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Hearts and kittens and Wonder Bunnies

Wonder Bunny plush art toys in progress, by Elizabeth RuffingI made some more progress on my Wonder Bunnies and one Super Slug. They just need their capes now.

Wonder Bunny plush art toys in progress, by Elizabeth RuffingThey are the last of the toys I had stuffed and waiting in the box on my ironing board. I have many bodies to stuff, and there is another avalanche of fabric starting in my workroom.

Henrietta sleeping on my workroom chair, by Elizabeth RuffingHenrietta has been keeping guard in there for me, while Juno has attempted to help me with my hand sewing.

Juno kitten in my toy box with my Wonder Bunnies, by Elizabeth RuffingJuno tries to fit in the box with the toys I am working on, any way that she can. I’m not sure why she thought this headstand position would be practical.

Juno kitten in my toy box with my Wonder Bunnies, by Elizabeth RuffingOnce she settles in, it doesn’t take her long to get into attack mode. There is a thin line for her between helping and attacking me. First, she has to choose which part of me she would most like to bite.

Juno kitten in my toy box with my Wonder Bunnies, by Elizabeth RuffingIf thread or embroidery floss is involved, the choice is easy.

Juno kitten in my toy box with my Wonder Bunnies, by Elizabeth RuffingThe trick is to try to look sort of innocent, and then lunge.

Juno kitten in my toy box with my Wonder Bunnies, by Elizabeth RuffingShe took the whole box with the Wonder Bunnies in it with her for this particular advance. This is the point where I usually remove the toys from the box, and let her have it to herself.

Juno kitten in my toy box with my Wonder Bunnies, by Elizabeth RuffingOliver Bunny thinks she is crazy. I am still keeping them separated. Sooner or later she has to calm down. Right? Maybe? I hope so.

Oliver Bunny with his IKEA doll bed, by Elizabeth RuffingA lot seems to be going on lately, and I haven’t been able to catch up with my toy making as much as I would like. There have been a lot of doctor visits to go to, and my dad will be needing bypass surgery on his heart soon, for three blockages. He is likely going to have a long recovery period, when he can’t drive or work, and he’ll have some other limitations. There will be a lot to do, and I hope everything will go well all the way around.

I have been having chest pain myself, for the past month and a half, probably from stress, and have to go to the cardiologist soon. I will be the only one here who can drive, and I am worried about that too. I’m not sure what I will do if I need to have tests done that require a ride. I’m trying not to think about everything at once.

Scooter begging for treats, by Elizabeth RuffingTrouble, from next door, has offered to sit ready at, or under, my car, in case I need him, but I don’t think his paws will reach the foot pedals.

Scooter begging for treats, by Elizabeth RuffingHis brother, Scooter, has offered to help me clean up any dishes I need washed, especially if they have cat food on them. He comes over to the back door to offer this service regularly. He asked to take care of a nectarine pit and then some lettuce for me the other night. He was very sincere about it. Cats are so helpful.

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Tianna, miniature Ragdoll fairy cat art doll, handmade original, one-of-a-kind kitten by artist Max Bailey

Tianna, miniature Ragdoll fairy cat art doll, handmade original, one-of-a-kind kitten by artist Max BaileyTianna is a handmade miniature original, one-of-a-kind cat art doll, hand painted and hand sculpted in paperclay by artist Max Bailey.

Tianna, miniature Ragdoll fairy cat art doll, handmade original, one-of-a-kind kitten by artist Max BaileyThis is Tianna. She is a bi-color Ragdoll fairy kitten with sapphire-blue eyes.

Tianna, miniature Ragdoll fairy cat art doll, handmade original, one-of-a-kind kitten by artist Max BaileyTianna is a woodland fairy. She spends a lot of time in the tall trees, watching over the birds and butterflies.

Tianna, miniature Ragdoll fairy cat art doll, handmade original, one-of-a-kind kitten by artist Max BaileySometimes, when the wind blows, a bird’s egg will fall out of the nest. Tianna swoops down to catch it, and puts it safely back where it belongs. When a trembling baby bird has left the nest, she encourages him to spread his wings and fly. “It’s just a matter of confidence,” she tells him.

Tianna, miniature Ragdoll fairy cat art doll, handmade original, one-of-a-kind kitten by artist Max BaileyTianna, with great care, helps the butterflies when they first emerge. She straightens out their folded wings, and gives them a personal demonstration on how to fly. They are very quick to learn, and now the forest is filled with these colorful creatures.

Tianna, miniature Ragdoll fairy cat art doll, handmade original, one-of-a-kind kitten by artist Max BaileyEven fairies get tired now and then. Tianna likes to come down to rest under the big oak tree. There, she sits on her favorite golden-brown mushroom, and enjoys the peace and quiet of the warm afternoon.

