#Selling Guide For Etsy

[backupshop]

The Ultimate Etsy Seller Guide: Tips for Shop Success, SEO, and Growth

Discover the ultimate guide to becoming a successful Etsy seller. Learn strategic tips on shop setup, marketing, customer relations, and driving traffic to your store. Stay ahead in the competitive Etsy marketplace with expert advice tailored for artisans.

[bogleech]

Also going to finally make a pinned post for all my stuff:

BOGLEECH - my tumblr blog is named after this website I created around 2002 and still update. Thousands of pages worth of content focusing on creature design as well as real biology. My review of the original Legend of Zelda monsters might be the most straightforward example of my articles. Links to some of the most popular content:

POKEMON REVIEW ARCHIVE: - I rate and review each and every single Pokemon, in Pokedex order, on its merits as a creature design. I also do so as someone whose favorite animals are all parasites.

DIGIMON REVIEW ARCHIVE - same, but more chaotic.

CREEPYPASTA COOKOFF ARCHIVE - for several years I hosted a yearly writing contest before it grew too big for me to keep up with. There are over a thousand user submitted horror, fantasy, sci fi and surrealist stories here emphasizing unconventional, original ideas you seldom see from the "creepypasta" community!

The original "MORTASHEEN" Monster Archive - since the early 2000's I've created and illustrated more than 800 creatures and counting for my own monster-catching world, now set for release as a tabletop RPG setting.

AWFUL HOSPITAL: SERIOUSLY THE WORST EVER (page one): an interactive comedy-horror-sci-fi webcomic I started in 2014 about a medical facility that could maybe be better.

Some of my other internet stuff:

PATREON - constant work makes my patreon updates inconsistent, but the content backlog goes back years with a huge amount of exclusive art and writing. I try to put up new exclusive stuff whenever I can.

ETSY - I design all sorts of original enamel pins like these, plus I sell zero-maintenance terrarium plants (just leave them in a jar!), original books and other things!

COLOR THE ABYSS (available on the above etsy!) - a 30 page educational deep sea coloring book! Includes a few famous favorites like giant isopods and hagfish, but mostly focuses on less popular, often much weirder animals.

UNBELIEVABLE BUGS - also regularly restocked in the etsy store, 30 of the strangest and most surprising arthropods most people have likely never heard of, illustrated by myself and @revretch, written for even the youngest kids to understand (but will likely teach you something new at any age)

My Itch.io and Ko-fi - both sell digital versions of my books, including some creepypasta collections and my first novel, "Return of the Living," about a world of entirely ghosts suddenly dealing with the appearance of ghost-hunting monsters.

TWITCH CHANNEL - I now try to stream something at least monthly, sometimes weekly when possible, from horror games to books and art.

YOUTUBE CHANNEL - archives my twitch streams and other little things.

INSTAGRAM - look at pictures of my huge weird collection of toys and Halloween collectibles

BLUESKY - I'm going to put mainly just updates to my stuff on here. SEE ALSO:

HUMANS-B-GONE - a science fiction animated series by my partner @revretch, about a world of kaiju-size, technologically advanced insects and arachnids to whom vertebrates like us are just pesky little "gubs." Also has a tumblr account @humansbgone FINALLY, HERE'S MY GUIDE AND RESOURCE TO MAKING YOUR OWN INTERNET WEBSITE IN A FEW MINUTES WITH NO KNOWLEDGE OF CODING

[little-lucub]

HELLO OTHERKIN/THERIANS/ALTERHUMANS/NONHUMANS/OTHERLINKERS/OTHERPAW!! DO YOU WANT TO BUY AN ETHICAL TAIL BUT DON'T KNOW WHERE? IM HERE TO GIVE YOU TIPS!

Okay I'll stop talking in caps now, but here you have my tail guide for any and all people who just want a tail!

Cruel fur farms treat their animals badly, and it's best to avoid them. Here are some tips on how to spot cruel farms from the ethically sourced ones! (Most tips from here!)

