Diary of a Doll Artist

Two New Kits this Summer!

2009-08-03T19:00:00.019-04:00

It's been a busy year here at HunnyBuns!

Last winter I sculpted my first (and the reborn kit industry's first) set of Quadruplets. I'm very happy to say that the kits, "Micro Preemie Quads Kyrin, Katheran, Kylie and Kirsten" have been well received around the world.

After the Quads came out, I worked on a sculpt by request from "Simply Reborn Kits" Ruth Annette and named this one "Xavier". "Xavier's" features were sculpted to reflect a multi-racial baby and I can't wait to see the interpretations from reborn artists as this doll hits the market this summer.

Then there's "Kendall". Kendall is a small newborn size with legs drawn up making the finished length only 16". "Kendall"s prototype made her eBay debut this past weekend - beautifully done by Selena Saxton of "S'Real Babies Nursery" of Australia.

In addition to working on new kits for the reborn world, I've faced a real health challenge, too. I was diagnosed with cancer in March, and have completed my course of treatment as of mid-June. I never knew there were so many genuinely caring and loving people in the world, but I have been overwhelmed with emails, cards, flowers and good wishes and prayers from literally all around the world. It's humbling. God has proven His love for me through people! It's true, we are His hands and feet in this world. I'm so grateful to each and every person who cared enough to pray for my recovery and to beat this terrifying disease.

Last week, I received some good news. My first post-treatment PET scan came back clear! We are so relieved. I know I have a ways to go - healing is still a process that may take the better part of this year - but I already feel so much better than I did even a month ago.

So, now I'm back working on new sculpts and have plans for a few reborns too, as I get back to doing what I love the most. Thanks for reading :-)

Just Gotta Brag!

2008-12-15T18:23:00.005-05:00

Last week, one of my IRDA gals got an article written up in Chicago Times! Way to go, Donna!!
http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/1320622,CST-NWS-dolls09.article

Hopefully many more good reborn artists will get the notice of their local media to help spread the word about these amazing dolls and the ladies who create them. We've had to fight some pretty nonsensical negativity in the media over the past couple years, but articles like this help us all.

Well Now, Wasn't That Special?

2008-07-26T18:19:00.010-04:00

Have you seen this episode of "The View" yet? It aired on 7/25 and oh boy, did they open a can o' worms.

Click here and then click on 7/25 Baby Doll. If the link doesn't work then go to Hot Topics and you'll see it there.

Some of it was humorous, but I have to say Joy Behar went a bit too far thumping the doll around on the table and tossing it to a member of the audience. Everyone else treated the dolls with the respect and curiosity that they deserve.

I know Reborns aren't everyone's thing, but seriously, if someone is willing to pay $1000 for a lifelike collectible doll, don't you think you oughta treat it with a bit more respect?

I'd imagine, although I haven't checked in at Bountiful Baby forum yet today, that Nevin and Denise might be a bit appalled and insulted. If they are not, then kudos to them for having some real alligator hide. I know the reborn lists are buzzing like mad bees.

Yes, I wrote them. I would love the opportunity to explain to Whoopi and the others what we do and why we do it.

In a nice way, of course :-)

I Wrote a Book!

2008-05-10T22:16:00.006-04:00

I know....I can hardly believe it either. But yes, I sure did.

One reason this blog has been so woefully neglected, actually :-D

It's available now for sale through Lulu.com and also through my online store site, www.hunnybunsrebornsupply.com

Hopefully if you get it, you'll let me know what you think of it. I have some other editions planned for specific topics later on, too.

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there! Have a great weekend, and God bless.

More Thoughts about Fake Babies (Real Reborns)

2008-01-21T21:56:00.000-05:00

A week has passed and the whole Fake Baby thing is getting more and more out of hand.

The media in the US has gotten wind of the UK documentary and are now looking for people to come forward and talk to them about how they use reborn dolls as substitutes for deceased babies or babies they are not able to conceive.

Most of the reborn artists I'm in contact with have either NEVER been contacted by a person wanting such a doll, or at most, have done one or two.

I want to repeat that the vast majority of reborn collectors are normal, healthy people with a firm grasp on reality, and who have a fine appreciation for the amount of love, skill, time and intense labor that go into creating a quality reborn baby doll.

**Why can't that be enough?

**Why must it be about bereavement?

**Why must it be about the extremely tiny minority of collectors who might have reality issues with their dolls?

**And most of all, WHY is that anyone's business but THEIRS?

I had an interview this week about "Angel Babies" with the Wall Street Journal. Whether that article will be published remains to be seen.

At least I came away from the interview with a bit of insight as to why people outside the doll world might think that the main reason we make reborn babies is to replace real infants.

There are many, many "nurseries" (yes, that's what most of us call our reborn doll businesses) with the word "Heaven" or "Angel" in them. It dawned on me during the WSJ interview that that's the implication that the media are picking up on.

Get it? Angel Baby = deceased baby.

