without - A few good linen shirts

Best way to relax - Light a candle, pour a cup of magnesium or bone broth, read your favorite book or write down your thoughts.

Best advice - Slow down, life is not a race. It's the little things that create the best memories. Be kind and love hard. There's nothing camping can't fix! Oh, and stress will kill you.

MALENA

Felton born, raised, and returned to after rambling elsewhere in her 20's; Malena has nothing but love for her hometown. She adores being part of any process of making something and brings equal parts care, attention, and silly levity to the table. Expect an Irish goodbye from her in group settings and make her day by bringing a snack into the shop to share. With a background in farming, Malena savors seasonal changes - embracing cozy comforts in winter, sowing seeds for Spring, abundant Summer evening chores, and the ceremony of Autumn. Say hi to her when you come by!

Favorite piece of Mountainside Jewelry - All of the inlay rings with lapis lazuli stones

Favorite book - The Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver, or any fun fantasy fiction

Favorite animal - Valjean, the horse I take care of, born on Bastille day :)

Can't live without - Flannel sheets in winter

Borrowed advice - Hold things loosely. Hold them close and kindly, but loosely.

EMMA

Originally from San Diego, Emma moved to Santa Cruz for school and graduated this past summer with a degree in Environmental Studies. Since moving to the area, Emma’s developed a deep love for the outdoors and a drive for adventure. She would consider herself an amateur birder and will happily talk your ear off about it. If you need her, you’ll most likely find her walking through Wilder Ranch with her binoculars or reading a book by the beach.