Small Miracle Asleep

It's been busy around here... it's hard to keep the boys entertained in the summer when most indoor playgrounds are closed and the ones outside are drenched in the hot Greek summer sun... it's been hard to find time and energy to work but as the Chinese said "as long as you keep moving, you will get there".

Here is a Small Miracle in resin, done as a newborn. This is how I had envisioned her anyway but of course I will go with each mommy's wishes on what they want.
She ended up being bigger than Little Wonder. She wears 3 month outfits fine!!
I can't wait to finish everyone's babies so I can make one for me lol :)

Enjoy her pics!! (yes this is a RESIN baby)

Still no service and a broken toe!!

Hi everybody! I am trying to update this from my cell phone since we still have no service and it is unknown as to when we WILL in fact have it back :(
Needless to say for people like me who actually make their money off the internet, this is such a HUGE PITA!!!! ;-)

I have been going to the local Internet cafe after my sons (3.5 years old) are in bed and hubby is home from his second job, but I can tell you, it's not a good time to do that since school is out and by the time I am in there, the place is full of teenagers playing WOW!!!

To top off my wonderful (not) week, I dropped my iron on my big toe this past Monday... at 8am.. I was all bleary eyed and was trying to press G's uniform a little bit and .. wham!
It went all purple but when I went to the surgeon that afternoon he didn't think it was broken... but I when I woke up on Tuesday, it wouldn't move so had an x-ray and yup... it's broken!
Not only that but this afternoon I had to have it drained again and now I am in agony.. it really hurts again :(
Yes I am a huge clutz I know!
I go back in 10 days to have another x-ray... wish me luck!

Yes...weeks like this past one, I really miss the nanny... too bad I couldn't afford her any more! :)

No service!!!

Today was the day we would be connected to our new internet provider. Yes TWO weeks late... and they were supposed to call us to let us know... and they didn't.
And since 8 am this morning, I have no phone and no internet connection and way too many balls in the air (customers) to count... :(
SUCH BAD timing!!!!

So both me and then my hubby each spent 40 minutes on our (cell)phones to Forthnet, and the answer was the same for both of us... there is some kind of malfunction to the phone line and they can't fix it UNTIL MONDAY!!!!!

So here I am at an internet cafe trying to tell my customers not to worry if they don't hear from me because you know.. I HAVE NO SERVICE!!!! :(
I am SO upset because we changed ISPs because this was supposed to be a RELIABLE one. I am so disappointed!!

So please bear with me until I get this sorted. I won't leave you hanging. I intend to come to the internet cafe or go to my brother's house to check e-mail once daily until we get service restored.
I thank you in advance for your patience.
I WILL get back you, but it might not be on the same day!
I will keep you updated (and keep your fingers crossed this internet cafe PC doesn't have some program that steals passwords! Yikes!!)

Setting the record straight

I just wanted to address the doll show issue because some things have reached my ears and I wanted to set the record straight.
I have heard that many were disappointed that did not manage to buy a doll from the doll show and even complained to my friends and the show coordinator.

I did have babies for sale, resins, OOAKs and even a silicone. However most sold to the early bird ticket holders...

About the alleged "pre-sold" dolls. I do NOT have any pre-sold dolls!!!
The resins you saw on my table that had an "adopted" sign on them were actually *SAMPLES*. In order to get my molds paid for so *your* (the collector's) wait to be short, I had to find money... so I announced my edition to a select (very very) few who pre-paid me for their dolls so that I could have the molds done and be able to make two extra dolls (which were available for sale ON the day and both sold within 10 minutes of the doors opening fair and square to the first people who came to me with the money on hand)... Then, those ladies who had paid AND RECEIVED their dolls BEFORE the show and I stress this, they received their dolls BEFORE the show, were kind enough to bring them with them so that I could display them as *samples* so I could take pre-orders for them.

The sign "adopted" on the dolls was actually not written by me. The more accurate sign would have been "Sample - Not for sale" which was the truth.
So no, I did not pre-sell the dolls. I came to the show mostly to collect pre-orders. (btw I got exactly ZERO pre-orders so NO the show was NOT a success - I barely made my costs!!!!!).

So there you have it... I have no "secret list" of collectors and know this that all the sample dolls on my table, were paid IN FULL, I did no one any favors, in fact they did ME a favor by lugging their babies to the show and displaying them so that I could get pre-orders.

And this ladies and gents is the truth... I am not sure what the rumors are saying, but take it from the horse's mouth if you'd like and ask the ladies themselves if you want... and btw it is not against any rule to bring dolls as samples and say "look this is what you are getting if you pre-order"...

