Tag: original-one-of-a-kind

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Hieronymus Bosch

At first glance I thought this looked like a pile of intestines, or a sketch for an Hieronymus Bosch painting, or maybe even a scene from CSI, the fairy version. It’s just a pile of doll parts, an exhausting pile of flower baby fairy bits and pieces. I always think it will be much easier to make the bodies up in groups, but that always leads to my thinking that I will never make one of these again! I still have six wings to hand quilt before I can even begin assembling them. I may go mad. I hope not, but I may.

In other news, I made a new banner for our eBay About Me page, and redesigned the page. I added new picture links to click on and some other content, like buyers’ feedback. It’s much brighter and more eye-catching now. Our eBay My World page now has a guestbook you can sign and a mini-blog that points to our Ruffing’s blog.

I’ve been fiddling with our Ruffing’s home page and our art doll gallery page as well. My goal is to get pictures of our available dolls up with links to their purchase information. I’m still in the process of editing Max Bailey’s kitty cat art doll photos, and I’m adding them as I go to our ruffingsartdolls Flickr album. I love “Crabby Alice” so much I can’t help hoping that she stays with us. The thought of her leaving makes me very sad.
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“Goodnight Irene”, One-of-a-kind Original Art Doll

After much hand basting, machine appliquéing, stuffing, machine and hand sewing, “Goodnight Irene” is complete.

I made her pattern basing it on my much loved Miss Annabelle, a favorite doll from my childhood. She is a big doll, about 22 inches tall, and about 14 inches seated. I drew and painted her face, giving her very pretty green eyes.

Here she is seated with “Lovely Lucy“. Both are available in my Etsy shop. More photos can be seen on Flickr.

I also spent some time today organizing our ruffingsartdolls Flickr photo album, adding sets off to the right to make finding dolls of special interest a little easier.

I’ve been updating our eBay store as well, adding information to our My World page. I hope to do a complete overhaul on our About Me page soon.

I’ve somehow managed to work through the day in spite of being dizzy and still a bit unwell. I woke up at 4:30 this morning just reeling. I hope this will pass soon.
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Complete Head Transplant..A Success!

Does anyone remember Princess Langwidere from L Frank Baum‘s Ozma of Oz? She had thirty heads, one for each day of the month, that she kept in individual velvet-lined cupboards in her dressing room. Instead of changing her gown each day, she would change her head. She always wore white, so her outfit wouldn’t clash with her head of choice for the day. Fascinating and frightening all at the same time. I loved loved loved Ozma of Oz. I don’t know how many times we read it when I was a child.

Much like Princess Langwidere, my little Lucy has a new head.

I think it suits her much better than her previous one. She now has hand-quilted ponytails as well. Very fancy.

Lucy is meant to be displayed and loved, but I wanted Lucy to be able to withstand some play. She is made of 100% cotton quilting fabrics that I fused to an additional layer of cotton sheeting for durability. She is decorated with ribbon trims, Rick Rack, and machine appliquéd fabric. I prewashed her fabrics so they wouldn’t shrink later if she needs to be gently spot cleaned and set flat to dry.

Lucy will be in my Etsy shop shortly. More photos of her can be found on Flickr. Please click here to see my available original, one-of-a-kind soft dolls and art toys.

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Faces in Space

The heat has been so oppressive for so long now that I am losing track of whether or not this is, or was, the weekend. I’ve worked through most of it. Having to be inside most of the time is

making me feel cooped up, kind of like being in a box, but it is also isolating, maybe like being in a box floating through space…like Dr Who, only without the excitement factor!

I have made more progress on my doll designs though. I carefully took my experiment apart, saved her face, and painted two more, in two different sizes.

I am also working on a new idea for paintings derived from my doll characters. I’ve got one ready to paint. I’m going to try watercolor canvas for the first time. I’ve walked past it many times in the store, and I finally got curious enough to buy some. I’ve been hoping to add some prints to my Etsy shop that are more nursery/children’s room oriented, along with some wall hangings/quilts, and dolls in the same theme. I’m not sure if I will end up gravitating more toward fantasy art than nursery or children’s art, but we shall see.