Minnie, Original One-of-a-kind Tabby Cat Art Doll by Max Bailey

When she was born, her mother gave her the name Minerva, but only her mother ever called her that. Everyone else called her Minnie.

Minnie grew up to be a lovely tabby. Her fur is a mix of tabby colors...silver gray, buff, ivory, gold, and black.

Minnie extends a warm welcome to everyone who comes calling. In the afternoon, she sits on her porch and waits for the children to walk home from school.

They wave to her as they pass by, and she lifts her paw to greet them. Sometimes they stop by to visit with her, which makes Minnie very happy. She purrs loudly.

Today, Minnie is wearing a tan blouse patterned with blue flowers with red centers. It has a blue collar and blue cuffs.

Her tights have matching tan and blue stripes. The high-button shoes she wears have red buttons down the sides.

Minnie’s tan skirt has delicate white lace around the hemline.

Her blue apron is decorated with a line of red ribbon. Her skirt and apron were designed and created by artist Elizabeth Ruffing.

Minnie is an original one-of-a-kind work of art, created from my own design and pattern. She is made from 100% cotton fabric which has been sewn, stuffed, and completely hand painted with acrylic paints. Her whiskers are made from stiffened cotton thread.

Minnie’s paws are needle sculpted, and her arms are button-jointed so that she can pose. Her face was sculpted from paperclay smoothed into her fabric head. Her curled tail enables her to sit by herself on a shelf or a table, or in a cabinet. She can also sit on a chair, or stand with a doll stand. (Chair and doll stand not included.) Minnie is meant for display only.

Minnie is signed and sealed with matte varnish for protection and preservation. She is 8 and 1/2 inches tall.

Update: Minnie has been adopted. Thank you!

Celeste the Pixie Kitten, Original One-of-a-kind Cat Art Doll by Max Bailey and Elizabeth Ruffing

Celeste is a cheerful, mischievous little sprite. She’s been known to appear when you least expect her.

From far away, Celeste can hear the flowers swaying to the music of the soft summer breeze. She loves music, and the color yellow.

Celeste hovers over the flowers, and flies in amongst them, encouraging each and every bloom to be as beautiful as it can be. Her golden tutu floats around her body like a gauzy, magical cloud.

If you are out in the garden, Celeste may startle you. It’s very like her to suddenly emerge, and then just as suddenly disappear.

You might think you just saw a yellow butterfly, perhaps a tiger swallowtail. It was probably Celeste, playfully flitting from place to place, bringing her blessings and funny little tricks to all those who are fond of her.

Celeste is an original one-of-a-kind work of art, created from our own design and pattern. She is made from 100% cotton fabric which has been sewn, stuffed, and completely hand painted with acrylic paints. She is 8 and 3/4 inches tall, and 6 inches tall when seated.

Celeste’s arms and legs are button-jointed with antique-looking, filigreed silver-colored metal buttons, so she can easily pose. Her tabby kitten face was sculpted from paperclay, smoothed into her fabric head. Her front paws are needle-sculpted, and her whiskers are made from stiffened cotton thread.

Celeste has a striped curly tail than enables her to sit all by herself on a shelf or a table, or in a cabinet. She will also sit on a chair or stand with a doll stand. (Chair and doll stand not included.) Celeste is meant for display only.

Celeste is wearing a delightful tutu made from layers of tulle in two shades of gold. It has a hand-sewn waistband of soft gold that snaps at the back, and has an coral satin rose at the center. Her magical wings are made from cotton fabric, and are completely hand-quilted.

Celeste’s bodysuit is painted in a rich gold color, with a half moon of painted flowers decorating the neckline. Her ballet shoes are painted in rich pumpkin brown to match the same color in her wings.

Celeste is signed and dated, and sealed with matte varnish for protection and preservation. She comes with a hang tag, a certificate of authenticity, and a copy of her story.

Celeste is available for $500.00, with free Priority Mail, insured, shipping within the United States. Priority Mail International, insured, is available for $20 to Europe, Australia, Canada, and Mexico. Please inquire to ruffings@ruffings.com or find her in our Ruffing's Etsy shop by clicking here.

Sunflower the Ginger Tabby Kitten, Original One-of-a-kind Art Doll Figurine by Max Bailey

This ginger tabby kitten was named Sunflower, perhaps because of her bright little face and her sunny disposition, or perhaps just because there was a sunflower farm nearby. The name seemed to suit her.

When Sunflower was told the giant and impressive flowers had the same name as her own, she marched off to visit them. She thought she might pick one to bring home, but most of the flowers were far bigger than her head, and way too heavy to carry.

Seeing her problem, the sunflower farmer found the littlest sunflower, and presented it to her.

“Thank you kindly” Sunflower said to him. “I am very pleased and honored that all these wonderful flowers were named after me.”

With a big smile, Sunflower headed for home, and with a big smile, the farmer watched her go.

Sunflower 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 sunflower are hand-sculpted from paperclay, and are entirely hand painted with acrylic paints.

Her bright yellow dress is patterned with little blue flowers, and the soft blue jumper she wears over it has scalloped sleeves and a scalloped hem. It ties in a big bow at the back. Her striped orange tail emerges from the white petticoats that show beneath her dress. Sunflower’s whiskers are made from stiffened cotton thread.

