Friday Funnies! And The Reborn Doll of 2009 part 1

~Friday Funnies!

This is the first picture story I wrote back in the spring of 2006. I have built most of my stories upon this story but don't worry, they are not all about bunnies :)

*A day with Baby the Bunny....a bad ending for Giovanni*

Michael says: Hay...lookie wat we dots...cawwots!!! Do we thinks there is any bunnies out here???

Giovanni is so excited because he found a bunny! "Wook"! "Weet Pikles, see if you tan git da bunny to eat a tarrot!"

"We dont tink dis bunny tan eat tarrots. Bwut wets all get close two swee if we tan tuddle it!"

Michael exclaims: "Oh my dosh! WOOK wat dis comin our way!"

"Yippeeeee! A weel bunny!!!!!"

"WWWHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! "wat happen Giovanni???"

"Dat bad bunny he eat mi finder!. Sissy wiwl u tiss mwe bwetter?????"

Yes, it it true. The sweet bunny by the name of Baby really did chomp into Giovanni's finger. Mind you it is solid silicone, er, it was. I will be sending an email to Laura Tuzio Ross, Giovanni's creator, to see if she can create a new arm for poor G. Poor baby will be on R&R until then.

~cry~

**************************************************
The Reborn Doll of 2009:

Yesterday, I failed to comment that back in the days of the first reborns, reborners made it a common practice to paint the inside of the vinyl parts purple. This was a great idea allowing depth to the tone of the doll, however, over time, the purple paint would seep through to the front of the vinyl creating a badly bruised baby doll. Then blush was added on the outside along with veins applied in a variety of ways, including ball point pens! The lips were tinted as well as the nails. Today's reborn is painted quite a bit differently.

So today, I will discuss a little bit of MY painting process as I cannot speak for all reborn artists.

Like other artists, I have tried several different paints trying to create the best tone and use the best product for the vinyl as well as for the durability of the doll over time. I started with oil paints made by Scuola. I found these paints to be VERY good and steadfast but they took a lot of time to cure. Then I moved onto a heat set paint called Genesis Heat Set Paints which are artist oils as well and because they are cured in the oven, the drying time is much less as compared to the other oils. They are great paints however, studies show that baking vinyl is hazardous to me and my family's health as well as damaging to the vinyl itself. Currently, I am using an air dry paint put out by the Little Dreams Collection from DollDreams.net. They are called Little Dreams Collection paints and we refer to them as LDC paints. They are not to be confused with other air dry paints as they are unique in their application and are created specifically for vinyl dolls. I wrote a FREE tutorial on the Doll Dreams site on painting a doll with the LDC paints.

Before painting is begun, the vinyl kit must be cleaned in order to remove any manufacturing debris. This is done by giving the vinyl a good bath in hot soapy water using sponges and toothbrushes to assure it is really scrubbed. Of course, if a manufactured doll is being reborn, it must be taken apart, stripped of it's factory coloring and molded hair or wigs and eyes removed. During the prep time, I aslo open the nostrils of the doll with a dremmel tool and aslo open the back of the eye socket if the doll is an open eyed doll. This step will help later when I insert new, real looking eyes.

The key to a multi-dimensional detailed skin tone is the application of many thin layers, many colors of paints and applied with different sponges to create varied textures. Currently, it takes me roughly 20 hours per doll to create skin tones and details. I am always looking for ways to make my dolls more and more real and lately, I have began my painting process with a layer of Genesis Matte Varnish over all of the vinyl parts. This is baked (Yes, I know, I am taking a bit of a risk by baking but the results have been so amazing! Plus, I am only baking the doll twice instead of the 14 times I used to) and then I do some advance work with the Genesis Matte Varnish by building up little milk bumps in 3-D as well as 3-D hair and eye brow strokes.

Okay, my doll is ready for color! We will talk about that on Sunday if I have time. I will not be posting tomorrow, Saturday, as we have family coming in later today for a weekend city celebration.

~Nursery Notes~

This is what is currently happening in the nursery. I am working on a custom big baby doll. She is not a toddler really but more like a 9-12 month old baby. Her name is Arianna by Reva Schick. Yesterday, I went shopping for clothes for her. I took her with me...I have not even started the paint on her yet however, I put her parts on her body and took her to the store to try clothes on. Many people already thought she looked real! LOL It was great fun as I lay her on the floor to try on outfits. (reborn artists and collectors waiting for Arianna, she wears 9-12 month size clothes and a size 3 shoe) I got the strangest looks from people! I would ask them...."What, have you never seen a grown woman take her dolly to the store for shopping before???" They would laugh and I would then be able to tell them what I did for a living. I have such a fun job! :)

I have this darling little baby on ebay right now:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=330344715823

And three babies up for immediate adoption here:

http://www.artfire.com/users/TheyNeverGrowUpNursery | http://TheyNeverGrowUpNursery.artfire.com

Have a fabulous Friday!