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Katie the Tabby Kitten, Original One-of-a-kind Art Doll Figurine by Max Bailey

Katie the Tabby Kitten, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyKatie is a tabby and white kitten. She loves to go up to the top of the hill on a windy day and watch her brother and his friends fly their kites.

Her brother’s blue kite is her favorite. It sails recklessly in the wind, swaying back and forth in the sky. It is so beautifully blue that it sometimes disappears against the blue of the sky, and Katie holds her breath until it reappears against a white cloud.

Katie the Tabby Kitten, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyOne morning, Katie’s brother handed her his blue kite. “You can have this one,” he said. She was greatly surprised, but she thanked him for his generosity, took the kite, and ran home.

Katie the Tabby Kitten, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyNo one saw Katie all afternoon. While Katie isn’t very athletic, she is very artistic. She took out her paints and brushes and painted all her favorite flowers on the blue kite, until it was as flowery as a kite could be. She made pretty little bows out of her favorite hair ribbons and tied them on the tail of the kite.

“There!” said Katie, when she was satisfied with her creation. “Now he won’t ask for it back!”

Katie the Tabby Kitten, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyKatie is an original one-of-a-kind work of art, and is meant for display only. No molds are ever used in my work. She and her kite are hand-sculpted from paperclay, and are entirely hand painted with acrylic paints. Katie’s soft pink dress has puffy sleeves, and smocking on both the front and the back. It ties at the back with a big bow. Her striped tabby tail emerges from the white petticoats that show beneath her dress. Katie’s whiskers are made from stiffened cotton thread.

Katie the Tabby Kitten, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyKatie 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.

Katie is an itty bitty kitty. She stands only 4 and 1/2 inches tall. She comes with a hang tag, a certificate of authenticity, and a copy of her story.

Katie the Tabby Kitten, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyUpdate: Katie has been adopted. Thank you!

Katie the Tabby Kitten, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max Bailey

 

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Super Slugs and Super-sized Slugs

12 inch Super Slugs by Elizabeth RuffingAs promised, I have some toys to show for myself today. We went out into the heat and took some photos. These two 12 inch tall “Super Slugs” are over in my Etsy shop right now.

14 inch Hug Me! Slug by Elizabeth RuffingThis is the first time I’ve done a 14 inch “Hug Me! Slug”. He looks like he might be the real super slug here, but he’s already on his way to his new home. He’s a Father’s Day surprise for a dad who surprised his wife and son with their own personalized slugs. They wanted an even bigger one for him. He’s supposed to be “Dad sized”.

12 inch Super Slug by Elizabeth RuffingAs you can see, the 12 inch slugs look dainty compared to him.

9 inch Super Slug by Elizabeth RuffingI also sewed up a 9 inch tall “Super Slug”. He flew off a few days ago to help look after a new baby. These slugs keep busy.

Blue 12 inch Super Slug by Elizabeth RuffingI should have taken one of them to the Post Office with me today. I could have used some assistance. I got a flat tire. I thought I heard a funny flapping noise over the air conditioning, and just as I approached the shoulder-less road home, the noise got louder.

Blue 12 inch Super Slug by Elizabeth RuffingI didn’t really have a safe place to pull over, and so I drove the rest of the way home. Luckily, it wasn’t far. The tire is still on the car, because it is just too hot out there right now to touch it, but, hopefully, there’s no damage to the rim. That’s a project for tomorrow.

Bright light green 12 inch Super Slug by Elizabeth RuffingWe also photographed some of Max Bailey’s kitten figurines. I’ll get to work on editing those photos and putting up their web pages too. They’re very cute.

Bright light green 12 inch Super Slug by Elizabeth RuffingUp, up, and away!

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Hiding from the heat

Elizabeth RuffingI have some toys, dolls, and figurines to show you, but honestly, I am just too hot to go out there and photograph anything today. I think it is about 97 degrees today, and humid. I’ve been moving slowly, even with the air conditioning. I’ve been inside, for the most part, sewing, but when I can’t see so well, I go out on the porch to hand sew, while I melt.

Elizabeth RuffingI’m still studying Aperture, in Apple class. I’m learning adjustments right now. I come back and experiment on myself, or rather photos of myself, like these. I rather liked this one, for it’s dramatic look. It reminds me a bit of an old-time vampire movie.

Elizabeth RuffingAny time we take photos of me, I seem to go through the same repertoire of expressions. Some of them are funny. I usually pick out the friendly ones to use, but I also have cranky, aloof, and goofy expressions, which appear just as often. I played around with some of those photos too, but for here, I’ll stick with the friendly ones, so as not to spook anyone.

Elizabeth RuffingOur kitty’s anole friend still comes to visit, but in the heat, Mr Kitty has taken to taking naps. He’ll say hello, and then go pass out on the bed. The poor anole climbs all over the window, looking in, trying to get his attention.

Anole looking in the windowOur vegetables are continuing to grow and ripen. I had to do something with this great big zucchini (those are a regular-sized steak knife and a large red flour canister for scale) before it grew to be Woody-Allen-Sleeper sized. That’s some giant parsley I picked too, next to the zucchini.

Fresh-picked zucchini and parsleyFortunately, I grabbed them just in time.

I picked more parsley than I really needed, and added a can of diced tomatoes (the ones in the garden weren’t ready yet), and some sliced onion.

Zucchini, parsley, onion, tomatoesI fried them all in some extra virgin olive oil, and put them over fettuccine.

Zucchini, parsley, onion, tomatoes, and fettuccineI think next time, I will cut back on the parsley and chop it up more finely. I’d also scoop out the seeds from the zucchini. This one had rather large seeds, due to its size. I’ve made fried zucchini slices before and not even noticed the seeds. So, I guess it depends on how long you wait to pick yours. Those Sleeper-sized ones though…I’d definitely scoop those out!

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Blueberries and a floral display

BlueberriesThe first of our blueberries are ripening. I haven’t tasted a fully ripened one yet, I don’t think. It seems, if I want to try one, I must grab it before the birds do. They don’t last long once they begin to turn blue. I’m not sure I’ve seen a dark blue blueberry yet. I’ve grabbed my fair share of almost-ripe berries though. I think once the bushes mature, barring an attack of Alfred Hitchcock proportions, we should be able to share nicely, but I’m not accounting for whoever else might be sneaking out of the woods when I’m not looking.

Orange daylilies with blue lace-cap hydrangeasThe perennials surrounding the house, are all opening up. The day lilies are mixed in with our lace-cap hydrangeas,

Orange daylilies with blue lace-cap hydrangeaswhich have all their petals fully open now, around their lacy centers.

Blue lace-cap hydrangeasThe cornflowers have invaded every formerly bare spot along the walkway.

CornflowersThe bees, butterflies, and moths have been milling in and out and through the forest of them.

Cornflower with beeAnd everywhere there is lots of pink, pink day lilies,

Mauve dayliliesand the airy blooms that cover the Mimosa tree over the deck. They look like plumage that should be on the top of some exotic bird’s head,

Mimosa Tree bloomsor pink fireworks, going off everywhere in a big, leafy sky.

Mimosa Tree in bloom