Wanna Cuddle With Your Coloring Page?

Did you read that title? Go ahead…read it again. So…I’m serious…you wanna? Before I reveal what crazy coolness I’m talking about, let’s keep things interesting with some music. The song for this post is “Hold Each Other” by A Great Big World. Check it out here on Spotify or on YouTube. Okeedokee? You ready?

I miss the words we used to say

I miss the sounds of yesterday

I miss the games we used to play

Well…today let’s talk about turning your photos into coloring pages and then turning those coloring pages into custom stuffed animals via a company called Budsies.

Ahem…so…yeah…the kiddos put me up to this. When they heard Papa’s awesome company knows somebody that can turn a coloring page made from the photo of a horse (from horse camp) into a custom plush toy that they can hold, cuddle with, sleep with, and take with them to Grandma’s house, they flipped out. Handstands and cartwheels catapulted through the kitchen. Even Mommy, who you can take out of gymnastics but who you can’t take the gymnastics out of, walked in upside down on her hands to find out what was so exciting right next to the hot sizzling sauce firing on the stove. I also did a little dance with my hands in the air, eyes closed, and cheering…but nobody saw me.

So, let’s talk about the past for a second. Nostalgia is a powerful thing. Being sentimental doesn’t mean you’re living in the past or that you are weak. Sentimentality expounds the exact opposite. It means you appreciate the pivotal moments and people in your life that made you who you are today. Without those moments, you would never have been able to move forward. Everything that has ever happened to you and all the people you have ever shared any kind of time with…all of it…has left a mark on you…it has taught you something about yourself.

 Everything looks different now

All this time my head was down

The crappy experiences…well…learn from those and once you acknowledge the lessons, move on quickly…Jason Bourne style like when he sees something unexpected that changes everything, dwells on it for only half a second, acknowledges the new revelation, understands the lesson, and checks his watch already calculating what it will take to execute the first step of his new plan.

The awesome experiences…the split second defining moments of your life…the reminders of tough lessons you are not willing to learn a second time…feeling proud of yourself when you look in the mirror…the memories you are grateful for…those are the things you should hold on to at all costs. When things get dark, which they inevitably do at times, those memories and lessons ingrained into who you are will quickly usher you to the other side of the tunnel.

They came along and showed me how to let go

I can’t remember where I’m from

All I know is who I’ve become

Our photos can make us smile, cry, or laugh out loud so hard that we spit organic sparkling lemonade out of our noses and all over the wall. Imagine being able to jump into your photos for just a few minutes and say hi to somebody you love but can’t see anymore…or play again with a long lost pet…touch an old favorite car again…relive a perfect day you once shared with somebody you love…and give them all a big bear hug. That would be so cool wouldn’t it?

Guess what? You can! Start by coloring a ReallyColor coloring page made from one of your photos, which also makes a great gift along with gift cards, custom coloring books, and free coloring pages available on ReallyColor. Then, if you want to hold that memory in your arms for real, take a picture of your colorful creation and go make a few Budies custom plush dolls that look just like it.

Something happens when I hold her

She keeps my heart from getting older

When the days get short and the nights get a little bit colder

We hold each other

Oh, I almost forgot…couples…lovebirds, pay attention…stop kissing…PLEASE stop…ok thanks…consider this for a minute. Does your guy or girl travel a lot or won’t be around for a little while? What if you just moved into a new place and need something unique to decorate the entryway…something that represents both of you?

Take a picture, turn it into a ReallyColor coloring page, color it like crazy…I mean totally bananas…and then snap a photo of it and upload it to Budsies to design your own stuffed animal…oops…not animal…I mean stuffed version of your significant other. Actually, never mind. Let’s say ‘animal.’ If you’re a couple, he or she should be an animal…am I right?

 You give me chills and I can’t imagine you leaving

If I could build a perfect person honestly you would be it

And you know nobody knows you like I know you

I can’t wait to come back home so I can hold you

Look, life is short. Do what you feel is right and nothing less. Don’t fear having to overcome obstacles even if doing so seems improbable. Believe in big dreams and nothing smaller. Laugh back at the non-believers and feel sorry for them, but don’t get angry. Understand the responsibility you have to the people you love. Be present, but put it in the perspective that things will always change and evolve. Appreciate the good moments because there is one thing I’ve learned over the years…they won’t ever come back in exactly the same way again. There will be more great times, but pay precise close attention while they are happening because eventually, the future will replace those too.

When the days get short and the nights get a little bit colder

We hold each other