Big thank you to my 4 collectors who agreed to have their precious babies on display on the day...

I promise that if I do the October show, there will be more babies for you to buy... if only you get there on time lol :) because I am telling you... the babies I DID have for sale, were gone in 10 minutes flat, bought by the "early bird" ticket holders...

Thank you for your time and I hope this sets the record straight...

Outage Tomorrow

Hi everybody!
Remember what a horrible time I've had with our ISP since February, when we kept losing the connection and my e-mails both sent and received were lost in cyberspace...?

Well we applied for a new provider and tomorrow they will hook us up. So for a few hours as they claim I will have no access to internet and e-mail. So don't worry if you don't hear from me ok?
I will be back online ASAP!!!
Thanks
Tina

Small Miracles - Actual Resins

Hello world,
I'm back home, have been for a week now and just catching up with the general craziness of life... I am still adjusting to the life without a nanny and now realize I might have been a little bit spoiled by having a nanny, even if she was a lousy, lazy one towards the end... there was comfort in the knowledge that at 8 am, someone would take over for me while I did what I needed to do (i.e. if I had stayed up until 4am the previous night, I could catch some extra sleep since I am a night owl anyway).

Not having a nanny means mostly I will need to drag my kids everywhere with me including (but not limited to) the post office, the super market, the bank... and last time we were in the PO to ship dolls, Cody pressed the alarm button and the police came running thinking someone was robbing the post office... oops!
And no, unfortunately, I have no family to help and my hubby works two jobs so... he gets home very late after they've been in bed for an hour.

But on the bright side, I don't have to pay 1050 Euros a month anymore!!! (which means I need to make less dolls per month to get by!)
I will find my footing I am sure. I will balance work and kids and house eventually. Plus they are going to school in the Fall and that should help.

Right! Back to dolls!!!
I am happy to show you pictures of the *actual* resins. I still have spots available since I haven't really advertised them on the forums so if you want one, come on in!
I am much more organized with those than I was with my other editions. The molds are DONE, I told my wonderful pourer Doug, to just keep going and not stop so *your* waiting times will be short!!!
The current time is 8-10 weeks :) I do not want to take many too many pre-orders so I won't get overwhelmed so for this period of waiting for 8-10 weeks, I can only accept 6 more pre-orders. Your choice of sculpt!

Here are some pics of the actual resins:

Small Miracle Awake done as an older baby (almost 23" tall)


Small Miracle Awake again:


Identical Twin Girls (Small Miracle Awake and Asleep):



Small Miracle Asleep, done as a newborn (a full 21" tall with a head of 15") with painted hair:


Same baby:


Small Miracle Awake side looking, blue eyes, Caucasian:



Small Miracle Awake done as an Asian baby:


Identical Twin Alices (Olive skin tone) with "mop" hair... (painted hair is an option for a newborn look or even applied hair, very sparse or a wig)


You can place a pre-order if you mail me at tina@tinakewy.com
You get choice of skin color (6 tones!), hair, gender and with the awake baby, you can go for newborn size or 2 month old size!!
For those who have asked, all 3 babies are BIG babies, not preemie size at all. Alice is the size of Little Wonder while the other two are actually a little bigger especially the awake one. Each baby weighs 9lbs!!!!

Don't delay too much. The Alice edition is only 10 babies while the others are 18 (all plus APs which I am saving for the shows).

Exhausted!!

The show is over!!! And I am exhausted! My feet are the size of watermelons and I want to go home!!!
I've had an absolutely wonderful time but it was work until you drop basically for a long time... I am so so tired... however I've met so many people and made new friends it was amazing.

My sculpting class went very well and my studens were awesome!! They did SO good... a full head in one day and then a full 6 inch mini baby the next day... They were so happy and I was so proud of them!!!

Unfortunately I did not get any pre-orders for my new resins at the show so go on girls, the lists are now open... you can pre-order your resins now. They turned out absolutely amazing although the eyes were a bit hard to get in I can tell you and some creative thinking was needed but I managed!!! :)

I have taken pictures this time (aren't you proud of me?) so I will post them when I get home. I will be travelling all day tomorrow and with the time difference I won't get home until really late at night... so those who have sent me any e-mails, I've had no access to my e-mail so please be patient one more day until I return...
I see all my dolls have been received so I hope you are happy girls :)

I will talk to you soon!!

