elizabeth-ruffing Archives - Page 4 of 11 - Ruffing’s Artist Dolls and Toys

Posted on August 24, 2009October 26, 2018 by Elizabeth Ruffing — 1 Comment

Loretta and Lulu, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Siamese Cat and Kitten Dolls by Max Bailey and Elizabeth Ruffing

Loretta is a patient and loving Siamese mom who is sincerely dedicated to being the best mother she can be.

When her kitten Lulu has her worn out and frazzled, Loretta tucks Lulu safely into her apron pocket to keep her from running and jumping in every direction. Then Loretta breathes a sigh of relief.

Lulu remains wide awake, peeking over the pocket at everything around her, and planning her next great adventure.

Loretta and Lulu are original one-of-a-kind works of art, created from our own design and pattern. They are made from 100% cotton fabric which has been sewn, stuffed, and completely hand painted with acrylic paints. Loretta is 13 inches tall, and Lulu is 3 inches tall.

Loretta’s paws are needle-sculpted, and her arms are button-jointed with antique-looking buttons of filigreed silver on black, so she can easily pose. Loretta and Lulu’s faces were sculpted from paperclay smoothed into their fabric heads. Their whiskers are made from stiffened cotton thread.

Loretta’s curled tail supports her so that she can sit prettily all by herself on a shelf or on a table, or in a cabinet. She can also sit in a chair or stand with a doll stand. (Chair and doll stand are not included.) Loretta and Lulu are meant for display only.

Loretta wears a periwinkle blue blouse, with a white collar and cuffs, and gold buttons. Her sleeves and tights are striped with purples, lavenders, blues, and burnt orange. Her kitty feet are covered by fancy two-toned high-button shoes with gold buttons.

Loretta’s charming little blue skirt has a pattern of pink heart-shaped flowers. The attached apron with its gracefully curved top is white, and trimmed with lovely white lace. The pocket in her apron, made especially for Lulu, has an appliquéd heart, satin trim, and decorative embroidery stitching.

Loretta and Lulu are signed and dated, and sealed with matte varnish for protection and preservation.

Update: Loretta and Lula have already been adopted. Thank you!

Loretta and Lulu’s friends are Emily and Edwin (above left) and Beatrice and Beulah (above right).

Posted on August 18, 2009May 11, 2014 by Elizabeth Ruffing — 1 Comment

Heidi and Helga, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Tabby Cat Doll and Hand-painted Goose by Max Bailey and Elizabeth Ruffing

This is Heidi, a very determined tabby cat who lives in the Swiss Alps with her good friend Helga. Helga is Heidi’s white goose, and her very best friend.

It is spring in the mountains, and the flowers are beginning to pop out of the earth. It’s a good time for singing, or in this case, for yodeling. Heidi’s dream is to win the championship trophy at the annual yodeling contest. Helga has agreed to be her partner and lovely assistant.

Every morning the two venture high into the mountains to practice. They love to yodel on the very top of the mountain. Their seemingly melodious sounds echo back at them a hundred times or more.

“We are getting very good at this,” Heidi proclaims. Helga nods happily.

Down in the valley, the townspeople come out of their houses into the square.

“What is that terrible howling-honking noise?” they wonder. They put their hands over their ears, and go back inside, slamming the windows shut.

Heidi is an original one-of-a-kind work of art, created from our own design and pattern. She is made from 100% cotton fabric which has been sewn, stuffed, and completely hand painted with acrylic paints. Her face is sculpted from paperclay smoothed into her fabric head. Her whiskers are made from stiffened cotton thread. She is 13 inches tall.

Helga the goose is made of wood. She has blue eyes and lots of painted white feathers. Her collar is black with gold bands, and is covered in a delicate pattern of little flowers and leaves. Her wheels are gold. Helga is 5 inches tall and 6 inches long.

Heidi is painted in a multitude of tabby colors…silver gray, buff, ivory, gold, and black. Her paws are needle-sculpted, and her arms are button-jointed with antique-looking buttons of filigreed silver on black, so she can easily pose.

Heidi’s curled tail enables her to sit prettily all by herself on a shelf or on a table, or in a cabinet. She will also obligingly sit on a chair, or stand with a doll stand. (Chair and doll stand are not included.) Heidi and Helga are meant for display only.

Heidi’s painted underblouse is ivory, with a scalloped neckline and sleeves. Her bloomers are painted in matching ivory. She wears white tights and black high-button shoes that look just right on her little kitty feet.

Heidi’s pretty Swiss dress features an off-white bodice and puffy sleeves edged in lace, with a tiny red rose at the center of the collar. Delicate patterns of red embroidery run down the front of her bodice and set off the wide hem of her apron. Her black vest has gold embroidery to match its gold lining, and her dress has a full red plaid skirt.

Heidi is signed and dated, and sealed with matte varnish for protection and preservation. They come with a hang tag, a certificate of authenticity, and a copy of her story.

Update: Heidi and Helga have been adopted. Thank you!

Heidi and Helga’s friends are Beatrice and Beulah (left) and Chelsea the Maine Coon Cat (right).

Posted on July 29, 2009March 13, 2022 by Elizabeth Ruffing

Emily and Edwin, Original One-of-a-kind Ginger Tabby Cat and Elephant Folk Art Dolls by Max Bailey and Elizabeth Ruffing

Emily is a ginger tabby cat with amber-colored eyes that reflect her very sweet personality.