Sunflower 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.

Sunflower is an itty bitty kitty. She stands only 4 and 5/8 inches tall. She comes with a hang tag, a certificate of authenticity, and a copy of her story.

Sunflower is available for $150.00, with free Priority Mail, insured, shipping within the United States. Priority Mail International, insured, is available for $20 to Europe, Australia, Canada, and Mexico. Please inquire to ruffings@ruffings.com or find her in our Ruffing's Etsy shop by clicking here. Sunflower's kitten friends are Katie the Tabby Kitten (left) and Violet the Siamese Kitten (center).

Katie the Tabby Kitten, Original One-of-a-kind Art Doll Figurine by Max Bailey

Katie is a tabby and white kitten. She loves to go up to the top of the hill on a windy day and watch her brother and his friends fly their kites.

Her brother’s blue kite is her favorite. It sails recklessly in the wind, swaying back and forth in the sky. It is so beautifully blue that it sometimes disappears against the blue of the sky, and Katie holds her breath until it reappears against a white cloud.

One morning, Katie’s brother handed her his blue kite. “You can have this one,” he said. She was greatly surprised, but she thanked him for his generosity, took the kite, and ran home.

No one saw Katie all afternoon. While Katie isn’t very athletic, she is very artistic. She took out her paints and brushes and painted all her favorite flowers on the blue kite, until it was as flowery as a kite could be. She made pretty little bows out of her favorite hair ribbons and tied them on the tail of the kite.

“There!” said Katie, when she was satisfied with her creation. “Now he won’t ask for it back!”

Katie 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 kite are hand-sculpted from paperclay, and are entirely hand painted with acrylic paints. Katie’s soft pink dress has puffy sleeves, and smocking on both the front and the back. It ties at the back with a big bow. Her striped tabby tail emerges from the white petticoats that show beneath her dress. Katie’s whiskers are made from stiffened cotton thread.

Katie 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.

Katie is an itty bitty kitty. She stands only 4 and 1/2 inches tall. She comes with a hang tag, a certificate of authenticity, and a copy of her story.

Katie is available for $150.00, with free Priority Mail, insured, shipping within the United States. Priority Mail International, insured, is available for $20 to Europe, Australia, Canada, and Mexico. Please inquire to ruffings@ruffings.com or find her in our Ruffing's Etsy shop by clicking here.

Heidi and Helga, Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Tabby Cat Doll and Hand-painted Goose by Max Bailey and Elizabeth Ruffing

This is Heidi, a very determined tabby cat who lives in the Swiss Alps with her good friend Helga. Helga is Heidi’s white goose, and her very best friend.

It is spring in the mountains, and the flowers are beginning to pop out of the earth. It’s a good time for singing, or in this case, for yodeling. Heidi’s dream is to win the championship trophy at the annual yodeling contest. Helga has agreed to be her partner and lovely assistant.

Every morning the two venture high into the mountains to practice. They love to yodel on the very top of the mountain. Their seemingly melodious sounds echo back at them a hundred times or more.

“We are getting very good at this,” Heidi proclaims. Helga nods happily.

Down in the valley, the townspeople come out of their houses into the square.

“What is that terrible howling-honking noise?” they wonder. They put their hands over their ears, and go back inside, slamming the windows shut.

Heidi is an original one-of-a-kind work of art, created from our own design and pattern. She is made from 100% cotton fabric which has been sewn, stuffed, and completely hand painted with acrylic paints. Her face is sculpted from paperclay smoothed into her fabric head. Her whiskers are made from stiffened cotton thread. She is 13 inches tall.

Helga the goose is made of wood. She has blue eyes and lots of painted white feathers. Her collar is black with gold bands, and is covered in a delicate pattern of little flowers and leaves. Her wheels are gold. Helga is 5 inches tall and 6 inches long.

Heidi is painted in a multitude of tabby colors…silver gray, buff, ivory, gold, and black. Her paws are needle-sculpted, and her arms are button-jointed with antique-looking buttons of filigreed silver on black, so she can easily pose.

Heidi’s curled tail enables her to sit prettily all by herself on a shelf or on a table, or in a cabinet. She will also obligingly sit on a chair, or stand with a doll stand. (Chair and doll stand are not included.) Heidi and Helga are meant for display only.

Heidi’s painted underblouse is ivory, with a scalloped neckline and sleeves. Her bloomers are painted in matching ivory. She wears white tights and black high-button shoes that look just right on her little kitty feet.

Heidi’s pretty Swiss dress features an off-white bodice and puffy sleeves edged in lace, with a tiny red rose at the center of the collar. Delicate patterns of red embroidery run down the front of her bodice and set off the wide hem of her apron. Her black vest has gold embroidery to match its gold lining, and her dress has a full red plaid skirt.

Heidi is signed and dated, and sealed with matte varnish for protection and preservation. They come with a hang tag, a certificate of authenticity, and a copy of her story.

Update: Heidi and Helga have been adopted. Thank you!

Heidi and Helga's friends are Beatrice and Beulah (left) and Chelsea the Maine Coon Cat (right).