Local jewelry designer Christine Taylor of HooDoo Designs has made it big.
The local mother and businesswoman’s work will be featured at the 2010 Canadian Country Music Awards, Sept. 11 and 12.
“This was beyond my wildest dreams,” said Taylor.
“I just wanted to stay home with my son but this is amazing and overwhelming, what an honour.”
In 2008, Taylor decided to use her creative talents to start her own design company, turning her back on 13 years of working in the corporate world of IT at an oil and gas company. Her jewelry company, HooDoo Designs, specializes in handmade personalized glass and silver jewelry, hair jewels and graphic design.
“The main reason I took it on was to stay home with my son (four-year-old Liam) but I was shocked at how popular it became,” she said.
“I’ve always been really creative but I had no idea there would be such a market for customizable necklaces. Now that I am expecting again, this is a great way to make money from home.”
HooDoo Designs features between 20 to 30 pendants with a variety of styles that can include children’s pictures, names, flowers or other artwork.
Taylor even had a local celebrity call her and ask about her designs. Eight-time Juno Award winner Jann Arden featured Taylor’s glass pendants during her tour last fall. The pendants featured Arden’s very own angel artwork.
Arden isn’t the only Canadian singer to notice Taylor’s unique work. HooDoo Designs was commissioned to design a pendant for Donny Anderson, which he wore at the 2009 Canadian Country Music Awards in Vancouver, B.C.
This year, Taylor has been selected as the Official Jewelry Designer of the 2010 CCMA Awards gift room. This two-day event in Edmonton, will see more then 100 special guests go through the room to receive gifts from a variety of companies.
“I created a necklace for Johnny Reid’s wife, Paul Brandt’s wife and Terri Clark,” said Taylor.
Taylor will be giving out certificates for customized photo pendants or customized sterling silver jewelry, her specialty. Taylor is expecting some of the nominated stars, industry people and even Oilers hockey players to visit her booth in the gift room.
“I’ve been brushing up online so I can recognize the stars coming through,” she said.
Taylor said she moved to Airdrie in 2008 to raise her children in a small town, but the city’s support of small business has surprised her.
“When I moved here, I didn’t know if it would be the best place to start up a business because it is so much smaller than Calgary, but the community and the city is a huge supporter of small businesses and women in business,” said Taylor.
Taylor’s advice for local entrepreneurs is network, network, network.
“You have to find out what your passion is and follow it but after that, the most important aspect is to network,” she said.
“Social media has been so good to me. I haven’t paid for advertising yet and Jann Arden and the representatives for the CCMA found me through Twitter. You have to keep trying and never be afraid to ask for help. There are a lot of opportunities for help in Airdrie so go out there and get it.”
