Reasons Why People Make Voodoo Dolls

Traditionally, Voodoo dolls were created to symbolize a deity. Researchers say they were brought over by West African slaves in the 18th and 19th centuries. They are tools of an old and spiritual religion. Because of a universal misconception, they hold a dark place in our cultural imagination and most people see them as agents of evil. In contrast, they have in fact many positive uses, both in the past and present time. Presently, they are constructed to serve a practical purpose in the real world.

It is easy to see how in a time of slavery voodoo dolls became associated with vengeful magic. Within their cruel world, slaves sought protection against brutality, salvation from slavery and revenge for the suffering experienced at the hands of masters and drivers. The dolls became tools for hope and cleansing.

In time, media showed voodoo-doll-making to the public as a bad form of magic. Modern-day practitioners, however, disagree with the latter and presents that a large percent of these dolls are in fact used for healing and meditation.

People are driven to make voodoo dolls for two basic reasons: to gain power over someone or an element ( the disinterested love object, safe travels) and to help a community (good weather for the crops). They are also most commonly used in meditation, a process that involves placing the doll on an altar and focusing on it as one concentrates on a particular desire. They may also be used to connect to a particular deity, by lighting a candle to it and making offerings.

However a voodoo doll is used, whether it be to achieve success, find true love or even more rarely, to inflict pain on another, its overall function is to place the individual in a give-and-take relationship with the spiritual and the divine.

See more Voodoo articles at the How To Do Voodoo site. Click here to know more about voodoo dolls.

Collecting Antique Dolls Makes a Wonderful Hobby

The great period for doll making was from 1840 through 1830.

In this era doll makers took great pride in their work and turned out dolls of great fine tuned detail, from the hand painted eyes in the smooth porcelain heads to the steel riveted leather or cloth bodies and porcelain limbs. The clothing on these antique dolls were hand made by accomplished seamstresses who took the same pride in their work as the doll makers did.

Today we can see this pride reflected in the dolls that have survived the past hundred or more years and they are truly a joy to look at. The fine porcelain heads with human hair set in the pates with the fine detailed faces reflect the countenance of the time period in which they were made. The wonder and innocence that seems to emulate from those faces can bring us back in time in our imaginations.

The wonderfully refined and cultured dress of the antique dolls that were made to represent the women of the time are exquisite. From the long underclothing to the many layers above, finished off with the high topped shoes and the sun shading hat. Armand Marseille, Heinrich Handwerck, Ernst Heubach, JD Kestner, Ernst Kammer, Franz Reinhardt, Pierre Jumeau and Leon Casimir Bru were each in the top of the top doll makers in the time period in which they lived and worked their doll magic.

Today any of their dolls are the ones collectors keep an eye open for.

Marceille, Handwerck, Heubach, Kestner, Kammer and Reinhardt were all of German descent, Jumeau and Bru of French descent.

When collecting antique dolls, everyone wishes for the best, of course, a doll with no cracks or crazing, which is a "weathering" of the doll shown by lines on the surface, and certainly no missing limbs. However, even those dolls are worthy of having in your collection. They show a loved and well played with history and are valuable just as they are, not all cleaned up and repainted and redressed and given new wigs.

More often than not, a " redoing " will diminish the value of a collectible doll.

If you are a doll lover of any kind, beware. Once you begin to really look at these old antique dolls, you will be smitten. They are hard to resist, but.. know that any one of them that makes its way into your home and your heart will never let you down. Their value can only go up as time goes by... and there will always be doll lovers around.

Mandy has a broad knowledge of all aspects of antique dolls...having collected dolls for more years than she cares to say.. and you can get a wonderful look at their history on her blog... The Doll Maker Of Old [http://thedollmakerofold.blogspot.com/]

4 Tips on Doll Making Every Doll Enthusiast Should Know

Who says dolls are only for small girls? They can be for grown ups too! The idea of doll making roots from different likes, preferences, and purposes. There are those who like dolls because it gives them a youthful vibrancy, some prefer to have dolls for sheer enjoyment and there are those who love dolls for the purpose of collecting them. Whatever reasons you may have, know that it's easier to make one especially if you're aiming to make cloth dolls.

Cloth doll making is considered one of the most inexpensive ways of making a doll. It doesn't require a big sum of money nor costly materials and fabrics. So if you want to know more on how you'll make your very first cloth doll, the following steps will teach you how to:

1. Select a preferred doll pattern - You can find them at craft outlets, quilt shops and even on online stores. Choosing an easy pattern at the outset will allow you to learn the ropes first before delving into more complex patterns. Doll patterns come in different forms, styles and sizes, so make it a point to decide which kind of pattern you'd like your first doll to be like.