Tianna, miniature Ragdoll fairy cat art doll, handmade original, one-of-a-kind kitten by artist Max BaileyTianna is wearing a spring-rose top over a golden-beige dress, which is scalloped around the hemline and has dark mauve trim.

Tianna, miniature Ragdoll fairy cat art doll, handmade original, one-of-a-kind kitten by artist Max BaileyHer magical fairy wings are rose blended out to mauve, with highlights of pale yellow, and shapes of blue and gold. They are made of paperclay, just like she is.

Tianna, miniature Ragdoll fairy cat art doll, handmade original, one-of-a-kind kitten by artist Max BaileyTianna’s favorite mushroom is 1 and 5/8 inches tall. It is also a one-of-a-kind work of art, designed and sculpted in paperclay, painted and varnished, and signed Max Bailey.

Tianna, miniature Ragdoll fairy cat art doll, handmade original, one-of-a-kind kitten by artist Max BaileyTianna is a one-of-a-kind work of art, and is meant for display only. She was sculpted from paperclay in multiple stages, to allow for drying and detailing.

Tianna, miniature Ragdoll fairy cat art doll, handmade original, one-of-a-kind kitten by artist Max BaileyTianna was painted under a magnifying light, with tiny brushes, one hair at a time. She is signed and sealed with matte varnish for protection and preservation, and comes with a certificate of authenticity.

Tianna, miniature Ragdoll fairy cat art doll, handmade original, one-of-a-kind kitten by artist Max BaileyTianna is 1:12 scale. (One inch equals one foot.) She is 2 inches tall.

Tianna, miniature Ragdoll fairy cat art doll, handmade original, one-of-a-kind kitten by artist Max BaileyUpdate: Tianna has been adopted. Thank you!

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Popular bunny toys and the IKEA doll bed bunny bed

Oliver Bunny playing with his new toys, by Elizabeth Ruffing

Oliver Bunny got some fun new rabbit toys and a new piece of bunny furniture, an IKEA doll bed.

Bunny toy making workshopOur friend, Becky, from Triangle Rabbits, hosted a bunny toy-making workshop. Becky makes delightful and creative bunny toys. Some of her Bunderland Bunny Toy Emporium toys are available in the Triangle Rabbits store. Triangle Rabbits is a local rabbit education and rescue group, and is the Central NC Chapter of the House Rabbit Society. Handmade bunny toys and accessories are also available at the group’s Rabbit Day/BunFest. Information on events is available on the Triangle Rabbits website.

Oliver Bunny playing with his new toys, by Elizabeth RuffingBecky collected natural, untreated, rabbit-safe bunny toy parts, which we strung together for our rabbit toys, using untreated sisal rope. Many of the parts are toy-making supplies for birds, so the dyes are safe for bunny toys.

We used cardboard that was free of tape, glue, or ink, along with paper towel rolls, and toilet paper rolls, also avoiding glue residue.

Supplies for bunny toys can be found at Make You Own Bird Toys. When shopping for parts for rabbit toys, make sure you are using items that are natural, untreated, and safe for rabbits to chew.

Oliver’s favorite parts are the palm leaf flowers and the vine balls. Oliver is playing with his “busy box”, which I made at the toy-making workshop. Becky’s rabbit toys are much more impressive, but Oliver appreciated my effort.

Oliver Bunny and Josephine with his new toys, by Elizabeth RuffingOliver can be a bit possessive of his things and wasn’t sure Josephine should be looking at his toys,

Oliver Bunny loves to be petted, by Elizabeth Ruffingbut he still appreciates pets more than toys.

Oliver Bunny helping assemble his IKEA doll bed, by Elizabeth RuffingBecky and I ended up trading toys. She picked up an IKEA doll bed for me when she was at the store, and she adopted a Hug Me Bunny for her rabbit’s birthday. Below is a photo she took of her rabbit, Samantha, with her pink birthday Hug Me Bunny, and another of her cuddling with her stuffed bunny rabbit Hug Me Bunny. Becky says Samantha loves snuggling with her stuffed rabbit.

Samantha the lop-eared bunny with her pink Hug Me Bunny plush, by Elizabeth Ruffing My Hug Me Bunnies will be in our Ruffing’s shop. I am busy trying to restock my creatures, and so, if anyone is looking for a Hug Me Bunny stuffed bunny rabbit, feel free to ask me. I have lots of partly-done toys and many colors of fleece.

Samantha the lop-eared bunny cuddling with her pink Hug Me Bunny plush, by Elizabeth RuffingI have been enjoying friends’ super adorable photos of their bunnies resting on their IKEA doll beds. Becky even has a bunny-themed custom-made mattress for Samantha, with a pink bunny cotton print fabric on one side, and fleece on the other, shown below.