UK Show information

If you are coming to the UK show and wish to place a pre-order on the new resins or buy a silicone or OOAK, here is your information!! :)

First of all it is a misconception that the resins are only available to the ladies in the UK. Anyone can order a completed resin *except* Alice. She is a DD Show exclusive so she can only be pre-ordered at the show. If you are in the US and wish to place an order, no problem!! Just have someone in the UK place it for you.
IF she does not sell out (limited edition of 10) at the show, then I will accept orders for her after the show.

The deposit for a pre-order is 350 GBP. You can pay with cash or use your credit card and pay via PayPal on the spot. I will have my laptop with me so you can access PayPal OR you can use the computers located in the hotel, whichever you feel more comfortable doing.
The deposit for a "Tiny Footprint" is 150 Euros.

Under certain provisions we *might* be able to accept personal cheques as well. I will be able to update the blog I think from the UK and let you know.
And of course keep checking back because the week before the show I will be posting PICTURES of the actual resins ;)

You will be able to view and cuddle all resins AND the Tiny Footprints OOAK. You will be able to inspect the resins and the OOAK and see exactly what the baby doll will look like.
And YES you can BUY the resins at the show too (limited number!!)

Well, I hope this helps!! Mail me with any questions you might have!!

Red Bull is my new best friend...

Since I was about 15, I drank coffee to wake up and all was good... But let me tell you, you don't know *tired* until you've had kids (Yes, I can see those of you who have kids nodding)... and it's not the kind of tired that will be cured by a good night's sleep either!
It's the kind of tired that will be cured only after several nights' worth of good sleep... looong luxurious hours of *uninterrupted* sleep, because even though my boys are now 3.5 years old and all the books and "experts" say they should be sleeping all through the night (where night is defined as being totally dark outside and not when you are no longer feeling tired John!), my boys, well... they don't!

So let me re-cap; I have a doll show on the 7th June... I am leaving in a week to see my friend who has graciously agreed to accept the dolls, store them and look after them, so I can swoop over and paint, hair and clothe them so I would save myself 400 E worth of shipping and re-shipping... and I am here, nowhere NEAR where I am supposed to be with work, dreary eyed, sleepy..and the darn coffee is not working!!!!

I used to work so much faster... since I've had the boys, I seem to be moving with the pace of a snail. I can see two reasons for that: a) My sculpts have about ten times as much detail and ten times less flaws than they had 3.5 years ago which in turns makes the creation of a limb go from an hour to 6 (!!!) if I am lucky... and b) I am much more tired than I was 3.5 years ago.
3.5 years ago my tiredness was cured by 8 solid hours of sleep... these days I am fighting off 3.5 cumulative years of not-sleeping properly... forget naps... there are NO naps anymore... and did I mention coffee is not working? I tried Red Bull.. it worked!! For 4 hours my eye lids were not heavy... but that was it.. I need 6 Red Bulls a day if I am to come close to my goal target of sculpting done...
Red Bull is now my new best friend... and I just sent my husband out to get me more!

To be in love...

I savor his weight in my hands as his little sand filled body follows the movement on my hands... it's been many years since I've "fallen" this much for a sculpt of mine and I drink in the moment...

I don't know what is it about Liam, that makes me love him so much... maybe it is the fact he looks almost exactly like my son Cody... maybe it's his size, my favorite. I admit it. I am a miniature lover. I love the challenge, I love sculpting the tiny details in the minis... I love making clothes for them, pacifiers, furniture...
I scour the Internet for hours, looking for the "perfect picture" to use to make hands or feet, yet this little one's face had been locked inside my head all this time.. he looks SO much like my son...
What else can I say? I love this baby... I am determined to share his perfection with the world... it will cost me. The molds cost as much as for a life size baby (!!!), the pouring is almost the same as for an 18" baby because of the detailed and precise work needed.
My friend says I shouldn't produce him, the profit margin is just not enough, I won't make much... My sweet, sweet friend is only looking out for me and I looooove her for that... but I am determined... this is *my* dream baby... for years I've made everyone else's dream babies... for once... I will make one for me...

You're welcome to share in my joy... to allow me to create your dream baby from Liam's likeness (in resin I mean), you won't be disappointed...
Ah... to be in love... what a wonderful feeling!!!

i crashed... and then I burned!

For the past few weeks I have been sleeping little and poorly. The boys wake me up at night with complaints ranging from nightmares to wanting a drink... I usually get maybe 6 hrs of (interrupted) sleep at night, staying up working.
Especially now that the show is so near I have been sleeping even less...

Last night at around 10.30pm I remember sitting on the bed, willing myself to get up and go back to work... The next thing I remember is, it is 9.30 THE NEXT MORNING... I have no idea how the nanny got in the house... maybe I sleep walked over to the door to open it.
All I know is I slept for 11 hrs... went out COOOOLD ... and that my friends is called "crash and burn!".

