Flashback Friday! First reborn kits

Today on FLASHBACK FRIDAY I thought it might be fun to share the first reborn kits I ever worked on.

I began reborning in February of 2005 (that's right...my 10 year anniversary is just around the corner!!).

That first year, I reborned nothing but Berenguer dolls!  

I don't remember if there weren't any reborn kits available then or if I could not yet afford to buy them. 

The second year, in 2006, I reborned just three reborn doll kits.

The first one was Silja by Linde Scherer.

Oh how I LOVED this doll that I named Aubree.

She was completed in March of 2006

She had just 1/4 vinyl limbs

I worked on my second kit in November of 2006.

The kit was Brian by Sebilla Bos.  I LOVE Sebilla's work so was super excited to work on this kit.

I named this doll Afka:

And the only other kit that I did in 2006 was Paisley by Denise Pratt/Bountiful Baby

I made her in December of 2006 and named her Adeline.

I can't remember exactly when I switched from using oil paints to Genesis heat set paints but it almost looks like Aubree was painted with oil paints and the other two with Genesis paints.

What a journey!

Think ahead Thursday...The Dainty Loft

THINK AHEAD THURSDAY:
Today we are to share a work from an artist who YOU aspire to work with/for in the future.

This one is hard as there are several so it's hard to pick just one. I might have to repeat this fun "game" for a few weeks!

For today, I would have to say that I would love to spend a few days...or a week! sitting next to ~Kristie Sohn-Carwithen of the Dainty Loft~

  as we chat and paint silicone dolls! 

To make it better, I would paint a doll for her and she would paint one for me! What dream that would be!!

Kristie and I have chatted often over the last few years and have met in person~enjoying a long, leisurely chat over coffee one day in North Carolina. 

Her work is STUNNING and she most recently did the prototype for silicone Angel by Bonnie Sieben who brought in a final price of over $11,000!  

~HERE~ is her eBay acution

And this dream is highly possible....

I have a passport, Kristie travels to the US often just a state away from me and we BOTH desire to do this.

What holds us up for now is her very active family of 4 strapping young men who need her more than I do.  We have lots of time left...

This can happen!  

XXOO

WORKING HARD WEDNESDAY!

Today we are to share a work in progress.

Well, I am between a work in progress and a completed work so I'll do this...

Hannah is a work in progress who is going to start growing hair TODAY!!!

I selected the color of hair I will give her last night....can't wait to show you!

And Lyon is ALL DONE and headed home to join his brother Jaylee and his "parents" in the UK today.

Happy, happy, happy!

Transformation Tuesday!

Transformation Tuesday is the day that we share one of our older works and a newer work.

I thought it would be fun to share my first Berenguer reborn and my most recent Berenguer reborn.

This is Abby.

She was my first Berenguer and my FIRST reborn ever!

I was SO proud of her and SO in love with her!

She sold on eBay for $87.50 and went to live in Canada in March of 2005.  

This is Catherine.

She is the most recent Berenguer that I reborn, created in August of 2014.

This is so much fun! 

XXOO

Fantastic fun for the week! Motivational Monday

 There has been an artist challenge going on on Facebook the last two weeks where one artist would nominate another artist to share 3 pieces of work for 5 days while nominating another artist each day to do the same. 

My reborning friend, Stacey Haskins loved it all so much that she came up with another idea for exciting posts for a week.

These are her suggestions for posting:

Super Star Sunday - Show off your most famous work, or achievements!
Motivational Monday - Share what motivates you
Transformation Tuesday - share an older piece v/s a newer piece
Working Hard Wednesday - Share a work in progress of whats to come next
Thinking Ahead Thursday - Share a work from an artist who YOU aspire to work with/for in the future
Flashback Friday - Share an older piece of your work
Shine the spotlight Saturday - Show off the spotlight to an artist who inspires you! 

I failed to share  my Super Star Sunday post with you yesterday but I'll share it here this coming Sunday.

So today is MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY.

One simple answer does not cover this one.

I am motivated by so many things!

My passion for high quality dolls motivates me.

My heart motivates me~I find joy in creating and making others happy.

Just the whole realm of creativity motivates me.

New products and techinques motivate me!

 

SO MANY other artists motivate me!  

I thought about listing some of them, but that list could go on and on and on, and since it's morning and I write better at night, I would probably fail to leave some very inspirational ones out.  So I'll just say that I am motivated by all of those amazing artists who's passion is to go beyond the "box", to create the best and who's integrity soars under any and all circumstances.

But most of all, the collectors motivate me.  

When I can provide high quality dolls for collectors, and they receive joy from that~it rocks my whole world and being! 

I am honored, truly honored, when a collector chooses MY dolls.  

I feel that I am a part of something gentle, kind, giving and warm.  

That motivates me.   

Their joy motivates me.

What motivates YOU?  

XXOO

Lacking content

Besides rooting, there just hasn't been that much going on in the studio lately.

My evenings are consumed with internet browsing of different insulation, dry wall boards, wainscoting, light...oh my!  There are SO many light options!!! Stairway designs and a zillion other details regarding the finishing of the interior of the Dolly House.

So please pardon me for lack of content.  :)

But do check back each day as you just never know where my brain will go-a-wandering and I might surprise you!

Hugs!

Paints from Australia!!!

Yesterday my paint set from Melissa George and BABY FX arrived in the mail!

Oh how I cannot wait to try them, but wait I must!

Today is a "dolly house day" where my very dear friend will be visiting to brain storm on wiring and finishing details and...I'm still rooting Lyon and will need to root baby Hannah next.