Disclaimer: I would only be wary of items if they show more than 2 of these signs. Just do research before you buy!

Signs that indicate a cruel source:

- Sold/Sourced from Asia (Asia has bad animal cruelty laws, here's a list per country on how good their animal rights are)

- From Wish, AliExpress, Amazon, Temu or EBay (Even the 'faux fur' ones can be real and cruel)

- If they use stock photos

- Asian lobster clams (This does not always indicate cruelty)

- If they look thin, small, and generally unhealthy

- Any usage of 'mink farms' in desc.

- If they are bleached or colored

- If the price is low (Under 20-25)

- No info about source (Always ask the seller if you're not sure)

Signs that indicate ethical source:

- Scraps that were being thrown away otherwise (Should be in item description or FAQ)

- Lived long and happy lives (Item description or FAQ)

- Thick, healthy tails

- Population control/Legal hunters (With a permit)

Now I'll show a few Etsy shops I've confirmed to be Ethically sourced!

WolfBoyGirl

^ Cute animal tails with charms

Prices: €28,48 - €68,35

FoxintheForestAU

^ Coyote & Possum tails, would check each item separately to be sure :3

Prices: €11,49 - €38,30

Disclaimer! These do not come with clips, you have to add them yourselves

HandmadeFromNaturFur

^ Fox tails of all colors

Prices: €25,42 - €55,07

VeluwsCuriosities

^ Fox tails

Prices: €23,94

IowaFinestFurs

^ Raccoon, mink, coyote, raccoon dog/tanuki, skunk & lynx tails! (tw for a lot of animal pelts)

Prices: €8,57 - €19,98

Disclaimer! These do not come with clips, you have to add them yourselves

Etsy shops that sell faux fur tails!

scopermanstar

^ Variety faux fur tails with squeakers in them! Foxes/Canines, wild cats & nub tails!

Prices: €22,78 - €235,36 (Most are around €30-€40)

Cosearparty (Currently not selling items, sorry!) ^ Faux fur cosplay tails & ears (Mainly the bigger ones like cheetah, snow leopard, etc.)

Prices: €25,63 - €102,52 (Most are around <40 and are often tail + ears combo)

If you know any other ethical/faux fur Etsy shops, please link them and I'll add them here! :D

[bluev0id]

~ What's coming your way? ~

I'm bored at my friend's graduation ceremony, so here's a little reading! Pick one of the four combinations of stones ♡

🌸 Check out my ETSY(link) where I sell jewelry made with these pendants 🌸

1. Green agate + iridescent seashells

If you've been feeling not like yourself or missing something in your life, you will experience a return of what was lost. Expect a wholesome time in nature or engaging in your cultural or family traditions. If you haven't had time for hobbies or enjoying time by yourself, it will be a wonderful period where you'll be able to create, daydream and have some relaxing self care time. Someone from the past might return and you'll be able to fix the broken. On the other side, if you've been experiencing injustice or a lack of order, this will be sorted out.

Keywords : bringing it back, the way it should be, sunshine, traditions, to belong

2. White seashell and opals

There's high expectations on you either from others or yourself. You will want to be on your grind, trying to have a breakthrough. I do sense that there will be a feeling of lack that will guide you through this experience, so make sure to exercise and let go that nagging feeling inside of you that's saying that you're not doing enough. Don't push yourself over the limit. You will be taking life seriously and desiring all the nice things. There might be a woman in your life who will play a major role during this time. Reflect on where your desires come from and what are the things in life that last and matter the most, because through that you’ll be able to reach the paradise you're seeking.

Keywords: lazy, not enough, money, status, a woman

3. Pearls

A period of melancholy is coming your way. You might find yourself crying over memories or enjoying late night walks, staring at the moon through the window before bed. But it's not sadness you'll feel. It's the knowing that life passes and you have to move on and that being alive, despite all the hardship, is beautiful. You will long for someone to be there for you is it a friend or a past/long distance lover, and I see them trying to support you as much as they can. You'll receive sudden kindness from strangers or close ones during this period of your life.

