A mother to a reborn doll baby, is spending £5,700 to give a trip to the doll around the world

Anette Kravchenko and reborn doll baby, Matilda

She adores Matilda so much that she wants to treat her to the best things in life including a £6,000 round-the-world trip. 

Annette plans to send Matilda to eight different countries over the course of two years, for a trip that started a few weeks ago and will involve travelling thousands of miles. 

Despite Annette consider the doll one of her daughters, Matilda will be posted to each destination as a signed-for parcel. 

‘She started in Brisbane, then went on a cruise near me,’ Annete explains. ‘Next she is flying to Japan and, from there, she’ll head on to Italy. 

‘She’s really looking forward to it. After Italy she will go to Holland. That will be in the spring, and apparently there will be some gorgeous flowers in bloom. 

‘I’m looking forward to some pictures of her among the blooms.

‘She’s then visiting Derby and East Yorkshire.’ 

After that the doll will head to Argyll in Scotland, and then across the Irish sea to Ireland. After that she’ll go to Springfield, Vermont, where she’ll get to see a life-size statue of Homer Simpson. 

Anette and reborn doll baby on selfie

‘A picture of Matilda with Homer will be hilarious,’ says Annette. After Vermont, Pennsylvania, then Matilda will celebrate her first birthday, 23 November 2018, in Cape Cod, before travelling to North Carolina for Christmas and New York. 

‘Then she is taking in Canada,’ says Annette, explaining she was then flying the 13,000 miles to Perth, then Sydney, where she would be met by her human family. 

‘I’ll really miss her, so I can’t wait to see her in Sydney. When she is near me I feel calmer.’

At each stop Matilda will stay with people Annette has met through the online reborn doll community, who’ll make sure Matilda gets to see the sights and enjoy plenty of cultural treats. 

When she heads to Italy, Matilda has been promised a slice of pizza. Matilda will also document her travels online so everyone can see what she’s up to. 

Annette estimates the trip will cost $10,000 (£5,700), which she’s funding through savings.

Annette first became interested in reborn dolls after the birth of her youngest son, William, now 13. 

‘I wanted more children,’ explains the mum of Aimee, Tianna, and William. ‘But my husband wasn’t keen. ‘After hearing about reborns, I considered that.’ 

Reborn doll baby Maltida with white teddy bear

When she looked into reborn dolls, Annette discovered just how expensive getting her own could be  so she decided to make her own, painting on layers of skin and threading fine hair into the dolls scalps.

That became a passion, which turned into a business, with Annette making more than 100 reborn babies that she sells for between £46 and £259. 

Despite falling in love with the community, Annette never had her own reborn doll until Matilda. 

Anette dedicated months to creating Matilda, choosing hair to match her own and spending hundreds on her clothing and accessories. 

She’s bought Matilda a diamond and plated gold heart necklace to wear on her round trip, along with plenty of new outfits. 

‘I love buying her things,’ says Annette. ‘But my family also know Matilda makes me money, through awareness of reborns and advertising fees on YouTube. ‘And she brings me and my reborn family so much joy.’