On the up side, I feel GREAT except a HORRID hormonal migraine because I had my "visit from Aunt Flo" but nothing that a dose of Excedrin didn't cure. Of course I am ravenous lol...

So sorry girls if you are waiting on news or pics... but I went out cold last night in spite my best efforts to will myself to work. I promise you I will get back on it tonight.
For now I am taking the boys to swim class..and then to the toy store. It's my son's Nameday today and he's been waiting for this day to come for a month.. so he can buy a new toy train.
Oy, the joys of a parent ;)

New Resin (yes one more!)

Hello everybody!!

I've had a few interesting, if panic filled days... the dolls I need to send to the show must go out by Tuesday at the latest and of course, the world has fallen apart here which means I am picking up pieces and trying to sculpt at the same time.
My husband is facing a lawsuit for something not only he didn't do, he wasn't even there!!! But when you are "the boss" of someone and that someone without your permission goes out and does something stupid, apparently, you as the boss, get the short end of the stick! Does this means if I get a boss I can do whatever the heck I want and my boss will get it?? Sweeeet!!

Uhm (clears throat) back to dolls then...
I am in the most happy position to present to you my new resin baby...
Now, before I show you said baby let me explain WHY on Earth I am choosing to spend all that money on a *mini* doll...
First of all he is so stinking cute I can't resist...
Second... I don't like life size dolls. There... I said it... Ok I do LIKE them, but I was always more of a mini person. If left to my own devices, mini babies is all I would sculpt. I like the challenge that comes with a mini, I like how I can create accessories for them (although in my earlier days I DID build an entire life size wooden crib!!). If you are a little bit crafty like I am, you will adore making your baby things... He can sleep in a basket you will decorate yourself, you can find little accessories for him, make him clothes... and the best part??

THE BEST part is that no matter how cluttered your collection is, no matter how full your doll room is and no matter how low your budget is... he will fit right into your full doll room and right into your budget.. because he is only 11" tall.
Half the size, twice the fun I say!! He is big enough to be cuddled, yet small enough to not inconvenience you... and SO real you won't believe your eyes.
Without further ado here he is ladies and gents... Tiny Wonder (mine is called Liam).
(click to enlarge)












He will start shipping in September with the order people have paid for him. You can e-mail me to place a pre-order if you wish. If you are coming at the Discover Dolls Show, feel free to stop by for a cuddle :)

Oh, pooh!!

Stayed up way too late last night to sculpt, then all I remember is getting up twice to get milk for the boys then opening the door for the nanny at 8.
Then I blacked out... I woke up at 10am to an empty house and glands in my neck the size of melons! I can't swallow and I feel run down. I have no other signs of a cold and I can feel some raised bumps at the back of my throat... hmmmm step-throat anyone?

Just want I needed right now... NOT!!
I will pop a couple of pills and keep at it though... I can rest when I'm dead, right? ;)

PS. And Greece was voted for the Finals in the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday. Go Sakis!!!
I felt VERY bad that Cyprus didn't make it, the song was AWESOME!!! Yet other trash songs did pass... :(

Just a little update!!

We got the car back today... it was the choke that had died so the bill wasn't huge... just about $200...

Today I received the eyes I had ordered for my new resins and I gotta tell you girls, they are so real, they are creepy!! In a good way! Gosh they will look awesome in the dolls!!
Totally worth their price (about $45 per pair). Once you've tried crystal, you don't go back I supposed ;) I don't think I will ever use any other kind of eye lol.

I am feeling a little sick right now... I have been nursing a headache since this morning so I took something light for it... turns out it made me very sleepy... and it was still lingering so I took Excedrin... which got rid of the headache once and for all but now I am sick to my stomach and yes I took it on a full stomach...
I am not sure what's better... a headache or a churning stomach? Why can't they make medicine that makes you feel overall BETTER, not worse?

It's 2.30am here, I just finished sculpting for the day so I am off to sleep... I have loads of pictures to post in the morning though, so stay tuned!!

I've been riding in a toooow truuuck... all daayyy long!

Here in the Kewy household, we own two cars...
A 1991 Suzuki Swift (my first car bought with the paychecks of my first job, second hand, 10 years ago) and a 1992 Renault Clio which my dad gave me last year in terrible shape and I spent 2200 Euros making it whole again.

