ARTICLE - BELIEVABLE BABIES GROW IN POPULARITY

 Believable babies grow in popularity

Nov 01, 2011

By Diana Watson, Anchor

LANDRUM, SC (FOX Carolina) - There is a growing trend among doll collectors around the world.  Reborn babies and one-of-a-kind babies are being sold on-line at a growing rate. 
The people who buy them want a realistic looking doll.  These days, there are hundreds of artists who sell them on-line.
FOX Carolina recently visited an Upstate artist.  She lives in Spartanburg County and started creating baby dolls from scratch several years ago. 
Michelle Fagan was a collector before deciding to try her hand at making dolls.  She learned from another artist and through trial-and-error realized she could mold and shape dolls that people wanted to buy.  They contact her every day from around the world and are willing to pay about $1500 for each one.
We asked Michelle Fagan why so many people are interested in the dolls.  She said it could be that they lost a child, are empty-nesters, want to create a look-alike of their children who have grown, or simply like to collect dolls. 
Fagan's dolls start as clay, but can be reproduced in silicone and other materials to make them more life-like and more durable.  She can personalize the skin color, eye color, amount of hair, and facial expression. 
The dolls are filled with materials to make them soft and to weigh the same as a typical newborn baby.  They are dressed in handmade outfits that Michelle only adds to the overall quality of the doll.
It takes about a month to create one of the dolls, but Michelle is normally working on several at one time.   
She typically sells about forty of them in a year.  She admits the economy has slowed sales a bit, but tells us the holidays are always busy with collectors looking to add to their collection of realistic baby dolls.

www.MichelleFagan.com

Baby Reborn Dolls – Pointers to Keep under Consideration

Monday, October 31st, 2011

There are a large amount of brands of dolls today which are being acquired by folk because they seem like real babies. One of the makers of these kinds of dolls is Ashton Drake and the line of dolls that they have that is sought after by a large amount of doll collectors today is known as So Truly Real Baby Dolls.
These sorts of dolls resemble real babies that mostly people would basically mistake them for the genuine ones. One of the things that make them as lifelike as they are is their skin. When you touch the skin of the doll that belong to the line of dolls by Ashton Drake discussed on top you would be fascinated on precisely how well it mimics the real texture of an infant's skin.
If you're planning to purchase a lifelike doll soon keep in mind that although they do not need the same attention as a real baby would there are things you also must take note of in order for you to maintain its quality and extend its lifespan.
Keep under consideration that you do not have to hide the doll from the world to keep it safe and maximise its long-term value. There are simply certain ways in which you can store and display your doll which would decrease the aptitude for damage while not having to cut back the amount that you utilize it. One of the basic things you want to take note of is to keep it away from bright sunlight.
Although they may look good outside the heat from the sun can damage them and make their colour fade quicker. F you have a collection of dolls you want to display with your So Truly Ashton Drake doll you should buy an antique pram or a completely unique cabinet where you can store and display them at the same time. Just make absolutely certain the unit isn't made to accrue moisture since it can damage your doll after a certain period of time.

ARTICLE - ONE OF THESE BABIES IS REAL- BUT WHICH ONE?

THERE is only one real baby in this photo. The others are dolls.

One of these bubs is real - which one?

• by: Sarah Mennie
• From: Sunday Mail (SA)
• October 29, 2011  
•  

The others are dolls, yet so lifelike they have resulted in passers-by breaking car windows on hot days amid fears they are real and could be in danger.
Marie Gabrieel, of St Agnes, and Ros Fanning, 57, of Holden Hill, make the dolls and often take them to nursing homes.
"We have seen the soothing affect our dolls have on dementia patients," Mrs Gabrieel, 54, said.
"You can't help but start rocking or patting the `reborn' babies, even when you know it's a doll. It's a natural instinct that just takes over.
"Ros and I are happy to know our dolls are giving comfort to the elderly."
Mrs Gabrieel started making the dolls three years ago.

"When I bought my first two on eBay, it was the start of something big," she said.
"The reactions people had to these dolls when we showed them was truly amazing."
Making `reborns' involves buying the head - made out of vinyl - and then spending hours painting it and adding mohair, attaching a material body the same weight of a real baby and dressing them to make them look real.
And, for the record, the real baby - four-month-old Alanah - is on the right wearing the pink bow.

ARTICLE - ARE REBORN DOLLS JUST FOR THE BIG GIRLS OR ARE THEY SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN?

 

Are Reborn Dolls Just For the Big Girls Or Are They Suitable For Children?

29 Oct

Most reborn doll accumulators and makers believe that reborn baby dolls should no longer suitable for children as they’ll injury them and they are in level of fact a accumulate or’s item (although they do throw in about small phases and choking hazards on occasion). I disagree that reborn dolls are best completely for grownups and suppose they should be shared with careful professionalspective ‘little moms’. If your daughter is over 5, really loves her baby dolls and takes care of them, then the right reborn shall be just effective for her. Reborn dolls may also be sparsely dressed and redressed and napped and recapped.

After investing the money on buying any such doll (which won’t be cheap) for your daughter it needs to be provided an explanation forced to her that this can also be a unique baby that wants extra care and deal with similar to an actual baby (not dragged across the backyard in a toy wheelbarrow). They normally remember this even from age for, because they feel and look very ritualistic. Most small girls who love their dolls do take care with them.