Keywords: love, goodbye, warmth, memories, church, mistakes

4. Red and white agate stones

Honestly, you are that bitch. And your friends love you. I see a period of confidence, support and power coming your way. Your friends or people around you will have your back if you're ready to stand up for them as well. You'll feel empowerment by realising your influence and won't be afraid to speak your mind. When you reply late, you'll have people wondering where you are and if everything is alright. Community and good communication. If you're currently lacking close relationships, then I sense a group of individuals entering your life and being on the same wave as you.

Keywords: shepherd, fuck the rest, parties, friends, pick me up when I'm down

🌸 MY ETSY 🌸

[the-clumsywitch]

So, you just realized you're a witch...

Well here's a guide to some things you might find helpful.

If it's something tangible, chances are you might already own some of these things, if not please don't stress about getting them. For some items I will include stores that you can find them as well as price points using the dollar symbol.

Candles

These can be in the form of chime candles, pillar, taper, glass, votive, tea light, etc.

You can get them in various colors but if you are trying to save money you can get white candles. And add your intention and herbs (or just your intention) to achieve your desired outcome.

They can be found at:

The Dollar Tree ($)- Best for votive, pillar, taper, tea light, jar, floating, and glass candles. They can often be found in multiple colors and scents.

Michael's craft store ($-$$) - Best for tall/large pillar and taper candles.

JoAnn Craft store ($-$$)- Best for the same candles as Michael's craft store.

Metaphysical shops ($-$$) - Chime candles and speciality candles such as glass candles with writing on them (exp: love, Orisha, justice candles) and figure candles.

Stores that sell scented candles ($$) - Examples of stores like this are Bath & Body Works and Yankee Candles. These are best for looking for candles that have scents that correspond with your particular spell. For instance, if you're doing a peace spell you may want to look for a candle that smells of lavender or a candle that puts you in a peaceful state of mind regardless of the scent name or ingredients.

Incense

Incense are excellent for air magick and you can often find them rather cheaply in most stores. I personally try to find them as toxin free as possible but you purchase what incense makes the most sense for you. Just as with candle scents, look for incense that either corresponds with your spell by the herb they are supposed to smell like or by feeling.

The Dollar Tree ($) - The ones I've been too have mainly been good for chakra incense.

Etsy ($) - There are multiple sellers with a lot of different scents and quite a few with free shipping!

Magick.com ($)

Amazon ($)

Metaphysical store ($)

Herbs

If you decide that you want to work with herbs you can usually get away with the ones you already have. However, I would caution against burning herbs that aren't organic but of course that is your decision to make. Some places to get herbs are:

The Dollar Tree (they don't have organic but they have a decent selection)

Your local grocery store

Target

Walmart

Metaphysical store

Note: If you can't find the herb you may want to consider using the essential oil instead. Only use a drip of the essential oil. You can also get a tea bag with the herb you need, rip it open, and use that.

Nail Polish

Color magick is the main thing here, but I have come across some scented nail polishes as well. Either way, you can choose a color and/or scent that corresponds to your spell. Here are some affordable brands (by that I mean the polishes from their main collection are not over $10.)

Wet n' Wild

Esssie

LA Colors

Revlon

Sally Hansen

L'Oreal

CoverGirl

L.A. Girl

Cosmetics

I know a lot of people typically include nail polish in this group but I tend to save this category for things such as lipstick, eyeshadow, eyeliner, and blush. Once again, the main purpose of this category is color magick but it can also be used for glamour magick. Some brands are:

elf cosmetics ($)

Wet n' Wild ($)

Revlon ($) - Mainly their lipsticks

Rimmel ($) - Lipstick and Blush

Nyx ($)

Revolution Beauty ($)

Essence Cosmetics ($)

Divination

If you are interested in divination there are so many types that you can easily find one that you connect with. Some forms of divination are:

Bibliomancy

Pyromancy

Tarot, oracle, and playing cards

Osteomancy

Water scrying

Crystal scrying

Mirror scrying

Automatic Writing

Tasseomancy

Pendulums

Types of Magick/Witches

It is not necessarily important that you pick a particular type of magick but I think some witches take being able to study multiple types of magick at once for granted. Not everyone is able to maintain focus while looking at magick as a whole, that's why I think separating magick and witches into types can be helpful. This is by no means a complete list but it's a start.