The Swift I gave to my husband since it's a 3 door hatchback so not very practical when you have kids and I kept the Renault.
The talk has been for a WHILE now, to buy a new car. At first we wanted something affordable (second hand) that was a little newer than our Suzuki. But money was (is) very tight. So we patched up the Suzuki every time we had to, just to keep it going a few more months.

It came to a point that the engine died... gone.. bye bye!
Today I spent a little time on myself. I went to my aunt's parlor and had a pedicure. You know.. summer, flip flops... my feet looked like this all winter long but I hid them inside my furry pink slippers...
But I couldn't ignore the heat any more so I gave myself a treat of a pedicure so that when I do wear my plastic flip flops, people won't look away and kids won't scream in terror!!

So here I was, all nice and pampered, freshly done nails with matching butterfly stickers... driving in my Renault that does NOT have A/C (apparently they had not invented it yet in 1992 ;)) I was boiling hot, sweat dripping down my face, while I tried to find my husband in his dead car, who had stopped somewhere in the highway.
(which is not easy when he is screaming in your ear and gives you NO landmarks, or street names etc - I was going blind, took me an hour to see him!!)

So I get there.. I am a mechanic's daughter so I know a little about engines... so I got my jump-wires out and tried to start the Suzuki... no go.
So I revved up the Renault a little and though I could see the Suzuki drawing power, the engine wouldn't start...which means it's not its usual battery trouble but rather an engine problem.
At this point we called for a tow truck... and waited a full hour under the hot sun, at the side of a BUSY freeway... by the time I got home, I was covered in exhaust fumes and my pretty toes were as black as my flip flops :(

I felt better after a shower... and now some difficult decisions must be made; patch the Suzuki up and hope it lasts another couple of months... or go find a cheap second hand one and pay in installments?

One thing is for sure though... with G's Naval base so far away and the boys' therapies and classes at the other side of town, we BOTH need a car each... it simply doesn't work with one car.

Yes, I know... God never gives me more than I can handle... I just wished He didn't trust me quite so much!!!!

For Sale

This little guy is asking for a new home. He is a full 12" with bent legs, very detailed and I am asking $450 for him plus actual shipping (maybe $20-30?).
His price is greatly reduced because of a couple of small boos boos, mail me for more details and additional pictures to tina@tinakewy.com
I accept PayPal, sorry no layaway on this one.
He comes in box with certificate of authenticity, very nicely gift wrapped. If he doesn't get any interest, I will list him on eBay...
(click to enlarge)


His limbs are ultra detailed and he is super cuddly and poseable... you won't be disappointed!!

Happy Mother's Day

For as long as I can remember, all I wanted was to be a mom... sure, I would go to University (College if you on the "other side of the pond") and hold my own job (check) but I would also marry someone wearing a uniform (check), and we would have kids... lots of kids!

For as long as I can remember, I was into sculpting as well, I was into creating, anything and everything... sculpting was my greatest love but before that I drew and sketched, before that, I would play with Play Doh for hours upon hours... When I was 19, my desire for an offspring, combined with my passion for sculpting and my first clay baby was born... 12 whole years ago.
I cannot believe it will be 12 years this September!!

I loved creating the babies, however I never dared to treat them like such. I preferred to allow someone else to be their "mommy"... my desire for kids fueled my art but that was as far as I dared go.
When I married George, I was 23 and he was (and is) the love of my life... we started trying for a child before I turned 25 but it wasn't until doctors intervened that two years later, filled with procedures, tests, drugs, more tests, a miscarriage, more procedures and a lot of praying, I would fall pregnant this time to last.. all through those 2 years, my sculpting kept me sane... Surely if I could create a baby with my hands, my body would eventually "get it" too, right?

Today I am celebrating my 4th Mother's Day. I made my own mother's day special by giving her a copy of my book with a hand written inscription.
My boys made my day special by being in my life. They are still too young to know it's Mother's Day but I am sure they will make me something next year when they are in school. I can't wait to fill the little box I have with hand made trinkets from them!
They also made my day special by overflowing the bathtub and adding "waste an hour moping the water" to my "To Do" list for the day ;)

My sons have made our lives extremely complicated and difficult. They have put an enormous strain on our time, our budget and our marriage. Raising kids is hard..raising kids when one has special needs is harder. There are days when I can barely keep afloat and there are days when I luxuriously swim in the ocean of motherhood under a hot, care-free sky.
My boys give me slobbery kisses, wake me up at night (yes, they are still not sleeping through at 3.5 years old) and are always there, with sticky chocolate fingers, to hug me when I am wearing white and I am just about to go out... They have this magical power... one smile, one kiss, one "I love you mommy" and I am as right as rain again.

