Joan Rivers?

It is a kitchen witch.

So what does a kitchen witch do exactly? It varies among individuals, but many kitchen witches incorporate some or all of the following into their practice:

-Integrate magick into everyday life
-Explore ways to honor the seasons and celebrate the sabbats
-Grow herbs for healing, spells and culinary arts
-Make candles and soap for cleansing, rituals, and spells
-Can vegetables and fruits
-Brew herbal teas and mead
-Create charms using wreaths, sachets, and dried flowers
-Scry using tea leaves
-Use magick to protect their home and family members

Also called a cottage witch. She is there for protection most likely.

Man, this doll is one of my favorite things!

Some kitchens have a kitchen witch doll, which is said to prevent burnt pots, keep meals hot and flavorful, and to weave the family together. The kitchen witch doll is often placed over the stove, near the kitchen entrance, or sometimes over a seating area in the kitchen.

Superstition had it that when milk curdled or food burned, it was the fault of witches. The kitchen witch was meant to counter that with good magic and help out in the kitchen so that food never tasted too salty, water always boiled and food didn't burn. The superstition may be Norwegian. The craft of making kitchen witches had a revival in the 60's and 70's as part of the huge craft movement sweeping the country at the time. It is an appropriate gift to give newlyweds, as they need all the help in the kitchen they can get.

When I was also a kid we also called those "creepy". Now I think they're actually called "really fucking creepy".

Almost as creepy as those tissue box covers with hair and scary baby faces that were somewhat popular in the 70s.

Wow, thanks goml. My mom had a little kitchen witch (complete with green skin, pointy hat, and broomstick!) over our sink/stove when I was a kid. It was crocheted by my grandmother. I never really considered it - it was always just there...

Thanks, goml! So it's not actually a traditional Czech thing?

also thanks mudpuppie for the out-loud laugh

That's a great question, let me hone my reference librarian skills a little more and get back to you.

I saw those in an outdoor market in Prague, that didn't seem tourist-oriented, so some Czechs must buy them.

I fucked that up. The outdoor market didn't seem tourist oriented. Prague, on the other hand, loves their tourists.

Holy shit. That particular kitchen witch isn't kidding around, elizard.

I am finding the kitchen/cottage witch "theme" prevalant in many societies, such as voo doo dolls, cuchina dolls, matrioshka dolls, and the like. Dolls of this nature go back for centuries, so I was unable to locate a reasonable circa. for the kitchen witch.

What I did find is that tradional czech dolls are mainly cornhusk and very beautiful.

I love this stuff. I need to get my ass back in school.

Me too, getoffmylawn. Wanna go to Day of the Dead? Or have you been? I remember you're in CA.

Rb: Never been, but would SO GO!!! Yes, I am in the San Francisco area. DotD is in November?

Nov. 2. All Souls Day for the Catholics. I've always wanted to go - it's my birthday.

Where are you rainbaby?

I'm all the way on the East Coast. It'd be a major trip for me, and not doable this year, as I'd want The Husband to come, and he's starting a new job this month. Put it in the back of your mind for 07? I'll remember like the elephant.

Good. We'll pencil it in!