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If you are having a hard time in finding the right type of cushion for your chair, then you do not have to fret. Finding cushion and cushion cover is daunting experience, because you have to spend long hours and of searching for stores with wide variety of choices. It is vital to find the right store where you can buy different kinds of cushions and cushion covers. This will make your furniture set beautiful and elegant. Aside from giving new appeal or appearance to your chairs, it can also protect your chair and help your furniture last for years. This is the reason why patio chairs needs cushion and cushion covers. If you do not want to have a hard time finding cushions and cushion cover, JCpenney furniture outlet can help you. They can guide in choosing the right size of cushion for your patio and living room furniture.JCpenney furniture outlet is a one of a kind of store where you can find everything that you need when it comes to home furnishing. If you want to change the look of your home, then selecting the right design and style of furniture is important. You will find out that there are overwhelming items to choose from and it will make your job a lot easier. Aside from visiting their outlet around America, you can also choose to visit their online website. All the things that you can find within their store are also located within their online website. You can shop anytime and anywhere you are as long as you are located in the United States of America. There is no need for you to worry about the shipping free because it is offered for free. This is one of the best ways for JCpenney Company to give back to their customers overwhelming support.

Financial crisis marketing of office furniture business to understand the eight Strategy

[ HC office supplies network ] Downturn in the financial crisis ravaging the economy, the furniture, the key to success lies in marketing, business can seize consumers (including consumers and furniture dealer furniture) hands, to their promise, "We will ride out the storm together." Specific performance of the following eight strategies: 1, build customer Relevance Furniture industry in the development of marketing strategy, effective way to pass some of the business, demand to associate with the customer to form a mutual aid, mutual demand, need each other the relationship between the customer and business contact together to reduce the loss of customers in order to enhance customer loyalty and win long-term and stable market. This requires the furniture industry will not reduce the market research budget, but should learn more about how to re-define consumer value of furniture, how to respond to economic recession. The face of ever-changing price elasticity curve, consumers will search for furniture products more carefully, Kanjia will be more severe when. Than ever before, they are more willing to postpone purchases, buying low-end furniture products or reduce the purchase amount. Must have some of the furniture before now have become dispensable. Be trusted furniture brands in particular esteem by the people and the furniture brand will continue to successfully introduce new products, but the people and new furniture, new furniture brand product line in the waning interest, through the furniture products to enhance their image or to show off grade Consumer behavior will be less and less. 2, concerned about family values, strategyHas become apparent that the face of the financial crisis hit, people preferred countermeasure is "hiding at home, compression overhead," overall, 41.9% of residents said that in 2009 more likely to reduce consumption, showing the trend of consumer confidence. Judging from the income group, middle-income earners to reduce the possibility of spending rather than low-income groups and high-income groups, this is because the middle income group relative to the so-called low-income groups have more flexibility in consumer demand, lack of consumer confidence, the situation, they may choose to savings rather than consumption of this part of the "spare cash." So furniture companies in advertising, should focus on creating a warm and comfortable family atmosphere as a way to replace the extreme sports, adventures, individualism, and other raunchy image. Based on clown-like humor and appeal outdated. On the contrary, uncertainty factors have contributed to our homes as far as possible to maintain contact with friends and family. Therefore, the greeting card sales, telephone use, as well as for home decoration and home entertainment, disposable spending, will continue to rise. As marketing objectives must focus on outputs, focus on corporate marketing activities in return, so the furniture industry to meet customer needs, providing customers with value, can not do useless things. On the one hand, the return is a necessary condition for the maintenance of market relations; the other hand, the pursuit of return on the marketing engine of development, the ultimate value of furniture sales to the furniture industry is in its short-term or long-term earnings capacity. 3, to maintain marketing spending strategyThe arrival of the financial crisis, making the rapid decline in furniture consumption, in particular the end of 2008 sales is down than last year, refrain from this for many furniture companies to adopt measures to reduce marketing costs, in order to make up for declining sales with to loss of profits, it is very dangerous behavior. Data show that the recession cut into sales of competitors, those who can pay to increase brand investment lower than the economic good of the costs, thus improving market share and investment rate of return. Uncertainty of product was well-known brand for their consumer needs to build confidence?? The financial crisis, the audience sitting at home watching television more, the more the expected number of consumers, the lower the cost per thousand. Therefore, the financial strength and strong furniture brands and advertisers can take the opportunity to discuss a more favorable advertising prices, and called in the next few years to maintain the original price. If you have to cut marketing spending, try to keep your original broadcast frequency, 30-second ad will be reduced to 15 seconds long, instead of TV advertising with radio advertising, direct marketing or to increase the intensity. These practices are available to immediate sales results. In addition, most of China’s furniture industry, said companies are inclined to listen to customers, but often neglected the importance of listening. In the mutual penetration and influence of the market, on the furniture industry is the most practical question is not how to develop, implement plans and control, but how to listen to furniture consumers in time of hope, desire and needs, and timely response to meet the needs of customers. Only in this way conducive to market development. 4, the adjustment of product mix strategyBecause "in addition to wages going up, others are up", consumers tend to buy low-end furniture and excellent value for money for furniture (for example, can be used as bed Sofa ), So the furniture industry must re-forecast each line of furniture products furniture products. To be sure, the financial crisis, the multi-purpose furniture products than the more popular professional furniture products, while the weak product line of furniture products should be eliminated. On Office Furniture, The low price of high-quality national furniture brands will become increasingly well-known furniture brand invasion (because these well-known furniture brands for consumers, higher prices) in the territory; and home furniture for household use products, customers also want to bundled products and services that provide free home layout design services. In this period, the rhetoric of advertising gimmick has already failed, the consumer value is the furniture product reliability, durability, safety and environmental protection. Furniture industry should remain timely introduction of some new furniture products, especially those aimed at the consumer situation, pressure on the competitors of furniture products, furniture products, but should remain focused and excellent advertising value for money, not the furniture company’s image.