Not to cast aspersions on any nursery name with that sort of title. Shoot, when I was new to reborning and trying to come up with a good name, I went through a 100 names with Heaven's this and Angel that. All the good ones were taken :-) Hence, HunnyBuns. (there's a story to that, but it's for another day). Hey, some of my best friends have Heaven or Angel in their nursery title....

Just sayin'.
The public is a bit confused as to why all the references to heaven and angels.

Ok. So let me tell you why we like names like that.

Most reborn artists are women. Most of us dearly love babies. We love dolls. It's what got us interested in the art of reborning to begin with. We enjoy re-making dolls over into what can fool anyone into thinking for a moment it's a real live infant. We all get a kick out of that. I know collectors enjoy the realism as well.

But I think deep in a lot of women's hearts is the belief that babies (real ones) are indeed, a gift from God (whatever their perception of Him may be). A true gift from Heaven. That a new baby is a tiny angel sent to earth. Something along those lines, anyway.

That's where the Heaven and Angel thing comes from. Not because most reborn dolls are created to replace a dead infant.

Google Fake Baby today and see what you come up with. It's not pretty, folks.

I hope that those who agree with me (and I know there are many) will continue to speak out and educate those outside the doll world who are confused and thinking we're all a pack of loons who can't separate reality from fantasy.

Oh...and for those of you that think we ARE all a bunch of loons, and that reborn dolls are creepy and sick, well...you're entitled to your opinion! Have a nice day anyway :-D

Links to the My Fake Baby videos

2008-01-11T12:21:00.000-05:00

I didn't have these in a list the other day, so I thought I would add these here so you may view all of them in sequence, if you like:

ETA 1/30/08: I guess they got pulled for copyright issues - sorry!! They are no longer available for viewing.

Sorry....They are NOT "Fake Babies"

2008-01-08T15:06:00.000-05:00

So I guess I'll come out of hiding and blog about My Fake Baby :-)

No doubt this will step on a few toes, but yanno what? I don't think they did the world of reborn doll making any huge favors.

Sure, it's nice that a TV documentary was made showing the world what "reborns" are. It's the after-spin that I find distasteful.

Whose idea was it to call them FAKE BABIES anyway?

They aren't FAKE anything. They are REAL dolls :-)

I've been creating reborn dolls for almost 5 years and teaching the art of reborning in live classes and on DVD for 3. So I have a bit of visibility in the doll world.

Only twice in all that time has anyone contacted me about creating a special doll to replace a lost child. Yes, I did it. (I'd never judge what it takes any parent to get through the day after having lost a baby).

Do I think a vinyl doll can replace a living, breathing infant?
Not for me, it wouldn't. (But who are you and I to sit in judgment?)

Having said that, I'm of the opinion that there is a VERY small percentage of reborn doll collectors that fit this category.

I believe the media is taking this tiny fraction and spinning it to their advantage to make money at the expense of the sensibilities of reborn artists, exploiting the collectors of reborns, and blowing the entire thing out of proportion.

Go do a search on eBay today: "fake baby". A month ago you'd get zero hits. Today there are 3 and there were a couple more that ended over the weekend.

Pullllleeeze. It doesn't even SOUND nice!

'Reborn' might be a contrived name, but at least it has a decent connotation. I honestly do not care at all for this new bandwagon. It's about the money...the latest buzzword....whatever people think is going to give them the edge on eBay to sell their dolls or more advertising on the TV channels.

Pssssst....Artists! I have a secret for you: LEARN THE ART. Get good at it! That's your best hedge against too much competition in the reborn market. Not pandering to the newest and latest fad name.

Did putting "OARB" in your auctions revolutionize the reborn world? Nah.
Did a glut of Reborning Guilds do it? Double nah.

An important point to remember: some reborn artists toss their credibility in the trash for the sake of trying to rise head and shoulders above the eBay masses. It takes time, talent and lots of practice to become an accomplished and recognized artist. Sticking some new letters onto your nursery name won't do it, sorry.

Now, am I saying that women who love to dress up their reborns and take them places to fool people are nuts? No. (Well, no more than anyone who dresses their toy dogs in little jewelled collars and boutique clothing and carries them everywhere tucked into a $185 designer carrier. If it floats your boat...)

But I've been reading the comments in response to the new blogs and reviews of "My Fake Baby". Ruh roh.... Somebody tell me, did they do us reborn artists any favors?? In fairness, I suppose that remains to be seen. Right now, though, it doesn't seem to me as like they have.

So, you won't see HunnyBuns Nursery jumping on the "Fake Baby" bandwagon. I'm usually one of those on the list to be contacted (I was interviewed last summer by a lovely young woman with True North Productions in the UK) by the documentary producers and magazines. Somebody from a Miami Fla. paper contacted me about 2 weeks ago, in fact.

I just don't think Channel 4 did anyone on either side (artists or collectors) any favors with the sensationalizing.

What I don't get is why people can't appreciate the art of reborning and newborning dolls as simply what it is, a creative and endearing art form, like lovely classic porcelain dolls and quirky, imaginative art dolls.

