New Original One-of-a-kind Folk Art Pug Dog Doll by Max Bailey

Tillie is a Pug with a sweet face, soft brown eyes, and a gentle expression.

Tillie would like to be a singer someday. She knows it will take a great deal of practice.

Her mama made her a special little songbook with the words to all of her favorites.

When Tillie begins to sing, all of her friends leave the room.

Tillie finds them very considerate to realize that she needs to concentrate on cultivating her voice.

Tillie wears a pretty green dress with a lilac-blue sash tied in a big bow at the back. Pale lilac-blue flowers decorate the front and encircle the skirt. The ivory ruffles at her neckline and cuffs match the ivory petticoats that show beneath her dress.

Tillie is an original one-of-a-kind work of art, and she is meant for display only. No molds are ever used in my work. She and her book are hand sculpted from paperclay, and entirely hand painted using acrylic paints.

Tillie 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.

Tillie stands 5 ¾ inches tall. (You can click on the photos to make them bigger.)

Tillie will be up for adoption on eBay the week of September 7 through September 14th, starting Sunday night at approximately 8pm EST. Look for her in the Ruffing's EBay Store, starting that Sunday night. See you there!

The Truth About Cats and Dogs

Guess what I've been up to this summer! Here's a little sneak peak. Three new kitties are waiting to meet you. That's Floradora, doing her best curtsy.

And, something new for me...

One-of-a-kind, original folk art dog dolls! Ten friendly puppies, all wagging their tails, waiting to be introduced. (You can click on the photos to make them larger.)

I'll be introducing them all to you, one at a time, shortly! Be sure to check back :) I'll be trying to post here, on our Ruffing's blog, first, before anywhere else. You can subscribe to receive email updates, if you like, in the upper right hand corner of the Ruffing's blog. Hope you all enjoyed the summer and this holiday weekend! See you soon!

"Fiona" One-of-a-kind Original Folk Art Calico Kitten Doll by Elizabeth Ruffing

This is Fiona. Fiona has a lovely, well-mannered family.

Well, almost. Sometimes, she and her little brother, Ziggy, get a little wild on their bicycles.

Sometimes Mama yells and waves her paws in the air. It's funny when she does that.

Sometimes Fiona and Ziggy play Pat-a-cake.

Or they play with Ziggy's car, on the handmade quilt Mama made just for Fiona. It has a hand-embroidered blue butterfly in the center. Fiona and Ziggy pretend it's real and try to pounce on it.

When Fiona gets tired, she loves to take a nap under her quilt.

Mama hand stitched her quilt from pieces of cotton fabric she had from the dress she made for Fiona.

Fiona is approximately 10 inches tall when standing and approximately 6 1/4 inches tall when sitting. Her curled tail helps her to sit up. She is made from 100% cotton fabric which is painted with acrylic paint. Her face is sculpted from paperclay with painted thread whiskers that were inserted before the clay dried. She is from my own original pattern and was handsewn and handsculpted by me, Elizabeth Ruffing. No molds were used. She is a completely original and one-of-a-kind art doll. Fiona is signed and dated, and She is sealed with matte varnish for protection and preservation. She is meant for display only.

Fiona comes with her handmade doll quilt and her lovely original dress. They are also made from my own design and patterns, as is the hand embroidered butterfly in the center of Fiona's quilt. Fiona's dress has a pretty blue ribbon at the waist. Fiona tries to keep it clean and neat, like Mama says.

More information about Fiona can be found on her webpage...come visit Fiona's webpage.

Ziggy can be found on his webpage...come visit Ziggy.

And Mama Hedda by Max Bailey can be found on her webpage...come visit Hedda.

Check out our online doll gallery for the stories of our available and adopted original folk art dolls.

"Loxie" New Orignal One-of-a-kind Folk Art Fox Doll by Max Bailey

Loxie is a beautiful Red Fox. She is greatly admired, yet seldom seen.

Loxie glides through the woods, her forest green dress blending in with the ferns that cover the forest floor.

