Commissioning a Portrait of a Departed Teddy: Discussing Fur Usage

On May 25, 2026, a pet owner contacted the studio, wishing to commission an 8-inch flat needle-felted portrait of her late Teddy dog. She mentioned she had collected some of the dog's fur and wanted to incorporate it into the artwork, specifically asking how much would be needed. We replied that just a few small tufts would suffice—no large amount was required. "Okay," she said softly, "I can't bear to part with too much of it either; there won't be any more to collect now." Her tone was heavy with unconcealable reluctance and grief. She sent numerous photos for reference, sharing that the dog’s name was Coco—a female—and that their time together spanned from July 5, 2009, to February 24, 2026. We offered words of comfort, telling her that Coco had been a happy dog and would return to her side in a different form to keep her company. "She certainly will," the owner replied earnestly. "Thank you."

Adding a Pendant Commission: Scheduling Delivery for the Anniversary

On June 20, the owner sent another message, asking tentatively, "Good morning. Could I add an order for a pendant? I just want to be able to touch her little head." She included a crying emoji. We confirmed it was possible but noted that the schedule for pendants was full, meaning delivery wouldn't be until March 2027. The owner said the delay didn't matter, provided she could receive it before February 24, 2027—the anniversary of her beloved pet's passing. We accepted the request and promised to complete it by that date.

An Inquiry During the Livestream: Anticipating Her Dog's Return

On July 23, while we were hosting a livestream, the owner messaged to ask when the 8-inch flat portrait would be ready. We informed her it would be finished by mid-September. She replied, "Okay, great. I just happened to see your livestream and am so looking forward to my little dog coming home." The reference photo chosen by the owner featured Coco with a small daisy tucked behind her ear—an incredibly sweet and adorable image. She specifically emphasized that the dog’s nose was very dark and requested that we make it a deep black during the crafting process.

Highly Faithful Reproduction; Small Grooming Comb Included

On September 11, we sent photos of the completed piece to the owner. She replied quickly, full of pleasant surprise: "It looks just like her! You captured her likeness perfectly—thank you so much!" She then asked if the dog's fur could be brushed. We confirmed that it could and mentioned we would include a small comb for gentle grooming upon receipt. The owner expressed her gratitude repeatedly, calling the gesture incredibly thoughtful. She also asked if all the fur she had sent was used; we explained that the majority was used for the chest area and even circled the specific placement of the implanted fur on the photo for her.

Packed with Care and Sent with Reluctance

After seeing the marked photo, the owner felt she hadn't sent enough initially and planned to send more fur before we started crafting the pendant. She then sent a photo showing a clear jar filled to the brim with Coco’s fur. She admitted that she actually had another full bottle of groomed fur but was simply reluctant to use it. We acknowledged that since the supply is finite, it naturally needs to be used for something truly trustworthy. The owner replied, "You are the trustworthy ones; I don't know what came over me, but I just couldn't bring myself to take the fur out of that bottle." We could feel the weight of her attachment right through the screen. We carefully packaged the heartfelt creation and shipped it via the safest, fastest courier service, eagerly awaiting the moment Coco would "come home."