Custom Voodoo Devotional Dolls

Custom Voodoo Devotional Altar Dolls! You tell us who you want and we will make it for you! These custom devotional altar dolls are lovingly constructed from a base of sticks and Spanish moss in true New Orleans Voodoo folk art tradition. They are self standing and measure around 10 to 12 inches tall. No spirit is off limits, we are inspired to create sacred spiritual art from any tradition to suit your needs. We use the finest fabrics, lace brocade, ribbons and fancy yarns, feathers, beads, leather, fur, and semi precious stones. The faces are hand sculpted out of polymer clay and painted. All of our dolls are anointed with highly perfumed, exotic oils. Put the icing on your favorite altar with one of our one of a kind devotional altar dolls. Order now and get your order by Christmas! Pictured is Serket.

http://www.crossroadsmojo.com/

The Art of Conjure: San Simón Wishing Spell

Altars to San Simón always have a doll or effigy of some kind representing him along with cloth that is characteristic of the indigenous peoples of South and Central America. People turn to him with requests of good health, family harmony, job security, good crops, and the like. He has what is referred to as a dark side as well, but I like to refer to it as human. He is said to grant requests that have something to do with revenge and success at the expense of others.

Learn how to make a San Simon doll here!

The Art of Conjure: San Simón Wishing Spell

Creole Bayou Swamp Baby Honey Belle LeRoux

Meet the sweet Creole Bayou Swamp Baby Honey Belle LeRoux. She was born in the Honey Island Swamp in Louisiana, well known for its primitive beauty and exotic wildlife. It is said that the pirate, Jean Lafitte, roamed these wetlands and buried some of his treasure there. While many people live in fear of the mysterious and forbidden swamplands, Honey Belle spends her days lying in a hammock of Spanish moss that hangs from a gnarled cypress tree, gently swaying back and forth in the warm breeze. With the sweet smell of azaleas in the air and her guard dog Papa Gator in the murky waters below, Honey Belle LeRoux sleeps unfettered by the spooky sounds of owls, black bear, and Wookie, the Louisiana Bigfoot.

Honey Belle’s mother died in childbirth. Now, she is taken care of by the wise old woman of the swamp, Gran Ibo. Gran Ibo is the one who knows the magic and the medicine found within her little sisters who are the healing plants and herbs of the forest. She knows the power of the water. Through her, the roots, plants, herbs, and flowers of the swamp communicate to the Vodusi. Gran Ibo has swaddled Honey Belle in her baby blanket and bound her, Indian style, so she does not venture out of her hammock and hurt herself. She has carefully prepared a mojo bag for her swamp baby filled with special roots, plants, herbs, oils, resins, stones, and flowers, and tied it to her bundle to protect her from the dangers of the swamp.

Though Gran Ibo is the goddess of wisdom and patience, she is a hermit and lives in solitude away from prying eyes. Gran Ibo knows her swamp baby can’t live like this much longer. Soon, Honey Belle will be toddling about, getting into anything and everything. Gran Ibo looks for someone special to adopt her swamp babies and give them the love and social life they deserve. She promises many blessings to the person who chooses to take Honey Belle ot any of her children home. Will you adopt Honey Belle LeRoux or one of her siblings?

This Bayou Swamp Baby is an original design that came to me in a dream. She is made out of hand painted muslin, macrame cord, fabric, and Spanish moss. Her mojo bag contains authentic hoodoo ingredients for good luck and success, protection, and prosperity. It contains a secret Marie Laveau talisman for protection from accidents. She measures approximately 12.5 inches tall and 6.5 inches wide and smells fabulous.

Please note that the term "Bayou Swamp Baby" is copyrighted by me, which means it may not be used to describe anyone else's work. The original story that accompanies this listing is also protected by copyright. Please respect artist originality. Thank you!

This Creole Swamp baby Honey Belle LeRoux has been SOLD. There are many more Creole Swamp Baby orphans available for adoption...all you need to do is ask.

Bayou Swamp Baby Pierre Lafitte

This little Bayou Swamp Baby was born in a little fishing village along Bayou Barataria in Louisiana, well known for its primitive beauty and exotic wildlife. Bayou Swamp Baby Pierre is a direct descendant of the infamous Jean Lafitte, the pirate who roamed these wetlands and reportedly buried some of his treasure there.

