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.

You’ve seen the fashion dolls: the Barbies and Bratz and countless carbon copies of ‘hip’ and ‘trendy’ dolls. If your daughter loves these kinds of dolls, but wants something a little more fun and original, then you should check out the Monster High Cleo DeNile and Deuce Gorgon doll set. These Mattel dolls form part of the unique and gothy Monster High collection, featuring horror-movie-style figures and putting them in a cute and up-to-the-minute high school setting. They come with their own cool fashion trends with a monster twist, and also come with their own pets, such as rats and snakes. Somehow they manage to tread the divide, being from a scary subject but still being cute.

Cleo DeNile is the daughter of the Mummy and his is the fashion leader of the school. She wears an Egyptian princess themed outfit, with bandages and bold gold jewellery. Her pet is Hisette the snake, and she loves it. Another person she love sis her boyfriend Deuce Gorgon, whose mother is the famous and deadly medusa. He inherited her special power, so wears sunglasses so that he doesn’t turn his friends to stone, though – being young- luckily if he does turn anyone to stone the effects wear off after 24 hours. His pet is Perseus the rat. Deuce is dressed in snakeskin pattered clothes and a hip jacket.

Both dolls come as a pack together – which is adorable – and they come with journals and display stands, which are perfect if you plan on collecting them and showing them off properly. The multiple uses of play and collection mean that they can appeal to a very wide age range of girls above and beyond the 6-year-old recommendation. You can even collect more such as Frankie Stein the daughter of Frankenstein or Draculaura daughter of Dracula. There are even Monster High books, yearbooks (or ‘fearbooks’), journals, bags and more available.

The main feature of these, aside from their cute originality, is the incredible attention to detail in their outfits. These really are little works of art and already a hit with older doll collectors as well as little girls. They’ll make a perfect gift.

Half Penny Dolls have been around for many generations. They probably were named for the inexpensive nature of the materials used to make them–bits of wire, wool, and string.

Half Penny Dolls should not be confused with Penny Dolls, which are dolls carved from wood, also known as Peg Dolls or Dutch Dolls.

Half Penny Dolls are made by bending wire into a body shape, then wrapping the limbs with string. The body is wrapped with wool or fabric. A head is formed from a ball of wool or a wooden bead.

It is possible that the Half Penny Doll originated when a mother busy with her spinning or weaving, and needing a distraction for a demanding child, grabbed a few bits of wool and formed it into a little toy. The dolls became very popular with young girls because they were simple enough for children to make themselves, and provided hours of entertainment just in the process of making and dressing the dolls.

In 2003, Salley Mayvor re-introduced the world to Half Penny Dolls with her book Felt Wee Folk (C&T Publishing). In her book, Salley demonstrates making dolls with pipe cleaners, and dressing them with silk flower petals, wool felt, and acorn hats.

Recently, at a family gathering, we had a doll making workshop. Several nieces, sisters, cousins and aunts, ages seven to fifty, spent the day making half penny dolls. With a few pipe cleaners, scraps of fabric, wooden beads, and crochet cotton, we had a complete doll making factory in the dining room. Imagination blossomed as little girls drew out designs for their dolls and the adults helped them make those design come to life. As well as tiny dolls for keepsakes, memories were created that day.

Moving home is always stressful – if you have a valuable doll collection it is just ten times worse. If you find yourself in the position where you have to move your entire doll collection to a new location there are certain precautionary measures to take that will reduce the chances of damaging your doll collection.

1. Do not let the movers pack your dolls.

Nobody else will take the same care as you when packing your dolls. Movers may be very experienced in packing other items but collectible dolls need extra special care when being moved. If possible do not place your packed dolls with the rest of your move in the removal van. If you have no choice then supervise the packing of the boxes so that boxes are not damaged and heavier dolls are packed under the lighter dolls and not vice versa.

2. Make sure that you use sufficient packaging materials:

You are going to need lots and lots of bubble wrap, tape, packing paper and boxes. Just how much packaging material you will require will be determined by the types of dolls in your doll collection. Porcelain, china and composition dolls will need the most bubble wrap as each of their limbs will need to be wrapped separately. Hair and outfits will be of greater concern with vinyl dolls and newsprint-free packing paper is ideal for this purpose. If you have NRFB (never remove from box) dolls, you need sturdy outer boxes to help keep the doll boxes dent-free. Pack heaviest dolls on the bottom; lighter dolls and doll clothes on top. If you have dolls that you are considering selling – do so before the move. It will save on packaging material and you can always use the money for all the packaging materials you are going to need.

3. Mark the Boxes Well:

Marking the boxes well will not only make for easier unpacking, it will also reduce the chances of someone accidentally throwing your box of porcelain dolls around. When packing the removal vehicle this will assist in ensuring that the heavier dolls are packed underneath the lighter dolls.