Celestial/cosmic magick

Elemental magick

Green witch

Hedge witch

Water magick

Earth magick

Air magick

Fire magick

Draconic witch

Eclectic witch

Lunar magick

Solar magick

Fairy magick

Kitchen magick

Sea witch

Candle magick

Ceremonial magick

This is by no means a comprehensive list and I will likely add more things to it over time or create more lists similar to this one. But I hope this was at least somewhat helpful!

-Erika, The Clumsy Witch

[hometoursandotherstuff]

I found the plans for free, on Pinterest, for a fabulous DIY Gothic cat castle (they sell the plans on Etsy). It's made out of carboard, then you can cover it with carpet, cork, etc., if you like.

[maythedreadwolftakeyou]

i’m a parody of myself…

but yeah i wanted to do a scaled down/simplified version of my Hierophant embroidery design to test out different background color options. The one I originally made ended up a lot more teal/blue toned than the original art, and I do love how it looks in the final product, but it’s definitely a step away from the original tarot card. Threads just look so different in the fabric than on a rack… I think these are a lot closer though I’m not 100% satisfied with the blue I picked for the top row tbh.

Part of why I’m testing this is also because I finally made an etsy shop to sell the embroidery patterns I’ve made :) So many people asked over the years and since I finally got my act together and wrote up a pdf guide I can actually start sharing them now. So I’d like to have an “alternate colors” thread list I can throw in for people who want to make either the larger or smaller design and have it match the tarot card more closely.

[askgravityfallsed]

THE YEAR IS 2019… WELCOME TO GRAVITY FALLS: ETERNAL DEVOTION AU Return To The Falls RP Edition

Related accounts set in 2012: @formerquestionmarkmp, @dippers-guide-to-the-strange, @pocketsfullofglitter, @queenplatinumpaz2012.

CHARACTER INFORMATION:

Mason “Dipper” Marth Pines:

Age: 19 years old

Pronouns: He/They

Identity: Bisexual, Non-Binary

Fiancé: Paz Southeast

Online College Student

Stoner

Well known ghost hunter in the area

Mabel David Pines:

Age: 19 years old

Pronouns: She/It/Pink/Meow/Oink

Identity: Cis, Aroace

Shroom addict (Don’t tell mom!)

Sells knitted sweaters and scarves, as well as Kandy bracelets, on Etsy

Pastel Goth/Scene mixture… I don't know either man.

Stanley Caryn McGucket-Pines:

Age: 67 years old

Pronouns: He/Him

Identity: Cis Bisexual

Husband: Fiddleford McGucket-Pines

Usually out sailing with Ford and Fidds

Kept his mullet in honor of his nieces old nickname

Owns five “#1 Dad” Mugs. Four from Soos, one from his niece.

Stanford Filbrick Pines:

Age: 67 years old

Pronouns: He/It (Only uses it due to Bills effect on him)

Identity: Cis Gay

Space Divorced TM both Fidds and Bill on separate occasions

Formerly brainwashed by Bill- barely resisting getting back together with him

Can not handle The Lust TM

Paz Elliot Southeast:

Age: 19 years old

Pronouns: He/Him

Identity: Bisexual Transgender

Fiancé: Mason Pines

Only recently found out he was trans- binds and cut his hair, but that’s about it

Steals Dippers clothes a lot. They’re his now actually.