Anyone who knows me and follows my work knows that I am one of the artists who push the envelope with ultra-realism in my own dolls. So it's not that I think that the realism is a problem.

Blurring the lines of reality between real infants and dolls? Yes, I think I have a bit of a problem with that.

I don't begrudge the artists who lent their names to the documentary. I seriously doubt they knew going in how the end result would turn out. I haven't been to DollFan much in the past couple weeks to read the discussions, although I suppose I should. If those artists gain more publicity and their dolls are worthy of the high prices and well-made genuine collector's quality reborn babies, then I wish them all the best success.

I truly hope that's the case. Poorly made reborns hurt all of us by damaging credibility and reputations among collectors. (This is a soapbox I jumped on a lot in the past).

Suddenly the new buzzword is Fake Baby. So how many people are going to jump on eBay or start frantically googling for fake babies? How many artists are going to suddenly decide to capitalize on the new craze? I see dark clouds gathering on the horizon if this happens.

Impassioned but uneducated buyers plus artists who will do anything to sell a doll = very bad combination.

I guess I've gotten at least 3 emails this week as a result of Channel 4's broadcast and the YouTube segment.

Don't get me wrong, I think some parts of the documentary were tastefully presented. But much it was so dramatic, so contrived. Harry's grandmother's comments about a doll seeming to replace a child "no longer around" even creeped ME out a little. I would say, misleading! The ending on the first YouTube segment was deliberately provocative, and the grandmother was in reality, not bereaved, but rather the grandchild had relocated. Big difference.

I've seen 3 out of the 5 YouTube segments now. I don't know when I'll view the rest of them. The last one really "icked me out" to tell you the truth. I don't know one single collector who carries on the way the couple did in Segment 3/5.

So that's why I'm not so pleased about any of this. I don't like the skewed perceptions. I don't think it's fair to any of us.

I'm not at all surprised that people outside the doll world think the whole business is screwy and sick. And as a reborn artist, THAT saddens me.

Getting Started

2007-07-14T17:54:00.001-04:00

Ah....where to begin?

First I would like to thank my friend, Mel, for introducing me to blogging and to this site. I've really enjoyed reading her blogs!

Please bear with me while I master this new form of writing. Over the next few days and weeks, I'm sure I'll change the looks of this thing about 50 times - that's how I am.

By way of Gettin' to Know Ya, here's some stuff about me, and what I'm all about:

First off, I'm a Christian - since 1977. That's a story for another time, but it frames who I am and what I say--almost always ;-) I'm a member of the local Vineyard Church and run the soundboard as part of the worship team.

I'm married, have one daughter and one granddaughter. Another one on the way :-D

I *have* 3 Golden Retrievers, (truth be told, they own me), one African Grey Parrot, and a longhaired cat. And a saltwater reef tank and a freshwater tank. I used to be much worse in the menagerie department. I'm happy to report that I am a Recovered Animal Maniac. I worked for about 6 yrs for a veterinarian and another 1 in the pet industry.

I make handmade soap (soaper's blog coming in the near future!). I also dabble in lotions, creams, aromatherapy, and other bath and body stuff. My business name there is BubbleBee Soapworks. Another blog..another day.

About 4 years ago I discovered an amazing thing on Ebay: Reborned Dolls. I was smitten, obsessed. You can visit my website, HunnyBuns Nursery for "the rest of the story" and a peek at most of the dolls I've created since that time.

After fiddling around for a couple of years repainting and reborning vinyl dolls, I decided to try my hand at sculpting ORIGINAL clay dolls. Although my first looked like Neanderthal Baby, my second and third attempts were a big improvement. By #4, people were saying, you need to do this all the time and sell these!!
So, now I do. More on that later.

Another thing, (and I'm soon going to add yet a third blog to cover this), is I've recently discovered Low Carb eating. I've struggled for most of my adult life with increasing weight. This past year has brought me some really scary health challenges.

So I've really been studying and working on improving my eating habits and learning as much as I can about nutrition. Cancer prevention is at the forefront of my research now, but healthy weightloss is a BIG #2.

Early in June, I joined the latest low carb rage, Kimkins. I lost 10 lbs in 10 days--WOW. I believe I've found a way of eating that will truly work for me. It's kind of a hybrid diet based on Stillman's and Atkins. Low carb, low fat, moderately high protein. You may have seen the article last month in Women's World magazine.

Another blogger who has made quite a splash in the Low Carb world online is Jimmy Moore: Livin' La Vida Low Carb He's also following Kimkins.

I don't know if I'll stick with that exact program for a long time, but for now it's working pretty well for me and most of all, I FEEL GREAT!

That's all for now...ya'll have a great weekend. Thanks for reading :-)

First Time Out....

2007-07-12T20:07:00.001-04:00

What is a Reborn Baby Doll? Who is Stephanie Sullivan?

What do I sculpt and why?

Answers to these burning questions and many others coming soon :-)