Office is a home away from home because it is the place where one has to spend a large amount of time every day. When we spend 1/3 of every day in the office we need something to hold our interest so that we can enjoy the work we are doing. Imagine walking into a drab and boring office space and working like a machine for long hours. This kind of work environment will not prove to be of any help to the office owner nor to his employees. Until and unless one enjoys his work and feels comfortable at work then an office can never function in a desirable manner. Staff contentment and increased work productivity of an office depends on its furnishing and over all decor. Select Lacasse C.I.T.E Furniture and place it adequately in order to make your office look great and be highly functional as well.No matter what the size of your budget, you can always find fine quality furnishing items within your budget. But then your task does not end with hunting out proper furniture for your office. If office decor is not adequately set up, even the finest of furniture would fail to be of any help. In order to reinvent the space where you work, make the decor of the office conducive for work and nice to look at. Lacasse C.I.T.E Furniture can help to build the dream office you are in search of.When you wish to create a relaxing yet productive office atmosphere you need to care about every detail that makes an office a lovable place to work. Lacasse Office Furniture has earned great fame in the field of office furnishing since they truly knows how to make top class furnishing styles. Attention to details, comfort and appeal are the signature features of Lacasse’s creations. It has truly made a great name for itself in the field of innovative office furniture manufacturing. If you are in need of furniture that comes with a blend of high-end aesthetics and functionality, then Lacasse C.I.T.E Furniture is what you would need.From the materials used to manufacture these furnishing items to their cuts, everything helps to create an aura of modernity which is apt for modern workspaces. Modern offices are meant for team based collaborations; the office furnishing styles of Lacasse are meant for promoting this collaborative atmosphere of modern offices. The testament to Lacasse’s commitment towards producing quality office furniture is the amazing collection of furnishing styles manufactured by the company. These highly functional furnishing items are designed for comfort and efficiency. With a plethora of designs, styles and colors to choose from, office owners can easily find a collection of their choice and that falls within their budget. So do not just stick to the existing decor and furnishing of your workspace; try something new with C.I.T.E from Lacasse OfficeFurniture.

Most people decide on what style they want to use in their home before they shop for furniture and home decor. Everyone knows that the theme you choose for has an influence on how you feel when you’re in the home. For example, a more casual setting automatically makes you feel more relaxed. And, some styles just yell “don’t put your feet on the couch”!