Will never, ever admit to being the bottom of the relationship even if they’ve been together six years and it’s obvious as fuck.

Working for Greasys Diner

Jesus “Soos” Ramírez:

Age: 29 years old

Pronouns: He/Him

Identity: Cishet

Wife: Melody Ramírez

Stan is his dad figure, duh

Melody and him have a son named Diego

Cried like a baby the first time the twins referred to him as their uncle

Wendy Blerble Corduroy:

Age: 22 years old

Pronouns: She/He

Identity: Cis Bisexual Lesbian

Dippers weed dealer. Why are you shocked

Barely looks any different than she looked at age fifteen… except she ties her shirt into a crop top to show off her stomach tattoo of an axe.

Hottest lesbo on the block, according to nobody but her friend group

Robert “Robbie” Stacy Valentino:

Age: 23 years old

Age During Death: 15 years old

Pronouns: He/Him

Identity: Cis, Bi-curious (will not admit this)

Somehow befriended Paz. Neither know how nor want to admit it, but they have movie nights where they do each others nails and makeup and cry to metal music.

Zombie. Walking corpse even. Yep, we’re leaning into THAT old theory.

Still beefing with Dipper for literally no reason. Even Dipper doesn’t hate him at this point he just likes annoying him. They’re like brothers honestly.

Gideon Charles Gleeful:

Age: 17 years old

Pronouns: She/Her

Identity: Trans lesbian

Ex-Ciphertology child cultist

Despite this she still cries over the fact that Bill finds her annoying

She can’t really find anything to do with herself anymore since weirdmaggedon and highschool so she’s really fucking bitter.

Fiddleford Hadron McGucket-Pines:

Age: 69 years old (haha funny number)

Pronouns: He/Him

Identity: Cis Gay

Husband: Stanley McGucket Pines

Him and Emma May were actually beards- still occasionally in contact.

Was forced into a polyamorous marriage with Bill and Ford- eventually divorced them for MANY reasons

Seriously this guys got some BAD C-PTSD to be honest

Martha Winona Pines:

Age: 38 years old

Pronouns: She/Her

Identity: Cis Aromantic Bisexual

Ex-Husband: David Patterson

Has even WORSE C-PTSD from being Bills former puppet for like seven ish years

Literally so fucking grumpy about his return but NOBODY will let her murder him so she’s decided on verbal assault

Loves her kids soooooo so much

Calls Stan “Uncle Mullet”

William “Bill” Lu Cipher:

Age: ??????????????????? centuries old.

Pronouns: He/They/It- anything masculine or gender neutral

Identity: What a boring concept

Former triangle, now human for redemption- can only reincarnate if fully reformed, though he will never fully be forgiven for what he’s done, so he’s stuck this way til this body dies.

Can’t use his powers anymore- not even floating, which he hates a LOT

Misses Ford soooooo much…. Fucking loser.

BOUNDARIES:

13+ interactions only

Currently Gideon is still a minor, and I’m only a teenager, so please keep the NSFW to a minimum. Suggestive is fine, though.

DNI inc3st/p3do proshippers, p3do/m4p, transph0bic, hom0phobic, or r4cist people. You are not welcome here.

Please be respectful to me, the mod. You can be mean to characters, not to me. I do not appreciate hostility

Here and Here are the Casting Call links for the Eternal Devotion podcasts, please consider helping out with voice acting or even writing!

[mathysphere]

I'm going to have a booth at a festival this weekend!

It'll be the Monarch Festival in Fort Wayne, Indiana-- this Sunday, September 8th, from 12pm to 5pm -- a festival to celebrate the monarch migration that passes through the marsh this time of year. There'll be monarch viewings, guided hikes, free milkweed plants, a bunch of learning stations... and also my friends and I selling patterns and art!

I'll have kits of this and another pattern (a little spotted frog!), along with some handmade pocket guides to the animals of the marsh.

If any of y'all happen to be in the area, and you'd like to learn more about monarchs and marshes, feel free to come say hi!

