Have questions about Crystal by Denise Pratt

Baby Talk
1

Hi
I just got a Crystal kit on Monday and began working on it yesterday. It is a “firsts kit”. My questions are: for anyone who has done her, is her head supposed to be lumpy and bony? And is her head supposed to be higher on one sie than the other? It sits straight on the neck flange, but the shape of the head seems to be taller on one side vs the other. ALSO, on her hands her fingers have what look like extra vinyl which is rough feeling. On one hand it is the index and middle finger on the other it is the middle and ring I believe.
I just want to make sure she is not defective. She is a special order baby and I want her to be as perfect as possible.

She is really cute looking. Her pictures on the gallery do not do her justice. She has this sweet “almost” smile and her overall appearance is very peaceful and sweet. Her hands are really sculpted nicely with lots of detail, it is just the rough and raised knuckles that worry me.

Thanks for taking the time to read and hopefully respond with some experiences.

thanks
Joy

2

I went and looked on the BB page for Crystal and I see her head does look lopsided- as there is a bump in the middle but it is off to the side. not sure about the hands… are those the same as the teagan hands or no? sorry i am sure someone can come along and help

3

I’m working on Crystal now and yes her head is shaped that way its challenge molding from bring just pushed out as far as the hand goes her nuckles do kinda have the rised skin but is yours just on one hand or both mine is on both and she seems to look good please show us pics as u go or at least when u finish

4

Sorry miss spell smart phone took over “called molding” not challenge molding lol

5

As mentioned in Crystal’s item description:

[list]Crystal is the fourth of a series of Bountiful Baby sculpts with an anatomically accurate soft-spot, or “fontanelle”, on the top of the head, like a real baby has. It is by design the precise shape and location of the anterior fontanelle on the top frontal area of the head of a real baby.[/list:u:5fjabb3j]

The “lumpiness” you are seeing is an exact reproduction of the fontanelle (“soft spot”) area of a real baby. This includes the skull plates as they approach the “soft spot”, as well as the soft spot itself. We used our Anatomik/Biovere technology resources to produce it.

Curiously enough, some people are not used to seeing actual soft spots, along with the skull bone reproduction, in that manner. It’s never been done quite like that before we did it, and people aren’t used to seeing it in a doll.

But, as mentioned, what you are looking at is an exact reproduction of the skull of a real baby-- correctly done down to quite a good level of detail. Even the back of the skull, and the shape of the skull, is an exact reproduction.

We have the technology capability to extract chosen portions of MRI and CT Scan data, based on tissue density, and then reproduce it exactly. So we can get the exact actual skull shape, in every detail, if we wish to.

We don’t always do it, though, because people aren’t used to it. So far, we’ve only done it with Kadence, Kaelin, Jewel, and Crystal.

Bountiful Baby

6

Hi
Thanks so much for the replies.

BB I understand the bone sutures on the top of the head. Although I understand that you now own Biovere, the fontanelles that these babies have are not like anything I have ever seen. I have 9 children of my own and I was a Pediatric Intensive Care nurse for more than 25 years…I am exceptionally familiar with fontanelles! LOL I have the other babies you mentioned and I appreciate your attempts at making their heads anatomically correct.

As far as the head goes, as long as it is supposed to be a little “off” kilter I’m fine with it. The “lumpiness” I was referring to, on further examination, seem to be actual sculpting indentations. My fingers and my thumb fit will into them as if I were shaping the head.
What I am most concerned with is the knuckles on both hand but primarily on the one. I am worried that they may be vinyl blisters forming. I am sure that is not an anatomical “reality” LOL.

BTW I love the Biovere models and charts. They are amazing teaching and learning tools. I am looking forward to more of your “melding” the two companies together. It can only be an asset for us reborners.

So, to net this all out. The head is supposed to be the way it is…Great! Just didn’t want to be doing a head that had had a mishap. The fingers I am not sure are perfect. The knuckles are rough and two are raising with each bake it appears. If it continues to do this I will need to talk with you again and perhaps together discern if there is a flaw.

Thanks again for the quick responses.
Peace
Joy Franklin

7

Every real baby is different.

We can show the actual skull scan if need be. The sculpt is accurate for this skull.

Bountiful Baby

8

I have not communicated well I think.

I think her head is fine! I just wanted to make sure that it was a little out of round. Now that I had it confirmed by you (BB) and also by other ladies here I’m “all better” LOL. Yes, you are exactly right…EVERY BABY IS UNIQUE. Three of my own babies had 3 fontanelles. The anterior one, another just over the crown, and a third one down at the base of the skull. I am so grateful they had these still open as they had 15 3/4 inch heads!!!

My real concern as I stated is the finger knuckles.

She is totally adorable, I do not know why I hadn’t seen her cute little face before now. But she is so sweet with her little almost smile.

thanks again for the answers…I hope you are not taking offense at this…I was just needing reassurance.

Peace
Joy

9

I think thats nice- I wasnt saying that lopsided is back, just that if yours was lopsided so is the picture so in that aspect it is normal How fun imagine if I could have a sculpt done of my child like that! so cool!

10

WOW I can see it now…in the 1950s our parents bronzed our shoes and made them into bookends. Now in the 21st century we will have anatomically correct sculptures done of our children’s heads so they too can be bookends. LOL
My kids are now 45,43,41,38,36,34,33,28,23…I could hold up a lot of books!!!

Last night after she had another bake I checked her knuckles and the raised almost bubble knuckles were smoothing out. So I think we will be ok now. I hope! She sure does have a cute little face.

hugs
joy

11

Glad it’s working out, Joy. Guess the only advice I have for the rough spots is to check them carefully after you paint (and before you bake) that paint isn’t accumulating in those areas. I know I’ve had little divots near the toes and paint kept getting in those spots. I am anxious to see her. She is one sculpt that I haven’t seen done very much.

12

Thanks!
I have made a habit of checking every part of the baby under a magnifying light before baking for stuff left in the creases. There is nothing that spells bad reborning as much as that in my opinion. It is the attention to details that says an artist is really good.
As far as pictures go, I can’t post pictures publicly as I am involved in a secret swap on another forum and she is my swap baby. But, as I said before I had not realized how really cute she is from the gallery pictures. Her hands have a great deal of detail to them too. She is a lot of fun to do.
hugs
Joy

13

Yeah, when I did Crystal, her head threw me off at first just because even though it is real looking, I wasn’t sure how it would look after rooting. And since I can’t seem to root sparsely, all that detail went to waste. I really need to quit wanting full heads of hair!