Tools I Use To Run My Pottery Etsy Shop

Tools I Use To Run My Pottery Etsy Shop

Back in 2018 I signed up on a whim for a pottery class at our local community studio. John and I had been living in town for a few years at that point, and I was struggling to make friends and to have any kind of socialization in my life aside from my husband. So, I decided that year that I would do something about it. I had grown up riding horses and also went to college for art, so I had an internal discussion with myself debating whether to sign up for horseback riding lessons or a wheel throwing class. In the end, I chose pottery, and I haven’t looked back since.

I now work at Make Waynesboro Clay Studio three days a week—one day for myself (peruse my portfolio here), and the other two days I work as glazing assistant to the studio owner, Jake Johnson. I’ve met so many fun, kind, creative people at the studio, and am grateful that I took that chance seven years ago.

Tools I Use To Run My Pottery Etsy Shop

Tools I Use To Run My Pottery Etsy Shop

Tools I Use To Run My Pottery Etsy Shop

Before COVID, I sold my handmade ceramics work on Etsy, but had to shut down operations when the pandemic forced me to stay home where I couldn’t work on my pottery. But I’ve been back in the studio for years now, and it’s officially time to get back to it! I’ll be reopening the DGD Pottery Etsy shop early next month, and have been busy behind the scenes getting my first collection prepped for sale, not to mention getting my at-home shipping and tagging station all set up.

Today, I thought I’d tell you about the tools that I use to run my pottery Etsy shop in case you’re thinking of starting your own type of product-based ecommerce business. These tips have been picked up and put through rigorous testing over the past year and a half as I’ve helped manage Jake Johnson’s Etsy shop (which you can check out here), so you can trust me when I say that these tools work well.

Tools I Use To Run My Pottery Etsy Shop

Tools I Use To Run My Pottery Etsy Shop

Tools I Use To Run My Pottery Etsy Shop

Tools I Use To Run My Pottery Etsy Shop:

Bluetooth Thermal Shipping Label Printer: When I ran my Etsy shop before, I would always print my shipping labels from my regular computer printer, which meant that I used up a lot of pricey ink and also had to cut each label by hand before taping manually to each box. Jake and I use this thermal label printer for all of his Etsy shipments because it’s super fast and doesn’t require any ink cartridges ever. The labels print to size and have an adhesive back, so no need to break out scissors or packaging tape, either.

Label Maker For Pricing: Jake and I use this compact bluetooth label maker in his studio to price all of his ceramics that go to galleries, and it works really well. You can customize the text, font, and size of what you’re printing in the app, and then print quickly onto adhesive-backed labels. This is also a thermal printer, so no need to fuss with ink cartridges. I don’t necessarily need to physically price things for my own pottery Etsy shop, but I have been using the label maker that I bought for my office to organize the things that go along with running an Etsy shop, like shipping stickers, branding materials (think: business cards, postcards, etc.), backup label paper, pens, and so much more. This label maker is so handy. I use it all the time around our house—not just in my office.

Drawers To Organize All The Little Stuff: Speaking of organization, I also wanted to turn the spotlight on the new 8-Drawer Under-Desk MultiDrawer Steel Cabinet that I recently added to my office from Bisley Store. They kindly gifted this cabinet to me in exchange for social media content, but I wanted to share a little more about it here as a bonus to the brand. I chose the cabinet in the color “Palest Pink” and love the hit of fun personality it gives my office. The eight drawers offer plenty of space for me to store away small things, like all of the markers and stickers I use to decorate my DGD Pottery shipping boxes, plus scissors, tape, etc. The slip-in drawer inserts have made me even more organized. This cabinet is the perfect size for all of my shipping tools, and the top is big enough to hold my shipping label printer. Oh, and I used my smaller label maker to name each drawer on my cabinet based on what’s inside! I really appreciate the multi-functionality of everything I’m using to run my Etsy shop. I’m so much more efficient now than I was back in 2018.

Heads up that the Bisley Store summer sale is running June 20-27! Get 15% off with code “SUMMERSETUP.”

Tools I Use To Run My Pottery Etsy ShopTools I Use To Run My Pottery Etsy Shop

I hope that was helpful, or that it, at least, gives you some insight into what it takes to run an ecommerce shop from home. This is, of course, just a very basic breakdown of all that’s involved, but if I had to pick my top three accessories, those listed above take gold, silver, and bronze medals. Another bonus tip is to use MOO for your business cards and postcards if you like to include those types of things in your shipments. Their pricing is in line with other paper printing brands, but I think the quality is so much better, plus I think that their designs are more modern and unique. Leave a comment below if you have any questions, and keep an eye here on the blog and on Etsy for the official relaunch of my DGD Pottery shop, coming soon!

Tools I Use To Run My Pottery Etsy Shop

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*This post contains affiliate links, which means that I earn a small commission when you purchase products that I recommend at no additional cost to you. This allows me to provide free creative content for you to read, save, and share. Rest assured that I never recommend products we wouldn’t use or don’t already love ourselves.

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Review Of The Rochambeau Roadside Inn

Review Of The Rochambeau Roadside Inn

*Today’s post was made possible by the Rochambeau Roadside Inn, and was part of a gifted overnight stay for the purposes of a candid review. All opinions are my own.

I’d say that my mom and I are seasoned pros when it comes to traveling to Colonial Williamsburg. She and I go two to three times a year, always around her birthday in February, sometimes in late spring, and often in the fall. It’s our “happy place,” and I’ve written at length about why we love this spot in Virginia so much. The short version, though, is that we’re just really drawn to the quiet, untouched nature of it all—from the colorful English-inspired gardens and cobblestone streets, to the painted earth-toned historic homes and bounties of happy birdsong. It’s the type of place where you just find yourself breathing easier (oh, the fresh air!), and we clearly can’t get enough of it.

