My Newest Hobby...Reborn Dolls

Welcome to my Nursery.

At this time I am not selling any of my creations, but wanted to share the process with those that are unaware of what "Reborn Dolls" are. It is one of the most fascinating hobbies I have tried.

My very first baby. She is sleeping peacefully on a warm sunny afternoon. How did I create her ? It was a learned process with mistakes along the way.

You begin by picking out a vinyl doll that looks similar to a real baby. You strip all the factory paint from her. Give her a proper bathing to remove any chemical residue. Then dry thoroughly for a few days.

When dry, you begin the job of sanding down any hair lines molded into the vinyl. It is done with a rotary tool and sanding bands. Slowly and carefully. Clean her again after to remove dust.

Then the painting process begins. This is the fun part. I used oils to paint her, slowly adding base coats of a pleasing flesh tone. Pushing them in with small sponges to a silky skin like quality. Building in layers, allowing each layer to dry in between. In doing this I discovered I needed a drying rack. So..developing this rack...finding it worked perfectly without allowing smudging.

Notice the head is complete. She got new hair, made of baby goat mohair. Carefully embedded strand by strand with felting needles used in making carpetings. You must warm the head then start the process..being careful to go in circular around the head much like our own hair lays. This takes a while to accomplish if you want the look just right. After you are done with the embedding, you trim the hair to your liking.

I then began embedding her eyelashes, giving them a soft look that lies on her cheeks. What a cutie she is becoming.

When doing her hands and feet, the process of the flesh tones is the same. Then taking soft blue oils, I begin painting veins on her as if they were lying beneath the skin as real newborns have. Pushing the veins into the paint as I go along, rubbing them out a bit to give them that translucent look. Painting them on her head, softly on the face, hands and feet. She begins to take a life of her own. After those again dry.....a few days...I add new nails and nail edges to each finger and toe. When those are finished i begin adding a bluish oil around eyes lightly, across bridge of nose, around nose seam, around finger and toe seams as a real baby, also might have.

With all of that done I begin the crease blushing. Her little cheeks, nose, forehead, chin, tips of ears, folds of her arms and legs, etc. Very carefully done and softened into a natural look.

When all of her painting is complete and dry. I begin weighting her. She gets new padding and weighting in each limb, so that they drop similar to a newborn and you must support her carefully. Her head will drop back also. I try to get her weight to about 3-4 lbs. which makes her again feel very much like a newborn. She gets a new padded body with joint movement so she can be posed many ways.

When this is totally complete you have a little darling that needs dressed. You can buy newborn clothing for them or make your own. On my first baby I sewed her little bloomers in pink with a matching top and a sheer pinafore to finish it off. I crocheted her a new blanket and sweater set for outings.

I must say that when finished these are no longer play dollies, but very collectible babies for the high end collector.

Below are a few more I have created for people or just to practice. I hope to one day be as good at it as some of the wonderful babies I see created by other Reborners.

Hope you enjoy learning of them and if You have any questions, please email me and if I can help in any way, let me know.

My Second Baby with Bright Red Hair

Her name is " Gracie "

Little Boy Blue

I am now showing my first little boy baby. He was made using a new paint technique with arcrylic paints that air dry instead of heat set paints. I am always learning new approaches to reborning.

He is sleeping in a Vintage Doll Baby Crib from 1940's or 50's.

His blanket was made by me in my own pattern. His little outfit is knit and the cutest pattern. He is always trying to get those shoes off.