I have been lurking on this board for a few hours and in some sense feel like I already know you all, so I suppose it's only polite that I tell you a little about me. My name is Sharla and I'm originally from Texas, but for the past 10 years I've been living in Europe, the last year and a half in Hamburg, Germany.

I recently stumbled onto the world of reborning by accident. I had just started learning how to crochet and was looking up free doll patterns online, and somehow I ended up on a reborn baby site. I had no idea what I was looking at. I saw a bunch of pictures of babies, and while cute, wasn't anything to do with crochet patterns for dolls so I left the site slightly puzzled as to where the dolls were. But my curiosity was piqued. What exactly is a reborn doll? "I'll continue my search for crochet doll patterns later," I said to myself, "First, I'll just do a Google search on the term reborn baby." WOW! These are DOLLS? They look so REAL!?! I was hooked.

I never really considered myself a doll person. I'd had a couple of dolls growing up, but I grew up with brothers so I felt like I had to silently appreciate them. I had to maintain my tomboy front to others. But these reborn babies just really captured my heart. I started looking at various nursery sites and checking out what was available on ebay. I basically told my husband I had to have one, using the excuse that it would make a great model for things I crocheted, but secretly, I just wanted to cuddle the daylights out of it. I found a beautifully reborn baby girl (Noah sculpt from Reva Shick) off ebay which I fought for up until the very last 60 seconds of the bidding, and I held my breath as I watched the auction end and wondered if I would win her. When I saw that I had won the auction, I almost broke my mouse in my haste to hit the "pay now" button lest the ebay gods somehow change their minds and deprive me of this little angel. The artist I bought from sent her out the very next day. I had her in my arms 2 days later.

In the 2-day interim I had told myself that the ebay pictures were probably representing her at her very best and not to be too disappointed if she did not live up to my expectations. But she was even more stunning in person than in the pictures. I've had her for weeks now and I find myself marvelling at her detail. I've been so thrilled with her that I've found myself snooping through ebay every day having a look at all the other babies. There are some amazingly detailed reborns out there.

Somewhere in the middle of looking at the reborn babies and deciding I really love XYZ sculpt but wish they had given it brown hair instead of blonde, or that I would really want this one if it wasn't quite so shiny, I realised that what I really wanted to do was learn how to reborn a doll myself.

I'm still in the planning and collecting stage. I've bought a kit and body, some heat set paints, a rooting tool with needles, some mohair, and a few other pieces. I've purchased most of my items off ebay and am waiting for them to be shipped now. I know I need more things, such as glues, thinners, thickeners, sponges, etc but I'm trying to pace myself and not get so carried away that I buy a lot of extras that I don't really need or can afford.

Whew, I really went on and on there, huh? Please forgive my verbosity. My poor German skills require that all of my conversations here be very basic as I try to get along with a 2-year-old's vocabulary, so I guess when I get a chance to speak, or in this case type in English, I get a bit carried away.

I really look forward to being a part of this community. Thanks for having me!

Sharla, you are very fortunate that you came upon this forum when you did. Guidance is a perfect way to begin, unlike some of us older reborners(oh gosh, I've been doing it less than 3 years but this art changes so rapidly that what I learned starting out is now old news). I highly recommend one of Lara's eBooks to get you started. I suggest the strawberries and cream eBook to new reborners as it has little video clips showing you things that Lara talks about in the eBook. Right now the store is shut down, but we can find a way to work around that.

Oh and

it's great to meet you and learn a little about you - how exciting that you are starting out with this hobby, this forum is the perfect place to be for learning and meeting new friends

Hi Sharla,Welcome To REAL It was very nice to read and learn about you. As everyone has said this is a wonderful place to learn.Ask any questions you may have,the ladies here are very helpful. So glad you could join us! ..Kathy

all for the warm welcome!

*sheepish grin* Karen, I already emailed Lara and she's invoiced me through Paypal for the Strawberries and Cream and Just Born Ebooks. Don't tell my hubby!

Thank goodness he's too lazy to do internet banking hahaha

lurk no more, glad you are with us now

Hi Sharla, so glad you are starting out here on RealReborn. You will love learning to reborn with Lara`s eBook and you can always ask questions and show off your work. Wow, it sounds like you won a great reborn on eBay! I would love to see a photo of her. The Noah sculpt is so precious too.

Hi Groovyday and rebecca! Thanks for the welcome! I absolutely love, love, love the Noah sculpt. There is an amazing AA baby on ebay right now using the Noah sculpt that I think is absolutely stunning. There's no way I could afford it though! But I digress. Here is my little Hannah Elise from the Noah sculpt. She was reborn by a German artist. She's quite a heavy little baby at 6 lbs 12 oz but I LOVE to cuddle her.

Here she is without further adieu!



There are loads of pictures of her at my photobucket but I haven't resized them so I'm only including the single picture of her here. Hope you enjoy!

Sharla, she is a little beauty, thanks for the picture!

Nice to meet you, you will love it on here, eveyrone is
so helpful and friendly.

You are really going to like Laras classes I agree...They will help keep you warm...now is a good time to start...I bet you have lot's of snow like here in Wisconsin...ENJOY