Preparation of the area you are using to make your reborn dolls is important. Organisation is the secret to being prepared for each step of the reborning process.

You'll need a large table or flat working surface to put your mixing plates, brushes and paints. The surface area should be free of clutter and covered with a vinyl table cover that may be simply wiped over with a wet cloth for cleaning. A dowel rod board is also a vital tool to have for drying and baking your limbs. Creating this board is easy. At your local hardware, you will be able to get a board of timber roughly 40cm by 10cm, and a dowel rod with a thickness of almost 1cm. Cut the dowel into four pieces 15cm in width and uniformly space everywhere standing up with an opening between each of about 8cm. Glue into a position and add a nail into the base of the board from the bottom to hold the dowel in place. Be conscious of this area when taking it out of the cooker, the nail heads will be hot.

This board will serve you well as a stable rack to hold your limbs between layers, and will keep the limbs from touching each other when heatsetting your paint. Your brushes and paint must be easily reached and visible when mixing your colours, having these displayed at walking distance to your working are will allow you to mix your paint quickly and keep the blend flowing.

Always have a substantial supply of toothpicks, cotton tips, tissues and sponges. These are consistently used in the reborning process to get rid of unwanted detail or lighten heavy effects in your paint. Having them near at hand is vital when adding detail to creased areas. If you're working in the same area as your oven, you'll need to open windows and doors to make certain you have airflow. Dependent on the kit you use, infrequently the smoke can provide you with a slight headache, unpolluted air is crucial.

Once you have finished your heatsetting it is recommended that you turn your range up to an extreme heat to burn away any fumes that may be lingering. Reborning is a relaxing and very addictive pastime. Having the right area to form your reborns will add to the enjoyment of the craft, and keep you organised at the same time.

The team at Front Porch Babies is very excited to be able to now give you the newest information on the world of reborn babies!