Well, what a couple of weeks it’s been! Last week, I took the plunge and opened my first Etsy shop with the intention of selling some of my pottery pieces—small-batch items I make at the pottery studio in South Molton, where I’ve been a member for the past 18 months. I go every week when I can, and I absolutely love it. I love working with clay—the feel of it, the process, the anticipation of how a piece will turn out.
I’m mindful of keeping a balance though. Pottery is a creative escape for me, and I don’t want to turn what is essentially a passion into something that feels like work. The moment a creative hobby becomes an obligation; it can lose the very thing that made it joyful in the first place. But I also found myself facing a practical question: what am I supposed to do with all these things I make?
So, rather than slowing down, I started thinking about how I could shape this into something more intentional - challenging myself to design and refine a small collection of pieces, rather than just making things at random. The idea of creating small, thoughtfully made product lines really appeals to me. It allows me to stay engaged in the making process, keep learning and experimenting, but also share these pieces with others who will appreciate them. I love the idea that something I’ve made could find a home where it’s genuinely used and enjoyed.
This shift feels like a natural evolution rather than a forced leap into something too structured or business-like. For now, I’m taking it one step at a time—making in small batches, seeing what resonates, and letting the process guide me. I’m excited to see where it leads! I’ve even provisionally booked a craft stall in March - will I have enough product ready to sell by then? who knows!!
The idea behind my shop is simple: to sell pieces as and when they’re made, in small, considered batches. I was absolutely over the moon to sell out of my paintbrush rests in the first week on Etsy! I’ll definitely be making more of those, although I was hoping they would fit through a letterbox to keep postage down and they don’t, so I have made some thinner ones, and we’ll see how popular they are. Right now, I’m waiting for a batch of paint palettes to come out of the kiln. Once they’re ready, I’ll glaze them, fire them again, and see how they turn out. There’s always a bit of magic (and mystery!) when it comes to glazing—you never quite know how things will emerge from the kiln, and I love that about pottery.
Setting up an Etsy shop has been a learning experience, full of trial and error—especially when it comes to pricing, packaging, and postage. But I’m enjoying the challenge! My shop is currently empty after my first batch of paintbrush rests sold out, which was such an exciting start. Right now, I’m working on finishing new pieces, and I’ll be sure to share an update as soon as more items are available.
With all this pottery excitement, sketching has taken a bit of a back seat. That said, I’ve been keeping up with my junk journal when inspiration strikes and staying on track with my Revolve project. After eight weeks of sketching corners of my garden, I finally felt that spark again when I spotted my allium bulbs pushing up through the damp soil. And just this week, my Viburnum tinus started flowering beautifully. This particular shrub is a cutting from the mother plant I have elsewhere in the garden—I love propagating plants.
I’ve also finished my Stillman and Birn sketchbook - here’s a flip through-
Well, that’s about it for this week.
I’d love to hear all about your creative endeavours—what have you been working on lately? Any exciting projects, experiments, or ideas taking shape? And what are your weekend plans? Whether you're sketching, painting, pottering around in the garden, or simply soaking up inspiration, feel free to share in the comments. I'd love to see/hear what you're up to!
Take Care,
Nikki x
Can't believe I missed out on your brush rests!! Congrats on such a brilliant start to your etsy shop :) I would love a small palette that would fit in a pocket of my Sendak... I wonder if those ones pictured might! xxx
Wow, how exciting!! I’m a new follower, and I remember seeing your paint brush rests post. It’s so gratifying to hear they sold out! I’m new at being a full time artist, having been showing and selling part-time the past ten years while working a corporate career and raising kids. It’s hard to figure out how to manage all of my “free time” and I’m happy to see an artist going multiple directions AND admitting that the joy becomes a chore once we monetize it. I’ll keep following along on your journey, thanks for bringing us!