Tag: cat-art

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Natasha and Ivan, Original One-of-a-kind Russian Blue Cat Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max Bailey

Natasha and Ivan, Original One-of-a-kind Russian Blue Cat Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyNatasha is a lovely Russian Blue cat.

Her favorite doll is Ivan. He’s a puppy dog doll with a sad little wrinkled face.

Natasha and Ivan, Original One-of-a-kind Russian Blue Cat Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyNatasha’s friends find it scandalous that she carries around a doggie doll, but Natasha prides herself on being open-minded.

“Not all doggies are the same”, she tells them. “Some of them are very friendly and are nice to kitties.”

Her friends don’t believe her. They won’t allow Natasha to bring Ivan to their tea parties.

Natasha and Ivan, Original One-of-a-kind Russian Blue and Blue Persian Cat Folk Art Doll Figurines by Max BaileyNatasha worries that Ivan feels left out. She cuddles with him at naptime and tells him that she loves him, and not to be sad.

They can have their own tea party.

Natasha and Ivan, Original One-of-a-kind Russian Blue Cat Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyNatasha’s brilliant yellow eyes have a touch of bright green. She wears a dusty rose dress scattered with pale pink flowers that match the pink yoke and pink sash that ties in a bow at the back. Ivory ruffles adorn the neckline and sleeves, and her ivory petticoats can be seen below her dress.

Natasha and Ivan, Original One-of-a-kind Russian Blue Cat Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyNatasha 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 toy dog Ivan are hand sculpted from paperclay, and entirely hand painted using acrylic paints. Her whiskers are made from stiffened cotton thread.

Natasha and Ivan, Original One-of-a-kind Russian Blue Cat Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyNatasha 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. She stands 9 and 1/2 inches tall. She comes with a hang tag, a certificate of authenticity, and a copy of her story.

Natasha and Ivan, Original One-of-a-kind Russian Blue Cat Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyNatasha and Ivan are available for $750.00. Please inquire to ruffings@ruffings.com

Natasha and Ivan, Original One-of-a-kind Russian Blue Cat Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max BaileyNatasha’s kitty friend is Hyacinth the Blue Persian.

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Sock Kitty!

I love Sock Kitty! I also miss Sock Kitty because he is a birthday gift for a friend.

Sock Kitty is made from a sock stuffed with Polyfil. His eyes, nose, and hearts are polar fleece, embellished by hand with embroidery floss in a blanket stitch. I used embroidery floss to hand stitch his whiskers and his smile too. His ears are lined with cotton batik fabric.

Sock Kitty is nice and squishy. His paws even have little toes I sewed with upholstery thread.

He is a perpetually happy cat. I am going to have to make him a sibling to keep for myself, a twin perhaps.

In other news, I am tossing around the idea of collaborating with Max on some folk art cat dolls, the dressed and jointed kind with the sculpted faces. I’ve been spreading myself too thin for a long time, and I think if we put our efforts in the same direction, we both might be more productive. Collectively, we have at least three doll sizes, and some possible variations as to type of critter. We are terribly behind with a backlog of dolls waiting to go on our website right now. So, that is the first thing to resolve.

Over the past year, I spent a lot of time trying to have a separate business from our family business, in large part to accommodate someone else’s desire for me to have a separate income, but that has been like trying to spin twice as many plates in the air as I was already spinning. The end result was only that I had to neglect one business to spend time trying to get the other off the ground. All in all, I only got more behind and more scattered, and then we all ended up behind. Now I need to get us all back on track. My desire to please other people gets me in trouble sometimes, and really, as I’m sure we all know…if you need to knock yourself out to please someone else, it never turns out to be worth it. Please yourself, and surround yourself with people who appreciate you for who you are and who want you to be happy.

On a lighter note, is anyone else already hitting the Halloween candy? I am! Naughty 😉
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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.

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