Meet the Owner
Hi there! My name is Kat Manness. I'm the founder and owner of Hazel Mountain Creations.
I was born in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Roanoke, VA. I spent most of my childhood outdoors in the woods. I would wander for hours in the summer sun looking for cool rocks, sticks, and plants. If I was really lucky, I might see some wildlife on my journey. I'm overjoyed and grateful that I have continued to have this deep love and appreciation for the natural world around me. I'm still out wandering for cool things, except now I'm foraging native plants I have seen my whole life, but never knew the benefits of.
The parts of Virginia that follow the Appalachian Trail are home to me and always will be. I have always lived close to the AT and embraced the culture. I've lived from the Blue Ridge Mountains up to the Shenandoah Valley. I've also hiked a lot of trails in between. My family relocated to the Broadway area around 2012 and we have embraced and thrived in this community. I graduated from Broadway High School in 2017 and have lived in Harrisonburg and Timberville at different points.
A few years ago, I started to have the onset of an autoimmune disease and have struggled in many aspects of my life. After countless medical tests I eventually received a diagnosis of lupus. Anyone who knows lupus knows that it is a hell of a battle. Joint pain, inflammation, skin rashes, extremely sensitive skin, muscle cramps, fatigue... The list is endless. That's why I started developing body care products - to care for my own needs in a way that is all natural and sustainable. I'm overjoyed to be able to share my creations and hope you love them as much as I do.
Behind the Name
My family has always loved and lived in the mountains. Being able to look around in any direction and see a beautiful layered blue horizon feels more like home than anything. My dad in particular found a lot of freedom and solace in the woods. After he passed away, my family and I wanted to go out in the mountains along the Appalachian Trail to memorialize him. Due to my health, I couldn't commit to a hike. I found a spectacular place to watch the sun rise and think about good times and that place was the Hazel Mountain Overlook. Both photos on this page are from that day. By nature, I tend to be a jack-of-all-trades, so I like to experiment with new art styles and creations. I didn't want to be binded by any one title or product line, hence the creations at the end.