Reborn Baby Doll Store

How you present your reborn dolls for sale to prospective buyers will be the most important part of the auction or sale process during the promoting period. Taking photos in the right lighting can imply the difference between a fairly good shot and one not disclosing many of the small details on your baby's skin. Collectors need to know that what they are purchasing is quality work. They have to see the mottling and blotches that complete the look of a newly born. Adding a big range of footage to your listing will enable the purchaser to have a precise idea of what your baby looks like. This avoids any evil surprises when the doll is received, which so frequently ends in tension between the buyer and seller.

When positioning your reborn for photos, consider what you can incorporate as a prop. What would a genuine baby have? A straightforward silver rattle or tiny soft furry bear can truly add to the sensation you wish to evoke in your purchaser. Placing the baby on a soft lamb's wool or a receiving blanket can also create a feeling that leaves your buyer coming back to view your baby again, keeping an eye on when the sale is finishing, and finally placing the highest bid solely to have that full pretty picture you have made as their own.

Always list truthfully, give the vendor correct detail of what's included and what isn't with the sale. List a little bit about the method of reborning the baby and what kit he or she started as, also what name you have given the reborn as you lovingly made them. Consumers like to feel a special process has occurred to make their baby. This is easy to relay through pictures and concern for detail when placing your baby for sale.

Once your baby has been sold, continue on with bringing back a feeling for your consumer, ensuring your reborn is gently packed with the care due something extremely frail. A tiny birth certificate with baby's details of birth and any accessories or clothing you listed in the auction as being part of her delivery. Your customer will be so touched by the notice given to their special new baby that they are going to keep you in mind when purchasing other reborn dolls for their collection and also recommend you to friends. Word of mouth is a forceful tool in the world of reborning. It's best to keep that in mind at all stages of the method.

When people think of dolls, they usually envisage little girls playing together, pretending to be mothers by feeding, dressing and pushing their "babies" in their strollers.

Recently there has been a doll that has been specifically created for adults and these are called reborn baby dolls. These dolls have been made to look just like a real life baby, from the willowy sprouts of new born baby hair on their head, down to the life-like fingernails on their hands and toes. These works of art have been created and are sold as collectibles to women all over the world.

Women are buying these dolls for different reasons. Some may want to recapture their childhood because they didn't have dolls when they were young. Some like having the chance to spend money on something that is just for them. Some like the way these babies look and these dolls do look truly amazing. Finally a reborn baby doll will never grow up so will remain a sweet baby for eternity.

The Choice To Own A Reborn Baby Doll Or A Little Dog

Some women choose to take on the responsibility of a little dog that they can dress up and cuddle like a baby. Women who opt for a reborn baby doll prefer the freedom of having an inanimate object that they can choose to dress up when they want to and leave when they want to without fear of neglect.

Guides To Reborn Baby Dolls

There have been many books written on the topic of reborn baby dolls, which can show you how to create your own from scratch.   Alternatively you can get in touch with the professionals who will create a customized baby doll to suit your tastes.

So it doesn't have to be just little girls who enjoy dolls. Investing in a reborn baby doll can be a wonderful self indulgent act for women of all ages.

Find out more about Reborn Baby Dolls.

There is one reason for choosing a special doll, and that is to please the receiver.  The search for a special doll can seem overwhelming because of the many types of dolls to choose from.  This article aims to help clarify how to choose a special modern doll for a chosen person. 

A brief review of the past 200 years of doll making categorizes dolls into antique dolls, vintage dolls, and modern dolls.  Antique dolls are considered to be those dolls produced prior to 1930.  Vintage dolls are the dolls from the mid-20th century.  They were generally made between the years of 1930 - 1980.  Most vintage and antique dolls were made as children’s playthings.   Modern dolls are dolls created from approximately 1980 to today.  Modern dolls, as well as being made as children’s playthings, have become a relatively new phenomenon as collectible dolls.  The market for modern collectible dolls was significantly established in the 1990’s. 

The search for a special doll begins with research of what’s available from modern doll companies. Some companies to search are Barbie, Madame Alexander, Vogue, Tonner, Only Hearts Club, Adora, Marie Osmond, Jan McLean, Effenbee, Corolle, Ashton Drake, and Middleton Doll.

Since the person receiving the doll could be of any age, it is important to research these companies to learn which age group is being targeted by a particular doll company.  The receiver of a special doll could be a young baby or toddler under the age of four, a young person over the age of three, or an older person who enjoys dolls. 