4. Beware of Storage Facilities:

Heat, humidity and insects are enemies to most types of dolls. If you must store your dolls for any length of time, make sure our dolls are in a climate-controlled facility and that your insurance policy will cover the dolls whilst in storage.

5. Make Sure the Dolls are properly Insured:

Your homeowner’s policy may cover some portions of the insurance for your move. Most do not cover breakage, however, and you will need to purchase breakage insurance from the moving company.

Doll shows and auctions

When next you plan to visit a doll auction with the intention of buying a doll/s plan ahead and take sufficient suitable packaging material with you to ensure a safe journey home for your newly found dolls. If you have to travel home by plane it may be a better option to ship your dolls home and avoid the risk of damaging your dolls in transit.

Happy doll collecting.

There are two things you’ll love about a pink doll house, and they are as follows: First of all, this dollhouse is easy to build. The package already comes with pre-finished pieces which are so quick to assemble. Another is that this toy is also easy on the eyes. With pink as an all-time favorite color, you can’t help but like its appearance even at first glance.

A perfect example of a pink doll house that’s easy on both aspects would be the classic Quick Build Barbie Scale Townhouse or her new Pink Dream Three-Storey Dream Townhouse. Truly some heavenly dollhouses for little, growing girls, these choices may not be as light on the pockets. However, because they’re so quick to like, you simply can’t resist the urge to have them for your daughter, for your niece, or for yourself!

Just to name a few, here are some things you’ll definitely like about a pink doll house that’s Barbie-style. The most luxurious of all play dollhouses, the model usually comes with a master’s bedroom which is fully-furnished. By fully-furnished, we mean no less than a queen-size bed, a stylish couch, an elegant dresser, a flat screen TV, and plenty of chandeliers on the ceiling. Most bathrooms even have a spacious tub and a Jacuzzi for Barbie, simply because she deserves nothing but the best whenever she needs a spa. She may even have a toilet which really flushes, or at least it sounds like it does!

When Barbie’s ready to descend from her kingdom and meet her guests, only the most dramatic staircase will do. Downstairs, expect the kitchen to be fully-stocked since this household’s always ready for a party. Oh, and by the way, she doesn’t have to walk all the way down when it’s a three-storey townhouse. All she has to do is use the lift since this dollhouse does come with an elevator!

All in all, it’s a dollhouse full of so many gadgets which furnish lights, sounds, and all kinds of effects. The bottom line is that it’s yours to figure out which switch goes where and what move will activate which effect. So you see, it’s such a thrill and a delight to discover everything you can about a pink Barbie dollhouse. It has all the amenities of townhouse living.

But before you can enjoy all its amenities, you’ll have to finish the whole setup. How easily can you build this townhouse and how quickly can you set it up? As a Quick Build structure, it’s designed to be finished within 30 minutes tops. Just read the brief manual and follow its simple instructions. The key to assembling is not only to see that all the pieces fit together nicely but also to double-check that all joints and screws are fastened securely. These guarantee that your miniature home will last durably for many playtimes to come.

Once a Barbie pink doll house has been completely-assembled and fully-furnished, you’ll simply fall in love with it! More than being amazed, you’ll grow attached to it. Many little girls have grown so fond of this doll-scale toy and they’ve had a great experience with it. They may have outgrown the fantasy, but they’ll always cherish the memory. So if you want the same fantastic and memorable experience, you know what dollhouse to look for and it’s in pink!

When reading a description of a dollhouse kit you will often find a list of dimensions, materials, construction type, features of the dollhouse and any furnishings that come with the kit. A common type of construction is known as tab and slot. This construction method of assembly uses panels with tabs that are fitted into adjacent panels with slots. Then the pieces are glued together instead of using nails or screws.

The tab and slot method is often used for ease of assembly. But, be aware that dollhouse kits which are made of thin plywood may use this construction method as the wood is not thick enough to support nails or screws. Many well-made dollhouses use this type of construction. But, be sure to do your research well when choosing a dollhouse to make sure that the tab and slot method is for ease and not because the wood is thin. It is always best to choose a reputable brand of dollhouse (example: Greenleaf) to ensure a certain level of quality.

Tab and slot construction can be very easy to assemble. And, once again, if you choose a reputable dollhouse manufacturer, you can be assured that the instructions will be easy to follow. When assembling a tab and slot construction dollhouse, be sure to use quality glue as well. You will want to ask at your hardware store for wood glue that will spread evenly and not dry in clumps.

Constructing your dollhouse should be fun, easy and provide you with a durable finished product. If you keep this in mind when choosing your dollhouse, you will make the right choice.