It doesn’t matter which style you choose, color naturally has a big influence on your choice. Color plays a big role in the total look of your home. But, did you know that color has a huge effect on your emotions and moods? In fact, color can make you feel a wide range of emotions from calm and energetic, to happy and depressed.

Scientists have proven that color can alter your mood. It’s one of the most important factors in relaxation. Because around 75 percent of all illnesses are in some way related to stress, relaxation plays a big role in preventing diseases. Colors have a drastic effect on your physical and emotional well being.

Purity

White is the color of purity, cleanliness and peace. It’s very popular in home decorating because it will literally match anything. Along with other neutral colors, white evokes a feeling of balance. However, it can also create a feeling of sterility which is why it’s the most commonly used color in hospitals and medical facilities.

Peaceful Theme

Blue is a very peaceful and tranquil color that literally causes the body to produce chemicals that calm. Studies have shown that people are actually more productive if they are in a blue room. Much like watching the waves on the ocean or starring at a clear blue sky is relaxing, blue can make you feel serene and carefree. Blue slows your pulse rate, lowers the temperature of your body and suppresses your appetite.

Wanna feel happy?

Yellow is the color of happiness! It adds a cheerful feel to the room and will lighten your mood. It can speed up the metabolism and enhance concentration. However, it has been shown that people are more likely to lose their tempers more often when there around a lot yellow and babies will even cry more. So, try to make sure that you don’t overuse the color.

Be passionate!

Red just automatically evokes feelings of passion, but it also makes your emotions more intense. While it can increase passion in the bedroom, it can turn a lovers spat into a full blown argument. It’s the most energetic color there, it stimulates brain activity, causes your heart to beat faster and produces a rise in blood pressure.

Going green

Green themes are currently very popular. Because it’s the most common color in nature, it has a soothing, calming effect. Green colors are very easy on the eye and can actually improve your vision. It can make you feel refreshed, calm and nourished. It’s also associated with compassion and clear perception.

grounded, are you?

Brown is another color that is very abundant in nature. It’s the color of earth, trees and soil. It creates a homey feel in a room and is associated with comfort and friendliness. Although brown creates feelings of warmth and sophistication, it can also be a sad color.

Although the style of your rooms is very important, if you want to feel your best in your home, you might want to put more thought into the colors you choose. Emotions and colors are very closely related and your mood can effect how you feel physically. Decide on what specific mood you are trying to establish and choose your colors to create that mood.

Author Bio:

Oleg Oyfe manages LA Furniture Store.

LAFurnitureStore.com offers everything you need when it comes to living room furniture. It offers the furniture you need to make your home look and feel more modern. Whether you are looking for new sofa tables or sectional living room furniture, LAFurniturestore.com has what you need.