As a privateer and pirate, Jean Lafitte lived much of his life outside the law, like any good pirate would. As a young man, Lafitte likely spent a great deal of time exploring the wetland and bayou country south of New Orleans. In fact, he is said to have a more accurate knowledge of every inlet from the Gulf than any other man.

Lafitte's lost treasure has acquired a lore of its own as it has never been accounted for. He had several stashes of plundered gold and jewelry hidden in the vast system of marshes, swamps, and bayous located around Barrataria Bay. One legend places the treasure somewhere on the property of Destrehan Plantation, where Lafitte's spirit walks on nights of full moons to guide someone to the treasure's location.



Lafitte married a quadroon woman (the term used to describe a person who is 1/4 Black and 3/4 French) named Madeleine Ragaud. While he did not have any children with her, he is known to have had one illegitimate child with Catherine Villars, another quadroon. My little bayou swamp baby Pierre is believed to have come from this union.

Bayou Swamp Baby Pierre Lafitte is made out of hand painted muslin and is wrapped in a swamp blanket made by his dirt poor swamp mammy. His blanket is crocheted out of a variety of discarded materials found in the marshes that were handpicked, cleaned, and then handcrafted into the blanket that swaddles him. Like all swamp babies, he carries a mojo bag containing authentic hoodoo ingredients and a few pirate treasures for good luck, success, protection, and prosperity. Baby Pierre measures approximately 12.5 inches tall and 6.5 inches wide and smells fabulous from the essential oils that infuse his mojo bag.

This Bayou Swamp Baby comes with a certificate of authenticity that includes a copy of this legend. He is signed and numbered and is a limited edition primitive handmade doll.

Please note that the term "Bayou Swamp Baby" and their stories are protected by copyright laws, and as such, may not be used to describe any other piece of art besides my dolls.

This Bayou Swamp Baby Pierre Lafitte has been SOLD, but thought you might appreciate his story:).

Spirit Dolls

Magic, myth, devotion and Voodoo...those are some of the elements that go into the creation of one of my spirit dolls. I first start with a form made from any fabric or material that inspires me at the moment, and stuff it with herbs and cotton, and anoint with perfumed ritual oils. It is a very intuitive process as the spirit that will reside in the doll ultimately guides me in the creation of its vessel.

Many times my spirit dolls are beaded. The Beaded Goddess doll in the first photo below for example, was made from leather on one side and felt on the other, sewn using a blanket stitch and then the face was created from clay and painted. I then beaded the doll using its shape as my guide.

Below are a number of different kinds of Spirit Dolls I have made over the years. As you can see, there is more than one way to make them.

Beaded Goddess Spirit Doll

 

 

 

Back view

Masa Spirit Doll

Close up of Masa Spirit Doll

Masa Spirit Doll

Spirit Doll

 

 

 

 

Aromatherapy Spirit Doll

Spirit Dolls

Spirit Dolls

Mini Mambo Spirit Doll

Spirit Doll

Lonely Ju Ju Doll finds New Home but Leaves Behind a Stray Black Cat

That's right...I'm upping the ante. Actually, I had a very hard time choosing a winner for my lonely Ju Ju. I am torn and feel bad to have to choose because everyone seems to deserve him/her.Most people seem to really be struggling right now (myself included). So I decided to give it the weekend to give people a chance to open their emails and post their comments. In the meantime, my lonely Ju Ju found a stray black cat charm doll hiding on the shelf. What a stroke of good luck for him! That means he will have a new home and since he's gotten good luck from the black cat, he will bring double the luck to his new home!





So who is the winner of my lonely Ju Ju Doll? You have to keep reading to find out...

In Western history, black cats have often been looked upon as a symbol of evil omens: in other cultures, they are considered to be good omens. Superstitions centering around the black cat are some of the most widely known and popular superstitions. For example, In Scotland, a strange black cat on your porch is a sign of upcoming prosperity. In Ireland, when a black cat crosses your path in the moonlight, it means there is going to be an epidemic illness. In Italy hundreds of years ago, it was believed that if a black cat lay on the bed of a sick person, that person would die. Many years ago in England, fishermen's wives kept black cats in their homes while their husbands went away to sea in their fishing boats. They believed that the black cats would prevent danger from occurring to their husbands while they were away. For all you kitty lovers, there's a whole lot of information about black cat folklore at the Mystic Voodoo; you can see a mummified Egyptian cat and learn all about infamous kitty deities and superstitions. You can even find a free download to Edgar Allen Poe's The Black Cat there. It's a short story but in true Poe fashion, I must warn you that it is a little creepy.