Of the modern doll companies searched, Madame Alexander and  Middleton Doll seemed to target the largest age group audience by offering choices of dolls from ages 0+ through all ages.  In addition to appealing to all age groups, Middleton Doll specifically targets interested doll collectors by offering limited edition collectible dolls.  Barbie, Tonner, and Only Hearts Club make dolls that appeal to pre-teens who enjoy fashion dolls and realistic dolls. 

 In comparing the modern doll companies, Middleton Doll is an excellent choice for finding a special doll because it creates dolls that appeal to a very large doll audience. PlayBaby baby dolls are just right for babies 0+ through 4years. The Middleton Now collection appeals to the 3+ age group.  In addition to these choices, Middleton Doll extends its collection to appeal to the modern doll collector by offering Limited Edition Collectible dolls.  These dolls are produced for an adult’s aesthetic taste, not a child’s aesthetic taste, to appeal to the older adult.

Hopefully, this article helps in the search for finding a special doll that pleases the special person.

Did you know that 85 to 90% of people in America are dissatisfied with their job? The percentage of people actually doing a job they love is much lower. So to have the ability to move out of a dissatisfying career into one that inspires you daily, gets your artistic juices flowing and pays well is a really exciting step.

If you are serious about turning your reborn doll passion into a career then managing your time is essential. Working from home is difficult unless you are very disciplined and this can be accomplished with good time management skills, which are easily learnt.

1. Prioritize your time. Spend ten minutes every morning or evening making a priority list of the day’s activities from most important to least important and stick to it. Create and keep your "To Do List" handy. Don’t skip over the difficult items when checking to see what needs completing next. Always give yourself a little time for emergencies or things that do not go to plan. It has been well documented that most people spend 80% of their time trying to complete 20% of their tasks.

2. Time management plan. Have a time management plan that if necessary sets out the whole day in ½ hour increments. This is a good way to start using time effectively and all you need is a clock or watch to stay on track. Set goals for yourself using this formula; give yourself deadlines and stick to them as you would for any other work.

3. Avoid distractions. If working at home, do not get side tracked by housework or any job to do with your home. Always imagine yourself at the work place and in working hours. The wonderful thing about working from home is you can choose your hours so you can take time off to care for family when necessary but you must make it up again. For example, if you are finishing work at 3pm to spend a few hours with your children, put aside time at night to complete the day’s workload.

4. Look after your body. Get the right amount of sleep. Seven to eight hours is recommended for adults but oversleeping makes you feel tired. Eat a healthy breakfast; take time out for a light healthy lunch. A light lunch will stop you getting tired in the afternoon. Take regular short breaks away from your computer – at least every two hours. Resist the urge to talk yourself into a long rest when you have your own couch waiting in the next room. Exercise early in the morning or in the evening, not in the workday period.

5. Create a mini production line. Paint more than one doll or part of a doll at a time. Preparing paints takes time so if you can paint more than one doll/part at a time this actually cuts down on time. Any job where multiple dolls can be prepared is time saving. If photographing dolls for sale, use the same set up for more than one. Your mini production line can be an effective way to achieve results much faster.

6. Talk to your spouse and children explaining to them that you are now working at home; the emphasis being on working, and just because you are at home does not mean you are at the beck and call of everyone or that you will not need help in the running of the house. Explain that you are at work from #hour - #hour and need to be treated as if you are in any work place and unavailable – in the same way as everyone else who leaves the house to go to work.

7. Work now, play later. It’s human nature to want to do the fun things first. Train yourself to complete the work on your list first, starting with the day with the things that may not be pleasant for you. This way they are out of the way and you can concentrate on the more enjoyable tasks without guilt or worry. Reward yourself. Whenever you complete important tasks within a stipulated period, give yourself a little treat. This will give you an incentive to complete work on time.

We hope this is beneficial to seeing you become a full time reborn doll artist. By following these tips you will start taking yourself and your work more seriously and before you know it will have a wonderful collection of reborn dolls that need  a good home.

We wish you all the luck in the world

Fran and Nicola

Fran and Nicola share many other great Internet Marketing Strategies in their Reborn Doll Web Business Book –www.reborndollsforfunandprofit.com

Storage of your doll collection is inevitable to occur at some stage. This may be a result of moving home or purely because your doll collection has grown beyond the point where you have sufficient suitable available space to display your entire doll collection. Irreparable damage that could significantly devalue your doll collection can result from incorrect storage methods. The following are basic guidelines to assist you when storing collectible dolls.