The Gene Marshall dolls came to be in 1995 which was inspired by movies in the golden age of Hollywood. These dolls were the creation of Mel Odom who was a famous American artist who had created several book covers such as the paperback editions of Patrick White’s novels. He then became a famous illustrator and created several magazine illustrations for Time, OMNI, and even Playboy. Yet in the year 1990, he became interested in designing the face paint for the fashionable 25-centimeter limited edition name Mdavnii. This then renewed his interest for dolls which fostered the creation of the Gene Marshall.

The Gene Marshall measured 15.5 inches and came with wardrobes and accessories that are fashioned after the elegance of Hollywood’s golden age from 1920 to 1950. Odom’s creation had initiated the creation of a genre of dolls that are far different from the 11.5-inch Barbie. The dolls were manufactured by Ashton-Drake Galleries until it was handed over to Jason Wu with Integrity Toys in 2005. The popularity of the dolls had also led other doll manufacturers to come up with their own series that have similar attributes to the Gene Marshall. These companies were Tonner Doll Company, Bella Productions, and Madame Alexander.

Other character dolls in the collection that followed after the popularity of the Gene Marshall were Madra Lord, Ivy Jordan, Trent Osborn, and Violet Waters. Ivy Jordan is a character doll that is described as Gene’s humorous best friend and is fondly called by her nickname “Vee.” In Spring of 2006, the premiere collection came out which was designed by Mel Odom and manufactured by Jason Wu. In 2007, several collections came out such as the Silver Screen Collection, The Return of Madra Lord, and the Stepping High Collection.

Yet now that the designs have been handed over to Jason Wu, the newest collections include the characters Zita Charles and Oona. Zita Charles is described as a star of the silent era who became extremely wealthy after she became a widow of an industrialist husband. She is also tagged as Gene’s mentor and is a fashionable social figure in Hollywood. The character Oona, on the other hand, is also known as the “Belleweather” Oona doll and is described as a mystery even on Integrity Toys website. Oona is a red head with the appeal of Hollywood’s classic glamorous beauty. With several repaints on the Gene Marshall dolls, the characters become a timeless beauty and the exquisite collection makes a great addition to every doll collectors’ showcase.

Have you ever heard off or seen a time out doll. These are dolls that look like real children that stand in a corner sulking hence the name “time out doll”. These dolls are very easy to make and make great gift ideas.

I have seen a lot of time out Dolls made in a variety of different ways. I choose to make them sturdy, very durable and changeable. These dolls are interchangeable, if the clothes they are wearing become dusty or dirty or even tiresome to the eye. Simply change the way they look just like you would with a small child. These time out dolls are made so that it is as simple to change them as it is a small child. This gives variety.

These dolls are made up of a body, a head, legs, and arms. The body and the legs are made of wood, the head is a Styrofoam ball and the arms are made of wire. The clothes are a babies size 1, a pair of children’s shoes, a cap or hat of your choice generally a baseball cap and a pair of baby’s cotton mittens. The body is well padded with wadding and glued together with craft glue or hot glue from a craft store.

The first thing is to assemble the body. It is made up of 2 pieces of wood, the body and the legs. The wire is inserted into a hole near the top of the body to form the arms. The next step is to wrap the wadding around the legs and the body to form the padding and then glued in place. Be generous with your padding. You can make it as thick or as thin as you like depending on the size of the clothing. Once the body and legs have been padded you also need to pad the arms. Bend the wire to the size you require and then wrap the padding around the wire all the way from the loop at the bottom to the top of the shoulder.

OK the next step is to attach the head, cover the padding and dress the Time out Doll. To attach the head you need to hammer a large thick nail into the top of the body. Make sure you place the nail in the center. Cover the nail with lots of glue and firmly place the foam ball on the nail and push the head into place. Now you need to cover the padding with stockings or hosiery. Cover the body, legs and arms of the time out doll with the stockings, make sure to stretch firmly and glue into place.

When choosing the outfit for the time out doll you can be creative as you like. The cotton mittens are used for the hands. You will also need to make sure you either have a long sleeved top or add a skivvy under the outfit to cover the arms especially when making a girl doll. You need to always have some sort of hat on the doll as there is no face because they stand in a corner. Be creative.

Congratulations you have made yourself a Time out Doll. Now stand the doll in a corner for all your friends and family to admire.

Not everybody know what reborn baby doll is. When I ask people if they have heard of reborn babies, I receive various reactions: “What? Reborn Babies?”, “How can I baby be reborn?” and when I explain to them what it is and show them some photos, the more I get astonishing responses. Most find it freaky, while others become more curious and learn more about it.

