Kids have always enjoyed drawing and making their own characters because they are a product of their imagination. Even with the strong influence of modern technology, kids still enjoy sitting down and taking the time to draw and color.
It’s always amazing to me how imaginative children can be. They have this ability to create their own make-believe creatures that can be anything from adorable and cute, to funny, or even down-right weird with scars. As a parent, I highly value my kids’ creativity.
Children love drawing and decorating their own walls or belongings with their art, but as they age most of these drawings are thrown away. Some parents keep them in boxes to show to their kids later on.
However, there is a firm that addresses these children’s doodles. These charming designs are being transformed into real-life plush toys by the company “Budsies”!
Alex Furmansky, the founder of Budsies, got his idea from watching his younger sisters. He saw one sister cuddling her stuffed animal in bed and thought that if he could turn her drawing into a toy, she would keep it even when she grew up. So he made this dream become reality by taking one of her drawings and transforming it into a plush dog-like toy.
Her sister adored the toy so much that she gave it the name “Dongler.”
After he created Dongler, more followed. Since then, the company has expanded rapidly. They started by only using children’s artwork but have since evolved to creating book characters for authors and Petsies and Selfies based on pictures of people or pets.
Budsies’ representative Melissa stated, “In the beginning, most of the orders were of kids’ drawings, doodles, and other artwork. Now, we see everything from a child’s first drawing, to detailed original characters, author’s book characters, sports team mascots, and more. The idea is truly limitless, and that’s what makes Budsies so special.”
The website for the Budsies states that they have already produced over 76,000 Budsies since their first toy in 2013. They’ve also served customers from more than 60 countries who have purchased bespoke items from them.
Budsies currently offers bespoke plushies, with prices starting at $99. The price will also be determined by your requirements, especially as to the size and fabric used. The soft toys can be made of “super soft plush” or “faux fur,” according to preference.
These plush animals are a huge hit with customers. When asked, Melissa explained how excited people get when they receive one of her plush creations. She stated, “We’ve had people cry, scream, lots of hugging their Budsies, and people who are just speechless. We’ve also made Budsies in honor of someone who has passed, and those are very emotional reactions that really touch our entire Budsies team and community.”
In addition, they have implemented a program called “Budsies Pals” where they partner with healthcare providers to give Budsies to children who would derive great comfort from these huggable plush toys. Some of the Budsies are made from drawings by kids who unfortunately passed away; these are given to the families.