This pattern (along with the frog one) will be up in my Etsy after the festival is over-- and any extra kits, if I have them 🦋

[luulapants]

The Ultimate "You Busted Your Shit" Gift Guide

While I'm doing my second stint in busted legs hell, here's some stuff that I recommend as gifts for people you know who have busted their shit in the broken legs kind of way:

The Only Good Wheelchair Cupholder I had a graveyard of shitty cupholders at one point. There are so many bad ones. This is the good one. The ONLY good one. It straps onto any bar on the chair, rotates to the direction you need, and folds flat so it doesn't increase the chair's footprint. It's adjustable so you can fit different sized beverages in it.

Fleecy toe cover for casts I get why they leave the toes open on casts, but it's also cruel and unusual to leave bare the one part of my body that is always cold no matter what. This lady makes really cute, soft, colorful toe covers for casts, and you can get them with fleecy insides. Her shop also sells pads for crutches.

Wheelchair bag This bills itself as a side bag, but I found it mostly got in my way there. Instead, I have it strapped to the front of my chair so I access it between my legs. It makes it easy to keep my phone, wallet, etc. both guarded and easily accessible. Also it has LOTS of pockets.

Wheelchair foot sling This thing is amazing and I've never seen anything like it except from this one Etsy shop. If you have foot mobility enough to hold your foot on the sling and don't want to have bulky foot plates that increase the footprint of your chair, consider this sling! It allows your legs to rock slightly, which keeps them from cramping up from being stuck in one position and allows better blood flow. I got one after I was out of a cast last time, so I could exercise in my chair, and it's still useful now that I'm back in a cast, because I can keep my good foot up and out of the way.

Car handle Transferring in and out of a car is tricky, and this handle makes it a lot less stressful. It hooks into the metal door latch on the side of the open door, it's durable enough to hold basically your whole weight if need be, and it's at a better angle to reach than the 'oh shit handle' at the top of the door. Then you just stow it in the door pocket.

Wedge pillow First off, these wedge pillows are all criminally expensive, and if I ever find the person responsible for making them that expensive, I'm gonna mow them down with my wheelchair. Your best bet is to ask around and see if someone else has one from an old injury that you can use. If you need to buy one, this one is good because it fits both legs and it has handles so you can scootch it up easily.

[mamawasatesttube]

as for kon future careers, i pingpong between several ideas tbh. haven't settled on a single particular one. but my favorite options:

planetarium guide. let him talk to kids about space!!! he loves space and he's great with kids.

high school biology teacher. he's especially passionate abt the genetics unit. <3

taking over the farm. i mean this one's obvious right?? he's a farm boy, and he Loves smallville.

carpenter/handyman. i think he might do this on the side anyways bc he's just good at it. ttk babey

hobby artist. similarly, i think he just has a lil etsy or whatever where he sells some of the ridiculous quantities of ttk fibercrafts he makes in his spare time

veterinarian. he can literally just put his hand on a dog and go "ah, i see... your tummy hurts because you swallowed some string..."

children's librarian. he would love to get the next generation into star trek: the next generation

contract lawyer. inspired by @clarkkent-irons!! he specializes in the contracts of kids in the entertainment industry.

bioethics lawyer/bioethicist. he has some pretty fucking strong feelings about the personhood of clones, so i mean... put that to use babey.

and, as a bonus, something he does as a hero:

EMT training. i think he just shows up to a class one day at some metropolis EMT school, in full costume, like. hi. i have tactile telekinesis that i know i can use to manipulate people's bodies. please teach me how to use it to save lives.

[omgthatdress]

A GUIDE TO COLLECTING BAKELITE AND OTHER EARLY PLASTICS WHEN YOU ARE A BROKE-ASS BITCH

When I first came across Bakelite jewelry, it was on 1stdibs.com, which is a high-end resale & vintage website that sells stuff that is pretty much entirely out of my price range. I saw Bakelite was popular on there, and kind of assumed that it was one of those fashion things that would always be too expensive for me to own.

