This week’s Friday Feature is the lovely Natasha from Tish Tash Designs. Natasha’s colourful, bright, and fun illustrations are inspired by over a decade working in early years. She creates a range of products from greeting cards to mugs, and hopes to expand her range in the future.
Let’s get to know more about the creative woman behind the small business…
My background is in early years. I have worked in that field for over 10 years and it is something which I am very passionate about. This has been a big influence on the style of illustrations I create.
When I first started my business I focused on creating abstract line art, as this was my interest when I was studying art at college.
Then I started to lean more into my current interests, which helped me make the smooth transition into creating illustrations which are colourful and fun. Which could be used to create my children’s business.
Being creative is something which I have always enjoyed doing from when I was a child. I was brought up in a creative household where my parents were both into music and always encouraged me and my brothers to explore different forms of creative arts. And I believe these early experiences in life have influenced my interest in being creative. We were always encouraged to try even though the outcome may not be what we expected it to be. The main thing was to try to see what interested us the most and to explore it more.
Throughout I set aside time where I am able to be creative. Thinking and working on my business. I make a large majority of my products at home, which always challenges me to explore and build on my creative skills.
I do think being creative has helped my well-being since the passing of my Dad who had MND (Motor Neurone Disease).
Being creative allows you to express yourself in different ways which you may not tend to do on a daily basis, because of the style of work which you do or your daily routine.
Being creative gives you space and freedom to create without judgement. How you feel and express yourself in that moment is true to who you are. And it may not mean much to others but it speaks loudly to you, as it was a moment in your life where you were able to be carefree and expressive.
Art was always one of my favourite subjects when studying it in secondary school and college. I have always had an interest in illustration. My college art teacher always encouraged us to find a style where we felt comfortable to express ourselves, to feel every moment as you draw and to push the boundaries in your design. I would say I’ve always had a curiosity when seeing a certain style of illustration, wanting to know what makes a person express themselves in that way and how did they develop their style.
My small business started over five years ago.
I wanted to create time where I was able to be creative. I would say, in the last couple of years I feel like I have found my style and it is really exciting exploring that.
It is exciting, when you can create illustrations and someone can look and see it’s come from you. Because your style has become clear and constant. That moment is priceless.
I would say one of my favourite products which I love to design and one which my mum makes for me at home. It is my collection of toddler and children’s mini mugs. In saying that, I have had adults buy my mini mugs too as they fit in their espresso machine perfectly, which is so lovely.
The mini mugs are a great starter mug for toddlers and children learning to use mugs for the very first time. Perfect size, works well for cold and warm drinks, and they are super light weight.
My biggest challenge in my business has been learning how to manage my time. Time is something which comes and goes and feels like it easily slips away when not managed. I’ve had to learn, and am still learning, how to prioritise tasks. I tend to make a plan for the week which I finds helps me a lot. I don’t work for several hours on end in one go as I feel that I am not the most productive that way. I like to work on one big task and start on other small tasks. That’s a win for me – to create manageable achievable tasks.
If I am working on creating a new product which I’ve never launched before, I give myself some grace time as I know it’s going to take a lot longer to figure things out. So I take the pressure of a bit so I don’t get overwhelmed with the challenge of creating something new.
I always try my best to have a good life and work balance. I believe it’s good for your wellbeing, and it’s important to have some downtime to recharge your batteries because burnout is a real thing.
I give myself free time throughout the week so I can have time for going for walks, visiting the cinema, and having catch-ups with my family and friends.
This is a very exciting question. I would love to be stocked in retail spaces worldwide.
I would love to hold my very own pop-up shop in my home town, Leicester, and who knows – maybe do a couple in the midlands area.
There are so many ideas which come to mind when I think about where Tish Tash Designs will be in three years. The main thing I hope for is that I will continue to design colourful and memorable designs which bring a smile to somebody’s face, in the hope to brighten up somebody’s day.
I would buy a laser cutter machine. This is one gadget I really can’t wait to get my hands on as it would open up so many doors to the different types of products I would be able to explore and offer.
Another product I would love to explore is having my own collection of plushies. This would be amazing.
I would also save a large chunk of the money for when I would like to work on products in the future.
It’s clear Natasha is really passionate about what she creates, and is bursting with ideas for new designs and products. Her illustrations are so happy and distinctive – she’s already fulfilling her hope to make people smile. It’s going to be fun to watch how her small business develops over time.
To see more of Natasha’s creations take a look at her website (brand new for October 2025!): tishtashdesigns.sumupstore.com – or for behind the scenes content, check out her Instagram: @tishtash.designs
If you haven’t already found us over on Instagram – why not come say hi and give us a follow. We would love for you to join the conversation and help spread the movement by liking and sharing our content.
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