Saturday 30 July 2011

Discover Dolls Online!

Did you know you can read Discover Dolls Magazine online at www.discoverdollsonline.co.uk
The page turning software acts just like the real thing, you can turn the pages, add your own notes and bookmarks, and furthermore you can click through the links within the magazine to visit advertiser websites, for direct email contacts and many more advanced features!


Subscription rates to our online magazine are just £10 per year, and during your subscription period you will have full access to our uploaded back catalogue. We currently have 9 magazines available online, issues 19 - 27. We will continue to add more editions as they are published.

Subscribe today!

Tuesday 5 July 2011

Painting Classes in Whittlesey

We are kick starting our regular painting classes by offering a fantastic reduction on the price of our very first one day painting class at out headquarters in Whittlesey just outside Peterborough in the UK. The first class, to be held on Sunday July 31st will cost just £150, a saving of £45 on our usual cost.
The class will start at 9.30 on a Sunday morning, and will begin with a short introduction to the class, and a guide to the tools and materials you have been provided with. You will receive a doll kit and a body, a set of genesis paints (sample size) and a set of brushes and sponges in your gift bag. You will also reveive the filling materials required to complete your reborn doll at home. Other tools such as paint pallets, cloths etc will be provided for use on the day.
The class will take you though all the stages you need to create multi layered and realistic skintones over the whole of your kit, and at the end of the painting class you will have a completely painted set of vinyl parts ready for weighting and assembly. The class will finish with a demonstration of how to weight and assemble a kit, so you can go home and complete your baby in your own time.
You will also be provided with a full colour, illustrated tutorial guidebook which will guide you step by step back through the painting class so that you can repeat what you have learned at home. The guide will also continue to cover weighting and assembly, and will guide you to the completion of your reborn baby doll.
We estimate the class will finish at 6.30, and all the class work will be finished by this time.
Drinks and snacks will be provided throughout the day, and lunch can be pre ordered and will be delivered to the class on the day (subject to avaiability)
Please book now, as this special price will not be repeated, and class numbers are limited.
To book please email cathy@discoverdolls.co.uk for a booking form.

Monday 11 April 2011

Discover Dolls Issue 27

Issue 27 has now been shipped to subscribers in the UK and Europe. US subscriptions are on their way to Madavor Media and will be dispatched early next week.
This issue features the very talented reborn artist Carmen Sommer, who also runs Once So Real in Germany. Carmen's beautiful photography and outstanding work has made for an amazing cover and feature article. We have been very lucky in the current issue to have been supplied with so many amazing pictures, we have some really stunning layouts as a result.
We have more amazing reborns from Debbie Henshaw, and OOAK features on Andrea Arcello and UK artist Abigail Jones. We bring you stunning pictures of the cloth dolls from Sally Hutson of Stitchywoowoo who exhibits her fabulous dolls at the Peterborough doll show, and also the final part of the ethnic skin tutorial written by Lisa Pybus.
In this issue we bring you news of new kits coming out, from both companies and independent artists, as well as show dates and reviews.
We take a sneaky peek of some of the amazing babies Maribel Villanova will be displaying at Peterborough, and also showcase the new 2011 dolls from Masterpiece including DOTY award winners. We also introduce new dolls for 2011 from Heart and Soul, and Dolls by Berenguer.
We have a lovely short story by Christine Derry, and we are thrilled to introduce you to The Norfolk Broads, a group of like minded ladies who meet up regularly for dolly making, tea and chatting! In amongst ALL this, you will also find news, reviews, and a wonderful flower power knitting pattern, just perfect for the change in the weather! Issue 27 is available now, and is not one to be missed!!

Simply Reborn Live day 2

Well this post is late for many reasons, the last few weeks have been a blur of magazine mailing, admin and sick children!
However, the memory of day 2 of the reborning class is fresh in my mind because it was so much fun and highly memorable.
Sunday was the day the kits started to come together, and really take shape. As soon as the painting was complete they looked almost alive.
I was fascinated by the adding of the tiny details, from the eyelashes and eyebrows to the little milk spots placed in just the right places, and even small capillaries, for those who dared!!
It was great for me to see the dolls assembled too as I always miss this part when popping in and out of classes! Each student carefully weighted and assembled their beautifully painted parts, and then dressed the baby!
The class was finished at a leisurely pace, and at the end, there was a demonstration of hair painting. The talent displayed at the class was amazing, and all the students were eager to get home with their supplies and get reborning. For my part I WISH I had taken part in the class, as the ladies put their babies together I really felt like I was missing out. I will be taking a class in the future, although 5 years out of the game, I can't guarantee the results!
We will be releasing the dates of our new classes shortly.

Sunday 3 April 2011

Simply Reborn Live day 1

I am cheating a litte, updating the blog early on day two, but while the students are busy applying layers of paint, heat setting, chatting and drinking tea, I have snuck out for a bit of social networking!
Yesterday was the very first day of the very first class to be held in our classroom and I think I can safely say it was a roaring success.
The students have made amazing progress, and had a whole lot of fun at the same time. Much tea has been drunk, and I have to admit, a few biccies have gone down too! Lunch was provided by our friendly sandwich bar Charlies, and delivered to the door! Perfect!
The students are reborning the sold out First Love kit, sculpted by Ruth Annette, it is lovely for students to be able to start off with such a saught after kit, and also to be able to reborn a kit which was originally sculpted by the tutor.
I am amazed to see how well the kits are coming to life, and am eagerly awaiting the finished babies! Now I need to get to the shop to aquire more tea! It is amazing how much one group of ladies can get through over a weekend!

Friday 1 April 2011

All ready to teach!!

This weekend, 2nd and 3rd of April we will be holding our very first classes in our desgnated teaching area!
Ruth Annette from Simply Reborn will be our tutor and over the two days our lucky students will paint, fill, assemble and dress a beautiful First Love kit, sculpted by Ruth herself, and now sold out worldwide.
The weekend promises to be a lot of fun, and we will keep the blog updated with how we are all getting on!
All I have left to do now, and surely the most important part of the weekend... is to nip out shopping for treats and snacks to keep us going!

Monday 21 March 2011

Doll and Teddy Fair, MCM Birmingham


The Doll and Teddy Fair at the national Motorcycle Museum was held yesterday, 20th March 2011, on a beautiful spring day!
Doll collectors and artists flocked to this popular venue where Discover Dolls has been a regular exhibitor for many years. This show is always a pleasure, to see so many faces so familiar that they have become friends, and the show has a really friendly welcoming atmosphere.
Organiser Debbie Woodhouse specialises in antique dolls, and the variety at this show is second to none. There is also an abundance of teddy bears (one of whom returned home from the show with me!) and of course modern and reborn dolls. Both doll and bear making supplies are available at this show, which caters for both the artist and collector.