Since we go so often, Mom and I have pretty established routines, one of which being that we have always stayed “on campus” in the historic area of CW. But this year I started questioning that decision when I happened to spot someone I follow on Instagram post about their stay at the Rochambeau Roadside Inn in Williamsburg. It looked absolutely dreamy, and right in line with my love for approachable modern retro design. So, when the team at Rochambeau got in touch to suggest a partnership, I jumped at the chance to learn more and to, more importantly, step out of my comfort zone by trying something new for a change. I was long overdue.

Review Of The Rochambeau Roadside InnReview Of The Rochambeau Roadside InnReview Of The Rochambeau Roadside Inn

Review Of The Rochambeau Roadside Inn

Review Of The Rochambeau Roadside Inn

Review Of The Rochambeau Roadside Inn

Review Of The Rochambeau Roadside Inn

Review Of The Rochambeau Roadside Inn

The Rochambeau is a recently renovated mid-century motel just a quick 5-minute drive from Colonial Williamsburg’s historic area. After pulling into our reserved spot for the General’s Quarters, which is the suite we booked for the weekend, Mom and I were given a quick tour of a few of the rooms at the Rochambeau. We got to see their Standard King room, a Classic Double room, and their Family Suite, which includes a fun bunk room and king-size bedroom. You’ll see those spaces from our tour pictured below.

It’s clear that the new owners of this historic hotel chose each and every detail with care. The plaid wallpaper, colonial-themed art, vintage-inspired sconces, and even the mid-century-style mini fridges were so thoughtfully curated and considered. It’s “colonial” but with all the modern amenities you’d hope for in 2025, which was so refreshing after staying in older tired hotel rooms on campus the past few years. Frankly, we just didn’t know what we were missing.

Review Of The Rochambeau Roadside InnReview Of The Rochambeau Roadside InnReview Of The Rochambeau Roadside InnReview Of The Rochambeau Roadside InnReview Of The Rochambeau Roadside InnReview Of The Rochambeau Roadside Inn

And then, of course, there was our General’s Quarters suite for the weekend. It was the perfect little oasis! The Quarters’ layout includes a small dining space, bedroom, bathroom, kitchenette, and living room, not to mention our own private outdoor patio. The high sloped ceiling gave this 470-square-foot hotel room a feeling of grandeur, and I really appreciated the modern décor. The floor-to-ceiling open shelving in the kitchenette even came stocked with cool coffee table books that I had so much fun flipping through.

Speaking of, this was our first time ever staying in a hotel that offered a kitchenette, and it might have spoiled us. I love imagining the money-saving possibilities of bringing our own food and groceries to the room so we don’t have to splurge at restaurants for every single meal. You can see what I mean about the charming décor and amenities by scrolling through the photos below.

Review Of The Rochambeau Roadside Inn

Review Of The Rochambeau Roadside InnReview Of The Rochambeau Roadside InnReview Of The Rochambeau Roadside Inn

Review Of The Rochambeau Roadside InnReview Of The Rochambeau Roadside InnReview Of The Rochambeau Roadside Inn

Functionally, the space was a dream, too. The two mini split AC units and mod ceiling fans kept us feeling really comfortable despite the 85-degree heat and high humidity outside, and the bathroom was outfitted with a cool touch-control mirror (linking a similar option here) that allowed us to adjust the temperature and brightness of the light, plus a de-steamer to combat foggy showers. The blush pink/cream shower tiles (like this) are now on my wishlist for our next renovation, too. I loved it all!

We felt super safe throughout our entire visit to the hotel, and the complex was really quiet. The lobby is a must-visit, by the way, with their sweet custom branded wallpaper, delicious Hohl pastries, fresh coffee, and a seating area where you can sneak off to for work and snacking if you’d like. Every single staff member we met on-site was kind, helpful, and knowledgeable. Honestly, we can’t say that about any of the classic older hotels we’ve stayed at right in the historic area of Williamsburg.

Review Of The Rochambeau Roadside Inn

Review Of The Rochambeau Roadside InnReview Of The Rochambeau Roadside InnReview Of The Rochambeau Roadside InnReview Of The Rochambeau Roadside Inn

Review Of The Rochambeau Roadside Inn

Review Of The Rochambeau Roadside Inn

Review Of The Rochambeau Roadside Inn

Trying new things was the “name of the game” for this trip. We stayed at a new hotel (so impressed!), ate at a new-to-us breakfast spot for the first time in a decade (we’ll be back, Hohl!), and we also went to Busch Gardens theme park for the first time in probably 15-20 years for either of us. The Rochambeau offers guests great discounts on Busch Gardens tickets, so make sure you take advantage of that perk. Riding the roller coasters and enjoying the bustling scenery at the theme park was the most fun I’ve had all year.

Big thanks to the Rochambeau team for hosting us this month! We can’t wait to book our trip for the fall. The hardest part will be deciding whether to try one of their other beautiful rooms or going straight back to the General’s Quarters…If you’d like to learn more about our visits to Colonial Williamsburg, including what to do and where to eat, click here for a roundup of past posts, and let me know in the comments if you have travel suggestions of your own for this very historic, relaxing part of Virginia.

Review Of The Rochambeau Roadside Inn

Your DIY Guide To Home Decorating eBook*This post contains affiliate links, which means that I earn a small commission when you purchase products that I recommend at no additional cost to you. This allows me to provide free creative content for you to read, save, and share. Rest assured that I never recommend products we wouldn’t use or don’t already love ourselves.

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