She doesn’t stay still for very long. If you look away for a moment, when you look back she may have vanished.

Now and then, Loxie ventures out into the meadow. As she is a redhead, she always wears her straw hat in the bright sunshine.

Loxie 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 hat are hand sculpted from paperclay, and she is entirely hand painted using acrylic paints.

Loxie’s whiskers are made from stiffened cotton thread. Her old-fashioned green dress has tiny gold flowers, with gold buttons and gold bands around the cuffs. She wears a pale green apron that ties in a big bow in the back. Her fluffy tail emerges from the white petticoats that can be seen below her dress.

Loxie 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. Loxie stands 7 ½ inches tall.

She can be found on her own webpage...come visit Loxie's webpage.

"Miranda the Panda" New Orignal One-of-a-kind Folk Art Bear Doll by Max Bailey

Miranda loves flowers.

Should she offer you a lovely flower, don't hesitate. Take it.

If you should look out your window, and see Miranda heading for your garden gate, run outside and try to distract her.

Tell her what a pretty red dress she is wearing.

Talk about what a lovely day it is.

Tell her what beautiful brown eyes she has.

Miranda loves flowers. She thinks they're yummy! The prettier they are, the better they taste!

Miranda's pretty flowered dress has a gold border around the neckline and the hem, and a big gold sash that ties in a bow at the back. Her ivory colored petticoats can be seen below her dress.

Miranda the Panda 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 rose are hand sculpted from paperclay, and they are entirely hand painted using acrylic paints.

Miranda 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. Miranda stands 4 7/8 inches tall.

Miranda the panda can be found on her very own webpage...come visit Miranda's webpage.

"Marla" New Original One-of-a-kind Mouse Folk Art Doll by Max Bailey

Marla once found a book lying beneath an old tree in the woods. She liked the dark red leather cover, and the book felt just right in her little hands. She carries it with her wherever she goes.

Marla looks very grave and terribly serious.

It is no wonder that everyone comes to Marla for advice, and to get answers to their questions. Marla used to say that she didn't know the answers, but she is always asked to please look in her book.

Not wishing to disappoint anyone, Marla obligingly turns the pages while she tries to think of wise things to say. She studies the lines of little black markings on the pages until some bit of common sense comes to mind. She does her best to be helpful.

Marla has become known as a very wise and highly intellectual little mouse, and everyone who meets her has great respect for her sincerity and good will.

Marla 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 book are hand sculpted from paperclay, and she is entirely hand painted using acrylic paints.

Marla's cute little whiskers are made from stiffened cotton thread. Her dress is painted sky blue, with little pink flowers, and it is set off by a band of pink at the hemline and a big pink bow at the back. White ruffles adorn the neckline and cuffs. Her curled tail emerges from the white petticoats that can be seen below her dress.

Marla 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. Marla stands 4 7/8 inches tall.

Marla can be found on her own webpage...come visit Marla's webpage.

"Maybelle" New Original One-of-kind Mouse Folk Art Doll by Max Bailey

It is said that Maybelle brews the finest sassafras tea. It is her specialty.

If you are very fortunate, you will see Maybelle carefully making her way down your front walk at three o'clock in the afternoon. She balances her pretty pink and green teacup in its saucer so as not to spill her steaming hot tea.

"I have brought tea to share," Maybelle will say. "Have you any cookies?"

If you don't have cookies, Maybelle will most likely go to the next house. She'd like to be polite, but, after all, what is the good of having tea if there are no cookies?

Maybelle 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 cup and saucer are hand sculpted from paperclay, and she is entirely hand painted using acrylic paints.

Maybelle's cute little whiskers are made from stiffened cotton thread. Her jacket is painted a sunny shade of yellow, and is banded around the collar and hem with mauve. Her yellow skirt is covered in tiny blue and mauve flowers. Her little tail emerges from white petticoats that swirl below her dress.

Maybelle 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. Maybelle stands 5 inches tall.

Maybelle can be found on her own webpage...come visit Maybelle's webpage.