Have you ever heard of a Kitchen Witch? You may have heard the term used to describe a person that is constantly found in their kitchen, whipping up recipes and concoctions. But I’m actually talking about a doll. 

Kitchen Witch dolls originate from Northern Europe, likely Scandinavia or Germany- though their exact origins are uncertain. Traditionally, they’re placed in kitchens to bring good luck and to watch over the cook and their preparations. They’re believed to be especially lucky when gifted by a friend or family member.

I remember as a kid, my mom had a Kitchen Witch hanging in our kitchen. I thought she was creepy and a little weird- but I loved her (the witch, that is; my mom is neither creepy nor weird). I’m not entirely sure where she came from, but I believe my mom received her from her grandmother. I remember that the strings that she was suspended by always made me think she was a marionette. I don’t know what happened to that doll. I think we lost her the year I was in second grade- the year Hurricane Hugo destroyed our house. But that’s a story for another time.

What does any of this have to do with anything? Good question. When I started thinking about my next step in life, I had several ideas swirling around. One of them was a grumpy witch with an attitude. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with her- I just knew I wanted to make people smile. So, I turned her into a mug. And then I made another one of my ideas into a greeting card. And I kept going. Eventually, I came up with the name Succotash ‘n’ Smiles, and designed a logo. But I never quite figured out how it all connected.

Well, my grumpy witch is Grizi- short for Grizelda. She is a Kitchen Witch, and is known as the Matron of Merriment, except when she’s aggravated, like she is portrayed here. She is the keeper of the kitchen, and she is always ready to serve up some Succotash ‘n’ Smiles. She is usually pretty easygoing, but she does NOT put up with messes in her kitchen. She describes herself as a little bit spooky, a little bit southern-fried, and a whole lot of sass. As time goes on, I hope we’ll see more of her and her friends.

Life can be an amazing journey if we learn how to navigate it, and this page is the next step in mine. I hope to grow it into even more as time goes on. Check back often- I have plenty of ideas, and I plan to add new items as often as I can!

Thank you and if you have any questions, concerns, or ideas, please feel free to contact me.

Thank you,

N.