How to Make a Wax Voodoo Doll

Voodoo dolls suffer from a maligned reputation, thanks to the overheated notions of Hollywood movies. In truth, the practice of using voodoo dolls arose fairly recently--in New Orleans--and voodoo dolls can serve benign functions as well as malignant ones. Pins of different colors can be placed in them to trigger romance, financial windfalls and similar acts of good fortune. You can create a voodoo doll out of cloth, moss or other forms of stuffing, but a wax voodoo doll is inexpensive and holds pins extremely well.

Things You'll Need

• 2 sticks of wood
• twine
• sculpting wax
• cloth
• multi-colored ribbons or pins
• object associated with the subject (optional)

Instructions

1. Tie two pieces of wood together with a piece of twine to form a cross. Traditionally, the process required twigs from local trees, but you can use any wood that's handy. This forms the basic structure of the doll.

2. Apply sculpting wax to the wood, then mold and shape it into a basic human form. The wax should be easy to mold by using the heat of your hands to soften it.

3. Insert a small item with a personal connection to the person you want the voodoo doll to represent. It can be a small charm or trinket, a lock of hair, or even a coin that the person carried. Embed it in the wax as you sculpt so it doesn't stick out. This step is optional, but it increases the potency of the voodoo doll.

4. Wait for the wax to dry, then wrap it in fabric. Form the fabric into an "X" shape around the torso and secure it with a ribbon. The color of the fabric and/or the ribbon can help activate a specific type of good fortune. Yellow represents success, red represents power, purple is spirituality, green is financial success and blue is love. White represents positive energy while black serves as protection against negative energy.

5. Place a pair of buttons or dried peas in the head to simulate eyes and a mouth.

6. Insert colored pins in order to activate the proper symbolism for your voodoo doll. The pin colors correspond to the fabric colors noted in Step 4. Insert the colored pins matching the good fortune you wish to experience.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're using particularly difficult wax, try warming it with a hair dryer before you sculpt it. Be careful not to melt it to a liquid state, only warm it to the point where you can shape it easily.

• Use of voodoo dolls is largely a mater of faith, You need to believe in their power in order to tap into it.

References

• Planet Voodo: How to Make a Voodoo Doll
• Everything Under the Moon: All About Poppets
• Cartage: Sculpting Wax