Linda Maclean's Reborn Dolls : Shyann and Cozy

I am having so much fun making these Reborn Dolls, and I'm getting paid to do it. How lucky is that!
After my visit to South Africa in early 2012 and my discovery of this relatively new art form, I have made two.
The response I get from these dolls in phenomenal, people materialize out of thin air (or so it seems) to hold and cuddle these incredible dolls. An automatic impulse seems to be 'to rock' and 'pat their little bums'. Major kudos have to go to the wonderful Reborn Doll designers out there without whom I could not have achieved this.
The first of my dolls was 'Shyann', who was a total learning curve. There were days when I became quite despondent, and others where I could only smile. One of those many 'smiles' was when one evening in the summer, Mike and I had just had our dinner, and we were watching the sunset over Musquodoboit Harbour.
Shyann's head, which I had painted and baked that day, was sitting on the coffee table in front of us. She still had no eyes and the sun shone through the vinyl and produced a 'demon glow' which radiated out between her eyelids. The Exorcist here we come! Unfortunately I don't have a picture of her, but I did take one of the sunset

One month after starting Shyann, she was completed and what fun we have had with her.

Shyann is weighted at 4.1lbs, and her head has to be supported just like a real child. She has veins, fingernails and hand rooted Mohair on her head, and eyelashes.
I took her off to see my doctor, who is also a family friend, and he spent more time with her than he did with me!
On another occasion, Mike and I left her in the car on a hot day during the summer and watched the stir that was caused by passers by who thought she was real. I did fess up! I think we are becoming known as the 'crazy doll people'.

                                                                        SHYANN

My second Reborn Doll, Cozy, was finished on the 12th November, 2012. A very different Reborn from Shyann, with blonde hair and closed eyes. A true thumb sucker and a cutie. It took me a little while to 'get into' making Cozy, but the end result was well worth it. His skin tone took a while for me to perfect, but I eventually got it right.
I did have a 'spot of trouble' whilst baking his head. I exploded! I was in complete shock after the amount of hours I had put into painting him. Fortunately all was 'fixed' when I phoned the Reborn people and they shipped me another within the hour. I was told that 'these things happen!' So back I went and started to paint him again. I put it down to getting more experience!
Once completed, I took him off to the pharmacy to get him weighed, and once again he was passed from pillar to post. Cozy was posted on Kijiji.ca (Halifax) and was sold within 24 hours. My Reborn 'babies' are becoming celebrities and people are asking when I am going to make the next one.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, for the wonderful response.

Stay tuned for number three: 'Muffin'.
If you are interested in contacting me, my email address is lindaamaclean@gmail.com

Linda Maclean's Reborn Doll 'Shyann'

I was on holiday in South Africa earlier in the year, and came across the term 'Reborn Dolls'. I had never heard of such a thing and was mighty curious to see one for myself. From what I was being told they were quite the thing. Reborn's are dolls that are made to look and feel like live babies.
I came across the first actual 'Reborn' doll in the Cape whilst staying with friends. June had collected a number of them and I was given a view of her lovely collection. These little faux humans had vein, true skin tone, and even finger nails. I was in awe! I left their home thinking about these dolls and decided that I would like to try my hand at making one.
Research in progress, and having bought an oven to 'bake' my baby in, I bought "Shyann" the model name of the first and only doll I have completed to date, created by Aleina Peterson. Shyann is a 19 inch doll when completed, with a vinyl head and three quarter vinyl limbs. Her body is cloth.
I had great fun experimenting with the painting and when eventually satisfied, baked the doll and started rooting the Mohair. This was a long and tedious process, and I went through 2 packs of Mo'. This was starting to be a very expensive little dolly! Hair rooting is also very messy and I was full of the stuff. I wore less of it as my technique improved.
Eventually the day was here when she was finished, washed and assembled. Shyann reborn by Linda Maclean of Linda's Jewels was born on the 4th July 2012, and weighed in at 3lbs 4oz. Attached are some pictures of her for you to see.