Anna Janelle Jewelry Finds Its Forever Home

“Look Great, Feel Great, Be Great,” reads the sign hanging inside Anna Janelle Jewelry on State Street. It’s precisely how owner Anna Janelle Cardenas wants you to feel donning one of her pieces, not only looking your best but feeling that way too, in every aspect of your life, from sitting at home in your sweatpants to giving a presentation at work.

“Because when you look great, you feel better about yourself,” she says. “And when you feel better about yourself, you will show up better for your community — for the people around you.” 

On September 20, Cardenas celebrated the grand opening of Anna Janelle Jewelry’s new flagship location. Inside, you’ll find a range of pieces, including sterling silver, fine jewelry, and especially 14-karat gold-filled items, which she says are more durable than gold plating but less expensive than solid gold. “I like to tie in that Dutch minimalism with the coastal Santa Barbara vibes,” she shares of her designs, which are meant to be classic, minimalist, and versatile for everyday wear.

She also loves incorporating gemstones into her pieces. “I am a gemstone addict,” she jokes, “and I have to really rein it in when I go to gem fairs.” Many of her designs feature a variety of stones, adding subtle pops of color to her timeless creations.

Originally from Clarksburg, a rural town in Northern California, Cardenas moved to Santa Barbara in 2003 to attend UCSB, where she studied communications. “So, nothing at all to do with jewelry,” she notes with a laugh. “But I have a very artistic background, both in performing and fine arts.”

It all began during weekly craft nights with a close friend, where they made various pieces of jewelry. They quickly got hooked, ordering more supplies and teaching themselves new techniques. That enthusiasm led them to take jewelry classes at SBCC and start a small side business while working full-time.

They called it Dodds and Boschee and sold their jewelry on Instagram and Etsy and at pop-up events. During this time, Cardenas also worked for Sheryl Lowe, a jeweler in Montecito, as a production manager — an experience that provided her with valuable professional insight into the industry. Their business remained a part-time project while they balanced other jobs.

Until one day, Cardenas’s boyfriend was offered a work opportunity in Amsterdam, prompting her to move abroad. In 2017, she launched her own business there, building her website and selling her jewelry at outdoor European markets and stands. This hands-on approach helped her establish herself in the Netherlands. “It was freezing cold out there,” she recalls, “so it was painful, but yeah, that’s how I got my start.”

After two years in Amsterdam, she returned to Santa Barbara, where she continued selling at local markets and joined a pop-up collective with other makers. The experience gave her the confidence to open her own store at Paseo Nuevo in 2021, marking the official start of her shop. “It was terrifying,” she recalls, “to take that leap.”

While she was grateful for her time in Paseo Nuevo, Cardenas knew it wasn’t her forever home. She wanted a more visible location with steady foot traffic — and her new spot next to Dune Coffee Roasters was the perfect fit.

The new space is exactly what she always envisioned for the brand: bright, airy, and minimalist. She views it as her long-term home and looks forward to settling in, continuing to create beautiful jewelry, and supporting her family and staff.

“So, this time, I wanted to do it right,” she says, “and the way that I want it to be for, hopefully, many, many years to come.”

Anna Janelle Jewelry is located at 1103 State Street, Suite. A. See annajanellejewelry.com.