(Profile of Debby Brooks - Rockaby Baby by Debby)
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Remarkably Realistic Reborns

by Pam North

Creativity and a love of dolls has long been a part of Debby Brooks’ life, and the combination has crystallized and inspired her to make reborn dolls for the past twelve years. It started with a purchase of a reborn doll as a gift to her mother as a likeness of her grandson so that she could keep his memory with her. 
Debby then evolved into creating her own reborn dolls, a path that led to her winning Dolls of Excellence Diamond awards each year from 2013 through 2016. As she is self-taught, much of Debby’s journey has encompassed learning about the availability and use of materials and mastering the relevant artistic techniques, and she excels at the intensively time-consuming reborning process which demands so many hours of detailed work. Her dolls reflect an age range from preemies to toddlers, and a size range from 17” to 30”. She uses top quality products, such as soft vinyl doll kits from the best artists, Genesis paints, soft doe-suede bodies with 100% polyester premium stuffing and poly pellets or small glass beads added in the body to replicate the heft of a real baby. Delicate painting of eyebrows and eyelashes over the beautiful and natural-looking German glass eyes; wispy human hair or mohair carefully hand-rooted and styled; and applied simulated fingernails and toenails contribute to the realism, and the lifelike illusion is completed with soft pastel clothing. The shading and nuances she skillfully uses to bring her dolls to life result in the creation of heirloom dolls that can be cherished for a lifetime. She markets them on her website, where collectors quickly “adopt” the lifelike infants which often are custom orders adapting her reborns to her customers' preferences.
She continues to develop her skills, and currently is working on reborns of fantasy characters, challenging herself to try something different. “I just finished a fairy and mermaid, and I will be working on an owl, a unicorn, and perhaps an alien or two,” she explained. “My future plan is to keep learning new techniques, and to stretch my creativity. My customers always are challenging me to try something new and different - they keep me on my toes!”

Contact Information:
Name: Debby Brooks
Business Name: Rockaby Baby by Debby
Email: rockabybabybydebby@gmail.com, 
Website: www.rockabybabybydebby.com
Telephone: (443) 694-9998