In New Orleans Voodoo, black cats have been the subject of controversial sacrifice in the past, particularly with regards to finding the one bone in the body that is all powerful. On that page at the Mystic Voodoo I was telling you about, you can find the actual Black Cat Bone Spell there, but I curse three times the person who tries to perform such a ritual. And you really don't want to be cursed by the Voodoo Mama...




The abuse of black cats for sacrificial and ritual reasons is no longer practiced nor encouraged in New Orleans. On the contrary, in the African American hoodoo tradition, black cats are considered to be good luck in matters of sports and gambling, particularly with card games and playing the lottery. The black cat mojo bag is filled with a number of luck-bringing roots and herbs, including John the Conqueror root, and adorned with a small black cat charm on the outside and carried on the person for good luck, especially when gambling.




Now, let me tell you a little more about this stray black kitty that is now up for adoption. This stray kitty is a one of a kind black cat charm doll. I will never make another one like her. I couldn't if I tried. She only has a bedazzled collar that is full of good luck charms and stones, but if you are the artsy type, you could add charms all over her body like I do to my other black cat charm dolls:



When I was making her, she only wanted her collar done. if you notice, she does have the seven magickal Voodoo pins for whiskers. If you want to adopt this kitty, use her as a focusing tool for creating the change you seek. Charm dolls are particularly useful for improving luck, happiness, financial situations, and spiritual protection. Would you like to adopt Lonely Ju Ju's stray kitty?



If so, write a comment below and give me your best, most persuasive argument. Oh, and by the way (I almost forgot in my efforts to find stray kitty a new home) that the winner for the Lucky Ju Ju Doll can be found here

Got Mojo? by voodoomama
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Lonely Voodoo Ju Ju Doll Seeks New Home

Here he is, or she is, you can decide the gender. One lonely Ju Ju doll who wasn't claimed last month. I still can't believe it. Ju Jus are nothing but good luck, and they are an heirloom too.


Usually, these dolls are adorned only on one side. This one is adorned on both sides. However, there is still room for you to add your own charms and what-nots if you would like. Here is a picture of my lonely Ju Ju's backside:





I have written before about Ju Jus and charm dolls. The reason I am posting this particular doll is because no one claimed it as the winner of the free Voodoo doll contest last month. But, in case you are interested in what Ju Ju dolls are all about, I have posted an excerpt from my book Voodoo Dolls in Magick and Ritual below.

Ju Ju Dolls

Ju Ju dolls are a commonly sought for their good luck and protection properties. The term "ju ju" refers to an object, in this case a doll, that has been blessed and functions to keep evil and negativity away. Sometimes Ju Ju dolls are referred to as guardians because they are used to protect the home from negativity. Other popular ju jus in New Orleans include talismans made of alligator heads and chicken feet. Ju Ju dolls are usually created as poppets, then adorned with colorful yarn, good luck charms, and gris gris bags filled with magickal items to bring positive blessings to their possessor. Ju Ju dolls can be hung above the doorway in your home to keep away evil and negative energy.


Sometimes, ju ju dolls are made in the form of familiars, such as the black cat, one of the most powerful animals in the Voodoo tradition. In the New Orleans Voodoo hoodoo tradition, black cats are considered to be good luck in matters of sports and gambling, particularly with card games and playing the lottery. Black Cat mojo bags are filled with a number of luck-bringing roots and herbs, including John the Conqueror root, and adorned with a small black cat charm on the outside and carried on the person for good luck. Black cat ju ju dolls are adorned with good luck charms and charms that carry a gambling theme, such as tiny dice and playing cards.


If you would like to adopt this wonderful Ju Ju Doll that I am so graciously willing to give as the free Voodoo doll of the month, leave your comment below and by Friday evening I will choose a winner from the responses. If you have not signed up for the contest yet, you can do so by visiting Free Voodoo Doll Contest at Planet Voodoo.


Good luck and laissez bon ton roulet! (let the good times roll!)

MOJO MAMA is a Voodoo Doll

She's all about the sass and soul, and layin' down that hot bayou magick! Did you know that the word Mojo comes from the Spanish verb mojar - to wet, and Mama means mother (okay so the second one is a duh)? What does that say about the Mojo mama Voodoo doll? Well, all I know is that is her name. Mojo Mama is an authentic good luck ju ju doll made in the New Orleans Voodoo tradition. Ju jus are blessed dolls designed to keep evil and negativity away and to bring good luck to their possessor. Mojo Mama was created to honor the Voodoo Mambo, the High Priestess, and the female Goddess archetypes.


