8.18.2009

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.

Please click here to visit Heidi and Helga's web page.

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7.29.2009

Emily and Edwin Original One-of-a-kind Ginger Tabby Cat and Elephant Folk Art Dolls by Max Bailey and Elizabeth Ruffing

Emily is a ginger tabby cat with amber-colored eyes that reflect her very sweet personality.



One of her favorite toys is a little gray elephant she calls Edwin.

“Edwin, you need your exercise,” she will say to the sleepy-looking elephant.



Emily then grabs his cord and goes tearing at full speed through the house. She likes to hear the clatter of his wooden wheels on the hard floors. She also likes the thumpity-bump sound he makes when she pulls him up the stairs, and the bumpity-thump sound he makes when she pulls him down the stairs.

Edwin is endlessly entertaining, and, despite all the bumping and thumping, is none the worse for wear. He’s made of painted wood. His base is country blue with golden wheels. His blanket has gold tassels and multicolored stripes. Emily pulls him by a hemp cord decorated with red and blue wooden balls. He’s 3 inches long and 2 3/8 inches tall.



Emily 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 13 inches tall.

Emily’s paws are needle-sculpted, and her arms are button-jointed with antique-looking buttons of filigreed silver on black, so she can easily pose. Her face was sculpted from paperclay smoothed into her fabric head, and her whiskers are made from stiffened cotton thread. Emily’s curly orange striped tail helps her to sit perfectly upright all by herself on a shelf or a table, or in a cabinet. She will also sit nicely in a chair, or stand with a doll stand. (Chair and doll stand are not included.) Emily and Edwin are meant for display only.

Emily’s green blouse, with its dainty white collar and cuffs, and gold buttons, is painted on. She has ivory bloomers and two-toned striped green stockings. Her fancy high-button shoes are golden brown with black buttons, and look just right on her little kitty feet.

Emily’s white apron is edged in lace and adorned with a country blue satin ribbon overstitched with a pattern of green flowers. A graceful line of green leaves is embroidered above the ribbon, and a green geometric pattern is embroidered below.

Emily’s green skirt is beautifully decorated with embroidered linear patterns in country blue. A plaid ruffle that picks up all the fabric and embroidery colors is attached below the skirt.

Emily is signed and dated, and sealed with matte varnish for protection and preservation.

Please click here to visit Emily and Edwin's web page, and here to visit Beatrice and Beulah's (above left) web page.

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7.02.2009

Tabitha the Tabby Kitten, New Original Folk Art Cat Doll Figurine by Max Bailey

Tabitha is a tabby and white kitten with bright yellow eyes and a sweet disposition.

Her favorite toy is a soft green ball, made especially for her. She always knows where it is, whether it has rolled under the bed, or behind the door, or under the stove.

It is filled with catnip. She delights in sneaking up on it, pouncing on it, and rolling around with it for hours.

Today she is wearing her best pink dress with little mauve flowers that encircle the skirt, and a matching mauve bow at the neckline. A big mauve sash ties in another bow at the back. Tabitha’s ivory petticoats show beneath the hemline of her dress. They match her big ivory collar. At the back you can see her striped kitty tail.

“Don’t muss up your pretty dress,” her mother cautions her.

And so Tabitha stands very still, holding her catnip ball, and wondering what in the world to do with herself until she can change back into her play clothes.

Tabitha 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 ball are hand sculpted from paperclay, and entirely hand painted using acrylic paints. Her whiskers are made from stiffened cotton thread.

Tabitha 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.

Tabitha is an itty bitty kitty. She stands only 4 ½ inches tall.

Please click here to visit Tabitha's web page.

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10.30.2008

New Original One-of-a-kind Tabby Cat Folk Art Doll by Max Bailey

Winifred is a sweet little tabby cat who loves company.

She always rushes to answer the doorbell with a plate of freshly baked cookies.

“Please, have a cookie,” she will say, whether her visitor is a neighbor, the mailman, or a total stranger. It is very important to Winifred to extend her hospitality.
“Please visit again soon,” she will always say, with her pretty little kitty smile.

Winifred is wearing a dress the color of burnt orange, with a pale orange ruffle at the neck and sleeves. Her matching sash ties in the back in a big bow. Little blue flowers with yellow centers decorate her dress, and her white petticoats can be seen below her hemline.

Her fur is painted in a multitude of tabby colors…silver gray, buff, ivory, and gold, with black stripes. Her yellow eyes have a touch of green, and her white whiskers are made from stiffened cotton thread.

Winifred 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 plate of cookies are hand sculpted from paperclay, and entirely hand painted using acrylic paints.

Winifred 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.

Winifred stands 6 ½ inches tall. (You can click on the pictures to make them bigger.)

Please click here to visit Winifred the tabby cat's web page. Please visit our online doll gallery to see our currently available dolls, and our already adopted dolls. Below are, from left to right, Wanda the tuxedo cat, Suzannah the ginger tabby, Winifred, and Felicity the Ragdoll cat.

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10.28.2008

New Original One-of-a-kind Ginger Tabby Cat Folk Art Doll by Max Bailey

Suzannah is a sweet little ginger tabby cat.

This is the year Suzannah was old enough to go to the county fair.

It was love at first sight when Suzannah saw the little prize bear behind the counter. She begged her daddy to throw the ball and knock down the bottles. On the first two tries, he missed. Then, giving her a wink and a nod, he threw the last ball. Down went the bottles!

Suzannah squealed with delight and pointed to the cuddly little bear in the yellow overalls. She has cherished him ever since.
Suzannah’s dress has a double ruffle at the neckline that has a border of antique white. The big sash tied in a bow at the back matches the blue ruffle. Her dress is a beautiful shade of green with white polka dots, and her white petticoats can be seen below the hemline.

Suzannah 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 little bear are hand sculpted from paperclay, and entirely hand painted using acrylic paints. Suzannah’s whiskers are made from stiffened cotton thread.

Suzannah 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.
Suzannah stands 6 ¼ inches tall.

Please click here to visit Suzannah the ginger tabby's web page. Please visit our online doll gallery to see our currently available dolls, and our already adopted dolls.
This is Suzannah with her friend Winifred. Please click here to visit Winifred the tabby cat's web page.

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