How Rebirthing a Doll Can Raise Extra Cash

Tow-headed Cindy weighs a little less than five lbs. This blued-eyed rosy cheeked newbie has ten fingers, ten toes, and a set of pouty lips that would come bestowed on a member of the Jolie-Pitt clan. And the bidding for Cindy reached more than $200 on eBay (EBAY).

That is because Cindy is special handcrafted doll created by Jean Campbell, a retired secretary and professional photographer, who makes lifelike little ones known as "reborn" dolls, some of which are sold for thousands of dollars. “I love the art form so the fact that it supports itself is beneficial to me,” says Campbell who has been making the dolls since 2007.

Reborning, the art of stripping the paint off a store-bought doll (typically a $30 Berenguer doll) and making the doll appear even more real, is embraced by adult doll collectors, medical personnel and even a few grieving couples. It’s a bit crazy, it’s not cheap, but it’s a real trend.

In fact, reborn's realistic appearances have resulted in the dolls being mistaken for abandoned infants and some are uncomfortable when parents mourning the death of an infant request a customized babe. But, fans of the dolls support the craftsmanship and the artistic ability required when creating a realistic replica of an infant.

“We have developed reborning to a level that the babies are so lifelike they are mistaken for the real thing,” says Carol Green, who began rebirthing dolls in 2000. “God has blessed the reborners with a wonderful gift, just like paint or composing beautiful music.”

And, like with creating musical compositions or a colorful canvas, the creation of these dolls takes time: A reborn doll can take up to 200 hours to complete. The price tag, which can reach $1,000 or more, generally reflects the time invested. “I spend three to four hours a day reborning," says Green, who can spend up to six months on a single doll.

The process includes stripping and repainting the doll and rooting the hair. For Jean Campbell it starts by using Genesis Heat Set Paints ($93), thinned with odorless thinner, and applying using an application method called pouncing. After each layer of paint is applied, the parts are baked in an oven for around 10 minutes at around 265 degrees, and after the fifth layer the vein work is done using brushes (which cost around $5). Next up, are the fingernails, lips, and toes, which require more detailed work with a fine paint brush ($8). Rooting the hair is the final step, which is a laborious needling process using mohair (goat hair) that costs around, $30, for a baby's head's worth. Total start up costs for a single doll according to MainStreet estimates: Around $160.

Of course after the process, your doll can sell for $800, that's the price tag recently placed on an eBay reborn named Logan.

What has caused this phenomenon? Dolls that mimic children are nothing new, in 1973, Kenner introduced “Baby Alive,” a doll that “eats” and “poops.” The 80s found a new infant imitator called “Baby All Gone,” who ate all her toy fruits and vegetables. But, these dolls merely mimicked infants, and looked less like babies, creating a following more so for children.

However, reborn dolls create adult fascination. On yahoo (YHOO), more than 700 members have joined the group Reborn Baby Dolls, which began in 2003. And, while many get into reborning for the art and not the money, it has provided a supplemental income for many stay-at-home moms and retirees, some of whom earn around $10,000 a year, MainStreet estimates.
“For me it is a hobby that supports itself and allows me to purchase some extra things or take a trip occasionally,” says Campbell. “I love the art form.”