Bit of a silly rant, and really I don’t deal with this often but today someone just put my of my happy place. This is mostly for entertainment, if you find this kind of thing entertaining, I find it funny now but I got all grouchy doll painter for a hot minute.
A very nice woman inquired about two babies on Reborn’s.com. I made these babies three, maybe four years ago. It was when I was just starting out and my prices were still beginner low. She wanted to order a couple up.
We got into a nice back and forth (my choice) in regards to the mass manufactured rip-off babies from China.
Her (H): I want these Babies.
Me (G): I am so sorry I don’t do customs, but I always have new babies on the way!
H: I didn’t ask for a custom, I just want those two dolls.
G: Oh those dolls sold a very long time ago.
H: They are listed on the website.
G:Yes they are there but if you look to the right it says adopted.
H: Are you out of stock? When will you have more?
G: I won’t, I only painted one of each, I may paint that sculpt again if I have it but I don’t usually paint the same baby twice.
H: This doesn’t make any sense, why are you advertising a doll you don’t have?
G: I am not advertising those listings get left up so you can see what my dolls look like, my style, how many sold… Reborn dolls are painted one at a time by an artist. Some artists do customs and will paint a similar baby for you, but I don’t. If you look it will say if I do or don’t. It isn’t the way I like to work, but I am always painting babies.
H: Do you have any babies now?
G: I have babies on the way, four fantasy, one traditional (I sent little thumbnails of babies).
H: How much for the regular baby?
G: I don’t price them until I am done, It really depends on how much work goes into them, details, hair, the sculpt availability and edition…
H: Can you give me a ballpark?
G: I gave her a number, I let her know what fantasy babies run and a price range for a traditional reborn with rooted hair with painted hair, and combination, eyes…
H: You are kidding, why is this doll (my old doll) $______ and this doll $_______? this is the problem, you guys are just trying to rip people off, I have heard about this. People buy These dolls and they are (poop) and now you guys are just charging all this money, I just don’t understand how you can do this to people who really want these dolls? I am being gracious in my paraphrasing and grammar.
I explained the difference between a reborn doll and a mass manufactured scam baby. I explained how to know the difference. I gave her ways to protect herself when buying a baby (it was obvious she was not buying one of mine). I gave her links to blog posts I wrote about getting a custom baby… in my over wordy way, leaving nothing out, feeling like the burden was on my to prove I am not someone in a factory in Hong Kong trying to sell her a knock off Liam with yarn hair and t-rex arms.
H: This is ridiculous, why would I pay________for the same baby I can get for 112.00 on _________ (the websites we do not mention or say their names outloud because when we do they tend to multiply over night, see Jenni’s list, it looks like the Dead Sea scrolls).
At this point it felt a little “Who’s on first” I let her know that she needed to be careful and babies priced under 200 dollars coming from China were more often than not a great disappointment.
H: Well how the hell am I suppose to get one of the good babies, I don’t have that kind of money!
At this point I kinda wanted to row off in a boat and eat cookies.
I told her she could buy a less expensive artist made baby, there are a lot of them on Reborns, some really good artists who are just learning, a bald baby is less expensive, a new artist just starting out, a baby that was previously owned. I told her to just keep looking and maybe put a little away every paycheck until the perfect baby shows up, and I told her to have an awesome day.
Crickets…
I got up, took some deep breaths, walked out in my studio where my nine year old had been feeding my new paint brushes into my paper cutter, giving them all “haircuts” I kissed him on the top of the head and said in my sweetest mommy voice, “if you ever come in here and do that again I will drop every lego you own off at the thrift store”. I scared the crap out of him, he has been in his room reading graphic novels for an hour.
It’s been an interesting day.
I need a small vacation, anyone else?
She sounds so pleasant. 
Sorry about your brushes!
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