My next baby or babies will be vinyl reborns!  :)

Hugs!

Fraudulant seller~Alissa Joy Tackett

I've been watching this seller for a while now but have not really had time to post the stories and the links.

~BE JOYFUL, Alissa Joy Tackett~

Currently, the link above does not have a lot of information on it as Alissa has removed the content..  

But...the pictures on her site are not her own, nor were they her own on her eBay listings and other various places that she "sold" from.

The seller bought vinyl sculpts and made her own "molds" from those sculpts to produce "silicone" dolls.  

She has crawled into the background right now and is working under new names/ID's and I've not yet run across her yet but I am sure that I and other people will soon see her pop up.

This is a page that she has with "Kickstarter" to fund her projects:

~Kickstarter~

This auction was purchased by an unsuspecting buyer:

~Silicone Layla on eBay~

And this is what the buyer received as recorded on video:

The buyer was sure this is not the doll she purchased in this tiny box:

~YouTube Video~

That doll looks just like some of the samples she put on her eBay auctions after she began getting requests from other artists to remove their pictures.  (I was one of those artists who's photo was being used.)

This buyer purchased a full body silicone for her daughter for Christmas.  Here is here story of what she received:

  

Lauren Mitchell link

01/09/2015 2:16pm

I was also scammed by Allissa-Joy Tackitt and Bee-joyful.com. All my daughter wanted for Christmas was a full silicone baby. I'm a single mother of 4 and went well beyond my means to order one for her. What arrived in the mail the night before Christmas Eve was nothing less than the most horrible baby doll I've ever seen! The head was falling off and the limbs weren't far behind, the only part painted was the head and the paint appeared to be melting off and sliding off the back of the head, there were no girl parts or rooted hair that I paid extra for, and the mold was terrible with bubbles and club hands and feet! Paying over $600, I also expected the baby to arrive dressed in a box with nice presentation, not bent in half naked and wrapped in brown paper! I was in absolute tears since there was no time to savage my daughter's Christmas. Upon sending pictures to Ms. Tackitt's assistant, she immediately apologized and said they would send an immediate refund once the baby was returned. I mailed the baby back the day after Christmas. Ms. Tackitt's assistance said she received the baby but couldn't refund me through PayPal so she sent a cashiers check that would arrive on Friday. Come Friday, Saturday, Monday, Tuesday no check. When I inquired they assured me it had been sent and was probably just delayed. Once Allissa was back from vacation she also emailed me to ask if I'd received the check. The very next day she emails me her "form letter" saying all sales are final and that they're no longer associated with PayPal. Of course I get no correspondence back now. All I can assume is that I've been scammed in the worst way! No money, no baby, one very upset little girl and one really angry momma!!! I'm not sure how to proceed but I will figure out how to inform others so she'll be out of business!

I am truly saddened by all of this.  

I wish I had more time to spend to tell more but I simply do not.

In short, please, please, PLEASE...as I have stated in the past:

Know and investigate your sellers!!!  

If the price is "cheap" and "too good to be true"...it probably is.

High quality platinum silicone is NOT cheap.  In no way shape or form.  The molding process is not cheap and is very time consuming.  Sculpting takes time...a lot of time and artists need paid for their sculpts.

Reborn artists who bring the silicone to life spend many, many, MANY hours doing just that.

Silicone dolls are not cheap.  They just aren't.

Be safe out there!!!!

The Dolly House has arrived!!!

The anticipation of the Dolly House's arrival had me on an all-day high!  

This was the coolest thing ever!  

I have a video but it's too big for this blog.

Those of you on Facebook can see it 

~HERE~

Oh my goodness, I don't even know where to start!  I have a lot of pictures and not a lot of time today.

DO watch the video if you can!  It is amazing how they got this giant building into my yard and into place!

Isn't it just as cute as can be???  

And HUGE?!?!?!?  

Here is a little tour of the inside which we need to finish.

The way I designed the window placing flooded the space with light.

I am THRILLED!

The building is 14' wide and 28' long including the front porch.  The long wall (with the three windows up high) is 26' long inside.  

The short wall, from the back of the building to the front door is 16' long inside.  

I LOVE IT!!!

Lyon is growing hair!

This baby boy is just so very, very sweet.

His mommy named him Lyon.  

He is silicone "Leigh" by Tina Kewy, poured by Claire Taylor.

And...he's growing hair!

I have to put Lyon away until Monday.

The dolly house is being delivered TODAY (as long as the ground passes inspection which I think it will)!!!  

I almost cannot breathe!

I'll also be taking Sunday off to travel home from my darling granddaughter's 12th birthday.

Just HOW did that happen???

Loves to all!

More pictures of Hannah

I always forget that when I post WIP pictures of my dolls that I clarify that they are NOT available for direct sale, and then I spend much of the next several days communicating with people when the doll will be for sale and how.

That said:

Hannah is NOT available for direct sale.  She will be made available on eBay when her artwork is finished.

Now...enjoy her pictures  :)

I have not yet measured or weighed Hannah but Joanna Gomes' website states that she is 21 inches long and 8.6 pounds.  

I think that is accurate.  She is a full armful, fills up the kitchen sink and consumes the baby bath seat which is a real baby item.  

Hannah is glorious!

This next image could be disturbing to some as I am going to show the body without the head.  

You will get to see how the ball joint is designed and more importantly, what I was trying to capture, the color of the original silicone compared to the painted silicone.

If this might disturb you, please do not scroll any further  :)

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