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Maryanne the Ragdoll Cat, Original One-of-a-kind Art Doll Figurine by Max Bailey

Maryanne the Ragdoll Cat, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max Bailey“What am I?” Maryanne asked her mama one day.

“You are a Ragdoll, my dear,” her mama replied, looking fondly at her little daughter.

Maryanne the Ragdoll Cat, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyOnce in a while, Maryanne wished she had someone to play with, such as a little sister. So when her mama asked her what she would like for her first birthday, Maryanne said “I would like a Ragdoll, Mama.”

“I will see what I can do,” her mama answered thoughtfully, which to Maryanne was a very good sign.

Maryanne the Ragdoll Cat, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyFor the two weeks before her birthday, when Maryanne had gone to bed, she could hear her mama’s foot on the treadle of the old Singer sewing machine, late into the night. She wondered if perhaps her mama was making her a special dress to wear on her birthday.

Maryanne the Ragdoll Cat, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max Bailey When the big day came, Maryanne’s mama presented her with a large birthday box, which thrilled Maryanne to no end. Surely it was the Ragdoll she had asked for.!

“Her name is Margie,” said Mama, as Maryanne took the lid off the box. “She is your very own rag doll.”

Maryanne the Ragdoll Cat, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyBecause she was such a kind and considerate daughter, and because she knew her mama had worked so very hard, Maryanne hid her disappointment. Margie was not the little sister she had expected, but she said thank you and gave her mama a big hug.

Before long, Maryanne came to realize that her rag doll Margie was in great need of her assistance. The poor thing had no whiskers. And how was she to hear with those big long ears that were tied at the top with bows? Worse than that, Margie had no tail!

Maryanne the Ragdoll Cat, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyMaryanne took good care of Margie. She took Margie everywhere she went, and grew to love her quiet ways. Indeed, they became inseparable.

That is how Maryanne came to be known as the Ragdoll with a rag doll.

Maryanne the Ragdoll Cat, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyMaryanne is a beautiful bicolor Ragdoll cat with China-blue eyes that reflect her sweet disposition. She wears an old-fashioned blue dress gathered up at the sides. It drapes softly over a skirt striped with many colors to match the lower sleeves of the dress. Three gold buttons accent the front, and a large pink peony adorns either side.

Margie wears a pink jumper over a lighter pink blouse with a white collar. She has black tights and brown high-button shoes with gold buttons. Both Maryanne and Margie have white petticoats.

Maryanne the Ragdoll Cat and Hyacinth the Blue Persian, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Doll Figurines by Max BaileyI hand sculpted Maryanne and Margie from paperclay, and they are original one-of-a-kind works of art, meant for display only. No molds are ever used in my work.

Maryanne’s whiskers are made from stiffened cotton thread. Margie, of course, has no whiskers.

Maryanne and Margie are completely hand painted with acrylic paints, then signed and dated and sealed with matte varnish for protection and preservation. Maryanne rests firmly on a turned wooden base that is stained and sealed in golden oak, and she stands 9 inches tall. She comes with a hang tag, a certificate of authenticity, and a copy of her story.

Maryanne the Ragdoll Cat and Felicity the Ragdoll Kitten, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Doll Figurines by Max BaileyPlease click here to visit Maryanne’s adoption page.

Maryanne’s kitty friends are Hyacinth the Blue Perisan, and Felicity the Ragdoll Kitten. They are not included.

We can be found on social media here: Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

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Cats On Bikes

I’m so glad I found these bikes. I had no idea how much kitten dolls enjoyed bikes until I got them. They actually got a bit rowdy.

They had a game of Chicken.

Their mama managed to redirect them.

Then they rode tandem. No hands! Er, paws.

Then they rode off on their own.

I’m not sure where they went.

If you see them, let me know.

They’re about, well, kitten-sized…several inches tall, and not considered dangerous.
Special thanks to Max Bailey’s cat Hedda for minding them as best she could.

From left to right, “Fiona“, “Ziggy“, and “Hedda“. Please visit our online doll gallery to see more of our original, one-of-a-kind, folk art dolls.

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“Fiona” the Calico Kitten

Here is “Fiona” my one-of-a-kind, original folk art kitten doll, finally all painted and dressed and photographed!

She looks very alert, mischievous, and ready to play, as a kitten should.

I put her with “Ziggy“, her little brother, on the handmade doll quilt I made for her. They played with Ziggy’s toy car.

Then they had a game of Patty-cake.

Fiona modeled her dress. Three-quarter view…

Front…

And back.

I took a better photo of her butterfly quilt.

And got a closeup of the hand embroidered butterfly I designed for the center block.

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Emerging Art

I think I painted about eight million hairs on this kitten doll, when two million might have done just as well. I have her shoes, socks, and pantaloons left to paint and I’m feeling terribly slow. I may be coming down with a cold. It’s gotten everyone else here so far. I really want to get my doll done so I can photograph her with Ziggy. They look great together.

I don’t think that I believed how labor-intensive this kitten-making would be. Max had moved on, at least temporarily, from making the sewn, stuffed, and dressed dolls because, with all the sewing, they were extra involved and time consuming to make, and because Max prefers the sculpting and painting end of things to the sewing and stuffing end. I thought since I enjoy sewing, it would be right up my alley, which it may be. Oh, but all these hairs…I think I went a little nuts.