BUT I was wrong. Everything in the above collection was $45 or less (excepting the cherry amber necklace, which I still got at a huge bargain and I will get into later).

As a fat girl, vintage clothes tend to be out of the question for me simply because plus-size vintage is incredibly hard to find and generally expensive. Because of that, I go in for vintage accessories, and I've found Bakelite jewelry to be my favorite.

If you find spending $45 on jewelry to still be too expensive, or you want something that has the same look as the more expensive pieces at a more affordable price, Etsy has loads of shops that sell "fakelite" or "fab-a-lite" jewelry that generally goes for around $15 a piece.

All that being said, Bakelite is incredibly addictive. Begin collecting at your own risk because once you start learning about it and getting into it, you WILL end up wanting more!

[b4by-bee]

Your Pacifier and You

Hello, all! Whether you call them pacifiers, pacis, binkies, dummies, suckees, or anything else, a lot of regressors use them, and I know that sometimes, it's hard to find information about them and how to take care of them, disassemble them, etc etc. Most of the information I've found has been from confused people asking questions. So I thought, since I've had to learn this all by myself, I'd make a comprehensive guide to help out regressors and caregivers alike! Hopefully, someone finds this helpful!

What makes up a pacifier?

Let's start with the basics! A standard adult pacifier is made up of 4 parts; a shield, a button, a ring/handle, and a teat/nipple.

There's some unique designs out there, of course, but this is the typical one you'll find for sale.

The teat is the part that, since it goes into your mouth, will be worn out the fastest, so it's worth learning about it, in case you need to replace it. The one pictured here is a latex Nuk 5 (my mouth is a little smaller). TYPICALLY, you will receive a silicone Nuk 6. They come in many different sizes, and you can get some REALLY big ones! Between the two, silicone is more durable and lasts much longer, but latex is a bit softer, so neither is better, it's up to personal preference and what's available in the size you want! Obviously also be wary of latex allergies.

Where do I find one?

Unfortunately, these aren't usually something you'll find in a store. But fortunately, you'll find lots of places online selling them! My personal favorites are Etsy (all kinds of small business with something unique), My Inner Baby (good variety and actually has Nuk 5s for sale), and Pacifier Addict (good variety and almost exclusively pacifiers), but there's tons more websites online! Though, I always recommend to look at them when you aren't regressed, or getting someone else bigger to look for you if you can, because sometimes they have NSFW things, too. Always be careful! Most will have discreet shipping, but it's always worth a quick message or email to check if you're not sure!

I have my pacifier now! How do I take care of it?

Pacifiers are something that, to a regressor who uses them, are very special. And it's always good to take care of something you care about! The best ways (besides being careful with any paint or decorations) to take care of it are cleaning it, and storing it.

Ideally, you should clean it before and after you use it every time. Buuuuuut that's not always possible, and sometimes just tedious and boring. So, I would recommend getting some pacifier wipes, or even just baby wipes (just make sure they are fragrance free, and ideally without any lotions), giving it a quick wipe, and then using it, and just taking it apart to clean once a week or so, or if you drop it or notice it's really dirty. As long as you do that, and store it well when you aren't using it, you should be a-OK!

Alternatively, as long as there's no decorations held in place by glue, you CAN boil it. But that's not really necessary, just warm water and dish soap is enough!

How should I store it?

Storing a pacifier is important to keeping it safe when you aren't using it! There's lots of ways to do it, but I'll just share a few, as well as what's good and bad about them all!

