Friday, January 7, 2011

I have heard from Claudia!!! Read Post!

I received an email from Claudia last night and as excited as she is, she would like pass her win onto someone else! Bless her heart.

So, I've re-drawn and the new winner is.......

Marilyn from Hillsboro, Oregon! Congratulations Marilyn! I know you had your fingers and toes crossed!

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Oh my goodness...it is Friday! Wow...well let's see. I have so much to share that I think I'll share a few things today.

This is prototype Jenna by Angela Harris, now Josiah. He is all painted and I started rooting his hair last night.

He has the GREATEST feet and hands! The bone structure of his feet is simply amazing.

Artists, you can pre-order "Jenna" from Angela's website.
Collectors, my prototype will be on eBay hopefully on Monday. Of course I'll keep everyone notified.

As I've mentioned, I am once again attending IDEX at the end of the month. (I'll do a full post on what IDEX is in a few days.) I always take a doll from my collection and a reborn that I made. I've decided to take Molly with me so I bought her this sweet outfit and wonderful shoes the other day.

Molly was lovingly reborn by Kate Leach of Little Barn Babies in Texas.

For the reborn that I have made, I am also taking Dimples, now named Sammie. Here's a logo that Melissa Palesse made of her~I think it's beautiful and wanted to share. I'll share Sammie in some of her Orlando clothes as soon as I have time to try some things on.

And IF I have time, I might take Walter by Laura Tuzio Ross with painted hair. Yesterday I started a new custom order and I have another one to at least start before I leave.


And finally, this is a quick shot of a "Budget Baby" that I've had on the paint table for a while. I've been "tinkering" with him over time. This picture is really washed out and he does have more color than seen but again, being a "Budget Baby" he does not have all of the layers that my Master Artist Series have.

Speaking of Budget Babies. I'd like to change this term to something that does not have such a negative connotation. Basically, I create three levels of reborn dolls. I'll describe them and then tell you about a contest I am officially opening up today.

Kid's Corner Babies
These sweet babies are created especially for children but can and have been purchased by adults.
They are blushed, creases are shaded, lips and nails colored, veins added, are put on a good body and weighted just like my Master Artist Series babies and have the same quality of mohair that I always use although rooted faster and with a larger needle. They may have a wig if requested or deemed appropriate by me. They are generally not matte varnished. These babies come with a basic going home outfit, a basic blanket, a magnetic pacifier if desired, hair bow and a toy. Kid's Corner babies are $250 plus the cost of the kit, body and eyes. Toddlers are $500 plus the cost of kit, body and eyes.

Budget Babies
These darling babies are for the low budget collector who desire a life-like reborn but cannot afford the Master Artist Series dolls. Here are a few pictures of past Budget Babies:





These darling babies usually have one tone/texture layer (unless I need to neutralize the vinyl), are blushed with 1-2 colors, the creases are shaded 1-2 times, the lips and nails are colored and detailed more than the Kid's Corner Babies, have added "thin skin" and veins, are put on a good body and weighted just like my Master Artist Series babies and have the same high quality hair, only rooted faster and with a larger needle. Matte Varnish is upon request and is charged extra as are belly plates. These babies come with a basic going home outfit, a basic blanket, a magnetic pacifier and/or formula bottle if desired, hair bow and a toy. Budget Babies are $300 plus the cost of the kit, body and eyes. Toddlers are $600 plus the cost of kit, body and eyes.

Master Artist Series Babies
This is what you see most coming from my nursery. These reborns usually have 3-5 tone and texture layers, 3-5 shades of crease color, 2-3 shades of blush colors, have much more attention paid to the ends of the fingers and toes, much more detail on the lips and nails, have 2-3 shades of undertones and thin skin, have 1-2 shades of vein colors, have capillaries, stork bites and other details, have highlight colors, are usually matte varnished (custom orders are welcome to have this step eliminated) with fine details applied to the eyes brows and sometimes milk spots using the matte varnish, are put on a high quality body and artistically weighted using the highest quality of products including granulated glass beads (not powdered beads but granulated), poly pellets, non-corrosive baby fat pellets, quality fiber fill, sometimes BB pellets and a little powder sachet to keep them smelling baby fresh. The layettes for these babies can be boutique outfits, custom made outfits, specialty outfits and simpler cotton outfits. I choose outfits according to the personality of the doll baby. Blankets are luxurious, accessories and toys are exceptional. Magnetic pacifiers and hair bows are included. These babies are usually $800 and up for newborns. Sometimes one can be adopted on eBay for $650 and up. Toddlers are $1200 and up.

