Meet Candice Hairston-Salters of Oddlylaced Designs by Chanelle’ in Grand Prairie

Today we’d like to introduce you to Candice Hairston.

Candice, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was born and raised in Oklahoma where art has been a part of my life since I was a little girl. I used to draw and paint on clothes and rocks, draw pictures for people, enter drawing contests, express myself through poetry and I used to make different types of jewelry. Let’s  fast forward 20 years, about 2010-11 is the time I started to really take myself and my craft more seriously. I created wire wrapped earrings, painted zipper earrings, bobby pin earrings with beads and denim earrings that I used to sell at craft shows. I also started back custom painting shoes, doing logos and t-shirt designs. I moved to Texas in the middle of 2015 with my 9-month-old daughter and the majority of my family and it just seemed like the perfect place to dive even deeper into my passion for art. I released my new t-shirt designs and started back seriously writing and drawing. I experienced loss on all levels during this time and the traumatic experiences that happened in my life during that time should have broken me, but they did nothing but motivated me to heal, grow stronger and push myself even harder to pursue my goals and dreams of creating more with my Oddlylaced brand. This is the time I was working on my now completed and published my poetry book, with about 54 poems and 17 original paintings and artwork (in color), “Wrapped in Gold, Kissed by the Sun, now available on Amazon.

As I began to grow stronger spiritually and my love for gemstones became revisited from childhood, I began to create jewelry from these little treasures and share my love and knowledge of them with friends, family and then, I grew my inventory fit to sell to the public. Along with art, my passion is also health, fitness, and wellness. I am a fitness coach and physical educator and I feel I have just made my love for healing the outer body tie into healing the inner body through my love of creating my jewelry, poetry, and paintings. My art, paintings and drawings have a story behind them, my poetry tells stories of healing, as they were also written as I was going through pain and grief transitioning into the process of love and healing. My handmade gemstone jewelry also helps the masses in healing as I create with intention through my light and love for what I do.

I get to where I am today by the love and support from my family, close friends, thinking about the love and support I have from my Grandmother, who is no longer with us in the flesh and the love and healing I get when I look my now 4-year-old daughter in the eyes every day. I get a second wind and drive like no other when it comes to those two for sure! I also get to where I am today when I get testimonials from clients that have received my original artwork, gotten a custom piece of jewelry that goes beyond their expectations and readers of my poetry book, that can relate to a few of my poems. It confirms that I am doing exactly what I am here to do and it feels amazing.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has not been a smooth road for sure. There have been times where I have just thought about quitting because of money issues or coming from somewhere where I had a pretty good clientele with fitness and my jewelry, to moving where no one really knows me and starting all over was definitely a challenge. It was challenging to find events to show and sell my craft because I wouldn’t go out much, nor did I know where to start looking. It gets a little easier each year, I am definitely not where I want to be, yet I am pleased where I have been, happy where I am going at the moment and excited about what the universe has in store for me!

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Oddlylaced Designs by Chanelle’ story. Tell us more about the business.
My business is Oddlylaced Designs by Chanelle’, and it is a compilation of eclectic designs, illustrations, creations and writings that have all been created from a place of love, peace, and intention. I’m known for doing it all and doing it out of love. I create, paint, design, remix, illustrate and write. I specialize in creating unique pieces and giving 100% of my energy in everything I create. Some people feel like you cannot do it all and give 100% of your efforts, but I have never been a person to be put in a box to say I can Only paint or write or design, etc. I love it all and I am passionate of it all, so why not. I am most proud of self-publishing my poetry book “Wrapped in Gold, Kissed by the Sun”, as I’ve always said I would write and publish a book and now I am working on my second.

What sets me apart from others is I have found ways to “lace” all of my creations with intention and in ways they wouldn’t normally be together, hence the name Oddlylaced.” For example, my mixed media paintings with fabric and gemstones or my unique poetry laced with my original color paintings and my unique jewelry designs.

-When I say “I,” I mean a thing absolutely unique, not to be confused with any other.”
– Ugo Betti

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Luck hasn’t played a role in my life or business, but destiny, fate, purpose and life lessons have. Everything I have gone through has taught me a lesson, whatever has happened in my life has been my fate, which has driven me closer to my purpose and leads me to believe I am destined to be great and do great things in life and within my business. I am an optimist and I always try to look towards the positive of all situations. There would definitely be no light in the absence of darkness, so you take the good with the bad and make the best of it all.

Pricing:

• Wrapped in Gold, Kissed by the Sun -$18.99
• Black Tourmaline earrings -$16.00
• Lavastone diffuser bracelets w/essential oils -$20 and up

Contact Info:

• Website: www.oddlylaced.weebly.com
• Email: oddlylaced@yahoo.com

Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.