My First Doll Show as a Reborn Artist: From a Kitchen Studio to My Own Stand
October 2021. My first doll show as an artist.
I had a car full of reborn babies, a stand made using a throw from my own bed, boxes from The Range, a last-minute logo board and absolutely no idea what I was doing.
I was excited. I was nervous. And, as it turned out, I wasn't going to sell a single thing.
Looking back now, though, that first show was one of the most important days in the early story of Willow Tree Reborns.
I had been painting reborn babies since September 2020, but having my own stand at a doll show felt like a completely different world.
From visitor to having my own stand
I'd visited the Peterborough Doll Show in July 2021 as a collector, taking along our own babies, enjoying the atmosphere, meeting people and doing a fair bit of shopping. We took part in a baby shower, had lots of fun and, of course, came home with quite a few purchases!
I loved the whole experience, and somewhere between admiring everyone else's beautiful stands and spending money I probably shouldn't have, the thought started creeping in that perhaps one day I could have a stand of my own.
One of the most surreal moments was meeting a customer who already had one of my reborn babies. I'd been painting for less than a year, and suddenly I was meeting someone in person who had welcomed one of my babies into their home.
It's hard to describe just how special that felt.
It gave me a little boost of confidence, and by October, I'd decided to take the plunge and book my own stand.
I was excited, but I don't think I quite appreciated what I was letting myself in for!
Making a stand on a very small budget
I had absolutely no idea how to put together a doll show stand. I'd seen all the beautiful displays at previous shows, but creating something of my own was a different matter entirely.
I spent ages thinking about how I wanted it to look, what I needed to take and how I could make everything feel welcoming without spending a fortune.
In the end, I got creative with what I already had at home.
I used a throw from my own bed to cover the stand and boxes from The Range to create different heights for displaying the babies.
Not exactly a professional display designer's dream, perhaps, but it did the job!
I even roped a friend into making me a logo board at the very last minute. That was one of those jobs I really should have organised earlier, but somehow it all came together in time.
Looking back, I laugh at some of the things I did to get ready. At the time, though, every little detail felt incredibly important. I wanted people to walk past my stand, stop and have a look at the babies I'd spent so many hours painting.
The night before the show
Sleep? What sleep?
The night before the show was pretty much a write-off. I was far too excited, far too nervous and constantly thinking about whether I'd remembered everything.
The car was loaded early, and I think I was there before Ruth on the Sunday morning! I was ready to get everything set up, although I'm not sure my nerves were quite as ready as I was.
There is something quite special about arriving at a doll show before the doors open. Everyone is busy getting their stands ready, arranging their babies and making those last little adjustments.
Lots of the other artists and vendors came over to say hello, which really helped settle my nerves. I was completely new to having my own stand, but people were so welcoming and friendly.
I'd been worried about feeling out of place, but that feeling soon started to disappear.
And, naturally, I had brought a basket of sweets to entice people over to my stand. It seemed like a perfectly sensible plan at the time!
The doors opened, and suddenly it was real
Before the show opened, I took the opportunity to have a little wander around, say hello to people and meet some of the other artists and vendors.
It was lovely finally putting faces to names and having a chance to chat before everything got busy.
Then the doors opened, and suddenly I was standing behind my very own stand, answering questions and talking to people about my babies.
People were stopping to look, asking about the kits, the painting process and how long it takes to create a reborn baby.
For someone who had spent the previous year painting away in my own little home studio, it was a completely different experience.
I loved being able to talk about what I do, show people the babies up close and meet other collectors who understood just how much work goes into creating them.
But there was one little detail I hadn't quite prepared myself for.
I didn't sell a single thing!
Not one baby. Not an accessory. Nothing!
I won't pretend I wasn't disappointed. I'd put so much effort into preparing for the show, and naturally, I had hoped to find new homes for some of my babies.
But that first show taught me something I have carried with me ever since. A doll show can be worthwhile for so many reasons beyond what you sell on the day.
A well-deserved roast dinner
After all the excitement, nerves and hard work, there was only one thing I really wanted at the end of the day: a proper roast dinner!
After packing everything back into the car and finally getting home, sitting down to a big Sunday roast felt very well deserved. I was exhausted, but also incredibly proud of myself for actually doing it.
