[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ specialty=”on” padding_top_1=”80px” padding_top_bottom_link_1=”false” padding_left_right_link_1=”false” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”3px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ specialty_columns=”2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_row_inner _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”||-34px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column_inner saved_specialty_column_type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_post_title meta=”off” featured_image=”off” _builder_version=”4.19.5″ title_font=”Montserrat|700|||||||” title_text_color=”#000000″ title_font_size=”46px” title_line_height=”1.2em” title_font_size_tablet=”50px” title_font_size_phone=”24px” title_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_post_title][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][et_pb_row_inner column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column_inner type=”1_2″ saved_specialty_column_type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.5″ text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”1.8em” max_width=”600px” module_alignment=”center” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Blue Skies has branded itself as \u201cthe place for the perfect little gift.\u201d An independent shop in Chattanooga\u2019s Northshore district, the inventory is whimsical, imaginative, and always changing: A ceramic whale vase for small succulent plants. Paper star lanterns. Keychains made out of recycled license plates. Silver lithograph necklaces. Tote bags and coin purses rocking the likeness of Dolly Parton and Ruth Bader Ginsberg. And, a long-time Chattanooga favorite, handmade ceramic flowers by Blue Skies employee Denise Shropshire.<\/span><\/p>\n In 2022, the most sought after items at Blue Skies seem to be bronze botanical artisan jewelry by Michael Michaud and Chattanooga-inspired stickers, says inventory manager Denise Shropshire. An artist herself, Shropshire creates handmade ceramic flowers for the store.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column_inner][et_pb_column_inner type=”1_2″ saved_specialty_column_type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/explorechatt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Blue-Skies-18.jpg” title_text=”Blue-Skies-18″ align=”center” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ module_alignment=”center” hover_enabled=”0″ box_shadow_style=”preset2″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/explorechatt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Blue-Skies-4.jpg” title_text=”Blue-Skies-4″ align=”center” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ module_alignment=”center” hover_enabled=”0″ box_shadow_style=”preset2″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/explorechatt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/IMG_5084.jpg” title_text=”IMG_5084″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ custom_margin=”|-9vw|||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ box_shadow_style=”preset2″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Testimonials” _builder_version=”4.19.5″ use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_direction=”90deg” background_color_gradient_stops=”#ffffff 70%|rgba(218,168,254,0.16) 70%|#75bded 100%” background_color_gradient_start=”#ffffff” background_color_gradient_start_position=”70%” background_color_gradient_end=”#ffc077″ background_color_gradient_end_position=”0%” custom_padding=”0px||3px|||” background_last_edited=”on|phone” use_background_color_gradient_phone=”on” background_color_gradient_stops_phone=”#ffffff 94%|#75bded 99%” background_color_gradient_start_position_phone=”95%” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”900px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/explorechattmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/magazine-18.png” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”||50px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ text_font=”Cardo||||||||” text_text_color=”#2a2a2a” text_font_size=”35px” text_line_height=”1.4em” text_font_size_tablet=”36px” text_font_size_phone=”24px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n \u201cI know exactly how many I\u2019ve made,\u201d she says with a gentle giggle, reflecting on a decade of partnership with Blue Skies. \u201cI\u2019ve made over 4,000 flowers.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”1.8em” max_width=”600px” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Shropshire became an artist at age 35 when she received pottery lessons from a local artist as a birthday gift. Now 61, she\u2019s created a collector\u2019s item that has gone home with thousands of Chattanooga visitors. For Shropshire, each ceramics session begins with three pounds of clay and a flat roller. She textures the clay with lace and leaves before cutting, drying, and firing. Each flower is a standard daisy and varies by color and size.<\/span><\/p>\n Shropshire says many of her stoneware daisies are purchased by customers annually as a birthday gift for themselves or a friend. Others use the flowers as an alternative to fresh flowers, displaying them in small vases or glasses, or adding them to flower pots as an accent at home.<\/span><\/p>\n Located on Frazier Avenue adjacent to Coolidge Park, Blue Skies is also known for its window displays. In October, you can find the store\u2019s iconic Halloween skeletons posed with a message specific to something significant to the community. One year, the skeletons promoted voter turnout in elections. Another year, they championed saving the nearby post office from closure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/b>Shropshire says Blue Skies aims to offer items no one else is selling in town, establishing relationships with artists and vendors who will agree to only contract with their store in Chattanooga. This means the items you\u2019ll find in the store cannot be found anywhere else in the Scenic City. For hours of operation, call Blue Skies at 423-266-8010.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Images” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”||14px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row use_custom_gutter=”on” _builder_version=”4.19.5″ width=”100%” max_width=”100%” module_alignment=”right” custom_margin=”||50px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_gallery gallery_ids=”1982,1983,1984,1985″ show_title_and_caption=”off” _builder_version=”4.19.5″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#FFFFFF” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_gallery][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Related Articles” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blog fullwidth=”off” posts_number=”3″ include_categories=”current” show_thumbnail=”off” show_more=”on” show_author=”off” show_excerpt=”off” show_pagination=”off” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ header_font=”Cardo|700|||||||” header_font_size=”22px” header_line_height=”1.4em” meta_font_size=”12px” meta_line_height=”1.8em” read_more_font=”|600||on|||||” read_more_text_color=”#ff2a38″ read_more_font_size=”12px” read_more_letter_spacing=”4px” read_more_line_height=”1.8em” text_orientation=”center” border_color_all=”#e6e6e6″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_blog][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Blue Skies has branded itself as \u201cthe place for the perfect little gift.\u201d An independent shop in Chattanooga\u2019s Northshore district, the inventory is whimsical, imaginative, and always changing: A ceramic whale vase for small succulent plants. Paper star lanterns. Keychains made out of recycled license plates. Silver lithograph necklaces. Tote bags and coin purses rocking […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1987,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1974","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spotlight","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\r\n