I have always been a kid at heart. I never grew out of things like rubber band guns and bull frogs.

I tell everyone that the toys I buy and the arcade crane machine in my basement are for the day when I have grandchildren, but I think they know better!

That's why it didn't surprise my wife Joanna at all when I first suggested the idea of starting a doll and toy shop. That was back in 1983. I had learned how to sculpt from my mother when I was young and loved making my own clay action figures. I was excited about being able to use my artistic talent in a business venture.

So I bought a kiln and put it in our small basement apartment. I was in charge of sculpting and making the faces and Joanna was in charge of designing and sewing clothes. It took a few tries and a few burn holes in the carpet, but eventually we were ready to unveil our own line of dolls. We called them Zook dolls, after Joanna's maiden name.

I took them to some doll dealers in the area and they loved them. We had entered the collectible doll world and were off to a running start. What had started out to be a toy shop soon turned into a full blown doll company. We were so busy making dolls for other stores that we never had the time to open our own toy store.

We sold the collectible Zook dolls for many years and many of our dolls won international awards such as Doll Reader's DOTY award and Dolls Magazine Award of Excellence.Since the early years we have expanded our doll company to include different doll lines and products such as Apple Valley Doll Works and Secrist Dolls.

In the late 1990's Joanna and I retired the limited edition Zook doll line. We found greater satisfaction and fulfillment in equipping and training other doll lovers to design and make their own precious designer dolls. Apple Valley Doll Works made it possible for people to assemble their own dolls without the fuss of cosmetic painting, installing eyelashes, rooting hair, and more.

Now I am especially excited about the doll kits we are releasing through Secrist Dolls. These all new doll kits take doll artistry to the next and highest level. In years past only doll factories could design and make vinyl dolls. Through the art of reborning and newborning doll artists can, with our new Secrist doll kits, do everything that the doll factories do except mold the vinyl parts.

Our vinyl doll kits come completely blank and unfinished just like a painters blank canvas. From this foundation doll artists can make the most life-like vinyl baby dolls that the doll world has ever seen. Their precious realism seems to make a special connection with people's hearts.

For me, it is deeply rewarding to think that I can equip others to make vinyl dolls that bring joy to anyone who holds them. When I see them I can't help but reminisce about the days when my own children were tiny newborn babies. In the last three years I began to wear yet another hat: that of coaching and training promising new doll sculptors.

My desire was to help them fulfill their dream to become vinyl doll artist with their own unique style. As a result, all of the Secrist doll kits on the Secrist Dolls website have been made from sculptures produced by these talented and committed people.