FAQs
Are ANY OF these dolls for sale?
No, absolutely not. Some of these dolls have been in my collection nearing 15 years, and they hold a very special place in my collection and in my heart.
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What is the purpose of this website?
I wanted a space to share my collection and breathe new life into my doll hobby. I feel very nostalgic for the magic and whimsy I felt when I first joined the doll community. I wanted to make a virtual world of fantasy and fairytales, bringing a new creative spin to the dolls and the hobby for me. I enjoy the idea of building an entire virtual world that visitors can step into and explore. The plan is that it will continue to grow and expand, as new dolls are added and as new ideas inspire me. I've explored this concept before in the context of music collecting, mapping out an artist's music catalog, giving each song and era it's own little world inside the larger whole, as well as with a general fantasy themed website I built in my early 20's called "The Gysy Hotel", which honored my Romani heritage and had rooms for each of my friends and family members, gardens and a little town. This will be my first time doing this kind of website for my dolls and I am very excited to see where it takes me!
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What is the SIGNIFICANCE BEHIND THE NAME "THE CROOKED BEANSTALK"?
I wanted the fairytale aspects that inspired many of my dolls to be reflected in the name, as well as a nod towards an artist who painted several of my dolls, and in honor of our lovely girl Corgi, Princess Athena Beana, (who we affectionately call "Bean", and who runs the show around here!). In the fairytale, Jack finds a giant at the top of the beanstalk, but in our story it's a tiny Corgi... with a GIANT personality!
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Do you have any affiliation with the artistS of these dolls?
Some of the dolls you'll see were created by me, and some are by other talented artists. There is no connection or affiliation with any other artist. I am simply a collector and fan of the art. Rather than focusing on the artists and who made what doll, this project focuses on the dolls themselves and bringing them to life through photos, videos and blog posts, in an immersive world all their own.
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What is used to create the babies?
Reborn dolls are created using vinyl kits designed by sculptors, specifically for this art form. Heat Set or specialized air-dry paints and mediums are used to create the lifelike skin coloring and shading, and premium mohair or human hair is used to root the doll (unless the hair is painted on, or has a wig). Their cloth bodies are weighted with professional grade glass beads and premium polyfil. With larger babies, an artist may also use poly pellets to add *squishiness* to a doll or steel pellets to add weight. Resin, acrylic, glass or soft silicone eyes are used for "open-eyed" sculpts.
How long have you been collecting these dolls?
I began my journey collecting reborn dolls in 2011, and quickly became a fan of the monsters and alternative dolls! I currently have over 100 reborn dolls in my collection!
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