They are also there to look at me with admiration in their eyes when I put on my flowered frock, when the whole world thinks I look like a ginormous flowery whale, all they can say is I look like a Princess.
I possess magical powers and all they ask when they are hurt is a kiss to make it better .. when they are scared, a tight hug sets their whole world straight...
Yes, my sons made everything so much difficult and intense for me... my stress level has increased ten fold... but they filled my heart to the brink and they will never look into my eyes and wonder if they were wanted...

Happy Mother's day to each and every one of you...
What did your little ones give you today?

Liam... Again...

Liam slept well last night... it is a welcome change to have someone in this house who sleeps through the night for a change!!!

Here are a few pics of Liam... it has now been decided Liam will be my next resin, coming in the Fall. I am not sure how the edition will be called...I will add a belly plate, pacifier for each baby, wonderful outfits, toy...all in a special gift box!! And an affordable price! Of course you can choose your skin tone and other choices... I am not taking down names or deposits yet, I will finance this myself so waiting times will be very short. I will let you know when I am ready.

About Liam:
Liam is a micro preemie size newborn baby. He is a few days old, so not so waterlodged or puffy but still very newborn.
From the top of his head to the heel of his very bent legs, he measures a full 11" and wears micro preemie diapers and outfits perfectly. He is 2.5lbs

The detail on Liam is.... excruciating ;) it's all there and all of it is yummu.
Without further ado, here's Liam!
(click to enlarge)

Liam?

Being a Battlestar Galactica fan, the name Liam has stuck with me lately... he looks like a Liam too... what do you think of the name Liam?
Or should I stick to naming the editions using "titles" rather than names?
I like naming the editions with titles because they don't point to a specific gender so the buyer can chose the name/gender without bias... but this little guy looks ALL boy...
Hmmmmm...

Off to take the boys to therapy and run errands and I will be posting pics today, I promise :)

The baby is an hour old...

It's 2.30am here and the "Baby" is one hour old right now. It's been one hour since I cut the last thread after putting him together.
And of course the minute I put him together, I saw the flaws. I need to replace an arm as it is 1/4 longer and a little chubbier than the other :(
It's throwing off my whole perspective... and once again I am reminded why I shouldn't sculpt when my eyes are closing, thinking I could get just one more hour of work before I go to bed...

The baby, who is yet to be named, is a full 11" long with legs *very* bent. He is a robust newborn of a few days old (not so puffy/waterlodged) who I am seriously thinking about reproducing in resin.
I wanted to reproduce Michael but I am loving this little guy much, much more, so Michael will be up for sale as an OOAK, probably on eBay... Besides, Michael's head is a 2008 sculpt (and yes it took me this long to sculpt limbs for him!!) whereas this little guy is a brand new sculpt.
I avoid working on "my things" when I have obligations/people waiting on me, but I got to the point I really needed to do something I didn't *have* to do so with an hour here and an hour there although it took a month, he was born tonight.
(my son walked in limping and crying while I was typing this... he gets terrible leg cramps at night. These "growing pains" are x10 worse for him than a normal child, because he has CP and hypertonia in his legs. So I gave him a good massage and his leg muscles were so tight, like rocks, and bandaged his legs, gave him some pain killers and he seems to be drifting off to sleep again - phew!)

So anyway... I *hope* to get some time tomorrow to photograph all three babies, the new one I want to reproduce, the mini I want to sell, and Michael and hopefully post them on eBay this weekend.

I will need your input on his project though.. The question is, would you buy a smaller baby in resin provided he was ultra cute and affordable? Or do you only collect life size babies?

Post a comment with your reply if you wish :)
Crossing fingers, the boys drift back to sleep (John woke Cody up with his crying)... and that I get some shut eye too... I can count the times I slept without interruptions with the fingers of one hand since the boys were born 3.5 years ago... when do kids sleep through the night anyway? lol

My book is here!!!

OMGosh,OMGosh,OMGosh,OMGosh!!!

My book is here!!! It's amazing! The quality is amazing!!!
Those thinking about ordering it, DO IT!! What GREAT quality it is! I love it!!
My book is hereeeeee!!! I will take pics later for you :)

Some asked how to order it. Click the book you see on your right. Chose which version you would like, then click "add to cart", pay for it... you're done.
If you are in Europe it will ship from the Netherlands. If you are in the US it will ship from the US.
Easy...

My book is here!!! Can't wait to show my mom!!! ;)

New OOAKs

Don't you feel it's been forever since I offered a new OOAK?
Well, the time is coming... keep your eyes on this spot because this week, I am offering, one life size baby (newborn), one miniature baby and two mini babies (12").