Samantha the lop-eared bunny with her pink bunny mattress pad on her IKEA doll bedI may have to make one of those for Oliver. This bunny fabric is made by Robert Kaufman Fabrics. It was designed by Ann Kelle, and is part of her Urban Zoologie line. It comes in “Pink” (shown), “Blush”, and also in a multi-color range, called “Spring”. You can find it online by searching for “Urban Zoologie Bunnies“.

Oliver Bunny helping assemble his IKEA doll bed, by Elizabeth RuffingOliver and Bertie helped me assemble the bed. The cats were jealous. It was easy to put together. When we were done, I excitedly waited for Oliver to use it. And he did. Only instead of hopping on top of it, he thought it was fun to hop under it! Haha.

Oliver Bunny helping plays under his IKEA doll bed, by Elizabeth RuffingThose are his little bunny buns sticking out in the photo. Well, I thought it was fun to crawl under the bed when I was little too. 🙂

The cats think this IKEA doll bed it fantastic. I find them napping on it or rolling on it. Cats like beds of any kind, and they think everything is for them. It must be true.

Fat Cat Fluff Bunny catnip toys in pink and blueOliver especially likes furry toys that he can groom. He likes to lie down next to them and lick them. He has licked the ears off his favorite Fat Cat Fluff Bunnies (above). They erode away, he loves them so much. They are catnip bunnies meant for cats. Sometimes the cats steal them.

Oliver Bunny helping plays under his IKEA doll bed, by Elizabeth RuffingI always grab soft fluffy stuffed bunnies for Oliver, when I see ones I think he might like. I put two on his IKEA doll bed and he decided hopping up on the bed was all right after all.

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Hug Me Bunny stuffed animals and a helpful orange kitten

Juno orange kitten playing with superhero Wonder Bunnies fleece stuffed animals

Juno the orange kitten, in my box of Wonder Bunny stuffed animals by Elizabeth RuffingAt least one of my Wonder Bunny superhero bunny stuffed animals, which I am working on finishing next, grew an unusual tail, as you can see here.

I needed more assistance sewing stuffed animals than I realized!

Juno the orange kitten, in my box of Wonder Bunny stuffed animals, chewing cording by Elizabeth RuffingJuno, orange kitten helper extraordinaire, has been using her super powers to help me in any way she sees fit. Here she is helping cut a piece of cording with her sharp little teeth.

I use that to cord center my details on my toys. I didn’t really need it to be trimmed, or at least I didn’t know I needed it to be trimmed. Juno is insightful and has many creative recommendations for me.

Juno the orange kitten, napping with her elephant rattle, by Elizabeth RuffingI traded Juno’s elephant rattle for the toys I was sewing. It is a good thing she takes naps.

Juno the orange kitten waking up from her nap, by Elizabeth RuffingShe is growing up, and was 4 pounds at her vet visit today. She was only 14 ounces when Cheryl first found her. She is doing very well, and has started to have more frequent bursts of sweetness. She purrs, and gives head bumps and kisses. She still ends up biting us, but thank goodness she is calming down and learning to be nice.

Juno the orange kitten curling up for her nap in my toy box, by Elizabeth RuffingNow, if she can learn to behave around the bunny, I will be even happier. She doesn’t yet understand why throwing up her paws and pouncing on everyone isn’t always taken in the spirit of fun in which it was intended.

Hug Me Bunnies plush art toys, mauve, pink, and soft orange, by Elizabeth RuffingI have been finishing up fleece bunny stuffed animal art toys. I will post these in our Ruffing’s shop.

Hug Me Bunny plush art toy, pink fleece plushie, by Elizabeth RuffingThis pink Hug Me Bunny found a home already, but her mauve and soft light orange bunny friends are, at the moment, still available.

Hug Me Bunny plush art toy, mauve-pink fleece plushie, by Elizabeth RuffingThey have my new custom-printed two-tone eyes. I attached their eyes and hearts with embroidery floss, using a blanket stitch.

Hug Me Bunny plush art toy, soft orange fleece plushie, by Elizabeth RuffingI hand embroidered their smiles and noses too.

Hug Me Bunny hang tag with pen-and-ink art by Elizabeth RuffingEach one comes with a hang tag that can be personalized with a name and a message.

Hug Me Slug plush art toy, pink fleece plushie, by Elizabeth RuffingI finished my first Hug Me Slug with the new eyes as well. She is a very soft light pink fleece.

Hug Me Slug hang tag with pen-and-ink art by Elizabeth RuffingJust like the bunnies, she comes with a tag that can be personalized.