My New DOLL HOUSE/Workshop

I know, it has been awhile! I don't even have an excuse for it - just life, I guess.

I am so excited to have my workshop finished. It is the cutest. We bought one of those little sheds from Lowe's  - this one is 12 x 8 x 8. Brad put in an air conditioner - it has great lighting - and it is just so much better than tying up a bedroom in the house. I was always worried about the vinyl baking and not enough ventilation - so now I can just sit my oven right outside the door on a little table as needed. 

 I need a little bench to sit out in front - I have since added a welcome mat and a bucket of flowers. I think a little window box of flowers would be cute, too.
The following pictures were taken before the ceiling was finished with sheetrock or curtain added.

My cute elephant print curtain I made. 

 We had it put together by Lowe's professionals but my husband did the sheetrock inside, cut out another window for AC and did all the painting. He is making me a sign with my nursery name to add to the outside.

I love it!

Thrift Treasure

Oh, today I hit the jackpot. I have a thrift store that I love to go to on the weekends and that is where I buy most of my Reborn clothing to send with the adopted babies. Each week a different color tag is 50% off and another tag is 35% off. I try to stay with the sale colors unless it is an exceptional bargain.I have bought so many "like new" and "new with tags" it's crazy.

Today I did my usual treasure hunt - I have a system - I go to the socks, hats and bibs first - then I slide over to the 2 piece items - cute dresses with bloomers and such. After that I head over  to the blankets. All babies are wrapped in blankets when I send them to new homes and I am always finding beautiful ones. Then my favorite part - the sleepers and lastly the onesies. Oh - and while I am at the blankets I look over the stuffed animals (I have found a mint condition Cabbage Patch Doll so I am always on the look out for another!)

So generally my husband drops me off and he heads over to Lowes or Home Depot  and then I call him when I am ready for him to pick my up - I take my time (which he loves) and can easily spend an hour and half. Today when I was finished treasure hunting I texted Brad to let him know I was ready - but got no response. Then I look up and there he is - trying to pull one on me - he had been there for quite some time stalking me. (lol he is cute that way) 

Anyway - we get ready to check out and he spots this beautiful vintage baby carriage (or pram, as the British say) and commented I should get it - I looked at the price and although it wasn't too awfully bad high - I told him no - I would wait until the color tag on it was half price - and I kind of know the rotation so I figured it would be the following weekend. He kept saying I should get it - I stood firm and paid for my items. We got in the car and I decided to google vintage baby carriages and we were almost home and I told him to TURN AROUND - OH MY GOSH - it was a steal according to all I was seeing and reading on google!! So turn around we did and I paid the ticket and was just so excited I couldn't stand it! It is in MINT condition, people! MINT! I love it. I am still not sure what year it is from but I am guessing 1950ish.

Of course Brad kept telling me how I would have been sick had we gone back and it was gone - and he was right. I am not one to pay full price for hardly anything - but at full price - it was about a fourth of the value.

I can't imagine dropping off something so pretty at a thrift store - not wanting it any more and just discarding it. Who does that? Obviously the person didn't know the value of such a piece. 

So - it is in our study - with a reborn baby in it. I plan to use it to display babies  at craft/vendor shows sometimes - and I am just thrilled beyond words at this gorgeous find.

So glad Brad chose today to come "stalk" me at the thrift store!

What's Happening In The Crib

So - who do we have looking for a new home? Let's see...

Isaac

Kameko

Maikey (limited edition #1 out of 150)

Sleeping Logan

Kyle

Aisha

A Full Crib

Right now it seems that most reborn artist are in a lull, including me. After getting used to my babies selling so quickly, it seems strange having a crib full. I suppose most are choosing vacations over reborns - go figure ;)
I belong to a couple of reborn forums and everyone is saying the same - very few sales this month. Of course Christmas is 6 months away and more than likely it will pick up again by early September and maybe even August. The last 3 months of 2016 my babies were practically flying out of here. 

I have adopted out 6 this month (June) so I am not complaining. Three of those were layaways but they still count. 
These are babies that have been adopted out - 

Aubrey

Megan

Joseph

Gena

Amber

Harper

Then there are those still waiting - 

Grant

Kyle

Sleeping Kimberly

Kameko

Maikey

Pebbles

Maggie

All in one place

These are all the Reborn Baby Dolls I have made so far. The names under them are the names of the sculpt, not the names of the babies. When adopted, they go home with a blanket, several outfits, socks, magnetic paci, hair accessories for girls and a few surprises. Any doll can be made into boy or girl, they are not anatomically correct babies, they have doe suede bodies that are filled with fine glass beads and polyfil. The limbs are also filled with glass beads and polyfil and capped off before attaching to the body. I use Genesis paints and paint in layers and then the babies are baked numerous times to cure the paint. They have a magnet inside the head for a paci and I can put on in the top of the head for a magnetic barrette. Sleeping babies have rooted eyelashes and awake babies have eyelashes glued in. At this time I am only making/selling bald babies, at least until I perfect my rooting for hair. I am working on it!

Most of the clothing is brand new and some are gently worn - clean and in excellent condition. All babies will have at least one new outfit. I am very generous with the extras and like to wrap them individually so the box opening is a fun experience. Crochet baby blankets are handmade by me and my mother. 

I absolutely love watching them come to life.

I will be adding to this blog post as I go...

Kyle

Ryan as Boy

Amber as Boy

 Ryan as Girl

Molly with Brown hair

 Gemma

Trey

Shyann

Honey

Joey

Molly with blonde hair as a boy

Sadie as a boy

Kameko (for my daughter)

Paisley as a boy

Preemie Megan

 Sadie as a girl

Blaze

Caleb

Lane

Eden

Chanel as a boy

Chanel as a girl

Jewel (from my mom)

Preemie Kaelin

Holly

Lainey

Sera

 Rose

Bella

Riley

Jaden

Natalie as a boy

Natalie as a girl

Josie as a boy

Josie as a girl

Lucy 

 Kyra