1: Denture case. These are usually cheap and easy to find (I got mine at Walmart), and come with a little dunker that can make for easy cleaning! You can also paint them to look however you want, like I have here! (just make sure it's non-toxic paint and has some sort of clear coat to seal it if it'll get wet). The downside is that it's bulkier and less discreet, but can still be passed off as something to hold small trinkets

2. A commercial pacifier holder. You'll find this in the baby section of stores. This is helpful to clip on the outside of a bag. This one says it holds 2 pacifiers, and is juuuust big enough to hold 1 adult sized one. The downsides are that it'll bend the teat, making it wear out quicker, and isn't a great seal, so dust might still get in

3. Folding sunglasses case. I found this at Dollar Tree, and it's the perfect size! It zips completely closed, so no dust will get in. You will have to bend the teat, though, which wears it out faster.

4. Secret pocket in a stuffed animal. By far the cutest option, I've got Koibito-chan here modeling this option! This can be a fun way to hide one, and most people don't think to look in a stuffed animal, so it's the sneakiest! And you can make the pocket as big or small as you like, so no worries about bending anything! But you may need to use a mesh bag or something to prevent fibers and hairs from getting all over the teat, and it can be stressful to do surgery on a stuffed animal. But if this one appeals to you, I'll link a tutorial. I used velcro for the pocket on mine. Just be careful when sewing!

There's lots more ways to store them, but hopefully, this gives you a good idea of what to look for in a storage space. Some Etsy stores even offer to include a storage box with one!

I want to clean it/the teat deflated/I need to replace the teat, etc! How do I take it apart?

This is the one I've seen the most confusion on, but don't worry! It's got a trick to it, but once you know the trick, it's really easy to do! Generally, you'll only need to take it apart to clean or if the teat deflates (which happens sometimes!)

Step 1: Pull on where the ring connects to the button on one side, until it pulls free. BE GENTLE, there are very tiny plastic parts that can snap if you aren't

Step 2: Move it away from the hole, and now pull the OTHER side. BE GENTLE AGAIN, those little plastic tabs can snap, and they hold the whole thing together!

Step 3: Once the ring is free, pull on the button, and it should come right out.

Step 4: Pull the teat off the button. And now it's completely apart!

To reassemble, just follow the steps backwards! Putting the teat back on the button might give you a little trouble until you're used to it, but just use a long fingernail or a thin, blunt tool to push it into place, as long as it isn't sharp!

How to know when something needs to be replaced

Generally, the plastic parts of your pacifier should last you forever! Only replace those if something is broken on them. The teat, however, gets a LOT of use, especially if you use your pacifier often. If you use it every day, it's not a bad idea to plan to replace the teat every year. But regardless of timing, make sure to replace the teat if:

-You notice any discoloration

-There's a weird smell

-There's a weird taste

-There's a weird texture

-The shape doesn't seem right

For example, these are 3 of mine. The left is brand new latex, just came in today and hasn't even been used. Some are already cloudy, and some are clear, so just keep in mind what's normal for yours. The middle one is one I've had for a bit, so it's a little cloudy, but it's still fine, it just needs to be replaced soon, in the next month or two. And the right is an older latex one. It's a lot cloudier, and feels rough when I suck on it, so it needs to be replaced before I should use it again.

Anything else to keep in mind?

-If you fall asleep with yours, or drop it a lot, look into a pacifier clip! It'll keep it from falling on the ground and getting too dirty, and it looks cute!

-Be careful with any materials you use to decorate it, and then be careful with the decorations! Make sure it's non-toxic since it'll be close to your mouth, and don't use too much heat when cleaning it if there's glue!

-You can have as many or as few as you like. If you only want one (or none!), that's okay! If you want a new one every day, that's okay, too! There's no rules about it. Just make sure you take care of yourself before worrying about getting one! You don't wanna buy one and then not have enough money for yummy snacks!

-Be careful if you live with family, roommates, or anyone else who wouldn't approve or you just don't want to know. Make sure it's well hidden if you need to, or skip out on one until you live somewhere else if it wouldn't be safe. Worry about your safety first and foremost!

-You CAN use ones for actual babies, but it can hurt your teeth if you do, so I still recommend getting an adult sized one, or at least one you can swap the teat with.

That's all I have on a guide! Hope this was helpful, and I hope you have a good day today!