This stunning, magickal Voodoo Ju Ju Doll stands approximately 8 inches tall from head to foot or 12 inches if you consider her gorgeous fluffy feathers. She is made of Spanish moss and sticks that is hand collected, and her face is hand sculpted out of polymer clay and painted. She is decorated with yarn, buttons, beads, and a variety of magickal charms such as a Saints Valentine medal, fairy charm, Day of the dead bead, a wing, crystals, an Israeli prayer bead, and a butterfly. She has her own Ouija board and gris gris bag, and is holding a witches ball that is a handcrafted lamp worked bead made especially for Mystic Voodoo dolls by Bountiful Bonita. This bead is to ward off evil energies. She was created with great attention to detail and with positive intentions.





You can see Mojo Mama on eBay now.

Voodoo Art Dolls: Voodoo Dolls in Magick and Ritual

Voodoo Art Dolls: Voodoo Dolls in Magick and Ritual

Voodoo Dolls in Magick and Ritual

For those folks who may be interested in the history of Voodoo dolls, you should check out my new book, Voodoo Dolls in Magick and Ritual. In it, I trace the origins of the modern day Voodoo doll back to Africa and Greece, how they were used, how they got here to the US, and how they are supposed to be used, as opposed to how they are believed to be used. In 213 pages (who knew there was so much to know?) I discuss the various types of archetypal dolls that have had an influence on the modern day Voodoo doll, as well as provide descriptions of the various types of Voodoo dolls one can find in New Orleans. For example, the photo below is a vintage Voodoo doll from my private collection. It is an old style Voodoo moss doll that was made in the traditional fashion out of sticks and Spanish moss, but the really interesting thing is that its face was made from the mud chimney of a crawfish hole.

Now, you are probably looking at this doll and thinking to yourself, or perhaps saying out loud something about how ugly and evil it looks. You may be surprised to know, however, that it was made to enhance one's intuition. So, you see, looks can be deceiving, even with Voodoo dolls.

Now here is another Voodoo doll from the old school style. It is called a ju ju doll and these are made to bring good luck and protection. A ju ju is an object that is used to ward off evil and negativity. The doll is adorned with a variety of charms, buttons, beads, saints medals and what-nots to charge the doll with the power of its purpose. Of course, being from the New Orleans Voodoo tradition, there are also some fun trinkets on it as well, like a martini glass and a "Party" button. A lot of times you could find these dolls with Mardi Gras doubloons and king cake babies attached, too.



Now, the ju ju dolls are a lot of fun to make and a lot of fun to look at. But they probably are a take off from the old style nkisi or bocio from Africa. Minkisi (plural) are crude wooden dolls frequently made for protection, and they would have a lot of personal items attached to them to enhance their purpose. From the book, "A nkisi literally translates as "sacred medicine". The term nkisi is the general name for a variety of holy objects used throughout the Congo Basin in Central Africa thought to contain spiritual powers or spirits. Minkisi (plural) are primarily containers such as ceramic vessels, gourds, animal horns, shells, bundles, dolls, or any other object that can contain spiritually-charged substances. Minkisi are often referred to as portable graves because they may contain personal items of a powerful individual as one of the main ingredients. Even graves can be considered minkisi because they house the spirits of the dead.

Minkisi may be created for the protection and wellbeing of the community or for the private use of an individual, according to their specific needs. For example, individuals may need protection for themselves and their families, or seek general success in their economic pursuits" (Alvarado, 2009, pp. 23-24).


Power Figure (Nkisi)
19th–20th century
Kongo peoples; Democratic Republic of Congo
Wood, paint, nails, cloth, beads, shells, arrows, leather, nuts, twine; H. 23 5/32 in. (58.7 cm)
The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979 (1979.206.127)Retrieved from the Metropolitan Museum of Art website.

Like modern day Voodoo dolls, the process of creating a bocio or nkisi was an empowering activity and sometimes involved more than one person. For example, there was the artist who created the raw figure, the diviner who activated the object by attaching a variety of personal items to the sculpture, and the client who uses it in a particular ritual context (Blier, 1995). After the sculptor carves it, the diviner customizes it by adding symbolic materials such as special earths and stones, leaves and seeds, parts of animals, bird beaks and feathers, all of which are specifically combined to attract and direct forces for an intended purpose. Consequently, each nkisi is a unique creation. While the ju ju is made of different material, the manner of creation is remarkably similar.