New Resins - Pictures at last

(click on any pics below to enlarge)
Small Miracle twins (sleeper with slender arms, awake with chubby arms)


Small Miracle Asleep as a boy


Small Miracle Asleep, full lips, painted hair.


Ooooh look, a hand!! (awake Small Miracle, slender arms)


Small Miracle Awake, 8 weeks old, hair, chubby arms


Alice (Alice shares the limbs with Small Miracle but belly plate is optional)
My frowning, 7.5lbs newborn cutie!!!!







Some FAQs:

Q; I would like to order an "Alice" but I am not in the UK, how can I order her if she is a show exclusive?

A: There will only be 10 Alice babies in the series that can be pre-ordered at the show in June. If you are in another country and want an Alice, it is possible to get one but you must have a UK friend place your order and deposit at the time of the show. Make sure she knows all the details of your order in advance (skin tone, hair color and type, magnet option, belly plate option, gender, name)

Q: Will you do a layaway?
A: Yes, with a non-refundable, non-transferable deposit and the rest in pre-agreed, equal installments.

Q: How big are the babies?
A: Alice and the Asleep version of Small Miracle are more or less Little Wonder size (meaning, true newborn size). They are chunky little things and wear newborn clothing, size 10lbs nicely.
The Awake version of Small Miracle, can be done in newborn size with the slender arms or in 6-8 week size with the chubby arms and a bigger body.

Q: Can they have painted hair?
A: Alice and the asleep SM yes. Due to the pate necessary for eye insertion, just painted hair is not a good option for the awake version but if you are opting for very little hair, I can do a partially painted, partial wig combo that looks very newborn.

Q: Are the dolls only available from you?
A: Alice will be a show exclusive so yes. There will be a very limited number of Small Miracles available from About Face Dolls after the show. The rest of the edition will be sold by myself.

Q: If I place a pre-order at the show, how soon can I expect my doll?
A: I do not work on unpaid dolls because I have no room to store them especially if they are on layaway and because I had quite a few people unable to complete layaways. Your doll will be ready to be shipped approximately 6 to 8 weeks after complete payment has been received or sooner if at all possible.

Q: Will you stand by these dates?
A: I will do my absolute best to give and keep accurate shipping dates, yes. If for any reason there is any delay I will let you know but since the molding is already done and of course based on the pourer's schedule, the waiting time has been cut very short compared to previous editions.

Q: What kind of shipping options do you offer and how much do they cost?
A: For Europe: Air Mail or EMS (note that the UK does not accept EMS). I am not sure of the exact cost since I need to weigh the dolls first and transit times with Air Mail are 7-21 days for Europe and for EMS, 3-5 days.
For the USA: Air Mail (14-21 days non-traceable I think), EMS 5-7 days traceable (but pricey).
For Australia: Air Mail (14-30 days), EMS 7-9 days (please note EMS is quite expensive for Australia!!)

In any case shipping choices are up to you and how much you are willing to pay for shipping. I do not charge a handling fee. I will be posting a scanned price list from the post office in a few days.

Rough night, dawn delivery

I had one of "those" nights... you know, the ones you don't sleep??
I stayed up until 2am on my own to finish a new baby's head I've been working on for a while, then I joined my already sleeping husband in our bed at 2.30am only to be woken up at 3.20am by John who wanted some herbal tea (common occurrence).

I gave him his tea and tried to go back to sleep but things started going around in my head, about the show, money, the kids, how I was going to manage and right there, in the dark of the night it all seemed simply too much...TOO MUCH.
Of course by this time sleep had eluded me so I got up and put the head I had finished in the oven and I sat down to watch some TV while it was being done.

John came to me once again complaining of foot pain, and since with his CP he gets cramps a lot, I massaged his legs and bandaged them which usually gets him to sleep.
Except when at 6.30am I wandered into their room, he had turned the lights on and was sitting in Cody's bed, having waken him and they were chatting!!
I was so mad at John!! Whenever they go off their schedule, the next day is H$ll so scolded them and put each into their own bed...
I went back to our room, now nursing a huge migraine and finding no relief, to get my pillows so I could try and sleep in the couch because G. was playing Mozart's 9th in his sleep (read: he was snoring like a freight train - sorry honey but you were!!) and he woke up and asked me where I was going.
Leave it to my husband to sleep through both kids hysterically crying at night, but to wake up if I tip toe in the room to sneak my pillows out so I can sleep in peace and (discomfort) errrr, quiet.
I quickly explained it was now 7am and I hadn't slept all night but he said if I dared sleep on the couch he would shoot me ;) so I climbed into bed where I fell (finally) asleep, the burden of money, the show and everything in between, temporarily forgotten as my brain turned to mash due to the lack of sleep and the migraine (and me being OLD in general lol).

