Elizabeth Ruffing, Author at Ruffing’s | The Little House of Cats

Posted on April 27, 2012July 28, 2019 by Elizabeth Ruffing — 1 Comment

The Cleveland Strawberry Festival in Clayton, NC

Some of my toys are going to the Cleveland Strawberry Festival in Clayton, NC tomorrow. This is the first time I’ve tried them out at an event. It’s their first time out of the house too 🙂 They’ll be at the Alley Cats and and Angels booth.

I put them in cello sleeves to keep them clean, and fit as many as I could into the bin I got. I made a whole lot of tags for them, not knowing how many I’d need. I had picked out almost again as many toys as are in this box.

$10 from the sale of the Alley Cat Angels, $5 from the Hug Me Sock Kittens, and $5 from the 7-inch Hug Me Slugs will go to Alley Cats and Angels of NC to help cats and kittens in need.

Please come out if you are in the area.

I made this little sign for the side of my box.

There will also be catnip toys (kickers, cigars, and pouches), cat beds, and cookies, all made by volunteers, at the rescue booth. These cigars are a big hit in our house. (I borrowed these two photos below from the rescue.) I have to get some more of those.

They made a huge number of catnip knots, and put them all in cello sleeves with tags on them. I gave them a PDF of the tags I did before, along with some cello sleeves, and they came out nice. Very cheerful.

Hope you’ll come out and have a look around.

Cleveland Strawberry Festival
Near the junction of Highway 40 & 42
I-40, Exit 312
919-773-8448

Posted on April 24, 2012July 28, 2019 by Elizabeth Ruffing

New toys in my shop today

These fuzzy handmade stuffed animal Hug Me Slugs, Hug Me Bugs, and Hug Me KIttens are up. I am posting my new stuffed animal toys in our Ruffing’s shop. As as of this afternoon,

I have one Hug Me Bug, some Hug Me Slugs, and Hug Me Sock Kittens too. I have plenty more to come. I’ve been watching movies, while hand sewing. I watched a particularly cheesy bunch of bad horror movies the other day.

I’ve been trying to fit in going out to lunch at least once week too. On the way home, I often end up with strawberry cupcakes from The Fresh Market. These are wonderful. I have to find some chocolate ones. There are many temptations there.

Posted on April 18, 2012July 28, 2019 by Elizabeth Ruffing

Pink striped kittens, and a magenta kitten with polka dots

I made two pink striped Hug Me Sock Kittens. I will be posting my new handmade stuffed animal toys in our Ruffing’s shop.

I also made this magenta sock kitten with yellow, soft orange, and pink polka dots.

The iris are blooming here. I need to make a second the iris bed so I can divide them. I have so many beautiful ones that don’t bloom since the garden is overcrowded.

I made these oatmeal raisin cookies from a recipe in The Family Baker by Susan G. Purdy. They are a variation on the Quaker Oats recipe. They came out really good and I am eating too many of them.

I’m trying to move away from being on the Internet so much. I want to do some gardening and reading and maybe some drawing. I’ll still be posting my toys here, and on our Ruffing’s Facebook page. I was proud of myself today for planting Maxie’s forsythia bush. The yard has clay just under the surface, which makes it difficult to garden. I want to try my iris bed next.

Posted on April 15, 2012July 28, 2019 by Elizabeth Ruffing

In memory of Maxie

Tuxedo and Roses by A E Ruffing

Maxie, June 1995-April 12, 2012

We had to let Maxie go last Thursday. Maxie was able to eat a little, but quickly became bloated again. He was exhausted, but was still purring for us, although we could hear fluid in his lungs. We took him outside for a while. He walked around and lay in the sun, but he was so tired. We tried to keep him as comfortable as possible, for as long as possible, but it became clear it was his time.

On the way back from the vet, I wanted to stop for a forsythia bush to mark his resting spot. I had awakened that morning, thinking that was the right one. My mom waited in the car, while I stopped at the store. The very first plant I touched, after walking right to it without hesitation, was a forsythia bush. It wasn’t blooming, and so I had no idea until I saw the tag. I took it home. I am very tired, but will plant it as soon as I can. He’s at rest next to his best friend, Laurence.

We feel very sad, but relieved he is not suffering. He lived to be seventeen years old, and it is hard to adjust to his not being everywhere. He would always jump on the counter and walk around my breakfast in the morning, no matter how many times I picked him up and put him back on the kitchen floor, and I always passed him in his bed near the front door, when I went to open it. He liked to sing loudly in the middle of the night, all by himself. He always did that, his whole life. We thought he must like the sound of his own voice. We miss him.