Toys & Games

Bring Your Child’s Imagination to Life with a Custom Budsies Plush Toy #TWCMgifts

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Earlier this year, Budsies contacted me asking if I’d be interested in checking out what they do. And what they do is turn artwork into custom plush toys. What a neat idea! Budsies kindly offered to create a toy for each of my girls so we could share with all of you the process from start to finish as well as our thoughts on the final products we received.

The first step of course was to create the artwork. Kay’s not quite old enough to draw an actual figure yet, so I drew a simple outline of a doll and gave it to Kay to colour as she liked. We were also able to add extra instructions to our order: “Happy, cuddly doll for my toddler in pink with aqua blue accents. Maybe that’s an aqua star on her tummy? I think that’s supposed to be blonde hair.”

Kay's picture

I didn’t really know how Budsies would turn this into a toy. I thought they might just embroider a copy of Kay’s scribbles all over the stuffed figure, but instead the Budsies designers took her picture and our instructions and put it all together into a cute and cuddly toy that she just loves carrying around! I was so impressed to see what arrived in the mail eight weeks later.

Kay's doll

At four and a half, Tee’s a better artist than her sister and was able to clearly draw and describe what she wanted. “Goofy looking big round ball with green eye/arm/leg on one side, blue eye/arm/leg on the other. Big toothy grin. Wearing a magenta cape with magenta hair. She’d like the face/body to be lavender.” Tee’s directions were followed to a T.

Tee's pic and doll

She was so excited to see her new Super Friend soar out of the box to meet her.

The actual ordering process was really simple too. After the girls created their artwork, I scanned their drawings and uploaded them to the website. But you can also take a picture of the artwork using your phone then email, text, or upload the image directly from the camera roll. I got a confirmation email the next day that the pictures I’d sent had been reviewed by one of the Budsies designers and were suitable for making our toys. (They email you back if there are any problems or if they have any questions about your picture.)

Each Budsies toy is about 16″ tall – the perfect size to snuggle or use as a pillow on the couch or in the car, while still being totally portable. All Budsies are made from safe, hypoallergenic materials and made to withstand hard play. You can rest easy knowing that their toys also go through testing at a Consumer Product Safety Commission accredited independent lab to ensure their safety and quality.

Giving Back

I recently discovered that Budsies also works with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Eastern Pennsylvania to sponsor Budsies for children going through cancer treatment. They host art days with sponsored Budsies for underprivileged kids in their local community, and they also donate Budsies through Easter Seals of Southwestern Indiana for kids with disabilities. The way this company gives back makes me even prouder to recommend them.

Budsies Make a Wonderful Keepsake

Be aware this isn’t a spur of the moment gift. Each toy takes about 5 weeks to process, design, and create the custom finished product before it ships. Let me tell you though, it’s 100% worth the wait. If you don’t have enough time to order ahead, consider giving a gift certificate. In my mind, kids get lots of presents at Christmas or on their birthdays, often too many to properly appreciate them all. But with a Budsies gift certificate, the child gets a nice surprise under the tree, the fun of creating their drawing, the anticipation of waiting for their new friend, and then the excitement of opening up the box a few weeks later when they can really appreciate it.

Both Tee and Kay love their Budsies. These plush toys are soft, cuddly, and very well-made, but the best part is how they capture a snapshot of my daughters’ imaginations right at this moment. These toys will never be put in the donation bin or sold in a garage sale. They’re true keepsakes, and I hope my girls keep them always as a unique reminder of their childhoods.

Connect

Connect with Budsies on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest to see the latest Budsies creations and be the first to hear about specials and promotions.

Gift It

Purchase a Budsies toy for your little one or give a gift certificate good for one Budsies for a very reasonable $69. Use my affiliate link to SAVE $5 on top of that! (Discount automatically applied at checkout.)

Place your order by November 14th to guarantee delivery by December 25th in the US.

Disclosure: I received sample items for review purposes. All opinions expressed are completely honest and my own, based on my personal experience. Your experience may differ. This post contains affiliate links. I will receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no additional cost to you.

 

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45 Comments

  • I absolutely love these! I have two little boys & my oldest has had strokes, hes 4. I would love to get something that he did BEFORE his strokes done for him! Such amazing cute thing to have done. I’ve seen the necklace/pendant ones but never these!

  • These personalized soft stuffed toys are very unique and creative, they’re an awesome gift for toddlers!

  • These are such an awesome idea. I think it’s super healthy for kids to see that whatever they can create or imagine can be brought to “life”

  • These are such a great idea and what a way to capture a moment in time for your child. My grandchildren would love this and I actually have many pictures to choose from that they have drawn the last couple years.

