Hello. I’m new to the group and to reborn baby making. So new, in fact, I have only ordered one supply! I have a cart full of items on BB, but I thought I’d ask all of you what your best investment in supplies has been? Is there one tried and true tool that you can’t live without? I don’t know that I will be selling my babies once I’ve created them, unless I find that I can do it well enough. I think this will be a hobby for me and maybe gifts to others, etc. I have been watching tons of you tube videos and I’m so excited to order my supplies and get started! I’ve chosen “Elizabeth” as my first baby partly because that is also my daughter’s name and because baby is asleep. Any advice to give to a very new newby?
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Welcome to the forum
There is a new member post/comment limit so if you find yourself unable to post that is why.
Air dry or Genesis Heat Set paints?
Welcome to the forum! I am looking forward to see your first baby and evolving progress as a reborn artist 
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Thank you for the info about the post limit.
I do have BB’s beginner set of Genesis paints (8 small, I believe) as well as extra lip/blush/nail and creases.
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I meant to say that the paints are in my cart. Lol I have only purchased a drying rack so far! I thought I’d ask for advice before I purchased.
I started in January 2019 with that set (BTW lip/blush/nail and creases are part of that set. Creases are very unfortunate dirty color and if you watch Kim’s Reborn With Me tutorials she does not recommend to use it). Later I bough a set with primary colors, and then added individual paints as I wanted to experiment with colors more. But my first 3 babies were painted and two of them were sold with painting by the paint kit that you mentioned.
You would also need a body, plugs, neck ring, glass beads, polyfill, stockings for glass beads, cable ties, mohair for eyelashes, rooting needles, Aleen’s Paper Glaze for ‘wet spots’, glue for sealing mohair, magnets for pacifiers, varnish for sealing your baby. All that you can buy on BB to save on shipment.
Edited: …and NuWave oven. Buy only that brand as other bland just went on strike for two RA this weekend.
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I really like burnt umber
I do not use my warm blush or creases at all, brow brown and baby skin very rarely.
I think having red, yellow and ultra marine blue is helpful, and black if you are going to paint hair.
I use the nail clippers to cut zip ties and nipples off of pacifiers
I use hemostats to hold a cosmetic wedge when smearing glue in the head for rooted hair (I use liquitex matte gel as my glue)
The small headed zip ties from BB are nice
also their stockings are thicker and hold the glass beads better.
And also their glass beads if you are only doing a few babies I would grab them from there alaso.
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Oh, wow, ok! I would have thought the blush was a must, but I’m so glad I asked! Ladies, thank you a ton for the advice, I will adjust my cart accordingly. I will be pulling the trigger on the cart purchase next week! Thank you, again for your advice!
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Welcome! Great choice of doo. She is very realistic. I guess my mop brush good sponges with out any additives in them. I use bowls for paint mixing. I use GHS paint. What are you going to be using. Of coarse I use my oven all the time.
Also Elizabeth is not on sale now. If you can wait you can buy her for $30 or choose any other realborn that on sale next week.
I have the beginners kit on BB in my cart with extra blush and creases, but I think I’m going to change it up a bit and add the primary set with black as well. Also, I have in my cart the premium body for 17inch dolls that says plugs aren’t necessary? I read the reviews which seem positive. Experience? I do have rings, but do I need additional plastic ties? The body comes with them.
Do not use that premix blush as a blush. It has brick color hue to it. But I use it when I mix my colors and I love it as a wash. I don’t wash with burnt umber, like Jenni does, but each artist has their own ‘favorites’ and this is what makes each of us so unique.
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I am so appreciative that you ladies are taking time to give me some great advice! I am paying close attention! Thank you!
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Welcome to the forum.
If you chose Realborn Elizabeth, she will need a 20” body. If you scroll down on her page you will find what you need for her. Hope this helps.
I agree with all that has been said, and I also would throw in Yellow Ochre as a paint color. I use it all the time!
I also started with the beginner kit which is nice, however, the little metal paint pallet for mixing up your paints in is not good at all. Not sure if I got a faulty one, but grey residue would rub off the metal no matter how many times I tried to wash it. It gave all my paints a grey tinge. So I would suggest getting some little glass cups or small jars to mix your paints in.
Good luck! Welcome to the forum!
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Welcome to the forum!
You ladies are awesome!! I love the idea of not buying a kit, but I stressed forever trying to figure out the best things to start with, but I’m feeling much more confident now that I have all of this great info. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
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Welcome! I also agree with @Sony72. Her list is a really great start. I would also get some puppy pee pads to use over your painting surface, and make sure you have lots of plain white paper towels. If you can swing purchasing a separate oven (nuwave) for baking dolls only, it is highly recommended! As for additional supplies, you will find out what you need when you need it 
. Enjoy your new hobby!
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I buy a pack of zip ties with the less expensive bodies that have string ties instead of zip ties. My process includes putting a baby together multiple times to see my progress (kind of like stepping back from a painting to get the whole picture and see what needs attention next) and I would wreck TONS of zip ties if I didn’t do it this way. haha
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Welcome!
The first baby I painted was painted using the starter kit that BB sells. It ended up far too blue and I lacked the ability to neutralize it. I find yellow ocher and burnt umber to be indispensable for my dolls, but it all depends on the skin tones you like.
Another thing to bear in mind is that the sales that Bountiful Baby runs are very unpredictable. Don’t leave something that is on sale in your cart for any length of time and expect the price not to have changed as they update their sales all the time. (I don’t say this as an indictment on the company, they’re superb!) If cost is an issue to you when deciding what to purchase, just make sure to check your cart before you check out.
I look forward to seeing the babies you create!
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