Perking up your home could cost you a fortune. And this is especially the case when your purchase list is full of exquisite and branded furniture items. Often, we end up spending mindless amount of money, and that too quite unnecessarily, on furniture items because of a falsely held belief that cheap furniture items are necessarily of inferior quality. Though it might be true to a large extent, but if you are intelligent and diligent in your buying decisions, it could translate into economical furniture purchase and that too without compromise on quality. This piece of informative article will equip you with the information on how to economize your furniture purchase. First things first! Budget earmarking is the first thing when you go out to buy furniture. A maximum and minimum range should be set. Ideally, it should neither be ridiculously low nor extravagantly high. Along with the budget, make a list of the required furniture items. Always insist on buying from the source. The dealers dealing in bulk can offer handsome discounts on your purchase. And moreover, you can be sure of quality of the furniture when dealing with bulk dealers. For instance, if your choice is exquisitely made Amish handcrafted furniture, always try to find wholesale Amish furniture dealer in the area. This is essential because Amish furniture is quite a hit among elite and to be sure of quality products, a wholesale dealer with good reputation will relieve you of a major headache. And since he is a wholesale dealer, the price of Amish furniture would obviously be on the lower side due to the absence of retailers commission. The outlets of major furniture retailers, furniture warehouses, thrift stores, liquidation and discount stores could also be helpful in saving extra bucks. The furniture items on these outlets may not be up to the mark but ignore them at your own peril. Some flaws are too minor to be noticed and can only be detected after careful scrutiny. If the defect is trivial, there is no long-term harm in buying the item. Similar logic goes with used furniture. Normally, used furniture is not preferred by the quality conscious, but if you want antiques to adorn the walls and floors of your home, used furniture is the way to go. Affordable and quality used furniture from a reputed used furniture dealer would never be a bad deal. Annual sale time is ideal for purchasing otherwise expensive furniture items. Sales are a bonanza time for the buyers looking to save hard-earned dollars. As everything-must-go is the catchphrase in these sales, throwaway prices are the order of the day.
Be aware of promotional schemes of major furniture retailers. From time-to-time, the retailers come up with schemes that will lure the shoppers spending big bucks. In-store credit card, discount on second purchase, customer retention schemes are all part of the strategies that will benefit both the retailers as well as the buyers. Cheap quality furniture should be your aim when you set the foot inside a furniture store. Adopt all bargaining tactics to avail the extra discounts on furniture stock. The author buys her furniture from wholesale Amish furniture dealers. You can browse through online stores and have them delivered to your home. Exclusive Amish made furniture will make your house stand out amongst others. Check out some great Amish furniture for your home and office. Related Articles – amish furniture, handcrafted, furniture, cheap, quality, used furniture, economical, dealer, annual sale, bargain, affordable, thrift store, Email this Article to a Friend!Receive Articles like this one direct to your email box!Subscribe for free today!

Everyone is emphasizing on the same thing today, that is to save the earth from the disastrous aftermaths of the modern day evils that are, pollution, overpopulation and deforestation. The earth is in a dire need to be saved by reducing the above mentioned evils. In such situation, eco friendly furniture can be a choice if you are planning for the perfect home furniture with an eco friendly atmosphere. All this without having to change your gumption of style and comfort level. Eco friendly furniture is in a huge demand amongst mass as well as the class.

Eco Friendly Furniture
Furniture is the basic necessity in any house that distinguishes it from all the rest. It is important to plan your furniture carefully as this decides the expression of your personal style. Eco friendly furniture can be the trendy way that you can prefer over many other furniture types. There are some great eco friendly chairs, desks, space dividers, cabinets and all other possible furniture pieces. The readily available eco friendly furniture offers a variety of eco friendly materials that are made from recycled and harvested wood, bio based as well as non toxic materials that cause less pollution than the regular furniture that we use. There are various types of eco friendly furniture that go easy on pocket and high on fashion. Eco friendly furniture have plenty of products that you can select, according to your requirements and style logo.

Eco Friendly Furniture: Industrial Scraps
In this growing era of technology, there is a large amount of industrial scrap that simply multiplies the pollution and harms the environment beyond our imagination. Hence, the researchers have found out a cool way of managing this industrial scrap by using it in making a variety of furniture articles that are aesthetic as well as eclectic. These eco friendly furniture items are available in various striking colors as well as with washable qualities which makes them more durable.

Eco Friendly Furniture: Egg Cartons
The eggs cartons get saturated as much as the amount of the eggs we use. Egg cartons are actually made up of cardboards, that are not used any further. There are various eco friendly baby furniture items made from these waste egg cartons. These egg cartons are turned into the paper pulp that can later on be turned into various small desks and stools for the kids furniture.

Eco Friendly Furniture: Recycled Fiber
The couches, chairs and even cushions on the sofas are actually a combination of steel mesh and fiber sacks that were previously being used for the transportation of grains and stones. These furniture items are really very lightweight. The furniture made of recycled fiber actually looks like some homemade marshmallows. Some of these furniture products come with low watt light fixtures that add an unique accent to the furniture by emitting lights. if you are thinking of remodeling your office, you can think of buying eco friendly office furniture.

Eco Friendly Furniture: Bamboo and Cane
Cane or wicker furniture can be stated as the most eco friendly furniture items. Both cane and bamboo grow on a huge amount in most parts of Asia. They are easily destroyable hence they need not to be sent in the landfills. Most of these pieces of furniture are handmade, so they don’t require machinery and they are free from pollution that comes along with the machines. They are also available in numerous styles and designs and are easy on the budget as well.