So...here are the contest details!
I like my Kid's Corner and Master Artist Series category names, but would like to rename the "Budget Baby" category. This is where you come in.

From now until February 15th, I will be accepting your suggestions to rename this category. If I like your suggestion, your suggestion and name will go into a pot. On February 15th, I will draw a name from the pot. This does not have to be the name of the person whom I most liked the suggestion and changed the category name to, I just have to like the suggestion. I will also announce the new name that day.

The winner of that draw will win one of two things:

Artists will win 1/2 ounce of my quality mohair. I will contact you and let you choose color. I will probably have to custom make your hair so it will not ship that day.

Collectors will win something for one of your babies. I will contact you with the size and sex of the baby you would like to win something for. I might have to go shopping so your prize also will not ship that day.

So put your thinking caps on! What will make me "like" a suggestion? One that is a bit unique, will describe in brief what a Budget Baby is in a positive way and one that will "flow" with the other two categories.

Please either "comment" your ideas here on the blog (which will get published to the blog most likely) or email me at tngun05@gmail.com

This is going to be fun!

Ladies that are attending IDEX...I will be picking your brains too when I see you and you too will be "put in the pot" if I like your suggestion :)

Okay...that is ENOUGH from me for one day! I think I have the gift of gab.

Hugs!

12 comments:

  1. My ideas are:

    "Professional Babies"

    "Affordable Angels"

    "Collector's Corner Babies"

    :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Debbie,
    I'm as flattered as can be that you are taking Molly to IDEX with you. Thank you.

    Now here is my (first) entry for the contest. I wasn't sure where to send it but I figured you see it here.

    “Next Step” Series
    Designed for the collector who is ready for more realism than is available from the Kid’s Corner.
    As the name implies these babies are the “Next Step” up from the “Kid’s Corner” babies. They are designed to be a higher quality doll with more detail, layers and texture of skin tones. Many lifelike details such as “thin skin” and veins and more detail to lips and nails will add to the realism on these babies. These babies are an affordable way to expand and continue your collecting journey."

    This is just an outline of what the description would include but then YOU know what it needs to say.

    ReplyDelete
  3. "Less is More Babies"?

    Hmm, will think about it and hopefully come up with some ideas....

    Hugs,
    Nina

    ReplyDelete
  4. Everyone is doing such a great job coming up with titles! Thank you!
    Sabriam, I like Professional Babies! You are in the pot :)
    Kate~excellent! I like Next Step Series...you are in the pot.
    Nina~try again! LOL Love you gal!
    I hope you all are having as much fun as me!
    XXOO Debbie

    ReplyDelete
  5. heres mine.....money bunnies.....lol, easy reach babies. from sage of sagebrush nursery

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi! I have been lurking in your blog looking at your wonderful reborn babies. I hope to be an proud mommy of one soon- and im hoping to go to idex for my first year! With that said,
    My suggestion would be "Precious Penny Babies" or "Precious Penny Series". I think both sound affordable- and really cute!
    thanks for running this contest! Fun!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thank you Jennie Lee and Sage!

    Although I think your ideas are excellent, I want to get away from having a form of money/budget in the title. I did not clarify that very well before~I am sorry about that.

    Does that help you come up with any other ideas?

    Hugs!
    Debbie

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi again!

    Here are some other ideas, Elite Collector- for an affordable reborn baby without sacrificing quality and technique.

    It sounds "fancy". :-)

    Also, Collector's Edition- for reborn baby collectors who would love as many TNGUN babies as they can. ;-) This series of reborns are created for the discerning reborn collector. Each baby is created with techniques for an amazingly realistic reborn. Quality for a collector, priced affordably.

    Artist Grade- while affordable, these babies are uniquely one of a kind and careful attention to detail makes these babies an wonderful addition to your collection.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ohhh...Jennie, that put me onto the idea of Artist Series...a step just below the Master Artist Series. Love your ideas Maam! You are in the pot!
    Hugs
    Debbie

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hmmm, I've been mulling this over for quite a while, even while spending time with you at IDEX, Debbie. I think I like the name, although it's a little quirky, "Second to Nothing Babies". It's a mouthful but even your budget babies are delightful. As a collector and one who has nearly a ton of your babies, I love my little darling - the one you have put your finger on in the picture above - as much as any of my dolls and she is second to absolutely nothing. She is first-rate with me!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Post Script:
    Hmm, maybe second to none is better than second to nothing.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thank you Sally...that is a great suggestion! You are in the pot!
    Thanks for the compliments as well :)
    Many hugs!
    Debbie

    ReplyDelete