• Storage Area

The most popular storage areas for storage of goods, being basements and attics, are in most cases not ideally suited for storage areas for your doll collection. These areas are more likely to be prone to extreme temperatures which are a definite risk to most types of collectible dolls and could cause irreversible damage to your collection. As these areas are traditionally less frequented sections of your home they are more likely to get infested by rats and moths which needless to say could damage your collection.
If at all possible the ideal storage area in your home would preferably be in a temperature-controlled room in a closet, in a trunk or in a chest-of-drawers. There are temperature-controlled storage options available that would be suitable for your doll collection, but these may prove to be are costly should you require prolonged periods of storage for your doll collections.

• Type of container

Plastic bags and plastic containers should never be used to store dolls and doll accessories. These containers have a tendency to trap moisture that could cause mold growth which is very difficult and in some cases impossible to remove. Vinyl or plastic dolls have the additional risk of damage resulting from gases that some plastic containers have been known to emit. Storing dolls in their original cardboard boxes is another common error made by many doll collectors. The acid present in cardboard could cause damage to your dolls if stored without the necessary protection in these boxes. Wrap your dolls in acid-free tissue paper or unbleached and undyed cotton or muslin cloths if you opt for storing your dolls in cardboard boxes

• Metal Accessories

Jewelry, metal doll stands, metal headbands or any other metal objects must be removed from dolls prior to storage as these are known to discolor plastic and vinyl dolls.
If you have true NRFB (never remove from box) collectible dolls then you may have to leave box and doll together, and any jewelry still on the doll, risking eventual damage to the doll.

• Packing materials

Ideally all dolls and doll clothing should be wrapped in acid-free tissue paper prior to storage. To prevent the doll and doll clothing from touching one another and maybe causing permanent discoloration it is advisable to place a layer of acid-free tissue paper between the doll and the doll’s clothing. If the dolls are to be stored in a wooden trunk or drawer remember to place a protective barrier between the wood and the dolls as the acids present in wood can be damaging to your dolls. Muslin cloth or acid-free tissue paper is ideal for this purpose. Newspaper should never be used to wrap dolls or doll clothing as this too contains damaging acids and besides which it most probably will leave newsprint marks. Wooden dolls that are more prone to insect infestation should be stored with moth crystals but care must be taken to ensure that the crystals do not touch the body of the doll by wrapping the crystals in a muslin cloth. Moth crystals must never be used with plastic or vinyl dolls as irreversible damage can be caused by chemical reactions between the crystals and the plastic or vinyl.
Dolls with inset eyes must always be stored with their faces down to prevent damage to their eyes.

• Storage of doll clothing

To minimize the crushing of doll clothes during prolonged storage periods it is advisable to place a ball of acid-free tissue paper inside the sleeves and bodice of doll clothing. To minimize creasing all clothing should be laid down flat.

Regular checks to perform on stored dolls

Remember to check your stored dolls at least once a year for any discoloration or vermin or insect infestations. Pay careful attention to clothing and sawdust for any signs of insects. Wooden dolls are a high risk for insect infestation and if undetected can spread from one doll to the next placing your entire collection at risk. If any of your dolls are found to be infested isolate the dolls until they have been chemically treated and you are satisfied that the dolls are insect-free.

Reborn doll clothes are available in many different sizes and styles, and when you put clothes on your reborn doll it will be much the same as fitting any other doll or a real baby in fact. Instead of rushing out and purchasing lots of mismatched clothes though you should take a second to decide exactly how you want to dress your reborn doll, for example what size clothes you will need that actually fit, and how much money you are willing to invest.

Clothes for Reborn baby dolls are usually quite cheap, but without some care and consideration it is all too easy to keep getting more and more items resulting in a large bill, simply because you have gone overboard. If you can decide what you need before you commence shopping you should be able to avoid this pitfall and can then focus more at looking at the huge selection of doll attire.

If you need to get quite a few items, then keep an eye open for clothing sets. These tend to contain hats and booties, and will usually be matching colors or patterns. It also means you don't have to hunt around for these accessories afterwards.

It is important that you do not buy clothes that are too small. When you try to put them on the reborn, it is likely you will break some of the more delicate parts if you need to apply too much force. As reborn dolls are collectibles, it would be a shame to throw all that money down the drain for something that is easy to avoid.

There are a lot of clothing items available that have been made by various crafters for babies and dolls, using crochet and knitting. More often than not they will come with size guides or recommended age groups which are perfect for getting the correct sizes you need. As they have been made by hand the whole set is usually available which means you wont need to shop from several different places to get them to match. If you still can't find what you are looking for most makers will also take requests although you may have to pay a little more for this.