So I woke up at 11.30am to find out George had taken care of the boys until then and he had even locked me IN the room so the boys couldn't get in (or at least I HOPE this is why he did it... he might have wanted to make sure I didn't slip out to, God Forbid, sleep on the couch without him lol)
SO technically I got 5 hrs of sleep last night but guess what?
I am cradling a life size, newborn, Chinese little girl right now... so totally NOT a waste at all ;)
Who needs sleep when there are babies to be made??
(please remind me of this sentence when after lunch I start nodding off, begging for a nap!!)
Pics will follow soon!

Pictures & Ordering Information on New Resins

Thank you all for your kind interest in my new editions.
Please find below, some information regarding ordering, layaway and pricing of the new babies.

Small Miracle, Awake and Asleep

Small Miracle Asleep is newborn size a full 20" with bent legs. S/he wears 0-3 months and newborn size clothing comfortably. The head is 14" around.
There are six skin tones to chose from and two arm options. Lean and chubby.
The baby has a magnetic pacifier (please inform ahead of time if you do NOT want this option).
Hair options include, painted hair, wig, bald and a combination of painted and applied hair for that very newborn look.

The limbs (3/4, which are common for all three dolls) are I must say, exquisite, I went through several pairs of limbs before settling on the ones I felt were "the best and most detailed" from the lot.
This baby is a full 8lbs when completed and features a belly plate, from the chest to the genitalia (no actual genitalia).
The lips can be painted with several options and shapes/sizes so each and every baby will be different than the last.

Small Miracle Awake comes in two versions, newborn and 6-8 weeks old.
The newborn version is 20" long with legs bent (lean arms). The 6-8 weeks baby is 22" long (chubby arms only for this option).
There is a choice of 6 skin tones and about 20 eye colors to choose from including the quality of the actual eyeball; you can chose the cheaper acrylic eye (6 colors) or the more expensive hand made prosthetic crystal eye (14+ colors).
You can even chose which direction the baby will be looking at (sideways, straight, crossed eyes, up, down etc).
Of course hair color and style are the buyer's choice as well as the option for eyelashes or no lashes.
(note: because of the pate at the back of the head needed to insert the eyes, this baby will not have a painted hair option but for a very newborn look, you can choose the part applied, part painted hair)
This baby can also have a head magnet for a magnetic hair bow as well as a mouth magnet for a pacifier (warm ahead of time if you do NOT want these).

This baby also comes with an option of two sets of arms: chubby and lean. The chubby arms go better with the bigger option of 6-8 weeks. The lips can be painted in such a way, she can appear as if she is slightly smiling.
There are so many options and choices, no two dolls will be alike.

Baby Alice - Discover Dolls Show Exclusive

This extremely small edition will only be available for pre-order at the Discover Dolls Show and only for the UK.
Baby Alice is a full 20" long with bent legs and is a frowning baby with full lips.
The same options apply to Alice (she looks best with lean arms though) as far as skin tones, hair (painted is an option) and of course gender and name :)
This would also make an excellent ethnic baby :)
This is 10 doll plus APs edition.

The Small Miracles edition includes 18 dolls plus artist proofs.

The following information is the same for all three editions.

Each body has the number of the edition embroidered on the bum and each baby comes with a certificate of authenticity.
Each baby will come fully dressed in an outfit of my choice, with lots of accessories and goodies for the new mommy. The exception being the babies for the show, each will be dressed in an OOAK outfit.

The price is 900 Euros each doll plus actual shipping depending on the method you chose (super fast, traceable but pricey EMS or the slower but cheaper Air Mail) . I do not charge a handling fee.
The lists will open Sunday 7th June 2009 at 9am and pre-orders will be taken then. There will be samples of the actual resins on site so you will be able to see, feel and cuddle the doll you will getting.
** For the two babies available on the day, and only on the day, cash or PayPal payments in full, there will be an introductory, discounted price **

Layaway is available on request with a non-refundable, non-transferable deposit paid on the day. PayPal is available on the day as a payment option (I will have my laptop with me) as well as cash, sorry no money orders or personal cheques.

I will post pictures of the dolls shortly. Please note, I am NOT taking pre-orders or reservations right now so please do not e-mail me for a pre-order.
Any other questions you might have, I am happy to answer so drop me an e-mail :)