Well I cold go on, but perhaps I will save it for another post. If you are interested, you can read more about it in my new book here.

Voodoo Primitives

It's been awhile since I've posted anything here, but I have still been cranking out the Voodoo dolls. I started putting a little more effort into my Etsy shop, Voodoo Primitives, where I am selling my Bayou Swamp babies, pocket poppets, Swamp Ju Jus, and anything else I feel belongs there.

So Bayou Swamp babies are sort of like big poppet baby dolls who were born in the swamps. You can click on the links below to see each of the newer styles of dolls.

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade voodoomama.etsy.com

Oshun, Voodoo Goddess of Love

In Yoruban mythology, Oshun is an Orisha (spirit goddess) of love, intimacy, beauty, wealth and diplomacy. She represents the cosmological forces of water, moisture, and attraction. Her power is represented as the force of harmony - harmony seen as beauty, felt as love, and experienced as ecstasy.

Oshun is known as the mother of things outside the home, due to her business acumen. She is also known as she who has ears, because of how quickly and effectively she answers prayers. When she possesses her followers she dances, flirts and then weeps- because no one can love her enough and the world is not as beautiful as she knows it could be.



I created this Oshun Voodoo doll in my signature conjure art style out of two sticks and Spanish moss and wrapped her in gold fabric, gave her a gold crown and draped her with gold chains. Yes, she loves bling - gold bling in particular. She is holding a gold prayer ball that contains some of her favorite things; stones, fetish, and a suprise or two. You can put a prayer in her prayer ball and be assured she will answer it.

Her face is made of polymer clay and painted, and her hair is some black curly doll hair I found in a thrift store somewhere combined with some black fancy yarn. She is standing on a piece of tile trimmed in gold ribbon.

Voodoo Rope Doll

This Voodoo doll is based on an old style of Voodoo doll that used to be common in New Orleans. Made primarily out of rope, this doll is designed to hang on the wall. His face is made out of polymer clay, and he is wearing the characteristic strand of Mardi Gras beads.

Voodoo Virility Doll

One of my latest creations is this Voodoo virility doll. I created him for a customer who was seeking improvement in the area of love and sex. This guy is very proud of his manhood, and he has good reason to be.



I realized after making this guy that he is actually a Legba, who often sports the largest penis known to humankind and proudly displays the same. Here is an image of a traditional African Legba that illustrates this well:



Sometimes these traditional Legbas are called healing Legbas, or apologetic Legbas...and not because they have anything to be sorry for. Rather, they are approached with offerings and asked for forgiveness for transgressions. My Legba is a pure out and out sex God, yes he is. He is a favorite among my male customers who long for certain attributes. :)

A New Take on an Old Form of Voodoo Poppet

This is my sacred clown doll, which was inspired by the sacred ceremonial clowns, called koshare, of the Native American Hopi Indians. This doll is created like the traditional Voodoo poppet, consisting of (in this instance) a cloth body stuffed with polyester batting and hand sewn. Some clowns have special relationships with the sun, as does my sacred clown doll. He is wearing a sun face shield, which I crafted out of polymer clay and painted, and attached numerous pheasant feathers around it. His face is hand-sculpted out of polymer clay and painted in a fashion reminiscent of the koshare.



Sacred clowns are a common archetype across many cultures, though they take on a variety of physical appearances. Typically they hold dual roles as trickster and teacher. Pueblo Clowns, also called sacred clowns, is a general term for jester or trickster in the Kachina religion practiced by the Pueblo Indians of southwestern America. Each sacred clown has its own particular role and belongs to separate secret societies or kivas, and each has a name that differs from one mesa or pueblo to another. There are five different types of clowns in the Hopi culture, and each (except the koshare) embodies a particular spirit. They perform during the spring and summer fertility rites. It is believed that when a member of a kiva wears the mask of a kachinam, he abandons his personality and becomes possessed by the spirit. The behavior of the sacred clown is typically comic, lewd, scatological, eccentric and alarming.



This art doll was a gift for a friend of mine who has a special understanding of the sacred clown. The photos leave a bit to be desired as I took them as an afterthought right before he left for his new home.