Many reborners kit out their doll with the clothes and protect them in a showcase of cabinet which protects from dust. Obviously, this will take longer to get exactly the right outfit you are after, but you needn't lock it away if you don't want too. More importantly, be sure to have fun while doing so, you shouldn't think one of the more entertaining aspects of owning a reborn doll is a chore.

Reborn dolls are a delight for many people and can be an exciting experience to the entire family. This is the main reason why these dolls are selling like hot cakes in all countries and gain more and more exposure by the day.

The price of the custom doll largely depends on the size and quality of the finished doll. Often a Berengeur doll is taken as the base shape and completely dismantled before being remade as life like as possible and this process is getting noticed by famous people as well as ordinary people.

The skill of the artist is another important factor when determining the price. If you want a custom doll made you should expect to pay more than you would for a generic reborn doll.

Different types and sizes of reborns are available from all over the world. Recently, many people have turned to filling the void in availability of ethnic reborn dolls. You can reborn dolls displaying various emotions including sleeping, smiling, crying and many more.

The main difference between the reborn babies and other dolls is their similarity with real babies. No one can easily find any difference in the appearance, size, open nostrils, fingers, nails, or eyes, between a lifelike doll and an original baby. Even weight of the baby is same to that of original baby. Usually, the dress of the dolls is right with the current trend with all baby outfits. There has even been cases where policeman have mistaken a reborn for the real thing.

For a more realistic appearance you can even get your reborn baby with a heart beat, breathing ability and body movements. Of course, these features bump up the price even more and a lot of newer artists wont touch such features until later on in their career. There is plenty to master in the reborn process without these advanced features.

When looking for a reborn doll, you should first consider what style of baby you are after - the sex, age and emotion certainly helps to narrow it down. After that, it is only a case of finding the right style of face before you buy.

Buy what you love.

As long as you love each doll that you buy you will love doll collecting. Doll collecting is a passionate pastime and choosing what type of doll to buy is a personal choice that should come from the heart. If you cannot walk past a baby doll without feeling it has your name written all over it, then buy baby dolls. If your passions for dolls dates back to childhood memories of playing with wooden dolls and you have a sentimental attachment to these dolls then collect these dolls. Do not let anyone influence you in your choice of dolls as a doll collection brings responsibilities and you do at least want to enjoy fulfilling these duties.

Collect within your budgetary limits.

Most serious doll collectors would love to own a whole collection of OOAK (one of a kind) collectible dolls. Very few of us can afford to own even one. Decide what you can afford to buy and start a collection in this price class. There is nothing to prevent you from upgrading your collection at a later stage should your financial position improve.

It is Quality and not Quantity that counts.

You will be adding more value to your collection by purchasing one quality doll per year than adding a number of mediocre dolls. Doll collections can so easily get too big to really appreciate and doll collecting is a marathon not a sprint. Be selective and appreciate each doll when you do manage to buy it.

Do sufficient research.

Making an informed decision always gives us confidence in our actions. Read as much as possible about a particular type of doll and get as much background information on the doll artists whose dolls hold a particular attraction for you.

Do not let price guides rule your decisions.

The Blue Book is every collector's Bible, but this book is a point of reference only as there are numerous factors that can influence the value of a doll. Always use your own judgment in conjunction with price guides.

Buy from a reputable dealer.

This is of particular importance when purchasing antique dolls. Member of NADDA (National Antique Doll Dealers Association) must adhere to a strict code of ethics and membership requirements include at least five years experience in buying and selling antique dolls. All dolls must be guaranteed as to age, attribution, and physical condition in writing upon purchase. With modern new collectible dolls a reputable dealer will have a good after sales record and be knowledgeable about market trends.

Join a doll club.

Doll clubs are a great way of expanding your knowledge of the doll collecting world and a great way to share your ideas and aspirations. There is so much to learn from other doll collectors and these clubs often organize doll shows and other events that can bring a new dimension to your doll collecting.

Realize that you may want to upgrade your collection at some time.

Tastes change as we develop new ideas and are exposed to different types of dolls. Never feel guilty about wanting to change the direction of your collection. The money you get from the sale of your collection can be used towards your new-found doll collecting interests.

Enjoy yourself!

Remember that doll collecting is a pastime and it is meant to be enjoyed. Never let your doll collecting habits get in the way of family and friends and treasure the dolls that you are lucky enough to acquire. Always appreciate the doll friends you meet along the way even more than the dolls and you will find that you will always enjoy yourself.

Happy doll collecting!