Tips for Buying Eco Friendly Furniture
If you are in search of eco friendly furniture, you might throw away the existing furniture that can cause more pollution in the lowlands and due to recycling as well as transportation.
It is best not to throw away the old furniture articles, you can donate it or sell it to someone who needs it. Plus you can also think about recycling old furniture to fit your needs.
Always buy wood furniture that has been made using wood that is certified by the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), that makes sure that the furniture is correct on all the environmental, economic as well as social counts.
Buy furniture from your local retailer as much as possible that saves the transportation cost, as well as pollution.
Furniture as well as the paints can actually contaminate your indoor air as they can emit toxic rays. Hence, it is important to choose the substances that are water based and with the lowest VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds).
Use the foam inside the furniture that is not processed with the flame retardants. This type of foam can actually interrupt the brain development and thyroid hormones.
Always use eco friendly fabric with natural colors and dyes. Cotton is traditionally treated with heavy amount of pesticides and VOCs for the desired color of the fabric. This can cause harm to the health as well as the environment. So, try to avoid it and use organic cotton.
With rising pollution and environmental degradation, protecting the environment must be our primary goal. Eco friendly furniture can take you one step ahead in this noble cause, with added panache to your house with your original signature on the eco friendly furniture. So, without any delay, go green!

Living room furniture is a big investment and it’s usually the most used furniture in a home. It’s where you entertain guests, spend quality time with the family and relax after a long day. Daily use can really take a toll on your furniture. But, there are some simple tricks to keep your living room furniture clean and looking new for years to come.

The key to keeping your living room furniture clean is to clean it regularly before the soil builds up. Vacuum your furniture at least once a week and remember to vacuum between the cushions and in the crevices. If you use a brush attachment on your vacuum, make sure that it has soft bristles. Stiff bristles can damage, or break the threads in the fabric and you will end up with a hole in your upholstery.

Avoid using any type of harsh chemicals on your living room furniture. Upholstery cleaners that contain toxins and harsh chemicals can actually permanently damage the fabric. Some of these cleaners will even remove the protective coating that helps the fabric resist stains and soil. Not only will the upholstery be more susceptible to stains and soil, it will start to look dull and worn rather quickly.

While steam cleaning might sound like a great way to remove stains and dirt, it can literally destroy your furniture. It can take days for the piece to fully dry and in the meantime, the excess moisture is doing it’s damage. Even if the surface of the upholstery feels dry, there can still be moisture deep down in the stuffing. It can cause your furniture to smell, promote the growth of molds and mildew and even cause the fabric to rot.

If you use your living room a lot, spills can be hard to avoid. While a spill can permanently damage the fabric, don’t panic. Clean it up immediately so that it doesn’t soak deep into the fabric. Use a clean, white cloth so that any dyes in the cloth don’t leak into the upholstery. Blot the spill from the edge to the center to keep from spreading the liquid.

If the spill is solid, use a spoon or other flat object to scrape up the excess before cleaning. Whether it is liquid or solid, never rub a spill. It will only push the stain further into the fabric. Clean the spot with soap and warm water and rinse the cloth frequently. If you clean it as soon as possible, a little soap and warm water will almost always remove the spot.

Many spills can be cleaned with warm water. If you do need to use soap, choose a mild soap and use a small amount. Soaps that create a lot of suds will leave a residue on the fabric that will attract dirt. And, avoid using regular tap water if possible. Tap water contains minerals that can leave a ring on the fabric.

Oleg Oyfe manages LAFurnitureStore.

LAFurnitureStore.com offers everything you need when it comes to living room furniture . It offers the furniture you need to make your home look and feel more modern. Whether you are looking for new sofa tables or sectional living room furniture, LAFurniturestore.com has what you need. We have the best italian furniture in town.

