Children's drawings transformed into whimsical toys straight from their imaginations

Need a unique gift idea? Budsies is a toy manufacturer out of South Florida that creates custom, hand-crafted plush toys from the artworks submitted by their customers. Take a look!

Alex Furmansky, founder of Budsies, said he was inspired to create toys from illustrations by watching his younger sister grow up doodling.

"These drawings would get placed on our fridge and then a few would make it onto our kitchen wall. But eventually, all met their fate in the recycle bin. All that creativity was lost," Furmansky wrote ABC. "Meanwhile, Michelle loves her stuffed animals. Each one has a name and there was a routine for how they would be tucked into bed at night."

"The eureka moment came when I realized I could turn Michelle's wacky artwork into the stuffed animals she treasured. How cool would it be if I could bring her creations to life!?"

How does it work? "A sprinkle of fairy dust, a pinch of magic, and a waive of the wand...," says the Budsies website. The company likes to keep their manufacturing process a secret to children, so be aware that there are spoilers below!

Furmansky says it's a simple process for customers, though far more complicated on the back-end.

"Parents simply snap a photo of their child's artwork and while placing their order they can upload it, email it, or text it to our special shortcode number. That's it." Within about five weeks, a fully custom, three-dimensional, plush Budsie arrives at their door.

According to Furmansky, the most challenging aspect of transforming a child's drawing into the physical world is walking the line between making every toy look adorable, yet remaining true to the child artist's vision.

"We try really hard not to overcorrect because we really want to capture the pure, untamed imagination that only a child could have."

Throughout the company's Facebook page, parents have posted hundreds of appreciative comments and photos of their children's Budsie toys.

However, the company's founder said the stories he's received range from inspiring to saddening. Furmansky says he's spoken to the parents of children suffering from numerous ailments, including severe ADHD and cerebral palsy, asked to craft companions for those in dire need of them while they undergo treatment. Even more heartbreaking, some parents reported losing their young children, and asking Budsies to be made of the child's artwork as a remembrance for surviving family members.

Furmansky says the positive feedback on his toys is "the only thing that's kept me going through this project."

Watch one girl's reaction to opening up her new Budsie:

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On its website, Budsies says it cannot guarantee new orders will arrive in time for Christmas, but says it will do its best.

Furmanksy hopes that Budsies may soon be transforming photos of people into toys soon, though said they are still in beta testing.

Photos used with permission.