Reborning is a technique that started in America. It is now very popular
in the UK and Europe and has reached very high standards.

Vinyl or silicone dolls are stripped of factory paint and finishes, existing
hair and eyelashes are carefully removed. The original eyes are replaced
with top quality ‘real’ acrylic or ‘Masterpiece’ glastic eyes. Then layers
of paint are gradually built up to produce perfect skin tones. This
process demands a great deal of patience and some take months
to complete.

Most reborning is now done on 'kits' or 'sculpts' which are made for the
sole purpose of reborning. They have no paint to remove and the only
real preparation is washing the vinyl. They are also extremely life-like so
are perfect for creating life-like baby dolls.

The process of reborning has been developed using different
techniques, materials, paints, and fillings until a common method has
evolved. However, no two artists will reborn the same way which is
what makes every doll so unique.

The 'Genesis' heat set paints are most popular and in my opinion are the
best medium for reborning. The paint is translucent and lends itself
extremely well to the vinyl and building up layers. It will never fade or
chip so your reborn will stay looking the same for years to come.

All the colouring on my dolls is acheived from the outside but some will
put a 'purple wash' on the inside of the dolls parts. This method is not
really used now as it serves no purpose.

Finger and toe nails are also carefully detailed using these paints and can
never peel or chip as the colouring is completely set into the vinyl and
not just forming a layer on top that can rub off. All nails are then sealed
with a satin look varnish that closely resembles the slightly delicate
sheen of real baby nails.

Next comes the hair rooting process which involves the insertion of
thousands of hair follicles into the scalp, following the pattern of natural
hair growth. I always use the very finest of needles and the best Angora
yearling or adult mohair which perfectly resembles real baby hair. This
mohair is then glued from the inside with coats of waterproof glue so
that the baby’s head can be gently washed and brushed just like in real
life.

At this stage magnets can be inserted in the head if the baby is going to
have a magnetised soother / dummy. I then root eyelashes for the
sleeping babies and glue them from the inside to prevent shedding, or in
the case of the open eyed babies, I apply delicate mohair eyelashes and
more recently I prefer to root the eyelashes. Nostrils are very carefully
opened, smoothed and backed with felt to give depth and realism.

The baby is then put together using the finest quality cloth body (often
doe suede) and a variety of fillings to give him/her the perfect balance
and weight. I use elastomer pellets in the cloth body parts which feels
just like ‘baby fat’ and makes your baby very cuddly. I now always use
glass granules for weighting vinyl parts - never sand, which in some
countries Customs could reject when the baby is being imported.

Finally, the baby has a professional hair trim and is dressed in the
perfect outfit chosen to match his/her size and personality. And, a
nappy, of course!

That is the basics of reborning. It is an extremely time consuming
process that requires dedication and great patience, but it is very
rewarding! A lot of my inspiration comes from my experiences of
bringing up my own two sons which greatly helps me to create the
ultimate look and feel of a real baby.

I now look at babies differently - instead of thinking how cute they are,
I am thinking 'oh they have a red patch here and a bit of blue here' and
so on!

Sugarplum babies are all unique babies, to be cherished for generations.
Aside from the fact that they all have their own certificate of authenticity
and a birth certificate, they have their own special characteristics and I
tend to fall in love with each and every one!