Indian craftsmanship has always enjoyed a fame that has invited both respect and pillage from the earliest days. Whether it is stone work on temples or standalone articles, terracotta figurines, jewelry pieces, woodwork or graphic and plastic art, the craftsmen from this country have always been welcomed by connoisseurs of beauty. At times, however, this fixation with beauty sacrificed utility and comfort this tendency resulted in ornate and complicated creations like a wooden throne, for example, that would have raised the goose-bumps, but would also have given a nasty backache. Local tradition and culture contributed to the furthest development of ornamental woodwork for palaces, temples, public houses, works of arts, etc but did not generate any utilitarian furniture of the kind we modern dwellers of the world are used to. One big reason for this was that eating was mainly done on floor, and sitting and resting on charpoys (simple string bed with wooden posts). The main thrust to furniture development was given by foreign influence.

When the Portuguese, the first Europeans to come to India, arrived, they did not find any familiar furniture, it was them, and later, the Dutch, the French and the English, who inspired the composition of domestic furniture to cater to their settlements. The Indian carpenter turned out to be precocious in adapting foreign designs and inducing in them an indigenous flavor of craftsmanship. Thus, as Joseph Butler mentions in an article in Encyclopedia Britannica, India’s place in the history of furniture is that of an adapter or transformer of imported Western styles rather than a creator of independent styles of its own. It was the play of these influences that gave birth to the Mughal style, the Goanese, the Indo-Dutch style, the use of ebony and ivory in the manner of Chippendale and Sheraton.

English predominance since the 18th century resulted in English influence in furniture styling, and this became so popular that even Indian rulers became patrons (this latter tendency could simply be a reflection of the Anglicization of the rulers, of their desire to identify with the ruling class). In the 19th century, the ornamentation assumed primacy, divorcing itself once again from utility.

A tropical country with about eighty varieties of hardwood available for woodwork, India has an old tradition of furniture making. Subsequent to the English influence who cultivated teak as a royal tree for shipping industry (teak is tremendously resilient to water and weather), teak assumed tremendous popularity for quality woodwork. Almost all large articles were composed on wood. Royal houses and rich households have always been the traditional patrons of the furniture industry, and even today the royal palaces strewn across the four corners of India feature some of the most illustrious examples of indigenous woodwork. Frederick Litchfields Illustrated History of Furniture (1893) mentions many such marvels that still mesmerize. Like the two wooden teak doors sent as gift to the Indian Government and now kept in the National Museum (Kolkata). Or the shisham wood (rosewood) carved window at Amritsar with its overhanging cornice, ornamental arches with pillars and intricate work on the body. Royal gifts sent to the Queen and the King as well as the Princes also showed an obsession with details that is unique to India. Even today, much of British royal furniture is of Indian vintage.

In the years since the British left the furniture industry in India has evolved. Utility and simplicity gained primacy over art. Price considerations have driven down ornamentation to the minimum, and cheaper wood varieties have come to be used to cater to the huge low cost demand. Yet, in niche areas the old forms of furniture still continue to be crafted. In many places, like Rajasthan, that still has a royal ethos in a Republican India, with its dozens of Palaces, the old form of furniture making is still preserved. Here, one can take a time travel and find works of an earlier day being crafted with the same expertise. Exported around the world wherever antique and ornamental furniture is appreciated, the Jodhpur furniture forms the focal point of this industry. Nowadays foreign designs are adapted with local styles that are hugely popular with Western customers. Once again we are back to the Portuguese days when designs were an inventive amalgamation of European sensibilities and Indian craftsmanship.

Are you looking for furniture which can be used in small apartments? Double bunk beds are real space saver options for people living in small apartments. They can be used in rooms which have space crunch and cannot accommodate more furniture. The double bunk bed is similar to the normal bunk bed with the only difference being that the top or bottom place can sleep two people comfortably. You can find different kinds in the market which are made of different materials. One of the most popular type is the oak bed. It is not only very stylish to look but also very strong to hold more than two children.Wooden beds are usually strong and withstand any amount of wear and tear. Apart from sleeping children it may also be used for playing like running up and down the stairs etc. So it has to be strong in order to withstand the daily abuse. Buying wooden beds can be a lifelong investment. Apart from providing enough sleeping space for your children the bed also adds to the beauty of the home decor. They come in various colors and finishes and you can easily choose a specific style matching to the room. By using appropriate bed sheets and pillow cases you can transform the room into a beautiful and lively area. So if you have more than two children you can use this type of beds for sleeping them comfortably. You can find them in various styles and designs also. Choose one according the features you require and your budget.

