Category: Already Adopted Dolls

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Clara One-of-a-kind Original Izannah Walker-inspired Folk Art Doll by Elizabeth Ruffing

This is Clara, my new original folk art doll! I designed both her body pattern and her dress pattern myself. Her design was inspired by Izannah Walker dolls, and her face is a Jumeau-style antique reproduction. She is one-of-a-kind. There are no others like her.

Her body and her dress are both 100% cotton fabric. Her dress is a beautiful pink quilter’s cotton scattered with pale pink chrysanthemums, a symbol of innocence, hope, and cheerfulness. I sewed two pin tucks and a three inch hem at the bottom of the dress, to make it stand out nicely. A sash ties in a pretty bow at the back. All the seams are carefully finished.

I made her head using a combination of Creative Paperclay and Li-Qua-Ché pourable papier mâché. She is entirely hand painted first with a layer of gesso, then finely detailed with acrylic paint, and then sealed with matte varnish for protection.

She is jointed at her shoulders, hips and knees, and her bottom is weighted with Poly-Pellets so she can sit nicely. Her hands and arms are lightly wired to allow her fingers to have a more realistic curl, and to allow her elbows to bend slightly.

Her hand-sculpted ringlets go all the way around her head, and little pin curls cover the top of her head.

Her antique-style lace-trimmed undergarments are hand-painted and detailed with painted white lace trim and tiny buttons.

Her hand-painted boots have little painted gold buttons on their sides. I named her Clara after the character of that name in The Nutcracker. Lots of hours went into making Clara an heirloom-quality doll. She is meant for display, and would make a lovely addition to a young, or a young-at-heart, girl’s room.

Update: Clara has been adopted. Thank you!

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Lily and Caroline, Original One-of-a-kind White Cat and Tuxedo Kitten Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max Bailey

Lily and Caroline, Original One-of-a-kind White Cat and Tuxedo Kitten Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max Bailey Lily is a lovely white cat. She gazes intensely up at you with honest blue eyes.

Lily and Caroline, Original One-of-a-kind White Cat and Tuxedo Kitten Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyHer sweet little face is very serious. If it weren’t for Caroline, her tuxedo cat doll, Lily would be very serious all of the time, but Caroline’s funny little grin brings a smile to Lily’s heart.

Lily and Caroline, Original One-of-a-kind White Cat and Tuxedo Kitten Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyLily’s dress is country blue with an orchid pink neckband, cuffs, and sash that is tied in a big bow at the back.

Lily and Caroline, Original One-of-a-kind White Cat and Tuxedo Kitten Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyThe top of her dress and her sleeves have little pale blue flowers with yellow centers, and her kitty tail emerges from the ruffled white petticoats that can be seen from below.

Lily and Caroline, Original One-of-a-kind White Cat and Tuxedo Kitten Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyCaroline wears a red summer dress with white polka dots.

Lily and Caroline, Original One-of-a-kind White Cat and Tuxedo Kitten Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyShe has yellow eyes, a pink nose, and of course, that contagious grin.

Lily and Caroline, Original One-of-a-kind White Cat and Tuxedo Kitten Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyLily rests firmly upon a turned wooden stand that is stained and sealed in golden oak. She is 6 inches tall.

Lily and Caroline, Original One-of-a-kind White Cat and Tuxedo Kitten Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyI sculpted Lily from paperclay, giving special attention to the texture of her fur and the three-dimensional details of her doll, her paws, and her fancy sash. Lily’s whiskers are made from stiffened cotton, threaded through the paperclay before it dried. Lily and Caroline are completely hand painted using acrylic paints. No molds are ever used in my work.

Lily and Caroline, Original One-of-a-kind White Cat and Tuxedo Kitten Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max Bailey“Lily and Caroline” is an original one-of-a-kind work of art, meant for display only. It is signed and dated and sealed with matte varnish for protection and preservation.

Lily and Caroline, Original One-of-a-kind White Cat and Tuxedo Kitten Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyUpdate: Lily and Caroline have been adopted. Thank you!

Lily and Caroline, Original One-of-a-kind White Cat and Tuxedo Kitten Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max Bailey

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Crabby Alice and Ruthie, Original One-of-a-kind Blue Persian Folk Art Cat Doll and Turtle by Max Bailey

Crabby Alice and Ruthie, Original One-of-a-kind Blue Persian Folk Art Cat Doll and Turtle by Max BaileyCrabby Alice is a very sweet-tempered Blue Persian cat.

Crabby Alice and Ruthie, Original One-of-a-kind Blue Persian Folk Art Cat Doll and Turtle by Max BaileyShe isn’t really crabby at all, but she likes to look that way. It makes people say “Oh, poor kitty. Are you having a bad day?” Then she gets extra pats on the head, tickles under the chin, and sometimes special treats. She likes that a lot.

Crabby Alice and Ruthie, Original One-of-a-kind Blue Persian Folk Art Cat Doll and Turtle by Max BaileyShe shares the treats with her friend Ruthie the turtle, and they giggle together as they eat them, making funny little muffled noises. When the treats are gone, they think up ways Alice might arrange her face to look even a little crabbier.

Crabby Alice and Ruthie, Original One-of-a-kind Blue Persian Folk Art Cat Doll and Turtle by Max BaileyCrabby Alice wears a pretty red and white polka dot pinafore, with a ruffled bib and straps that crisscross in the back. Her blouse is a soft lilac blue with ivory collar and cuffs, painted on like her striped gold, blue, and red tights and laced up old fashioned shoes.

