Who is Mochi? 

    Mochi was a 6-year-old Samoyed and a notorious little troublemaker in his family. He had two signature traits: one was his permanently upturned mouth corners, giving him the look of a “smiling angel” who never got angry; the other was his obsession with socks, which he would steal from slippers or snatch from the clothesline on the balcony. Over the past three years, the family had lost 23 socks , all singles, as if Mochi deliberately left one behind just to drive them crazy.

    What made them laugh and cry the most was his “head tilt”: every time he got caught doing something wrong, he would tilt his head, eyes wide, and gently tap the ground with the tip of his tail, as if saying, “I didn’t mean to, but aren’t I cute?” That expression became the most repeated image in their photo album , until six months ago, when Mochi passed away unexpectedly. Suddenly, those photos became memories they weren’t sure they could bear to look at.

• Creating Mochi Wool Portraits: Using 30,000 Needles to Create a "Breathing thoughts"

      When the family decided to have a wool portrait customized, they had only one request: “We want the curve of her mouth when she smiles,” including even the brown spots on her nose. The Meetcosmos artist reassured them, saying, “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure every strand of wool remembers its story.”

    Rather than working on it immediately, the artist asked them to scroll through their phone’s photo album and select the moments that best represented Mochi:

     The “sly head tilt” while stealing socks: Mochi’s eyes were large and bright, giving him a look of innocence and a lively spirit, truly endearing.

     The “toothy smile” while basking in the sun: His mouth was slightly open, revealing a pink tongue and tiny teeth, corners lifted in a happy smile, his overall expression lively and charming.

    The “standing front paw” while waiting for snacks: His front paws stretched forward, body slightly leaning, as if peeking out from the photo. His posture was lively and natural, full of playful interaction.

• That Easter egg about the "Smiling Angel": 
   

    The day the family received the finished piece, they discovered that Mochi’s pink tongue might have been made with resin clay. Some elasticity had been added during the molding process, so it bounces back when gently pressed, making it as soft as a real tongue. Even more surprising, the tongue was coated with a varnish, giving it the look of Mochi drooling!

      Now, this 10-inch wool Mochi rests on the family’s desk: head tilted, mouth raised, drooling. In bright sunlight, its fur glows warmly, and one can almost imagine the happy breath of Mochi after successfully stealing a sock.

• The wool portrait isn't the end; it's Mochi's way of "returning home."
    

       Someone once asked the family, “Is it worth spending so much time customizing a wool frame?” Holding Mochi’s portrait and stroking its furry ears, they could feel the playful, sock-stealing personality, and the sparkling days Mochi had spent with them throughout its life.

      Perhaps the time a pet spends with its family is brief, but there are ways to transform those “head-tilting,” “toothy grins,” and “little sock-stealing” moments into something tangible and warm. Just like Mochi’s wool portrait, it cannot run or jump, yet it remains the most vivid image in the family’s memory. Though it lacks body temperature, its furry texture seems to whisper, “I haven’t left. I’ve simply become a little spirit that tilts its head and smiles, forever ‘standing’ on your desk.“