Despite what you hear reborn dolls can take a bit of tough treatment. A material body is definitely fastened and a limb that might be come indifferent from the physique is easily reattached. I suggest that once play visitors come over and the best possible manner they are going to handle dolls is unsure, that the ‘special dolls’ can additionally be popped on the parent’s bed for safe keeping. Right here they could also be ready to be visited for ‘showing off’ relatively than performed with intensely.

Words of caution preserve them far from the dog they can chunk them up irreparably! and pens are an absolute enemy of vinyl it sinks in and that is irreparable. I additionally recommend that you simply give a professional for that baby can’t get moist, won’t consume real meals and can’t drink water or anything from a bottle.

What’s the applicable reborn?
Full newborn sized reborn of 21 or 22 inches and above are reasonably big for a kid below say 8 to deal with and I’d advocate a premise sized baby for this age team. They want additionally to be correctly weighted now not too heavy, just sand up to say a third of the limbs, a small bag of glass beads within the physique and smaller one in the head is sufficient. Additionally the load within the head should be decrease close to the neck so it doesn’t flop an excessive quantity of.

A painted head is a in level of fact good idea it makes the doll far more affordable and much less in a position to be damaged. An excellent component of the time invested through an artist is related to the micro-rooting of the dolls head one to 2 hairs at a time. Therefore a painted head baby should be much cheaper.

mohair has a tendency to mat and will also be pulled out, so gentle therapy is required. If the doll doesn’t have rooted hair then there’s much less likelihood that is additionally damaged. Dolls with hand-blown glass eyes are extra susceptible to harm and not probably to be suitable for underneath 10 yr previous. Extra affordable sculpts are also appropriate so the final doll is extra inexpensive. along with all this, if the reborn dolls are truly your daughters (nudge wink) it makes it so much more uncomplicated so that you just can accumulate them without being wondered about why you’re gathering so many of them.

Properly cared for (but still ‘loved’ intensely) your little mummy can move her reborn dolls onto her daughter fairly intact. in case your little mummy out grows her ‘babies’ then please wrap them in acid free paper and pa them in a box for storage for her. She will ask for them for her daughter one day (if she is lucky sufficient to have one). In any other case that you must just pop them on your bed to retailer tons of for her for the long run.

ten red toes reborn nursery is situated in Brisbane australia. I’m the nursery’s reborn artist, Julie Mitchell. If you have by no imply viewed a reborn doll you’re going to be amazed at how actual they look!

SUBMITTED AN ENTRY FOR DRAWING FOR A KRISTY'S BABY CREATION BABY DOLL

Friday, November 25 · 12:00pm - 12:30pm
Location	Kristy's Baby Creations Facebook Page
Created By	Kristy's Baby Creations
More Info	Please mail in a postcard or index card with your name and contact information. Only one entry per envelope will be accepted. The drawing will be at 12pm on November 25th. I will immediately post the results on my page. The winner will be responsible for shipping charges of $35 within the United States. The doll is valued at $450. Please mail all entries to: Kristy Walker 2007 Gill Rd. Dickinson, TX. 77539 GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!!

BYRON SHOWED BACK UP ON - BUT SLIPPED AWAY BEFORE I COULD GET HIM.

as i struggle with what to do, and what to get, i am plugged in to recieve update emails on kits i want to see come back in.

and today as hubby and i are talking about the best route to go with  starting this, (1- going ahead and getting everything slowly/or 2-getting it all at once and supplying what i need as i run out) we came to the conclusion that hubby would stuff away about 40bucks a paycheck until i had enough cash together (and a full kit was available) to go that route, if not, ill have enough to put a serious dent in a  nice purchase anyway,,,

today i get the email that BYRONS been restocked...

and just that quick, hes gone just as fast....

missed him again, he sat there for a very long time the last time i wanted him, a few months actually, never budged until i saw his twin sisters (who i never saw much) show up and i felt i needed to grab them...
now, its his turn to play hide and seek....

*sigh*

hes gone again.
slipped through my hands.

i have to wait, again...

MICHELLE

STRUGGLING WITH WHAT TO PURCHASE

most people would never thing that buying stuff (as a female) would be difficult.

yet, this time it is.
i have set mysefl up for a timeline (of sorts) to begin working on my 1st doll by the start of 2012.
so i have only a few more paychecks to squeak in those items needed to begin when the new year rolls around.

ive reworked my items sheet 5 different times.
and every time, i come out with the thought that a FULL kit, meaning one that has most of the items in it id need, is really the best and economical way for me to go.
it comes out cheaper that way. and gets me a start, plus id have another kit to add to the 10 i currently have waiting, to at least start with.
problem: none of those kits are available.
problem: they are at the lowest 119.00. and we dont have 119.00 to invest to get me started. not right now anyway.
i am fortunate that i do have one kit (Paisley) whom i will be starting my portfolio with as a custom reborn of my son daniel.
i just need some supplies, and they dont come cheap.

i hate to miss the chance this paycheck to not get anything.
maybe i should take what id actually purchase with (money) and set it aside to save up for one of those full kits?
argh!

purchasing every item one at a time is almost rediculous. it would take me well into february (i think) to get everything i needed to start if i was working on a budget of 25.00 a check. thats 5 pay cycles.

and we have Christmas coming too.

im getting anxious to start.
to push this artist to a new level.
to see if i can work on a 3 dementional canvas, and bring a plain blank vinyl doll to lifelike proportions.

i really havnt a clue what to do...

MICHELLE