2. Look for the material list - You cannot just go on with your doll making activity without the right materials in hand. Some of the materials include needles of different sizes, threads of different colors, pieces of fabrics, and some embellishments and accessories. You can easily find all of these materials on many craft and art stores off and online.

3. Carefully study guidelines and instructions - The success of making your very first doll activity will greatly rely on how well you study and understand instructions provided along with the pattern. If this is your first sewing activity, always refer to the directions provided for you. There are those instructions that only teach you what to do and not how to do it. If this is the case, then try looking for a pattern that will provide step by step ways of making a doll.

4. Make way for some research - Do not just depend on what you've got in hand. Oftentimes, patterns and guidelines bought from craft stores include very little information. If this is encountered, it is best to widen your research. You can look for further instructions on books or you can Google it. Remember, the activity would be so much easier if you have loads of how-to's and information to back you up.

Why Russian Nesting Dolls Make Such Popular Gifts All Year Round

Russian nesting dolls are also known as Matryoshka dolls or Babushka Dolls. The name Matryoshka is a diminutive form of a popular Russian female name "Matryona" and "Babushka" is the Russian for grandmother. These dolls are brightly hand painted wooden dolls made in such a way that they can be taken apart to reveal smaller dolls fitting inside one another.

The first set of Matryoshka dolls was produced in Russia in 1890, in a colorful Russian market town called Serviev Posad about 50 miles from Moscow, inspired by a set of souvenir dolls from Japan. In 1900, the dolls were presented at the World Exhibition in Paris earning a bronze medal and within no time their popularity spread, and craftsmen all over Russia began creating these dolls. Soon many other places in Russia started making nesting dolls of various styles. There are usually between five to thirty or more figures in a set, but there can be many more. A set of 72 nesting dolls, the largest being one meter high was created to celebrate the birthday of Lenin in 1970.

The traditional theme is peasant girls in traditional dress, but they can be found on almost any theme these days - you are just as likely to find nesting dolls devoted to Russian political leaders as you are to find them on animals, sports, fairy tales, cartoon and film themes or even the Beatles. Basically if you can think of a design you are most likely to find it with some on-line stores having over 1000 different styles in stock.

Nesting dolls are so popular that artists outside Russia have now started to produce their own versions. Popular Israeli artist, Yair Emanuel, produces one with exquisite Jerusalem panoramas, and another that is decorated with wedding and floral scenes inspired by the paintings of Mark Chagall.

Nesting dolls make such a good gift since there are so many different themes that you are bound to find one to suit the interests of the person receiving it. Traditionally nesting dolls were given as gifts to wish prosperity and happiness to loved ones. They make marvelous housewarming gifts, children's birthday gifts, Christmas, Mother's Day and New Baby Gifts and are also great as Collectibles. Both beautiful and entertaining a set of Nesting Dolls will become a talking point in any home or office, and will be a treasured gift for years to come.

Janice Kaye is the operator of http://www.holyroses.co, an online shop that specializes in Christian gifts and souvenirs made in the Holy Land. holyroses.com welcomes both retail and wholesale customers.

Hobbies that make money

Do you have a hobby? Is there something that you enjoy so much that is what you would rather be doing? If so, your hobby your next job would be. There are hobbies that earn money without feeling as if you are doing work. If you are want to write or do Genealogy or doll making, this all money makers if you have it the right way.

There are many people who have the talent you would like to have when it comes to your hobbies. But everyone has something that they are better than anything else. So maybe your talent not them but something that they do may seem impossible to you.

When you find something that's interesting to you such as Genealogy, there are many others who are interested in knowing about their family history as well. It may be that they don't know how to look into everything that they can either register the products. Or they may not have time. It sometimes takes hours to search 2000 census records and all the history of the different families who came from different backgrounds.

The hobbies that money will not even ones that you would consider. There is a call for everything that you can think of that you are doing well. Do you love to sew? There are people who pay large amounts of money for handmade articles. If you know how to make quilts, is this another item that people actually travel to different areas of the country to buy. They are also available online since the internet is such a popular medium for shopping.

The hobby that you have done for years can pay off. Are you a traveller? Do you want to visit out of the way places and see things you don't normally see on the regular routes that most people travel? If so, you can write about these sites and publish them on the web. This is becoming a popular way of travelling of today. The same hotels and attractions that every time someone goes on holiday are seen everyday. The articles that you write that people see that there are other attractions let as a holiday can become very popular. Everything out of the ordinary is a thing that people want to know about.

If you're having trouble thinking of a hobby that you convert to a company can experience, think about all the things you have done in the years and that you enjoyed the most. There are many things that you just do not think that they do and a hobby. Don't start something only for turning a hobby into a business. The hobby should be something what you love to do and do have experience.

