Spring/Mother's Day Baby Swap

Lynknursery wrote:

...Rachel, you will enjoy it.

Thank-you, Lyn!

As for submitting pictures of your reborns so that Karen can match us with an equal partner, I'm not afraid of it or feel judged (and I'm just a newbie at reborning!). What is there to be worried about? If you don't want Karen looking at your reborn pictures maybe you shouldn't be in a swap? That's the way I see it.

I totally agree Rachel! Everone has the choice to abide by all the rules and join in or be offended and not join in. Karen has everyone's best interests at heart

and good on you for joining - maybe you will get my name and I can get a character baby lol

Okey dokey, sounds good to me

Orange_Grove_Nursery wrote:

Lynknursery wrote:

...Rachel, you will enjoy it.

Thank-you, Lyn!

As for submitting pictures of your reborns so that Karen can match us with an equal partner, I'm not afraid of it or feel judged (and I'm just a newbie at reborning!). What is there to be worried about? If you don't want Karen looking at your reborn pictures maybe you shouldn't be in a swap? That's the way I see it.

KYM: "I totally agree Rachel! Everone has the choice to abide by all the rules and join in or be offended and not join in. Karen has everyone's best interests at heart " ( Sorry I don't know how to quote twice)

Rachel & Kym,
I am NOT offended by the idea of the pix. I have done a few swaps, and have posted babies for critique on a bunch of forums. In my opinion, the pixs add an element of judgement that I am afraid will put off a new reborner. When I joined my first swap I was excited at the chance to advance my abilities and share my successes and failures with the forum, and improve my skills, and see another reborn, since I'd only seen my own. If someone had asked me to submit pics beforehand, I not only would never have my beautiful swap babies, but may indeed have quit reborning entirely. All I am trying to do is to ensure that DOES NOT happen any other newbie!!

Hugs, Barb

I'm a little confused Barbara? If you have submitted pics for critiquing before, why is it a problem to send some of your recent work to Karen for the swap?

Rachel is a newbie and she is more than happy to submit pics to Karen

As I said before everyone has the choice to abide by all the rules and join in or be offended and not join in

Lynknursery wrote:

rebecca wrote:

With Love Nursery wrote:

Im a little confused as to why people should be offended by submitting photos? Or to even question it? Karens not going to judge your work. It basically to cover ourselves and to prove what we are capable of doing so someone can't be careless with their dolls when swapping and working hard on dolls they make for profit. Unfortunately there are people who do this and its not fair to those who do their best. No one cares about your skill levels just efforts.

Yeah you are confused aren't you, I am just saying that if you can't take a good photo or if you do a baby and it is a limited edition and cost $109.00 you don't expect to get a baby that someone paid $34.99 for, so that is the only point I was making. I do think that it is a good idea to keep the price range equal.

.


Rebecca that is why we have to nominate under $75 category or over $75 category and over will not be paired with an under person and vice versa.

Rachel, you will enjoy it.

Thanks Lyn, I see, I knew that at one time we did the two catagorys which I was referring to. I think the swap is a good idea to lay all the rules out there as Karen has done and that way no one gets off coarse.

babyblossom wrote:

I'm a little confused Barbara? If you have submitted pics for critiquing before, why is it a problem to send some of your recent work to Karen for the swap?

Rachel is a newbie and she is more than happy to submit pics to Karen

As I said before everyone has the choice to abide by all the rules and join in or be offended and not join in

Thats true, I agree. I think with all our oppinions we will have to agree with a few of them.

Kym, that's what I explained above...this has nothing to do with me.....Karen has one of my babies, she knows my work first hand!!! I am saying that thi pix would have been scary and off-putting to me 18 months ago when I was just starting....

I am not offended or afriad to submit pics of past babies, I post them all the time...I guess it seemed to be a confusing request.....I would say yes, you would want to know what the babies look like from newbies but, like for me, I have always been an active member and posted plenty of babies so I thought people would have already seen them...know what I mean? I would think that maybe a personal note to any member who signed up that you didnt know there work, send them a note asking to see some babies to match them up....some may feel they are being judged for their ability...or if they geta baby that they feel isnt up to their own skill level(pics can be so deciving!) than it falls back on who ever made the decision to match them...know what I mean? I felt like it may be opening a can of worms you didnt want.......

