by TangledBlue
Shopping for BDSM goodies with someone you love is an adventure. Many BDSM stores online offer mass produced products, but if you are looking for something extra special, Etsy has great finds that are exceptionally well made and unique.
The first collar my Dom presented me came from a pet store. It was pink, actually a dog collar, and itched. It had lovely sentiment, but I didn’t feel the way I thought I would with it around my neck. I wanted to feel owned, cherished, and submissive. Instead, I felt like a back alley pet store reject kitten, and the collar seemed more like a dress up prop than a symbol of commitment. I talked to my Dom about my feelings, and after a spanking for being a brat, we began to shop! I turned to Etsy first.
Handmade items resonate with me because I believe in supporting artists, and I appreciate an object more when I know that another person put care into it. Etsy has tons of BDSM items and we soon found an exquisite collar that was prrrrfect. Wearing it makes me feel like an owned kitten, and it enhances my relationship.
Your Kinky Friends reached out to some the wonderful artists of Etsy. We wanted to share with you some great shops. Each artist was given the same three questions to answer about their Etsy shops so that our kinky friends could get to know them better.
Jan Maartensen
I stumbled upon this Etsy site when I was doing a bit of dream shopping. Many kittens would love a little cage to call their own, and I was checking out beds that had “storage” underneath. I found a gorgeous bed on this site, and I peek at it often. This shop has adult baby beds, bondage furniture, and a super cool head box. It’s well worth checking out if you are in the market to make your dungeon dreams a reality.
Tell us what makes your store unique.
I first started exploring my own curiosities by building things in my garage which had been converted to a shop. I showed some finished products to a long time friend who encouraged me to put them online as well as show them at the Folsom Street Fair in San Francisco. I told him I really didn’t know what I was doing, but he bet me I would be surprised at the results. My friend won the bet. Three years in and the business is still growing.
In order to make our store unique, we not only needed a good variety of pieces, but be able to build custom pieces as well. This has proved to be very lucrative. We do variations on existing designs and build pieces from photos sent to us. To make things even more unique I have personally delivered and assembled every large piece of furniture from coast to coast.
What items do you enjoy making the most?
My favorite things to make are my various beds as well as the custom pieces my customers request. No two items are ever exactly the same and meeting my customers has never been anything but fun and enjoyable.
What is your dream for your creations?
My first goal has begun to materialize and that is reaching the commercial sector. I just built a piece that will be used in an upcoming TV series on the Starz network. I have also built furniture for public dungeons and for several dominatrixes.
Because Etsy tracks your views from countries all over the world, I am aware of my popularity in Europe. My dream is to take my designs and open a 2nd shop in Denmark or Holland.
Jesse Lindsay
I was looking for a photo to go with an article, and I stumbled across an image of a butt plug that was attached to a rosary. I followed the trail and was taken to GlowFyourself. It was like stepping into Narnia. The handmade toys that are in her shop are simply splendid. They are whimsical and sometimes very funny. I highly recommend any anal enthusiast to check out her offerings.
Tell us what makes your store unique.
I really don’t know where to begin. I guess the fact that we make custom butt plugs is pretty unique, but maybe it’s more their application. We have plugs that store digital data, some that can tell your future, some that can get you closer to Jesus, and even some you can smoke weed out of! I guess what really makes our sex toys special is the user. 🙂
What items do you enjoy making the most?
At the moment it’s the booty bong. We consider it an honor to have you smoke the first hit of weed out of your butt hole. If not that one, its the whisky dick. It is a fully functioning strap-on that you can drink booze or do hits of N2o out of 🙂
What is your dream for your creations?
I really have no idea. It’s already pretty amazing, and we have only been at it for a few years! I really just want people to have fun, to enjoy exploring their sexuality and make some real solid memories with who ever they share our stuff with. Life is all about experiences, and I feel like we get to help people create some really unique ones.
Robert Johnson and Kari Koenig
I bought my first real kitten collar from Mr. Johnson’s Leather Fantasies Etsy shop. He creates truly beautiful collars, leads, floggers, wooden butt plugs, boxes, and other restraints. Much of his work is custom made and he has leathers in all different colors. (He makes pink day collars! Pink!) The leather he uses smells so nice, and his work has stood up to my rambuncious playtime sessions. I own two collars and a lead from this shop, and they are my go to favorites.
Tell us what makes your store unique.
My store is unique because I put a ton of care and attention in my work. I design my collars, leashes, and toys using my imagination. My products are all handmade and created freehand. I only use top notch leather and parts. My metal fasteners are nickel and lead-free unlike other makers.
What items do you enjoy making the most?
I don’t have any favorite item actually because they are all special to me in a certain way. If I was forced to choose it would be one that includes a mix of wood and leather. When I build my floggers, for instance, I use my woodworking skills and leathercraft skills. I love being able to use my lathe. I am a master carpenter and I worked on on building yachts for many years
What is your dream for your creations?
If I can make people happy through my work, I’m fine with that.
You can also find Mr. Johnson’s works on his own ETSY site:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/ShapelyWood?ref=pr_shop_more
The Kitten’s Final Thoughts:
Check out Etsy if you are looking for a new toy or if you just want to create a wishlist. The intimacy of a handmade object makes me value a product more, and the toys I buy on Etsy hold a special place in my kinky toolbox. I will get a beautiful cage bed one day. Oh yes. It will be mine.
Your Kinky Friends would love to hear about your favorite stores and artists on Etsy. Share them with us in the comment section!
I just wanted to let you all know that I added a new list. It has taken me awhile to let everyone know due to server issues. Everything should be back on track now.