Reborn, Sweet – dolls by Shaylen

I am loving this little niche I’ve fallen into with my custom reborn orders! I had a surge right at the mid-end of August where I was working on 6 new custom babies in two weeks! Varying from a 7 inch mini baby (by Gudrun Legler – god how I love her sculpts!) to a 24 inch, 3 mos old, light AA biracial baby (Fei Yen by Cindy Musgrove). Wow, the size differentials astound me. Fei Yen’s head was nearly as big as my girl Meekly (who is 15 mos!) BIG baby! And the 7 incher didn’t fit ANY of the layettes I bought in advance (teaching me a very valuable rule: SHOP after the baby has arrived, never before). And all glass eyes aren’t made equal. Learned this one earlier this week, when my glass eyes for the Lovable sculpt, just refused to fit. I’m now in postal limbo awaiting more eyes! And I just wrapped the photoshoot for my two Zachy (Marita Winters) custom orders. I had so much fun with their twin shoot. These babies are going home to separate Momma’s. But they were born the same day. A fully rooted girl (also learned rooting mini babies is no less time consuming & is actually harder, IMO. That head slips constantly!) & a bald baby boy (with rooted lashes).

I feel so grateful to have so much business coming and I LOVE my custom creations. I think I love them even more than the OOAK babies! I like what my clients come up with. Embracing their vision. And also, the part where I don’t grow attached to them because I know they’re promised to someone else. Who knew I’d become so enamoured with these little works of art. Well, I have. In fact, it took me a full month to embrace listing my own Gudrun Legler creation. Nico! I named him, dressed him, and then couldn’t part with him! So knowing ahead of time that I can’t get attached, helps the whole process! Haha. & my pocketbook! LOL!

Now for a few custom order before & afters!

Combi Shyann (by Aleina Peterson), Ella Rose. Can I just say, I am STILL a combi ADDICT! I adore it! She made it home safe and sound to her Momma Susanne & I regularly get pic updates! LOVE!

Custom order Beth (by Cathy Rowland). She’s now the muse for a fellow Etsy seller’s afghans.

Very special combi Amber (by Pat Moulton), Reagan Adalee. She was a very special birthday present, and a healing gift too! I feel so grateful to have been part of making her, knowing how special and treasured this baby girl will be for years and years to come. ❤

Baby Sera (by Marissa May), Bailey Christine (and sometimes Bailey John). I made a great friend in her Momma & have loved our correspondences! She made it home safe & I regularly get pics of her in all her Momma’s crocheted knits too. ❤

Another combi baby (& perhaps my fave one yet) Adrian (by Ulrike Gail), Daren Rider. This little handsome was a dream to reborn!

Full root Ivy (by Elisa Marx), Avary Rose. I was so excited to work on this baby girl, and her hair turned out so beautifully! I also fully mastered how to root without causing my shoulder to lock up on me (a huge professional feat! LOL!)

3 mos old, biracial Fei Yen (Cindy Musgrove), Asia DeMoss. Isn’t she the cutest, chubbiest baby? I was super excited to discover she fit ALL of the most adorable clothes that Joe Fresh has (my baby clothing store of choice! I could spend hours perusing their baby clothes!)

& lastly,

Limited edition Benji (Marita Winters), Eli Maddox. Another important thing I’ve learned, ALWAYS get a deposit on a custom baby, before starting work. I was commissioned by someone local to reborn him, got him a layette, finished work for him, arranged for exchange, and it never panned out. Still not sure what happened there, so this custom baby boy is officially an OOAK baby currently available for sale (my super sale is still on, btw! ;)). Live and learn, right? 😀

And I just realized I have no pics yet of my mini babies in question, so I’ll have to post them up shortly! Haha.

Mini baby post forthcoming! 😀