  • I love that you can send written instructions along with it so that the toy comes out more the way the kid probably was picturing it before they drew it. It’s tough when you picture something one way and can’t draw it the way it looks in your head…especially for young kids!

  • This is such a wonderful concept. I just love it. I really want one for my 7 year old son. I always feel guilty about having to put his drawings away.

  • this is pretty much the neatest idea I have seen in a long time. I think it would be cool to have this done once a year or so as their artwork progresses

  • This is probably the best idea ever! My daughter has a very vivid imagination and draws all sorts of things! I would love to see one of her creations come to life!

  • This is such a wonderful company to be able to make the childs art work come to life, I can just picture the look on my granddaughters face to be able to see her drawing become her best friend!! They did an awesome job on your kid’s budsies, they are so cute!!

  • This is pretty much the coolest thing ever. When I saw you had one made from your older daughter’s artwork, I was wondering if I would be able to get one with Thomas’s scribbles…. and, obviously, YES, I can! I love what they did with Kay’s drawing!!

  • What a wonderful idea! I love that they followed your additional instructions to get the full picture and help bring your children’s drawings to life! And what a great keepsake to have for many years to come! I can only imagine that they would treasure these toys that much more because they arose from something that they had created/designed themselves. 🙂

  • I have seen similar websites to this around and always thought it was a fabulous, creative idea. Except sometimes kids drawings are very scary… ha ha

  • Love these. They are so cute. I may have just found christmas presents this year. Also any company that donates back is a keeper in my books. Good job Budsies. <3

  • I am in love with this idea to preserve early artwork and to bring their imaginations to life!!! I dont know what to do with all of the drawings that come home from school – this is the cutest I’ve seen yet!!

  • I love this idea! They’re so unique and definitely something your child would be proud of! It would be a perfect gift for any occasion!

  • This is the greatest idea. What a great toy for a child and later a wonderful keepsake that they can pass on. My little girl would love to design a new friend that could come off her drawing and go in her arms.

  • What a great Idea ! how awesome that instead of just displaying the picture on the fridge your child can have a cool stuffy !

  • I was wondering if you could send extra directions with the order, I love that you can. And they give to charity too?! I wish they had this years ago!

  • What a great way to have children’s art work come to life. They look much bigger than what I though they would be.

  • my daughter says she draws her imaginary friends and then they wont be imaginary anymore… i think this is brilliant! and so original!

  • I like your pics of your girls with their new friends… they show the size of the toy better than the pics on their website!

  • Your girls designed such cute buddies! I got a little teary-eyed imagining an ill child receiving their personally created pal. This seems like a wonderful company. I will definitely be ordering one whenever I have enough spare cash. (Probably for myself!) 🙂 Thanks for the information.

  • My daughter would LOVE this. She’s eight and still picks a special stuffed animal to sleep with each night. I bet this one would win for months.

  • My little guy at 29 months can colour really well but drawing is a struggle so I love your idea of drawing the figure and having them colour it. What a wonderful keepsake! I so wish this was out when my daughter was small. I have many of her wonderful drawings and would love to turn them into a stuffie. Actually, I still might then she can give it to her baby when she has one! Thanks for the great review!

  • They did such an amazing job with the dolls. They are so cute. I think this is such a great, creative idea for a special toy! I really would like to get one for my daughter.

  • I love how they took your “description” of Kiera’s drawing to heart and really pulled it all together to make a wonderful keepsake.

  • I love love what they did with your little one’s drawing! My 19 month old has just started to enjoy scribbling. I think it would be soo super cool to have one made with her artwork, as well as her older brother and sisters!

  • I love that you brought your childrena imagination to life. Thsts so amazing thst a momma coukd do thst for there child. So encouraging to show them they really matter. I thiught they looked like super heroes. Great way to show the kids if u set ur mind to it you can do anything!

  • This is such a neat idea, I’d never heard of this before. I bet your kids were super excited to see their artwork come alive… I know mine would be!

  • I know that I would’ve loved something like that as a kid. I was an arts-and-crafts kind of child, like my friend’s eldest girl. She’d be so happy to see something she drew made into a plushie!

  • My daughter would LOVE this. She enjoys drawing and mostly she draws her family(she, hubby, and I). I think a toy version of hubby would be adorable :D.

    This is a fabulous idea for a gift and keepsake.

  • This is seriously the coolest idea ever! I love that they work with amazing charities too! Definitely going to do this with the kids.