Crabby Alice and Ruthie, Original One-of-a-kind Blue Persian Folk Art Cat Doll and Turtle by Max BaileyShe’s an original one-of-a-kind work of art that I created from my own design and pattern, then made from 100% cotton fabric which I sewed, stuffed, and completely hand painted with acrylic paints.

Crabby Alice and Ruthie, Original One-of-a-kind Blue Persian Folk Art Cat Doll and Turtle by Max BaileyShe is 13 inches tall.

Crabby Alice and Ruthie, Original One-of-a-kind Blue Persian Folk Art Cat Doll and Turtle by Max BaileyAlice’s very crabby expression was created from paperclay smoothed into her fabric head, and sculpted in three different stages of hardening.

Crabby Alice and Ruthie, Original One-of-a-kind Blue Persian Folk Art Cat Doll and Turtle by Max Bailey

Crabby Alice and Ruthie, Original One-of-a-kind Blue Persian Folk Art Cat Doll and Turtle by Max BaileyEven her gray and unruly whiskers are grumpy. They are made of stiffened pearl cotton that I threaded through the paperclay before it dried. I made her 100% cotton pinafore from my own design and pattern.

Crabby Alice and Ruthie, Original One-of-a-kind Blue Persian Folk Art Cat Doll and Turtle by Max BaileyCrabby Alice, though she may not look it, is very obliging. She has a curly tail that allows her to sit up and glare at you all by herself from a shelf or a table, or in a cabinet. She can also glare at you while sitting in a chair or standing with a doll stand. (Chair and doll stand not included.)

Crabby Alice and Ruthie, Original One-of-a-kind Blue Persian Folk Art Cat Doll and Turtle by Max BaileyRuthie the turtle is made of wood, and doesn’t glare. She looks quite friendly and happy, probably because she gets so many treats. I painted her shell in brown, orange, and gold, and the rest of her in gray green and brown turtle colors. She’s about five inches long and two inches wide.

Ruthie, One-of-a-kind Turtle by Max Bailey

Ruthie, One-of-a-kind Turtle by Max BaileyCrabby Alice is signed and dated, and sealed with matte varnish for protection and preservation. She and her friend Ruthie are meant for display only.

Ruthie, One-of-a-kind Turtle by Max BaileyUpdate: Crabby Alice and Ruthie have already been adopted. Thank you!

Crabby Alice and Ruthie, Original One-of-a-kind Blue Persian Folk Art Cat Doll and Turtle by Max BaileyCrabby Alice and Ruthie’s friends are Ginger and George (lower left) and Hedda and Hopper (lower right).

Ginger and George, Crabby Alice and Ruthie, Hedda and Hopper, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Cat Dolls by Max Bailey

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Ginger and George, tabby cat handmade original art doll with gingham alligator, by Max Bailey

Ginger and George, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Tabby Cat Doll with Alligator by Max BaileyThis is Ginger. Ginger is an orange and white tabby, and she’s a country cat. On summer nights, Ginger loves to sit on the porch in her wicker chair and listen to the crickets and the katydids.

Ginger and George, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Tabby Cat Doll with Alligator by Max BaileyOn pleasant fall days, she loves to walk through the dried leaves and hear them crunch and crackle under her shoes.

Ginger and George, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Tabby Cat Doll with Alligator by Max BaileyGinger loves gingham dresses, especially this one, with its ruffling ruffle and long sash that she ties in a pretty bow in the back.

Ginger and George, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Tabby Cat Doll with Alligator by Max BaileyShe also loves George, her gingham alligator. When she takes George out for a walk, all the chickens go clucking and running to the other side of the barnyard. She thinks maybe that’s because they don’t like the clatter George’s wooden wheels make as they roll over the pebbles by the back door.

Ginger and George, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Tabby Cat Doll with Alligator by Max BaileyGinger is an original one-of-a-kind work of art, created from my own design and pattern. She is made from 100% cotton fabric which is sewn, stuffed, and completely hand painted with acrylic paints. She is 13 inches tall.

Ginger and George, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Tabby Cat Doll with Alligator by Max BaileyI sculpted Ginger’s face from paperclay, which I smoothed into her fabric head. Her pearl cotton whiskers were threaded through the paperclay before it dried. I made her gingham dress from 100% cotton fabric, from my own design and pattern.

Ginger and George, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Tabby Cat Doll with Alligator by Max BaileyGinger is very accommodating. Her curly white-tipped tail supports her very well, so she will sit very prettily all by herself on a shelf or a table, or in a cabinet. She will also happily sit in a chair, or stand with a doll stand. (Doll stand not included.) Her arms are button-jointed.

Ginger and George, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Tabby Cat Doll with Alligator by Max BaileyGinger’s white on white polka dot bloomers are painted on, as are her striped tights, and the high-button scuffed up shoes that cover her kitty feet.

George, One-of-a-kind Folk Art Gingham Alligator by Max BaileyGeorge is made of wood. I painted him with my best version of green and white gingham, and gave him droopy eyelids and sleepy yellow eyes. He’s about 7 inches long and about 2 inches wide.

George, One-of-a-kind Folk Art Gingham Alligator by Max BaileyGinger is signed and dated, and sealed with matte varnish for protection and preservation. Ginger and George are original works of art and are meant for display only.

Ginger and George, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Tabby Cat Doll with Alligator by Max BaileyUpdate: Ginger and George have already been adopted. Thank you!

Ginger and George, Crabby Alice and Ruthie, and Hedda and Hopper, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Cat Dolls by Max BaileyGinger and George’s friends are Crabby Alice and Ruthie (above center) and Hedda and Hopper (above right).