How BlueSkyPotteryCO got started

Introduce your Etsy shop and tell us your story. How did you begin and decide on what to sell on Etsy, and how do you create your products?

I’m Deb Babcock, owner of Blue Sky Pottery & Fine Art. My Etsy shop is BlueSkyPotteryCO, and I sell handmade pottery, mostly porcelain and stoneware dinnerware, vases, and decorative home decor items. Techniques I use include wheel-throwing, hand building, painting on the clay, carving into the clay, and altering the shapes. My work goes through two firings in a kiln that gets as hot as 2300 degrees F. This makes the work very strong and able to withstand daily use, including microwave, oven, and dishwasher use.

I began selling on Etsy shortly after my first outdoor Art Fair in 2006. I did not enjoy lugging heavy, fragile work to a tent and sitting in the hot sun trying to sell my work to people who didn’t understand the artistry and skill involved in handmade pottery. So selling online was a great alternative option. I also own a second shop on Etsy for selling my watercolour paintings and prints, called Blue Sky Fine Art. It isn’t as active as the pottery shop, but it is a nice way to sell both original art and prints of my paintings.

Favorite items

What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?

Usually, I say my favourite item is the last one I made. But I have particularly enjoyed making teapots, large mugs, and vases.

Tea Pots Collection
Mug Collection
Vase Collection


The best-selling items in my shop are my large pho bowls and I think the reason for that is that they are unique in the glazing, size, and design. Plus, they come with handcrafted chopsticks and a matching spoon.

Extra Large Pho Bowl Noodle Bowl with Chopsticks and Spoon, Holds 42 oz pottery and ceramics Miso Soup Bowls Ramen Bowl Rice Bowl

Getting sales on Etsy

How long did it take for you to earn your first sale and how do you currently attract customers to your Etsy shop?

My first sale came about six weeks after I set up my shop on Etsy. As I added inventory, the sales came more regularly. Currently, the majority of my sales come from previous customers. I reach out to them about once a month or so with a newsletter and a discount coupon. I use a little social media (Facebook and Instagram) to post photos of new work as well. Having the proper key words, tags, and descriptions has also been really helpful in getting found in Etsy searches. And I use links in all of my listings to direct people to other sections of my shop.

Managing BlueSkyPotteryCO

How do you manage your shop? Are you running solo or do you have any team members? What tools or services do you use to run your shop and how do you handle fulfillment?

It’s just me doing everything. I make the work, photograph and inventory it, post it in my shop and on social media, do my own bookkeeping, and handle my own shipping.

Tools and apps I use include the editing programme:
Apple’s photo editing programme that came with my Imac
Pixelmator app for photos
Quickbooks for bookkeeping
Pirate Ship for Shipping
UPS and USPS apps for shipping labels

The future of BlueSkyPotteryCO

What goals do you have for your shop in the future?

After moving twice in the past two years, I had to sell all my inventory and start over. My goal is to get back to pre-Covid inventory and sales.

Advice for new sellers

What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?

Study other shops that are similar to yours, especially the successful ones. See how they photograph their items, write their descriptions, and use key words. Don’t copy, but use their information for reference; make your shop unique to you.

Read the very informative articles that Etsy provides in the seller’s manual. It’s quite good.

Understand that there is a lot of competition on Etsy for all product categories, so instant sales probably won’t happen. It takes time and effort to build up a good reputation for quality products, good customer service, and unique and sought-after items.

Repeat customers are key. They help keep sales coming, good reviews coming, and word-of-mouth advertising for you among their friends, family, and colleagues who see them using your items.

Alura Team
Alura Team

Alura is your all-in-one platform for selling on Etsy. With more $500.000+ gross sales over four years selling on Etsy, Alura is built by experienced sellers for sellers. Start with a free account and explore all the features you need to start, run, and grow your Etsy shop.