But Karen I do see your reasoning behind the pics....I am not by any means shooting it down, i know you have a good heart behind your decisions...I just thought some might get their feelings hurt or feel maybe someone might think their baby isnt good enough.

Having guidelines for a swap is a good thing! It helps keep everyone honest, checkpoints and such can be good also....karen I thinkn your doing what you feel is best and thats good. I didnt want people to think i had a problem with it, several have said if you have a problem then dont join, or if you cant follow the rules dont join, ect.... That wasnt what I intended to imply, i apologize if i did. I am sure this swap will go off without so much as a hiccup and everyone will be happy, I hope!(its always hard to please everybody! lol)

Me, i do think I will pass though.......chances are i may miss a deadline for pics or something so its best i just dont do it...to much in the air for me with my mom, my daughters issues, mine...ect....I dont need to add to my stress and swaps can be just that!

It will be exciting though to see all those babies!

babyblossom wrote:

...and good on you for joining - maybe you will get my name and I can get a character baby lol

That would be so fun, then we'd both have a baby from the other!

who is all in it so far Karen ?

I know I am. I'm excited!

Me too!

I was at another forum and knew I do not have the skills as others do and did not join the swap which is a good thing since some do not want beginners babies is all I will say. I would love to maybe be in a swap one day. Do you use the photo bucket here also? This is my first from scratch reborn I rooted her hair twice before I am thru at least for a while. She is my keeper.

She's cute! If you're comfortable with someone receiving a baby you make, join in. We take beginners in swaps here. I just started reborning in August and I'm joining in.

I agree with Rachel! Debora she's so cute and you should join our Mother's Day swap! If you buy some of Lara's ebooks you will be able to practise over the holidays if you like before our classes start again next year

I sent my info Karen earlier in the week, did you ever get it?

With Love Nursery wrote:

I sent my info Karen earlier in the week, did you ever get it?

im thinking about joining in, well i would love to,i have been reborning for a year and 2 months, but i may have not done as many babies someone could have done, so i would put my self at been a beginner but someone else may not.
another worry is with me been in the uk, would you try and match me with someone from here? if there was anyone else doing the swap and would i be expected to buy the sculps that people have put down as their favorite, or is this just a guide?
sorry so many questions

Well you don't have th buy the sculpt that they are wanting it is mostly a guide line but you do have to buy a kit in the correct price range say you join the 75 and over group can can't make a Bountifulbaby and call it a day .. you have to do a baby 75 and over in price ... also being new isn't a problem we all expect to get a baby that is created with love not one through together at the last minute .. it makes for some very hard feeling when you do that ... we can all see that a baby was created with love ... lastly you will not always get someone from the uk sending to you and you may not be sending to someone in the uk if there is a problem let Karen or Sharon know and they will help you with this .. sherrie

thank you and i do understand about the price ranges, i wouldn't expect to do a cheap one for someone who is doing an expensive one for me.
All my babies are created with love x

ashtreemeadowbabies wrote:

who is all in it so far Karen ?

I'm in!!!

I will say something to all of the newbies out there.....and that is I have learned one thing in reborning, and it has been hard for me, and that is having confidence in your own work!!~ You should not join..."just because your afraid" someone won't like your baby. I say "join" this is an opportunity, to show off your skills, whether your new or not. I am still kinda new....dont know what exactly "newbie" means any more..... how long do you have to be reborning before your considered otherwise??? LOL
I know I have grown, in my work, and I am now a lot more confident, that others will at least like my little ones...and it has taken me awhile to get to this place. Dont be afraid, and don't limit yourself, nuff said

thank you, i think a lot of the problems are confidence, and when do you stop calling yourself a newbie because you are allways learning something x

Oh, I agree, you never should stop learning...even Lara doesn't stop learning I'm sure. But, you can't keep calling yourself "newbie" forever! After a while, you've gotten a certain number of reborns finished and you have more experience. Of course, experience does not always mean skill and inexperience doesn't always mean lack of skill.

Orange_Grove_Nursery wrote:

Oh, I agree, you never should stop learning...even Lara doesn't stop learning I'm sure. But, you can't keep calling yourself "newbie" forever! After a while, you've gotten a certain number of reborns finished and you have more experience. Of course, experience does not always mean skill and inexperience doesn't always mean lack of skill.

With the wealth of knowledge today in reborning techniques, and especially with Lara's classes I don't think the terms are as strictly boundaried as they were when I first started 3 years ago. Beginners now are able to produce work of a much higher quality than those of us who basically taught ourselves through trial and error.