So what is a “reborn baby”? Reborn babies are basically dolls which are made to look and feel like a real human baby. Similar to a regular doll, they are generally made of up vinyl; however, each doll is carefully crafted to become as life-like as possible. The art of making reborn doll requires a number of detailed procedures and starts with disassembling the parts of a doll, removing its factory paint, stuffing each part to make it heavier, and putting back together again. The doll is coated with several layers of paint in different shades to create an authentic human flesh tone; then the hair, including eyebrows and eyelashes, are painstakingly rooted individually to the doll’s head and face for a natural finish. To make it more realistic, some dolls are built with mechanisms to emulate the feel of heart beat. Each doll can cause a hundred to a thousand dollars depending on its workmanship. This art of making reborn doll is called “reborning” while the doll artist is called “reborner”.

The process of making reborn dolls started in early 1990s in the United States, when doll aficionados wanted a more authentic human doll. Slowly it gained popularity and in 2002, the first reborn doll was sold through the internet. Since them, more and more doll enthusiasts, artists and hobbyists are engaging in reborn dolls making it popular in the different parts of the world. In 2005, the International Reborn Doll Artists was founded in Orlando, USA and currently, there are hundreds of reborn forums and guilds found in the internet.

One of the famous reborner is Deborah King, who has been in the business for more than 5 years. She said she had seen the art of making reborn dolls grows and develops and she had enjoyed specializing her skills. She had made and sold reborn dolls to collectors in the different parts of the globe. She had also been invited and interviewed by different tv shows and magazines.

One featured doll collector is Fran Sullivan, she is 62 years old and has never had a baby. She own more than 600 dolls including reborn babies. Depending on her mood, she chooses which doll to take care for the day and she talks to them just like human.

Because of the rising popularity of reborn dolls, BBC America aired a documentary on the subject in October 2008 entitled “My Fake Baby”. The documentary focused on women who spent money, time and effort in rearing life-like dolls.

Placing a reborn doll in the arms of an Alzheimer’s patient can calm them to the point of being able to communicate and take instruction. It is a really positive niche for the reborn artist.

At Ashcroft Care Home based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, UK, they have reported that reborn doll therapy has cut the number of patients using psychotropic drugs from 92 per cent at the start of 2008 to 28 percent.

Reborn dolls in particular seem to have the best effect with these patients, as they are so much more lifelike than traditional dolls. The dementia area is a large market that is reasonably untapped for reborn doll artists. In my research I visited a website that showed the most touching photographs of Alzheimer’s patients holding their dolls. They appeared happy and calm.

Many dementia patients suffer from agitation and distress, doll therapy can alleviate this. Dementia patients can be withdrawn and communication between patients and carers difficult, reborn dolls have been shown to vastly help in these areas. The British Psychological Society Conference presented this research into reborn doll therapy.

Reborn doll therapy seems to work extremely well with female patients as it takes them back to a time when they were housewives and highly productive. Due to effects of dementia many of these patients still believe they are young, so when they adopt a reborn doll, it brings back happy memories of parenthood. Having a doll can reawaken positive memories of being useful and needed; being loved and of loving.

Doll Therapy is best introduced in the early to middle stages of Alzheimer’s. In the early stages the patient may know the reborn doll is not real but will enjoy the pleasures of naming it and constantly changing it’s clothes. Women in the middle stages of the disease are likely to communicate with the doll; The Alzheimer patient may communicate with the doll through singing, talking and cuddling. They start to become extremely attached to their doll and keep it with them for many hours of the day.

Introducing a doll in the late stages of Alzheimer’s is not quite as effective as in the early stages. Introducing a doll in the early stages will allow the owner to become used to it and as the disease progresses the bond is set and the patient will be able to get comfort from the doll well into the later stages.

Reborn dolls however, are not a cure and the sufferer will not suddenly transform back to their former self because of a reborn doll but it is the comfort the patient feels that is the real benefit of reborn doll therapy.

“I have worked with people with Alzheimer’s disease for 12 years and if you ever witnessed one of my residents singing, cooing, interacting with the life-like doll, you would know that it does work. Many of our ladies were homemakers and their number one priorities were family. It was a time in their life when they were useful and had a sense of purpose. A reborn doll can bring a patient back to a time in their life where they felt secure and in control. We must join them on their journey, not ours!” (A quote from a discussion forum for Alzheimer’s patients).

If you are touched by the above story and feel this may be your niche for making reborn dolls, we suggest you first visit your local nursing homes to get a better idea of what is needed. Nursing homes do not always have the finances to buy full priced reborn dolls so you may need to get in touch with the family members of patients. The positive effects of dolls needs to be demonstrated to the nursing home for them to get behind doll therapy.

Take some evidence to the homes with you about the positive effects of reborn dolls on Alzheimer’s and Dementia patients.

This is a very rewarding market to be in. To help the elderly live out their years feeling more comfortable and in control is a great gift that your reborn dolls can give to society.

We wish you luck. Fran and Nicola