One of her favorite toys is a little gray elephant she calls Edwin.

“Edwin, you need your exercise,” she will say to the sleepy-looking elephant.

Emily then grabs his cord and goes tearing at full speed through the house. She likes to hear the clatter of his wooden wheels on the hard floors. She also likes the thumpity-bump sound he makes when she pulls him up the stairs, and the bumpity-thump sound he makes when she pulls him down the stairs.

Edwin is endlessly entertaining, and, despite all the bumping and thumping, is none the worse for wear. He’s made of painted wood. His base is country blue with golden wheels. His blanket has gold tassels and multicolored stripes. Emily pulls him by a hemp cord decorated with red and blue wooden balls. He’s 3 inches long and 2 3/8 inches tall.

Emily is an original one-of-a-kind work of art, created from our own design and pattern. She is made from 100% cotton fabric which has been sewn, stuffed, and completely hand-painted with acrylic paints. She is 13 inches tall.

Emily’s paws are needle-sculpted, and her arms are button-jointed with antique-looking buttons of filigreed silver on black, so she can easily pose. Her face was sculpted from paperclay smoothed into her fabric head, and her whiskers are made from stiffened cotton thread. Emily’s curly orange striped tail helps her to sit perfectly upright all by herself on a shelf or a table, or in a cabinet. She will also sit nicely in a chair, or stand with a doll stand. (Chair and doll stand are not included.) Emily and Edwin are meant for display only.

Emily’s green blouse, with its dainty white collar and cuffs, and gold buttons, is painted on. She has ivory bloomers and two-toned striped green stockings. Her fancy high-button shoes are golden brown with black buttons, and look just right on her little kitty feet.

Emily’s white apron is edged in lace and adorned with a country blue satin ribbon overstitched with a pattern of green flowers. A graceful line of green leaves is embroidered above the ribbon, and a green geometric pattern is embroidered below.

Emily’s green skirt is beautifully decorated with embroidered linear patterns in country blue. A plaid ruffle that picks up all the fabric and embroidery colors is attached below the skirt.

Emily is signed and dated, and sealed with matte varnish for protection and preservation. She comes with a hang tag, a certificate of authenticity, and a copy of her story.

Emily and Edwin are available for $650.00, plus shipping. Please inquire to [email protected]

Emily’s lop rabbit friends are Beatrice and Beulah.

Posted on July 29, 2009March 31, 2013 by Elizabeth Ruffing — 3 Comments

Beatrice and Beulah, Original One-of-a-kind Lop Bunny Rabbit Folk Art Dolls by Max Bailey and Elizabeth Ruffing

Beatrice is a lop bunny with soft brown eyes, large floppy ears, a wiggly nose, and big feet perfect for hopping about. She is known far and wide for her sweetness.

One day, after Beatrice had just been to the Bunny Boutique to buy a new outfit, she happened to pass by the Bunny Baubles store, which is also in the bunny shopping district. There in the window, looking pleadingly up at her, was a beautiful baby bunny doll in a green dress.

Unable to resist, Beatrice brought her home that very day, and named her Beulah. She had a special pocket for Beulah sewn into each of her dresses, as bunnies aren’t very good at carrying dolls.

Beatrice and Beulah don’t have tea parties, but Beatrice tosses up fresh endive, romaine lettuce, parsley, and cilantro for wonderful salad parties.

All the neighborhood bunnies hope to get an invitation, and Beatrice tries very hard not to overlook anyone.

Beatrice and Beulah are original one-of-a-kind works of art, created from our own pattern and design. Beatrice is made from 100% cotton fabric which has been sewn, stuffed, and completely hand painted with acrylic paints. Beulah is sculpted entirely from paperclay and painted with acrylic paints. Beatrice is 12 ½ inches tall, and Beulah is 2 ¾ inches tall.

Beatrice’s big feet have needle-sculpted toes, and her paws are button-jointed with antique-looking buttons of filigreed silver on black, so she can easily pose. Her face is sculpted from paperclay smoothed into her fabric head, and her whiskers are made from stiffened cotton thread. She has a soft fluffy tail made from yarn.

Beatrice can be propped on a shelf or a table, or in a cabinet. She can also sit in a chair or stand with a doll stand. (Chair and doll stand not included.) Beatrice and Beulah are meant for display only.

Beatrice wears a pretty pale yellow blouse with a scalloped neckline, sleeves, and hem. Painted purple flowers on the front of her blouse match the flowers in her skirt. Her bunny bloomers are painted ivory.

Beatrice’s charming country pinafore has a pale yellow skirt with a pattern of purple flowers and soft green leaves. The apron with straps that cross in the back is also soft yellow, and edged with off-white lace. The big patch pocket meant for transporting little Beulah is edged in green satin with darker green patterns of decorative stitching. A little green heart is hand appliquéd onto the pocket.

Beulah’s tiny green dress has puffy sleeves with a white collar. Her white bloomers show from under her pink petticoats. A delicate pattern of pink flowers is painted around the bottom of her dress.

Beatrice and Beulah are signed and dated, and sealed with matte varnish for protection and preservation.

Update: Beatrice and Beulah have already been adopted. Thank you!

Beatrice and Beulah’s kitty and elephant friends are Emily and Edwin.