By Tyler Wright
A doll-maker for 20 years, Gembrook local Anne Lucas has owned her own online business for 12; selling kits, paints, hair and bodies.
Initially taking after her mother creating porcelain dolls, Ms Lucas moved onto creating dolls with vinyl fabric, selling life-like doll parts and kits to customers throughout Melbourne, Queensland and New South Wales with her business Anne Made Reborn Supplies.
Ms Lucas said business has “doubled” over the past two decades.
“20 years ago, no one knew about them… to start off with you didn’t have the kits that were available, you had to buy a doll from a shop like Kmart or Target and you had to take the paint off it and then repaint it… it was oil paints back then, and change its body clothing and stuff like that, maybe take the eyes out and put nicer ones in – and so then it changes the doll from a factory doll to a personal handmade doll, and that’s where the name reborn came from,” Ms Lucas said.
This year, Ms Lucas will take over the reborn doll show and bring it to the Hills Hub in Emerald.
21 stalls will sell various vinyl dolls, porcelain dolls and teddies for visitors to purchase.
“I think the show might make more people want to make their own because the dolls are expensive…maybe from $200 to $1,000,” Ms Lucas said.
Buyers range from children to the elderly, and the reborn doll show will raise funds for the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) foundation, supporting those experiencing the death of an infant or young child, a ready-made doll and other goods will be raffled off on the day.
Ms Lucas’ doll show and market will be held at 402 Belgrave-Gembrook Road Emerald from 10am to 4pm on Sunday 23 October.
