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My latest attempt at movie stardom

Here it is…my “Elenora Kitten” video. I think I goofed up the intro about seven times before I got this one. In the first couple of versions I sounded like I was saying, “Thanks for shopping by.” How’s that for subtle advertising? This version is over on my YouTube channel. I enjoy the dismissive gesture I make after I try to explain what a flat and a round are. That makes me laugh.

Elenora is available in print form in my Etsy shop, and on this Ruffing’s site page. So, um, thanks for shopping by 😉

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Emmy the Tuxedo Kitten, Original, One-of-a-kind Anthropomorphic Black-and-white Cat Art Doll Figurine by Max Bailey

Emmy is an original, one-of-a-kind anthropomorphic black-and-white tuxedo cat art doll figurine, hand sculpted in paperclay and hand painted by artist Max Bailey. Emmy stands 4 1/4 inches tall.

Emmy’s story:

This is Emmy, and she’s a tuxedo kitten.

Emmy’s eyes are big and yellow and filled with awe and wonder at the world.

Early every morning, Emmy takes her little kitty doll and rushes to the window to watch the sun come up, and another new day begin.

They listen to the birds singing in the trees, and watch the puffy white clouds drift by.

“This is going to be a great day!” Emmy tells her doll, who always agrees.

Emmy is dressed in a country red pinafore banded in gold, with a big gold sash that ties in a bow at the back. There is a pretty dark blue flower on the front of her dress that matches her sleeves. Blue and white petticoats show beneath her hemline. Emmy’s little tuxedo cat doll wears a pink dress with blue polka dots, and she has white petticoats.

Emmy is an original one-of-a-kind work of art, and she is meant for display only. She has been free sculpted, and no mold was used to make her. She and her doll are hand sculpted from paperclay, and entirely hand painted using acrylic paints. Emmy’s whiskers are made from stiffened cotton thread.

Emmy is signed and dated, and sealed with matte varnish for protection and preservation. She rests firmly on a turned wooden base that is stained and sealed in golden oak.

Emmy is an itty bitty kitty. She stands only 4 and 1/4 inches tall.

Update: Emmy has already been adopted. Thank you!

Emmy’s kitty friend is Wanda the Tuxedo Cat.

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I made a bold move

For me anyway. I’ve been looking for a new sewing machine since 2004. I couldn’t find one that I could afford that had the features and the quality I wanted. I picked out one I thought was just right, and a less expensive runner up, back then, but I couldn’t afford them either.

Just recently, while I was getting some fabric, I noticed a half off sale was going on on some of the store’s sewing machines. There was my first choice, now discontinued, at half off. I still couldn’t afford it! My runner up, or the machine that had replaced it a couple of years ago, was there too, also discontinued. I “test drove” both of them, in case I could figure out a way that I could manage to buy one. (I tried a couple of machines from two other well-respected companies too, just to make sure I didn’t like them better.)

My second choice felt more comfortable to me, but once the owner saw I was interested, even though it was also discontinued, she said she could sell it to me well over the half-price mark. In fact, it was more than my first choice’s current price, and it was a floor model, while my first choice was new. I later made an offer on it, but she still wanted more than I could afford to pay.

I looked on eBay and found a seller, on the opposite side of the country, who was selling both models, both at a price I could manage, and both new in their boxes. I called a second dealer and asked for her advice on the two models. She had my first choice available, used, and recommended that one, saying it had been her most popular machine and said the other was archaic compared to the new models. I agonized all week over what to do, and which machine would be better for me. My first choice had a lot of add-ons that I was afraid would become hard to find, even though it had some features that supposedly made it easier to use. I decided I was experienced enough to deal with doing those tasks manually, in exchange for not having to worry about not being able to get the add-ons for the machine later, at a greater cost.

I emailed the seller on eBay and asked if the warranty would be good, long distance. I might be giving up the first year free labor from the seller, in favor of the convenience of taking it to a local dealer, but with my other Viking, I didn’t need that anyway. He sounded like a decent guy and his feedback was very good.

No one seemed to be buying anything all weekend due to all the economic turmoil, and so I had a little time to think it over. I knew I was swimming upstream in the recent financial current, but I decided to remain optimistic. It was also a chance for me to finally be able to upgrade my machine, and expand my capabilities. Over the long term, I think I’ll be glad I did. The newer models were all out of my range, and I really wanted to upgrade while the Vikings were still being made in Sweden. They are just switching over to China now, but, from what one dealer explained, they simply could not buy land to expand their factory in Husqvarna, Sweden, which is why they moved a whole faction of their employees over to a new factory in China. She hasn’t noticed any difference in the machines, just for the record 🙂

I asked at least three more people for their opinions, and then Sunday night, after several tries at getting myself to hit that “Buy it now” button, I finally took the plunge. So scary! I am a terribly uncomfortable shopper to begin with, and this was a big purchase for me. I got my new machine at 60% off the original price, and I will be testing every feature to make sure it works, to be sure. I have some projects I have put off finishing for the past few years in case I could get a new machine. So, I’ll be fishing those out as well. Right now, I am nervously waiting while my machine is in transit, but I am also getting excited about it (hence the Viking site photos!).

Update and a word of warning: The Husqvarna Viking company will not honor warranties on their machines if they were purchased over the Internet, even if you are able to register your warranty on their web site. So be aware that you will only be able to use the warranty provided by the seller, if you buy your machine online, which means you will have to ship your machine to the seller, if you need repairs covered by his or her personal warranty. Viking claims the company warranties on their machines are null and void, if you purchase one of their machines on the Internet, although there is nothing in my particular written warranty from them about this. I received this information from them in an email, and through another dealer who received it from her regional manager.

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“The Owl and the Pussy-Cat” Print Set

“The Owl and the Pussy-Cat” by Edward Lear is one of my favorite childhood poems. I am printing up a copy of it to include with my owl and pussycat print set. I am using our Ruffing’s stationery, which is decorated with a beautiful white rose by Abby Laurence. It is on heavy acid-free cardstock, and is suitable for framing.

The print set can be found by scrolling down on either the “Henry the Owl” web page, or the “Elenora” web page of our Ruffing’s site. Both are also available in my Etsy shop, either separately, or as a set. The set includes the poem, and is $40 plus shipping. They can also be ordered by emailing me. The frames are not included.

I still have to film an intro for my “Elenora” video and then put it all together. I’ve been waiting for a time when I look well rested!

“The Owl and the Pussy-Cat” by Edward Lear

The Owl and the Pussy-Cat went to sea
In a beautiful pea-green boat:
They took some honey, and plenty of money
Wrapped up in a five-pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars above,
And sang to a small guitar,
“O lovely Pussy, O Pussy, my love,
What a beautiful Pussy you are,
You are,
You are!
What a beautiful Pussy you are!”

Pussy said to the Owl, “You elegant fowl,
How charmingly sweet you sing!
Oh! let us be married; too long we have tarried:
But what shall we do for a ring?”
They sailed away, for a year and a day,
To the land where the bong-tree grows;
And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood,
With a ring at the end of his nose,
His nose,
His nose,

“Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling
Your ring?” Said the Piggy, “I will.”
So they took it away, and were married next day
By the Turkey who lives on the hill.
They dined on mince, and slices of quince,
Which they ate with a runcible spoon;
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
They danced by the light of the moon,
The moon,
The moon,
They danced by the light of the moon.