Back when I started we were basically a beginner for the first 12 months then an intermediate artist etc. I still class myself as an intermediate artist, but I do know my work has improved dramatically since taking Lara's online classes, and also again since starting to teach myself. I now have students that come to my home to learn and that has helped me step my work up a bit more, I now look at my work through an artists eyes as well as a teachers eyes. Until my work is considered good enough to be recognised by sculptors then I would not consider myself an advanced artist, let alone a master artist, although so many class themselves as such when clearly they are not. Perhaps others view my work differently to what I do myself, but then we are always our own worst critic too, and I for one would rather undersell myself than overstate myself. I do however create each baby to the best of my ability for the skintones I am trying to achieve, and as such that is all anyone asks of us when we participate in swaps.

So come on girls, if you are wanting to do a swap make the step and give it a try. You might surprise yourselves really. I know one of my past swaps (not on this forum) I received a bub that was clearly not to the best of her ability, she has already done a prototype baby, and the one I received was barely painted, no veins and barely any blushing/mottling at all, so that is an example of what not to send. I have since repainted that bub, but every other bub I have received I have been more than happy with how they were done. Had that artist not been one who had done a prototype I would not have expected more from her and thought no more about the level of bub received, but when you know they have thrown it together it disappoints. A lesser painted but painted with love and to the best of your ability is more warmly received than a hurried thrown together below par work.

So beginners have faith in yourself, you have to start somewhere and most of the girls on here know and appreciate that and welcome your joining in.

Well said Lyn

well said Lyn x

Right im going to take that step and join x

Way to Go!!!!!!!!

I'm in, I really enjoyed the Christmas Swap. That was my first swap and I was nervous that my baby wouldn't be well received. However, I did the best I could and my partner loved her. It was a really nice feeling to make a baby for someone like that..... I don't know what my level would be considered but I just wanted to join in and have fun. I don't have a problem sending a couple pics. In fact, I just put up a few of my latest bub I just finished painting. I don't see what the issue is, we all put up pics all the time here. I understand all points made here about this subject. I don't even mind getting a character costume (I love Princesses ) I think they are great and the work Rachel puts into them in awesome! This is meant to be fun so I hope that is what we can all do..... have fun making a baby for our wonderful friends here to the best of our abilities.

Come January when everyone gets their assignments I say Happy Reborning!

Yay, Tiondra! (I think a Princess Tiana would be perfect for you, your names are so similar!)

I know what you mean, I can't wait for January to come so I can get my partner's name and reborn list so I can pick a baby and start making him/her!

Aww yes they do sound similar eh? The Frog and the Princess right? lol Your costumes and babies are very well done. Glad your in this time out!

Thank-you, Tiondra! Yep, Disney resurrected their traditional animation department for "The Princess and The Frog", which I thought was cute.

Oh my goodness! Karen your Christmas siggy baby is gorgeous!!!! What sculpt is that one? He is just precious!!!

Thanks, Shannon. That's Tessa by Sebilla Bos reborn by our sweet sherrie in a personal swap we did awhile back.

He IS a cutie!

OH yes he is!!~ Miss karen, did I send the info right this time??? LOL

Oops, I mean "SHE is a cutie!"

Orange_Grove_Nursery wrote:

Thank-you, Tiondra! Yep, Disney resurrected their traditional animation department for "The Princess and The Frog", which I thought was cute.

I'm so glad they did that as I hate the digital animation. I love the old way of drawing with HANDS! I love all the Disney classics and my daughter is a HUGE fan to this day (She's 20 now). Just recently she watched The Little Mermaid and I know when she finds out Beauty and The Beast is on, she'll watch that too. Love it!

Tinabloomfield wrote:

OH yes he is!!~ Miss karen, did I send the info right this time??? LOL

good enough, little miss no-name.

UGH!!~ I am so sorry Karen....you have to forgive me please....I have so much going on with my family, and trying to be at the hospital all the time right now for my mary.....Ive gotten little to no sleep in three weeks....I'm home early today, getting ready to knock out for awhile. I'm so sorry I didnt get my name in there.

That's okay, Tina, I know who you are

LOL....At least someone does!!~

I never thought I'd say this, but is it January 7th yet???

Lol Rachel, I can't wait either

About 2½ weeks left to sign up...