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Chelsea the Maine Coon Cat makes her first appearance

This is Miss Chelsea, the Maine Coon Cat, the fourth one-of-a-kind, original, folk art animal doll collaboration between myself and Max Bailey. I think she is the most spectacular doll creation I have seen come out of this studio. She is so amazingly lifelike. We keep staring at her in disbelief, expecting her to meow or jump off the table. She really takes your breath away in person.

We did some test shots of the dolls today, and photographed Max’s three kitty figurines that have been waiting a very long time to have their pictures taken. We are going to get those up first on the Ruffing’s site, or that is the plan. Things have been moving more slowly than we had planned, but we are still heading in the same direction.

I still have some dressmaking to complete before we can do our group shots of our four new jointed dolls. We are still debating over the backdrops too. Black, tan, white? Some look better on one than the other.

Beatrice and Beulah look so very serious. I can’t help laughing. I suppose I shouldn’t. Shh…don’t tell them.

All of our dollies will eventually make there way over to our online doll gallery, hopefully over the next month or month and a half. Or that’s the plan anyway. I have them in categories by type, if you scroll down on the doll gallery page. I’ll try to add more categories later.

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Angel or Devil?

Naughty Kitty: “Psst! Listen…I’ve got a plan for world domination!

ER: “Given the current economic crisis, is world domination even feasible right now?”

ER: “Wait, why are you girls even talking to me?

Good Kitty: “Don’t listen to her, Elizabeth…follow your heart, follow the good…

Naughty Kitty: “You’d get to be 50 feet tall and wreak havoc.”

ER: “World domination does sound kind of fun.”

Good Kitty: “No! Elizabeth, no! Spread love and understanding. Think of your family, your friends.

Naughty Kitty: “No, Elizabeth…think of your ex-boyfriends!”

ER: “Hm…

ER: “Yeah, that might be kind of fun.”

Good Kitty: “Elizabeth, please, we need you on our side. Someone’s got to look after the bunny…”

ER: “Oh, you’re right. Beulah Bunny, new this week. World domination will have to wait.”

Beulah is by Max Bailey and is a companion for Beatrice Bunny.

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Miss Beatrice Bunny by Max Bailey and Elizabeth Ruffing

This is Miss Beatrice Bunny, the lop rabbit. She is the third original, one-of-a-kind folk art animal doll that Max Bailey and I have made together.

She is a sweetie.

She’s sitting on the fabrics I have picked out for her dress. She has a little violet flower painted on her undershirt that matches the violet flowers in one of her dress fabrics.

I don’t know if she is related to my Matilda. Matilda has such a funny expression. You can still find Matilda over here on our website, along with the video of me painting her. We have more animal friends planned and in the works…

There is plenty of sewing and painting to do.

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Hopping down the bunny trail

This the the original folk art bunny rabbit doll Max Bailey and I are working on so far. Our attempt to take these photos almost resulted in our bunny flying away. The wind was really something.

Ms. Bunny is a lop rabbit.

I made different arms for her than our cats have.

And you’ve got to love the feet!

Yesterday, we roamed around a quilt shop we like, holding our Siamese cat doll up to bolt after bolt of fabric. I think we startled the lady who works there. She was suprised at how real Loretta looked. We picked up some quilting cottons, and I ordered some more fabric online later. Today, we picked up a couple more cottons. I’m being very fussy, as usual.