Introducing Wembly the Pug Plushie! From the moment I saw the first sketch of him, I knew I had to bring this cuddly buddy to life. After 21 months of hard work and dedication, I'm thrilled to announce that Wembly the Pug Plushie is finally ready and will soon be available to children everywhere!

But let me tell you, it wasn't an easy journey. It took six different companies and 14 versions to get Wembly just right. But, I persevered because I knew how much joy this plushie would bring to children.

I'm excited to share my journey, the good and the bad, with those who are interested in the process of creating a plushie from scratch. I hope my experience can inspire others to pursue their passions and bring their ideas to life.

It Starts with an Idea…

Every great creation begins with an idea, but it takes someone to bring it to life. In the world of children's picture books, that someone is the artist who transforms the initial idea into a beautiful illustration. Sometimes the artist is the author. In my case, I was fortunate that Antonella, my amazing illustrator and teammate, was able to take my idea and put a picture to it. Take a peek at the journey of Wembly the Pug, from the first sketch to the final artwork, showcasing various versions of Wembly along the way. This was the beginning of Wembly becoming a plushie. The final artwork was the basis for the creation of the plushies I would be creating.

From Idea to Reality…

On December 27th, 2022, the journey began with the first order for the prototype that I will title "The Original Wembly the Pug". Despite minor flaws like a loose tie, no tail, and a slightly oversized face, the prototype was near perfection. However, cost constraints led to the exploration of alternative production avenues.

Version 2: Vampire Pig-Pug Wembly

Next up was the beginning of what would turn out to be several un-Wembly like versions. This first one I like to affectionately call “Vampire Pig-Pug Wembly”. It would be really funny if I didn’t have to pay $120-$185 per company for each prototype. It’s standard that each company allow for multiple corrections before shipping the final version.

One key lesson I learned from this experience is to confirm that the company I choose makes custom labels and hangtags. This is essential for selling my products, like my stuffies, in stores and on Amazon.

Version 3: Floppy Ears Wembly…

Meet “Floppy Ears Wembly” (aka Blockhead Wembly). The head was too big, the legs too small, and the mouth and bowtie not quite right. Unfortunately, this option was also too expensive for mass production that I didn’t even bother trying to make any corrections.

Version 4 & 5: Mega Lips Wembly & Happy Ears Wembly…

This company showed remarkable progress from “Mega Lips Wembly” to “Happy Ears Wembly”, offering excellent customer service and competitive pricing. Despite these strengths, I ultimately chose not to proceed. My interviews over the several weeks sparked the idea to create keychains, a concept I have since implemented and can’t wait to bring to the world.

Version 6: Too Expensive Wembly

This version was almost perfect, but once again it was too expensive - I call it “Too Expensive Wembly.” By this time, it was nearly 18 months and like the U2 hit, I still hadn’t found what I was looking for. So, I made the decision to make two copies and it turns out that decision would be very fortuitous as I sent one of the versions to the last company who agreed to make Wembly look EXACTLY like it. And they did!!!

Version 7: Wembly the Pug

So, this next iteration turned out to be ALMOST perfect and was well within the price range that I was hoping to be in. All we needed to change was the coloring slightly to Wembly’s fur and better adhear the bowtie to his neck and it would be perfect. Great news! 2 weeks later, as you can see by the image on the right, they nailed it!

So, I am excited to share that I found the perfect fit for my vision at a great price! Sending a Wembly from a previous company as a template really paid off – the results were spot on!

After 638 days of searching and 14 separate versions created, I have finally found the perfect Wembly the Pug! I am thrilled to introduce him to the world!

Order your own Wembly the Pug stuffy or kechain in the Store TODAY!

Making of Wembly the Pug Plushie