Today we’d like to introduce you to Natasha Vaughn-Tucker.
Natasha, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am an Atlanta native. I have always been creative and love to express myself in different ways. My life has never been an easy one and growing up, I’ve had to face many challenges. Nevertheless, I never gave up. My career path, however, started out to a traditional route, I finished school, went to college and graduated with a BS in Business Administration and then, got a job in the medical field on the administration and management side. While this fed my passion to help others, it did not feed my creative side. After several years in the medical field, I pursued a few business ventures: medical office consultant because that’s what I knew, then helping a friend established her non-profit organization for disabled veterans. The latter is what eased me into the field of jewelry making as my first pieces were beaded bracelets which I named Em-Bracelets ™. It was a fundraiser project to raise money to provide services for disabled and homeless veterans. Each bracelet came with a card with a poem written on it.
From there, I started making other pieces such as earrings, then necklaces and more. However, it wasn’t then that I decided to start Creation’s Best. Creation’s Best arose out of hardship and a desire to build a new life for me. I became a homeschool mom, tried my hand homesteading and sustaining myself in that lifestyle. That’s was only the beginning of my transformation. While homeschooling, homesteading and using real-life projects and situations as a basis for my curriculum, Creation’s Best was born. I started out making candles, then returning to my passion of making jewelry and then adding soaps. All things I could use to provide income while pursuing living off grid and homeschooling. Eventually, it was the jewelry that took over. It began with beading which led to wire wrapping and weaving until my passion grew and landed me right into metalsmithing where I now work primarily with copper, sterling silver, gemstones.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road… trial and error… mostly error… however, an error can pave the road to success. I recently became a single homeschool parent of three after leaving a “non-productive” relationship. I had to maintain an income through various contract work and jobs, homeschool for 3 (a 17, 10 and now 3 years old) children, successfully start and run a business, and still find time to keep my sanity. These were all things that were difficult to balance when you are used to having a significant other take part of the burden and then realizing you have to now do it all by yourself.
The advice I would share with other women is that no matter how many “perceived” setbacks you face, to keep pushing, even if it means taking a short moment to allow yourself to breathe. Also to learn to accept constructive criticism when it is given and to keep yourself surrounded by the positive people that mirror your success. This helps to keep all the negative energy at bay. These are the things that helped me keep going because there were many times I wanted to give up. Your circle of influence, who decided to keep around you, is very important, VERY IMPORTANT! Also, align yourself with the people who are where you inspire to be. You know what they say… birds of a feather, flock together.
Please tell us about Creation’s Best.
I, Natasha, am Creation’s Best. I am a designer, manufacturer and online wholesaler of unique custom jewelry that tells a captivating story. The core belief my business stands on is Ubuntu, which means “I am because we are.” I do not just offer you a product but mostly a service that is dedicated to the enhancement and progression of the mind, body and soul through artistic expression in metalsmithing and handmade jewelry designs.
As I mentioned before, my jewelry tells a captivating story, of my life and the often of the lives of many others.
It tells a story of darkness and the light at the end of the tunnel. It speaks of how darkness is where the light within shines the brightest. It tells of how every hardship, trail and tribulation brings us closer to the true essence of our being. It tells a story that no matter how hard life may seem, we are not beaten into defeat but rather shaped, molded and perfected by fire. We emerge as the Phoenix from the charred ashes of our remains.
We emerge to see that there is Beauty in the Beat.
Who have you been inspired by?
Of course one of the first women in my life to inspire is my mother and secondly, my grandmother. They are both beautiful women who pushed through some pretty tough times in life. They were not women to be easily defeated and I viewed them as very strong women and I wanted to be strong just like that. My aunt on my father’s side has also been an inspiration as she is a successful businesswoman herself who owned and operated her own hair salon.
There are also other, more well-known women, such as Taraji Henson for drive and determination. Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Leela James and India Arie for their sense of style and soul. Motivation figures such as Oprah Winfrey, Iyanla Vanzant and I must mention Michelle Obama for her poise and grace.
Contact Info:
- Address: Silver Kings 1130 Euclid Ave, Atlanta, GA 30307
Artsy Fawn Studio 951 A Main Street, Stone Mountain, GA 30083 - Website: www.creationsbest.org
- Phone: 678-457-4983
- Email: creationsbestllc@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/creationbest
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/creationsbest
Image Credit:
Natasha Vaughn-Tucker, Creation’s Best, Natasha, Joselyn, Magic Oju
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