folk-art Archives - Page 69 of 76 - Ruffing’s

Posted on November 28, 2007June 1, 2011 by Elizabeth Ruffing — 1 Comment

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

She used to have another name, but nobody remembers it anymore. Everybody calls her “Crybaby”.

She cries when she’s too hot. She cries when she’s too cold. She cries when her mother leaves the room, and she cries when her mother comes back.

She cries when her bowl is empty, and sometimes she cries when it’s full.

No one ever asks “Where’s Crybaby?” They know where she is.

There’s just no stopping her. Poor Crybaby!

Crybaby’s little tabby cat self is painted in a multitude of tabby colors…silver gray, buff, ivory, and gold, with lots of black stripes on her head and tail. Her eyes are blue-green with a touch of yellow. The top of her nose is wrinkled and she has her mouth wide open so you can see her little tongue. Her white whiskers (made from stiffened cotton thread) stand out from her face as she wails away.

Crybaby holds an empty yellow-green bowl. She wears a pink polka dot pinafore that is tied in a big bow at the back. Her blue blouse has a white collar, white cuffs, and little gold buttons, and her vibrant rose and blue petticoats can be seen below her dress. Crybaby rests firmly on a turned wooden base that is stained and sealed in golden oak.

I hand sculpted Crybaby from paperclay, and she is an original one-of-a-kind work of art. No molds are ever used in my work. She is hand painted using acrylic paints, and is signed, dated, and sealed with matte varnish for protection and preservation.

Crybaby is 8 inches tall. She is a work of art and is meant for display only.

Update: Crybaby has already been adopted. Thank you!

Posted on November 12, 2007June 1, 2011 by Elizabeth Ruffing

Frannie, Original One-of-a-kind Tabby Cat with a Balloon Folk Art Doll Figurine by Max Bailey

“What if I let go of my beautiful red balloon?” thought Frannie, the pretty little tabby cat. “The wind will take it up into the blue sky where it will soar above the puffy white clouds. The birds will be amazed at what a wonderful thing it is. People will see it and say, ‘Isn’t that Frannie’s beautiful red balloon?’ ”

“Maybe it will glide over the hill, and when the wind dies down, maybe it will land in a tree in my friend Jessie’s back yard. Maybe Jessie will climb up the tree and get it, and show it to her mother, and her mother will say, ‘Oh Jessie, that balloon looks just right with your pretty dress.’ ”

“No,” thought Frannie, “I think I will hold on tight to my beautiful red balloon.”

Frannie’s fur is painted in a multitude of tabby colors….silver gray, buff, ivory, and gold, with black stripes. She has yellow eyes with a touch of green, a pink nose, and pretty white whiskers made from stiffened cotton thread.

Frannie’s old fashioned dress is soft gold, with little white daisies in a field of red polka dots. Her dress is set off by a red apron with a white scalloped edge tied in a big bow at the back. Her striped kitty tail emerges from the ruffled white petticoats that can be seen below her dress.

I hand sculpted Frannie and her balloon from paperclay. There is a little hole through her paw where the wire ‘string’ of the balloon can be inserted or removed. Her skirt swirls behind her as though a gentle wind is blowing. She stands firmly on a turned wooden base that is stained and sealed in golden oak.

Frannie is 9 1/2 inches tall, and 13 inches tall when holding her balloon.

Frannie is an original one-of-a-kind work of art, meant for display only. No molds are ever used in my work. She is hand painting using acrylic paints, and is signed, dated, and sealed with matte varnish for protection and preservation.

Update: Frannie has already been adopted. Thank you!

Frannie’s friends are Crybaby (below left) and Millicent (below right).

Posted on September 23, 2007 by Elizabeth Ruffing — 2 Comments

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.

Her 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’s dress is country blue with an orchid pink neckband, cuffs, and sash that is tied in a big bow at the back.

The 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.

Caroline wears a red summer dress with white polka dots.

She has yellow eyes, a pink nose, and of course, that contagious grin.

Lily rests firmly upon a turned wooden stand that is stained and sealed in golden oak. She is 6 inches tall.

I 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” 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.

Update: Lily and Caroline have been adopted. Thank you!

Posted on September 23, 2007 by Elizabeth Ruffing

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

Crabby Alice is a very sweet-tempered Blue Persian cat.

She 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.

She 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 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.

She’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.

She is 13 inches tall.

Alice’s very crabby expression was created from paperclay smoothed into her fabric head, and sculpted in three different stages of hardening.

Even 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, 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.)

Ruthie 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.

Crabby Alice is signed and dated, and sealed with matte varnish for protection and preservation. She and her friend Ruthie are meant for display only.

Update: Crabby Alice and Ruthie have already been adopted. Thank you!

Crabby Alice and Ruthie’s friends are Ginger and George (lower left) and Hedda and Hopper (lower right).