Reborn Doll Made by Jackie Surtees

Once you are pleased with the end result of painting your reborn and have sealed it with a matt layer, microrooted the hair, set all required areas with glue and have stuffed your baby, you can think about adding a baby scent to complete the realism. . . . → Read More: How to Make Your Reborn Smell Like a Newborn Baby]]>

Reborn Doll Made by Jackie Surtees

Once you are pleased with the end result of painting your reborn and have sealed it with a matt layer, microrooted the hair, set all required areas with glue and have stuffed your baby, you can think about adding a baby scent to complete the realism. There are a few options available for this, the most common scent is baby powder, this is a smell that resonates with anyone who has ever had a baby and is therefore really completes the experience of receiving a new reborn. You can opt to use just a standard talcum baby powder or even use a different scented powder, though this method won’t last long and you will find the scent soon leaves your baby. Another option would be to purchase a baby powder scented oil, these are readily available online and quite affordable. You could also use a different scent, it really just depends on the smell you want your baby to have. Taking a small cotton ball dab a few drops of the oil onto it, once absorbed place the cotton ball into the body, head and also limbs of your baby if you wish, remembering to keep it subtle, though strong enough to leave a lingering scent.

For those reborners that sell their babies, it is best advised to go with the baby powder scent, this appeals on a wider level and is the most suitable for a reborn. The best option of all is to use a wafer in the baby powder scent, these are also available to purchase online and provide a long lasting scent that isn’t obtrusive, toxic or oily and really does give the baby a very newborn scent that will last. These wafers are best inserted into the body after light stuffing and adding your weighting beads, so they sit in the centre of the body and will be protected by further stuffing. One added to the head also, they will provide a strong yet subtle enough scent to last for months and can be replace by clipping the cable ties that keep the baby together and removing the old wafers and inserting a new one then resealing with another cable tie. Baby Powder scented oils or wafers really do provide something special for reborns and are cost effective enough to be easily added providing a lovely comforting smell for the new adoptive parent.

Reborn Doll Made by Jackie Surtees

Reborning is a competitive craft, with some incredibly impressive talent out there it is really important to focus on getting the best out of your work. Doll shows are held regularly at various locations in country areas and also the bigger more inclusive shows that are . . . → Read More: Attending Doll Fairs]]>

Reborn Doll Made by Jackie Surtees

Reborning is a competitive craft, with some incredibly impressive talent out there it is really important to focus on getting the best out of your work. Doll shows are held regularly at various locations in country areas and also the bigger more inclusive shows that are held in bigger city centres. Competitions are a major focus of these shows, with reborners coming from distant areas to include their babies in the judging. Prizes can include supplies for reborning, advertising and also a ribbon with the details of the section and position they won. This ribbon, when displayed on the baby for photographs can generate more interest and respect for the reborner and also increase the prices they can command for their finished reborns. These doll fairs also play an important role in keeping reborners up to date with new techniques and new supplies on the market. All reborners will show an interest in new developments in the field of reborning that can give them different effects with their babies and cut down the time consuming labour they currently put into them. It is also an opportunity to admire other artists work, and put their work out on display to be admired and to receive constructive comments.

With so many more experienced reborners, this really is an excellent platform to display your work, and carve out your place in the world of reborning. This is also an excellent place to promote your reborning website or business, with so many other artists involved in various forms of dollmaking, it is quite beneficial to display not only your finished babies, but also any supplies you have for sale pertaining to the reborn industry. Holding prize draws and encouraging artists to sign up to your newsletter or forum will also be a productive way of encouraging others to take a look at your website. This can be quite beneficial to your business if you are turning over a lot of babies for sale or offering items that are to do with reborning for sale on your site. Once you build up a list of reborners who have experience in dealing with you and have had a good experience, word of mouth will only lead to bigger and better things for your business. Doll fairs are an important facet of the world of reborning and will only generate more interest in your work, while also providing a supportive social network in other reborners.

Reborn Doll Made by Jackie Surtees

Once you have completed your baby, it’s time to decide what sort of hair you are going to use. Some like to paint on the hair, using a reborn hair flow pattern and following the lines from the crown of the head in even light touches . . . → Read More: Preparing Your Reborn For Microrooting]]>

Reborn Doll Made by Jackie Surtees

Once you have completed your baby, it’s time to decide what sort of hair you are going to use. Some like to paint on the hair, using a reborn hair flow pattern and following the lines from the crown of the head in even light touches to replicate the thin whispy hair of a newborn. This method requires experience, and is extremely difficult to perfect. The preferred technique for reborn hair is to microroot quality hair into the head using a felting needle. Mohair is the best hair to use for this, it can be purchased in a variety of colours and textures. It can be cost effective, or you have the option of purchasing a higher quality Canadian mohair that has been cleaned and is a lot nicer to work with.  The size of needle you use will depend on the look you wish to achieve, a 36 -38 gauge will give you a larger hole in the entry of the hair, but is easier to work with and pick up hairs to insert.