A website is a good idea to advertise your expertise. Marketing is very important to let people know that the service that you perform is available. This is absolutely necessary to people who don't know you have an idea of the services you can offer. They can't hire you if they don't know what you're doing.

If you are looking hobbies that make money more click on the highlighted link. Here is a list of hobbies that make money.

Making Waldorf Dolls - Are Your Dolls Tough Enough?

"Rugged" is probably not the first word you'd use to describe a Waldorf doll. Those adorable chubby-cheeked faces look innocent, angelic even... certainly not tough.

Think again.

Waldorf dolls are meant to be play dolls. Children love their dolls enthusiastically, but not necessarily gently. They embrace them as best friends, and drag them around everywhere as constant companions. If you give a child a Waldorf doll, expect it to be in the thick of the action, not sitting on a shelf. These dolls might look sweet and innocent, but they need to be sturdy, durable, and yes, even rugged.

In my years of doll making, I've discovered that there are certain techniques that produce more durable dolls, while actually making the construction process easier! For example, one of my favorite doll making mantras is, "Double up."

The first place where I like to "double up" is in making the head. For all but the quite small, unsculpted heads, I cut double the length of tubular gauze for the initial head shaping. (If you've never made a Waldorf doll, this might not make a lot of sense to you. You can find a photo tutorial on my website that will make it all crystal clear.) Then, instead of sewing across the end of the gauze to close it off, I sew across the middle. Turn one half inside-out over the other and, presto! Instant double-layer gauze sock.

If you've ever had your gauze tube pop open as you stuff it with wool, you'll appreciate what a time saver the double-gauze technique can be. The double layer also helps control any tendency for bulges to occur, making a more smoothly rounded head shape.

Continuing with shaping the head, I use the "double up" principle for tying the eye and chin lines. I fold a length of strong craft thread to double it, and knot the ends together. This gives me a loop at each end for a much more secure grip when pulling the threads tight. A double ply of craft thread is stronger than many thicker strings you could use, but much less bulky.

For nearly all hand-sewing steps, I also double my thread and knot the ends together. This serves two purposes: not only does it enhance the strength of my stitches, but the loop at the end allows me to anchor the thread to itself. It's a quick solution to that annoying tendency of a single-thread knot to pull through the weave of the gauze or the doll skin knit.

"Doubling up" is valuable for machine-sewing tasks, too. Inside curves need to be clipped very close to the stitching in order to turn without puckering. A double row of stitches allows the seam to turn smoothly without risk of bursting.

Finally, my favorite way to "double up" is to sew with a friend. It's a great way to share tool, supplies, inspiration, and friendship. If your sewing buddy is a child, making Waldorf dolls is a great, fun way to pass handwork traditions on to another generation.

Margaret Lunn is an award-winning quilter, doll artist, and puppeteer. Her Waldorf doll patterns make beautiful dolls easy for even novice dollmakers. For more detailed instructions and shortcut tips for making Waldorf dolls, be sure to visit http://www.WaldorfDollMaking.com.

Where can you find cheap doll's clothing

There are many places that you can looking for free dolls clothes. First, you must check out your local Freecycle group and see what is on offer there. It is possible to place ads also so you ask you things after. Freecycle is full of people who are desperate to have a clear outside so that you might inspire someone to clear out some clothes and happy dolls.

You need for baby size dolls charity shops try as when the pop baby clothes can wear it's so cheap to buy real baby if it is to detect dolls clothes. Charity shops will also have some great bargains too and you'll be able to pick up an entire wardrobe full of baby items.

Family members who work can often be inclined in knitting that a jacket for a pop-and this is a great birthday or Christmas present at relatively low cost can make for them, too.

It is possible to dolls clothing scraps of cloth at home. It is easier with a sewing machine and you don't have to be a real expert. Using existing items of clothing as pattern ideas and cut clothes off a bit bigger than the items so that you have enough seam room. Small pants turning inside out can be tricky but a crochet hook makes an excellent helper for this difficult task. You will find it easy to make basic stuff such as pants-usually those they were created with separate pieces of material for each leg-turn them inside out to see how they have composed.

Dresses are simple and can be created without much zips and more time consuming things. It's a good way to promote a child interested in sewing if they are encouraged to assist and even some clothes for their own dolls.

Once you get the hang of patterns of work items, you will find it easy to make them more detailed and special. Children will often suggest colors and designs for you as well which is great for creative play. Clothing for dolls make only small pieces of cloth so it is possible to re-use old shirts or tops to cut material from. This means that there is very little input on these clothes.

If you are not very good at making the clothes ask around to see if someone you know well in the use of a sewing machine as they will be able to offer you much useful advice.

If you want to buy check http://www.top10toysfor.co.uk/ for numerous online clothes dolls out of large toy stores.