My first show hadn't gone quite how I'd imagined, but I'd survived, learned loads and, most importantly, I'd taken that first step.
What my first show taught me
Although I went home with all my babies, I certainly didn't feel as though the day had been wasted.
I'd met so many lovely people, made connections with other artists and vendors, chatted to collectors and learned an enormous amount simply by being there.
I also had the opportunity to pick people's brains, ask questions and see how other artists presented their work. There is only so much you can learn from watching videos or looking at photographs online. Being there in person is a completely different experience.
I came away with a much better idea of what I wanted to do differently next time. I started thinking about my display, how I arranged the babies, how I talked about my work and what people were looking for when they visited my stand.
Every conversation was useful, even if it didn't lead to a sale.
The show also gave me photographs, conversations and new people to connect with on Facebook. People who hadn't met me before now knew who I was and what Willow Tree Reborns was all about.
That first show was a steep learning curve, but it gave me something that was just as important as a day's sales: experience.
It takes time to find your feet
After that first experience, I continued attending shows, learning as I went and gradually becoming more confident.
I don't think people always realise how much of a learning process it is when you first start exhibiting. You can spend weeks painting beautiful babies and preparing your stand, but that doesn't automatically mean people will buy from you straight away.
Collectors need time to discover your work, get to know you and become familiar with your name.
Sometimes it takes attending a few shows before you really start to see the difference.
My next big milestone was attending the Basildon Doll Show for Christmas, where I sold loads of babies!
After that first show where I hadn't sold a single thing, you can imagine how exciting that felt. It was a reminder that one show doesn't define what happens next.
Of course, every show is different. There are days when you sell lots, days when you sell a little and days when you spend most of your time chatting to people and making connections.
That's just part of running a small business, and something I've learned to accept over the years.
Thinking of doing your first doll show?
If you're a reborn artist sitting at home wondering whether to book your first stand, my advice is simple: just do it!
You don't need the fanciest display, an enormous collection of babies or everything perfectly organised before you start.
I certainly didn't have any of those things in October 2021. I had a throw from my bed, some boxes from The Range, a last-minute logo board and a car full of babies I'd spent hours painting.
And that was enough to get me started.
You'll learn so much by actually being there. You'll meet other artists, talk to collectors, discover what works for your stand and find out what you'd like to change for next time.
Don't put too much pressure on yourself to sell everything at your first show. Of course, making sales is important when you're running a small business, but your first show is also an opportunity to learn, meet people and start getting your name out there.
Take the feedback, enjoy meeting people and give yourself time to grow.
Most importantly, remember that every established artist had to start somewhere. Those beautiful stands you admire today were once somebody's first stand, too.
Five years on, and still loving the shows
When I think back to that October 2021 show, it's quite amazing to see how far Willow Tree Reborns has come.
I started painting in September 2020, working away in my home studio and learning as I went. A year later, I was standing behind my first little stand, hoping people would like the babies I'd created.
Now, the doll shows are such an important part of my business. I love meeting collectors, catching up with familiar faces, meeting new artists and seeing the excitement when someone finds a baby they fall in love with.
And I still get those little butterflies before a show!
The difference is that now I know what to expect. I know how much fun the day can be, and I know that even when things don't go exactly to plan, there is always something to take away from the experience.
Come and see me at a doll show
One of the things I love most about the shows now is getting to meet people who have discovered Willow Tree Reborns online and finally get to say hello in person.
I'll be at upcoming doll shows throughout the year, bringing along my latest reborn babies, accessories and plenty of Willow Tree goodies.
I'll be at the Peterborough Doll Show on Sunday 11th October.
If you're coming along, please do come and find me. I'd love to see you!
[Find out more about upcoming doll shows]
Whether you're a collector, a fellow artist or someone who's just discovering the world of reborn babies, you're always welcome at my stand.
A first stand can lead to so much more
If you had told me back in October 2021, as I stood behind my little stand made with a bed throw and some boxes from The Range, that I'd still be doing doll shows five years later, I'm not sure I would have believed you.
That first show didn't go according to plan. I didn't sell a single baby, and I went home with exactly what I'd arrived with.
But I also went home with new experiences, new connections, new ideas and the confidence to do it all again.
Sometimes you just have to take that first step and see where it leads.
And, of course, make sure there's a roast dinner waiting for you at the end of it!
