Here she is with Bubba the build a Bear axolotl for scale!
Bonus: she came with me to FanX :3
(Yes, I got her a collar and tag with my contact info in the unlikely event that I lose her leave me alone-)
She's a lil goofy-looking, but honestly, she turned out better than I expected for Budsies! Now that I've gotten a plush from them, I have some recommendations for anyone thinking about getting a one under the cut!
1. Make a plush-friendly ref! Here's mine for anyone who didn't see it the first time
Since Sev is asymmetrical, I showed both sides, a front view and top view, as well as her paws. I also kept it very simple! Knowing the general shape of plushies, I drew this ref specifically thinking of how difficult it would be to make a sewing pattern for. The more details your character has, the harder it will be for the artists to make it look accurate.
2. I didn't do this and wish I had; point out small details if you want to make sure they're not forgotten! For example, plush Sev doesn't have the dark brown ear tips. I noticed that during the sneak peek, but it wasn't a big deal to me compared to some other things, so I didn't ask them to fix it. (If you get the sneak peek, definitely ask for edits if you want them, though!) They also didn't put the bite mark scars, but I was OK with that, too.
3. I also wish I had listed out the colors. Sev plush is a much lighter brown than my ref, but that was alright; the one that was a little disappointing (and the photos they send during peeks are not very high resolution, so I couldn't tell), is that her scars are tan instead of pink. I might try to fix that myself someday but for now I've gotten used to it X3
4. Small details will be done with felt unless you specifically ask otherwise! Sev plush's spots, scars, teeth, and eyes are all made out of felt. This may not be a big deal to some, but if you don't like the texture of felt, or you don't want to deal with it pilling later, make sure you specify that you don't want them to use felt!
That's another thing I've gotten used to since receiving her, but someday when I have the time and energy, I will likely be replacing at least her spots myself, and I'll probably have to redo her eyes too; they're already pilling a bit.
5. Go in with the knowledge that Budsies specializes in taking abstract children's art and making that into plushies. They are not an independent maker, they are a business. I can guarantee your plush will not look exactly like your reference. If you're not okay with that, save up and commission a plush artist! Budsies is a fun, more budget-friendly option for someone who wants a plush of their character on a relatively quick turnaround, but doesn't mind if they look a little wonky (which is exactly what I was expecting, so I am overall extremely happy and satisfied with my silly Sev uwu)