A website establishes your presence in today’s market place and puts you up there as a serious business. Your presence or personality will be on display for customers to review. Having your own website is like having your own store but the difference is you will be able to attract a worldwide customer base not just the local area.

When you decide to start your reborn doll website remember it is a marketing tool, the same as a shop front is. The purpose of your website is to sell your expertise as a reborn doll artist and in the process make money from your reborn doll talents. Many, many websites do not achieve this. They are more like fliers in cyber space! Do not make this mistake. Your website needs to be both a flier and a marketing tool.

A website acts as your virtual shop front, helping your target customers to locate you and build brand and product awareness that eventually helps in increasing sales.

A website helps you expand your market to the whole world and it works for you twenty-four hours a day. Imagine waking up in the morning and having received orders while you were asleep! That’s making money while you are asleep. Reborn doll collectors come from all over the world and only by having a presence on the Internet, can you possibly make contact with them.

By adding a payment gateway to your website you will be able to take orders from customers all over the world. By accepting credit cards, you could potentially increase your sales by as much as 30 to 100 percent. Your reborn doll website can easily be registered with PayPal (there’s no fee to register) and begin accepting all major credit cards and checks for as little as 2.5 percent -2.9 percent for each transaction.

When you have a website you also have a dedicated email address so your customers can get in touch and you can get in touch with them. You can use this email as a marketing tool in itself. Your market is very large.  Do you realize that over 200,000 people Google ‘reborn dolls’ in a month. These are buyers and artists, both beginners and more experienced, looking for dolls and products. You could have a part of this market with a website.

An important aspect of a website is that you can display testimonials from satisfied customers. People out there may be wary of you but letting them see the endorsements of others like them who have been happy doing business with you, can turn skeptics into loyal customers.

If you have a reborn doll website it creates an image that is larger than life. There are many small and micro businesses that operate from home offices, garages and the like that would not impress customers if they were to visit. The advantages of working online are many and varied, for instance, being home for children, keeping costs low, only needing a small space and more. A well presented website helps you build a professional image and a perception that you are company able to cater to all the customers needs.

We hope this has been helpful for you if you are thinking about starting your own reborn doll website. We wish you all the luck in the world and are great admirers of the work reborn doll artists are doing.

Fran and Nicola share many other great Internet Marketing Strategies in their Reborn Doll Web Business Book –http://www.reborndollsforfunandprofit.com

Not all doll collectors make a conscious decision to become doll collectors at the start of our collection. We may purchase our first collectible doll simply because we found a particular collectible doll simply irresistible. Deep down all of us have our own reasons, most probably subconsciously, for purchasing that first collectible doll. Passion, warmth and excitement will, in all likelihood influence your decision to start a doll collection.

There are some doll collections that bring out the child in us whereas others have an uncanny way of bringing out the mother in us.

We can be the perfect mother to these children who never throw tantrums, never get sick, no dirty clothes to wash and no pajama drill. We can cuddle them if and when we so desire and in busy times we can leave them to sleep peacefully. We can buy new clothes and accessories for them when our budget allows, but if we don't at least they won't mind.

There are as many different collectible dolls as there are doll collectors. Toy dolls that you purchase at the local store are not classified as collectible dolls. They may be extremely cute and have priceless value for the children who play with them, but they will not increase in value, other than sentimental value. At the other extreme there are one-of-a-kind dolls created by world renowned doll artists. The waiting periods for these dolls are understandably extremely long and the purchaser would expect to pay thousands for this piece of artwork. These dolls are obviously beyond the reach of the average doll collector. In the middle of the two are a vast number of collectible dolls, created by renowned doll artists that are available on the market at prices that would be affordable for most budgets, and these are the dolls that are responsible for the growing popularity in doll collecting.

If you are new to the exciting world of doll collecting you will be amazed at the selection of dolls available for doll collectors today. If you have decided to venture into doll collecting then it may be that your biggest stumbling block will be in deciding what particular type or which particular artist/artists dolls you wish to include in your collection. Nowadays with the use of Internet access to the various doll collections is literally only an Internet connection away.

Guidelines for newcomers to the world of doll collecting:-

• Get as much information as you possibly can - from the Internet, bookstores, libraries and specialized magazines.
• Make sure that information you use to base your decision on is factual and knowledgeable.
• Research previous work of any doll artist and their selling platforms before making a final decision.
• Determine whether the dolls are issued with a Certificate of Authenticity.
• Reputable doll galleries will only sell dolls of exceptional quality.

Make sure, above all else, that whatever type of collectible doll you decide upon for your collection that you would welcome the idea of owning not one, but a whole collection of these dolls.