Me and My Studio Archives - Page 5 of 29 - Ruffing’s Artist Dolls and Toys

Posted on July 26, 2012July 28, 2019 by Elizabeth Ruffing

I signed us up for Twitter

We’re now on Twitter, under my name, Elizabeth Ruffing @elizaruffing. So far, I look like this slug, and my name is Eliza because someone else already had my full name. I figured out how to Tweet, and have three followers so far, each one a friend 🙂 If you’d like to join me, please do.

I’ve been editing photos and updating our Ruffing’s blog today, along with making and resizing this background photo for our Twitter page. That took me I don’t know how many tries, before I got it to fit.

These are some of the miniature kitten dolls that are coming up on our Ruffing’s blog. I’ve got lots of photos, that we took yesterday, and some from before, to edit, and posts to post. I hope I can get some sewing in.

I entered our Opal the Pixie Kitten, by Max Bailey and myself, in the DOLLS Magazine Discover a Dollmaker Cover Contest. The staff will pick finalists and then open the contest up for voting on their Facebook page. They’ll post them two at a time, each business day in August. Each round only lasts 24 hours.

My mom helped me out by taking a photo of me with one of my bunnies, for Etsy. She took a million photos because I kept laughing. It was so hot out there on the porch. I used this one on my Etsy “About” page, which I set up yesterday. It has a little slideshow of photos and some biographical information. I feel like I’ve been glued to the computer for at least a couple of days! I need to pull myself away and go get an order in the mail.

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

Bugs, slugs, and toads in progress

I’m closing in the the sixty-five or so toys I had in all stages in my workroom. These have their features pinned on and ready to sew.

I’ve had some requests for more sock toads, and I’m working on some of those too. I got a lot done on these, while waiting at the dentist for my mom. I sat in the car stuffing them.

We have lots of cute kitten dolls up over on our Ruffing’s blog. They keep multiplying faster than I get them photographed and posted. I still have lots of photos to edit, and Max Bailey has five new kittens still to photograph. The kittens above are, from left to right, Brandy, Pepper, Catherine, Lucy, and Emily.

Our duck friend was all alone for a few months, after a loose dog killed the rest of the flock. She was all by herself on the pond, quacking loudly. We bring her cracked corn and she appears to appreciate the company as well as the corn. A couple of weeks ago, we showed up with our duck snacks, and found two ducks waiting. This handsome mallard must have heard her call. He’s very loyal to her, and they come visit us together. We are so happy she isn’t alone anymore, and hope they’ll be safe.

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.

Posted on March 3, 2012July 29, 2019 by Elizabeth Ruffing

Still stuffing, and stuffing

I’ve been accumulating stuffed toys, and photos to edit and post. The chubby bodies above will be sock kittens once they get their eyes, noses, mouths, and hearts sewn. I have many “sleeping” toys lying around. My two helpers and my sock cats below look like they’ve passed out simultaneously, right in the middle of all my activity.

I made some big Hug Me Bugs this time around, twelve inches tall, like the slugs and bunnies.

I made some twelve-inch Hug Me Slugs too.

I printed a couple sheets of hang tags for Max Bailey’s dolls. I cut them out, and threaded them with gold yarn

Three new Max Bailey dolls are finihsed. We will be posting our new original cat art dolls in our Ruffing’s shop. Below is Pamela, a dollhouse-sized miniature kitten.

The Birman cat below is Deirdre. She is especially pretty.

Bertie recently swiped a dollhouse kitten of her own. She was singing to it in the hallway, when we discovered her. She thought she had a great treat and was very excited about it. She didn’t harm the doll at all, but she had to trade for some cat toys instead.

I picked these catnip mice up at PetSmart, because they were so cheerful, and they were on clearance. They’re some of the Martha Stewart pet toys. We have cat toys everywhere, but it’s fun to add new ones.

The cats and kittens enjoyed them, along with their assorted empty boxes. They never seem to tire of playing with empty boxes.

We had a birthday celebration since I last posted.

It was my mom’s birthday. That’s my mom, above, on the left, along with my aunt, uncle, and grandma. My mom never wants to me to take or post photos of her! So, a childhood photo will have to do.

My mom got snow for her birthday also. This has been the only snow we had all this season. It came at night. I was waiting up for it, so I could at least get a couple of photos of it.

The snow had disappeared by mid-morning, the next day.

Chilly damp weather makes me want to make cookies and take naps. I’ve discovered that a small nap, even an attempted nap, is pretty nice. I get so tired. I was surprised when my mom told me both my aunt and grandma have always taken naps. That made me feel better about my sleepiness.