NEWS - DOLLS & BEARS DELIGHT

Dolls and bears delight

Craig Cobbin | 3rd September 2012

ENTHUSIASTS came from as far as Adelaide to take part in the popular annual Bundaberg Doll and Bear Fair to appreciate the detail and craftsmanship of the lifelike creatures.
Now in its 23rd year, the event is organised by the Bundaberg Doll Crafters and Collectors and attracted more than 200 people to the Civic Centre over the weekend.
One of the organisers, Barbara Taylor, said she was thrilled with how well the fair had gone this year.
"We had lots of people say they enjoyed themselves and said they would be back next year," Mrs Taylor said.
"I've been doing it for 15 years."
Bundaberg councillor Judy Peters, who looks after the community services portfolio, said she had been a regular attendee at the event over the years and always marvelled at how incredible the workmanship was on the many dolls and bears on show.
"There were dolls in prams that you would think are real babies," she said.
"You would think, 'why is no body attending this baby?' That's how lifelike they are.
"The fine detail was amazing. There were lots of grandmothers with grandchildren at the event, which was lovely to see too.
"We had an array of magic woven into dreams to be loved and cherished."
The event attracted 170 entries from all over Australia, including Cairns, Toowoomba, NSW and South Australia.
The grand champion doll of the show was won by Wendy Schmerl, from Adelaide.
The proceeds from the day will go to the Bundaberg branch of BUSHkids, a community group that offers free health services to children living in rural Queensland.

ARTICLE - DOLL SOW NOT ALL CHILDS PLAY (WITH VIDEO)

Doll show not all child's play

Updated Mon Aug 27, 2012 

It is a dying art in other parts of the country but in Tasmania, the craft of doll making is still going strong.

Organisers of Australia's largest doll show, being held in Hobart, received 207 entries this year from Tasmania and across the country.
It took judges two days to inspect every detail of every doll.
Most are extensively researched, then cast, painted, and sewn by hand.
"We look at how well the shoes have been made, how well the wig's been made, how the costume comes together, as well as the painting," doll judge Leanne Vassallo said.
Most of the dolls came from Tasmania but some entrants travelled from New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia.
"We're actually the biggest in Australia at the moment," Sue Lyden from the Hobart Doll Club said.
"Melbourne's down to about 20 dolls so we're doing very, very well."
This year's theme, stars of the silver screen, and attracted entries from dolls dressed as Elizabeth Taylor in her role as Cleopatra and Glenn Close as Cruella de Ville.
Some of the dolls are so lifelike they have been mistaken for the real thing.
"People have gone past and seen the reborn dolls in the car and thought they were real children and rung the police," Ms Lyden said.