For that gorgeous newborn peachfuzz you will need to use anything from a 40 gauge needle upwards, this is a finer needle that will pick up less hair and really give your baby a fine coverage. To prepare your head for microrooting there are two methods that work well, the first option is to use a sockette, the same as the ones used to weight your reborn with glass beading, fill it with rice,  and heat in the microwave. Once hot enough, insert into the head and allow it to have a few minutes to warm. Rice doesn’t have the best aroma when heated so it is recommended to add some lavender or a few drops of essential oil to take away the smell of the rice. Another very popular method is to purchase some whole wheat, the type that is in wheat heat packs, you can usually buy this from a health food store quite cheaply.  Set aside a container specifically for your wheat and heat in the microwave for a few minutes, you can then, using a small funnel, tip the wheat into the head of your reborn filling to about an inch from the neck. Once evenly spread inside the head, add some wadding or stuffing into the neck to hold the wheat in place. Most reborners find this second method more effective due to the  even settling of the wheat. Leave it for a few minutes to warm the head and you are ready to microroot.

Reborn Doll Made by Jackie Surtees

If you are going to spend hours gently painting layer upon layer of paint, hours on detail and days on microrooting hair, it is worth the effort to open your reborn’s nostrils to complete the newborn look. This is quite easy to do, though with most . . . → Read More: How To Open The Reborn Doll’s Nose]]>

Reborn Doll Made by Jackie Surtees

If you are going to spend hours gently painting layer upon layer of paint, hours on detail and days on microrooting hair, it is worth the effort to open your reborn’s nostrils to complete the newborn look. This is quite easy to do, though with most reborning, the techniques vary depending on what best suits the artist. There are two more popular ways of opening the nostrils, firstly, after you first bake, while the head is still warm, gently push a toothpick through the nose, working it in a circular motion to open the nostrils up to the desired size. This process can be repeated after any of the heatsetting, and is advisable to do at least a couple of times during the reborning process to ensure they don’t close over again. Another option is to drill out the nose with a file, these can be attached to a power drill or just handheld and pushed through.

Once you break through the vinyl in the nostril, keep filing backwards and forwards until you are happy you have a smooth finish and no sharp edges or rough patches. This method is more effective as it opens a larger hole and actually takes away a certain amount of the vinyl as opposed to just pushing it to the side. If you decide to use the toothpick method, it is important when you are heatsetting your final layer to take two bamboo skewers, or similar, the intended width of your nostril and cut into 4cm long pieces. While your head is still warm insert these into the nose and leave in place while cooling. Once your doll is set, these can be removed and will leave a more desirable and permanent nostril in your reborn, consistent with that of a real newborn. After you have microrooted the hair into place, it is recommended to cut a small piece of felt, using a darker neutral colour, and glue it inside the head behind the nose when you glue the hair into place. This does two things, it will stop any of the stuffing coming out, or if the stocking breaks down containing your glass beading, will keep it contained within the head. It will also give the nostrils a look of depth, which only adds to the realism. The way you open your reborn’s nose will be something you decide yourself for what best suits your technique and will evolve over time until you find what works best for you as an artist.

Reborn Doll Made by Jackie Surtees

To complete the look with your reborn there are really so many options, a nice touch is to create a realistic looking milk bottle to send along with your baby, this is easy to do and adds that special something that can really appeal to buyers . . . → Read More: Making A Milk Bottle For Reborns]]>

Reborn Doll Made by Jackie Surtees

To complete the look with your reborn there are really so many options, a nice touch is to create a realistic looking milk bottle to send along with your baby, this is easy to do and adds that special something that can really appeal to buyers when looking at your auction. You will need to purchase a premmie baby bottle, try to source one made of plastic, this makes it easier for the magnets to hold it in place. Before you start, have your tools ready, a mop brush, a fan brush, two magnets, water and white paint. Firstly, unscrew the cap of the bottle and remove the teat, set two magnets into place either side of the cap inside the bottle opening, you can glue into place, though they should hold by the magnetism on their own. Another magnet should be glued into place inside the head behind the mouth, taking care to make sure it is positioned to attract the magnet in the bottle. Allow the glue to dry overnight so it isn’t at risk of moving and will be permanently set into position.

Next put a drop of white paint into the bottle,  dip your mop brush into the water and press on the inside upper edge of the bottle. This will release a small enough amount of water to dilute the paint for easy coverage. Now taking your fan brush, spread the paint over the entire bottle on the inside, covering all of it, then leaving it to dry for an hour. This process can be repeated until it resembles baby formula or you are happy with the appearance, remembering to fully airdry in between layers. Using a bottle with milky liquid is fine for photographing your reborn, this can add quite a lovely feel for the buyer. These bottles are however intended to be sold with the baby so the collector has the option between attaching a magnetised dummy to the dolls mouth, or placing the bottle into position. When the magnetised bottle is attached to the baby it appears as though the reborn is drinking a bottle of milk, and for a small amount of effort, can give you quite an advantage when selling with your doll. Never send a baby with any liquids as these can quite often spoil and develop a smell, or worse, leak and damage your reborn, not something a buyer would appreciate finding on the arrival of their baby.