As far as presents for pet lovers go, you can’t get much better than a tiny replica of their fur baby.
Little Felted Friends makes just that, and the designs are so realistic the company has been a social media smash.
Alyson Gurney, 24, from Washington, DC, makes the felt sculptures looking at pictures that are sent in from customers.
Although it’s normally dogs that are requested, she’s also made rabbits and cats and hedgehogs.
The models are made with wool and felted with a needle to make them fluffy. Each one is made to order and takes 16 weeks from the purchase to when the customer receives it as they’re so intricate.
At $80 (£61) per sculpture they’re certainly not cheap, but when you look at how lifelike these handmade creations are, you understand why.
You can pay an extra $5 (£3.82) for a tennis ball, halo, or bandana, or $10 (£7.64) for a custom toy.
Because of the detail and similarity in Alyson’s work compared to the pictures, her business has exploded on Instagram.
She now has over 37,000 followers on the photo-sharing platform, and her models are so in-demand she now has a four-month waiting list.
The artist said: ‘My favourite part of the whole process is receiving pictures of the real pets with their little felted friend.
‘It is such a joy to realise how much people love their pets, sometimes it’s the little things in life that bring us the most joy.’
She added: ‘Each month I am completely shocked at how fast they sell out! My wait-list is currently four months long due to the influx of orders I receive.
‘I’m ecstatic to know that my customers trust me in recreating the likeness of their pet, they all come together to capture each unique personality.’
Do you have a hobby like Alyson that you’ve turned into a job?
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