Dolls have been an integral part of the horror genre for many years, and Hollywood has been a major exploiter of this phenomenon. There have been countless films about the voodoo religion, particularly voodoo dolls. Although their origin can be traced to identifying pressure points for use in healing it is thought that slaves exploited the myth as a form of self defence against ruthless slave owners. Thus the belief that a specific individual can be cursed through a voodoo doll was born, and exploited. Such is the popularity of the voodoo doll myth today that tourists can buy voodoo dolls in Port au Prince, Haiti – the centre of the voodoo religion!
A more authentic use for dolls in voodoo is the practice of nailing the doll – together with a shoe – to a tree near a cemetery. They are supposed to act as messengers between the lands of the living and that of the dead. However the myth of the voodoo doll appears to owe its origins to ancient Europe…
The pagan cults used a poppet to symbolise the fertility of Nature during festivals and harvests. The person who produced the poppet was said to infuse the doll with life, and it was considered to be a little person. Poppets were also associated with witchcraft, and were often produced to cast a fertility, healing or binding spell upon an individual. These dolls were usually produced from natural products such as clay, a potato, a root or a tree branch, a corn shaft, an apple or a lemon. Paper and wax were also used, together with cloth that was usually filled with herbs. The poppet was then used for image magic, and whatever actions were performed upon the effigy would be effective to the human subject. Does this sound familiar? To counter the usually dreadful effects of the poppet a wax figure could turn the spell against the one who cast it, and counter the witchcraft… if the evil was discovered in time!
It seems that dolls are usually produced in the female form, but they have also replicated the male gender. Scarecrows, corn dollies and the druids’ wicker man are all male! Scarecrows evolved because of the need for farmers to discourage birds from disturbing their crops. In 1592 they were described as: That which frightens or is intended to frighten without doing physical harm. Literally that which scares away crows, hence the name – scarecrow. Originally fashioned in human form from straw, scarecrows were dressed in clothes with hats, with faces made of fabric with stitches providing the facial features. Today scarecrows are still widely used by farmers all over the world. Corn dollies were hollow shapes manufactured from the last sheaf of the crop at the end of a harvest. Ancient cultures believed that once a crop had been harvested the corn spirit would be homeless, and would leave the field to search for a new home. The corn dolly would remain in the fields during winter, providing refuge for the corn spirit until the new harvest was planted in spring.
The Wicker Man is an icon that has featured in modern culture. A tall humanoid shape, a Wicker Man was traditionally woven from flexible branches – much like wicker furniture – and usually burned at neo-pagan festivals to mark spring. It sounds horrific, but fire was originally considered a form or purification, and the act of burning a human effigy was to create a messenger to liaise between the community and its deity.
Popular culture has made the Wicker Man a symbol of horror. There’s a famous British horror film called The Wicker Man, which places live sacrifices to burn inside the Wicker Man during a pagan ritual. A remake of this film, starring Nicholas Cage, is being released at time of writing this article. In the book “The Vampire Lestat” one of Anne Rice’s characters describes witnessing the burning of a Wicker Man containing human beings during Roman times. Heavy metal band Iron Maiden recorded a song title “The Wicker Man”.
 
The most famous doll in the horror genre today must be Chucky, aka Charles Lee Ray. Chucky’s creator derived his name using three notorious killers: Charles Manson, Lee Harvey Oswold and James Earl Ray. Created for the “Child’s Play” series of horror films, Chucky is a doll that is possessed by the soul of a killer. The doll begins killing people, and all sorts of storylines have evolved around him/it. Eventually the doll’s face and body is maimed, his human girlfriend becomes a killer doll called Tiffany and the dolls manage to produce a gender-confused doll child called Glen/Glenda… it’s an extremely successful franchise, and to date there have been five Chucky films.
Dolls may look human, but their characteristics and emotions are a blank sheet, waiting for our imagination to bring them to life. Be they in films, books or music dolls are an intrinsic part of our culture. And from where I’m sitting their future looks bright.