antiques/junking – Page 2 – Karla's Cottage

It isn’t taking long to fill up my new booth at Good Juju with my junk, you can’t even see the beautiful walls we built any more

By Karla Nathan / January 19, 2025

Well, I’m moving in!

The new space is approximately divided into two areas, the back is my regular stuff while the entrance is jewelry.

With a larger space, I realized I needed bigger furniture so it would feel more to scale. This cabinet had to be pilfered from my studio so I’d have a solid “anchor” piece in the back. The door was placed next to it for the same reason. I didn’t want to use too many white tables stacked up. That worked well in my half space, but a full booth required substance.

This felt like it gave the room more balance.

Small, white tables were definitely used a lot, they work great. But before I brought in the big cabinet, that section needed more umph.

I still need to get a clip light for that top shelf in the cabinet, then this side is ready to roll for First Friday weekend.

I love, love, love, love, love the pergola/entryway Rich built for the doorway leading to Beth’s space next door! So much so that I told myself I would leave it empty to show it off.

Hmm, it seems to have some things hanging on it. Oh well, I tried! At least it isn’t completely covered. You can still see the structure.

Not quite the entire front half is jewelry. One wall is still stuff. I think this area is complete too. I’m still working on the jewelry spaces and will show that later.

“IT’S SO FLUFFY I COULD DIE”- As Agnes says in Despicable Me

antiques/junking, Good JuJu

By Karla Nathan / January 14, 2025

Despite the harrowing cold, I bundled up, then we filled the truck with wood, paint, and power tools to overhaul bare two by fours into making my new booth feel cottagey and welcoming.

In a week, we faced two walls with tongue and groove. This one got distress painted.

This one was painted a soft, green/blue.
And columns were added as trim.

Two other walls were crafted from a rougher lumber, some with a live edge. I liked the look so much, I decided to leave them raw and natural.

One got an iron shelf and the second, a hand painted garland of roses.

We also hung clusters of chandeliers to block the sight of a big vent, added more lighting and some decorative pieces. I wrapped the giant metal pole in vintage wallpaper and crushed velvet, and will use it to display necklaces hung on magnets.

Oh! And look at this! I love this walkway to the next door neighbors! (Although from the look on that neighbor’s face, she seems a bit judgey)

Seriously, I love it all.

It was sooooooooo much work, but exhilarating to do, because I was extremely excited about how each area was turning out. I love every square foot of my new cottage at Juju. We had such lucky timing to be gifted truckloads of attractive lumber. Those various textures and sizes of boards add so much more character than the plywood we would’ve had to use without the freebies.

We worked so hard, that I wasn’t even cold. I actually pulled off a couple layers because I was getting overheated. The temperature inside the building is set just high enough to keep the pipes from freezing and it’s always chilly inside. I surprised myself by not even being bothered by it. The worst part was unloading the truck in icey snowdrifts. The outcome was worth the effort.

Much of it is more than I really needed to have done. But we had the week to do it, the free materials, and to me, having a wonderful back ground will bring joy to me every time I go into work. I’m already filling it up, and it hurts a little to cover up my pretty walls. Still, I’ll know they are there, peeping out from behind my piles of stuff, and it will make my heart happy,

A Christmas Collection Over the Years

antiques/junking, cottage, holiday decor

By Karla Nathan / December 23, 2024

Yummy, huh?

Guncle Randy had a boxful of these vintage beauties and sold them to me for a sweet deal.

My plan, and it was a good one, was to keep a couple faves and sell the rest.

Oops!

Somehow they all landed on my own tree! Who could pick a favorite from them? Too pretty and full of vintagey goodness.

My home is filled with good intentions. This is a bench I paid my son to build for me, I painted it and planned to sell it. 20 years later, here it sits, still in the cottage. That banner was made to sell too, I kept it because I love the word, MERRY.

When I was first in the junking biz, there was a revolving door of inventory that I’d decorated with then sell and replace. Over time, I appear to have gathered bits and pieces that never leave. These mirrors, each with a rose theme, have found a home here and seem to be permanent.

There are some things that just seem to fit where placed and deserve to stay there. This cabinet is the perfect size for this wall.

As is the hutch that sits near it. But what about the holiday decor? As I was arranging Christmas decorations this year, I was pondering that.

What makes something “a keeper”? Often, it’s a gift, or from the past.

Other times it’s something I made at a friends’ gathering.

Or a project I made that no one bought. Same with inventory I bought to resell, and it just got overlooked and is still here.

Sometimes, there are special, family items, like these snowflakes my great aunt made.

There are even pieces I found in trash along the road, like this broken buggy.

All I know is that, whatever the origin, heirloom, trash, hand crafted, unsold inventory, gifts, all of it- when they come together to fill my home- it feels like Christmas.

Thanks to everyone who came to see me this weekend

antiques/junking, Good JuJu, holiday decor

By Karla Nathan / November 4, 2024

We had an action packed weekend at Good Juju.

Although we were right on the tail end of Halloween, you’d never know that only the night before, trick-or-treaters are ghouls were roaming the streets.

On November 1st in the aisles of our store, it was full on Christmas time.

My booth was probably 60% handmade holiday decor, 35% vintage Christmas, and a mere 5% other stuff.

Now, don’t quote me on this numerical division, it’s just a guess. What I’m saying is, I doubled down hard on the holidays myself.

I love every moment of Christmas decorating and crafting, so am thrilled to have five days of holiday sales at the venue this season.

Not only our First Friday weekends in November and December but a bonus shopping day on Saturday the 23rd.

And you know me, I went all out, over producing since I was doing what I love.

So I will need that extra day to get rid of, I mean market, my inventory.

No worries about you coming to see us on the last date of our holiday sale and not finding anything. We are overstuffed, especially me. I still have a table filled with goods in my studio to bring in, and most likely will have so much extra that I’ll be packing it up for next year too.

That’s the nice thing about vintage goods, or arty goods made with vintage style and ingredients. There is no expiration date. A fifty year old item will just be even better fifty years from now, right?

An elf on steroids

antiques/junking, Good JuJu, holiday decor

By Karla Nathan / November 1, 2024

It’s my favorite time of the year for creating! I’ve been whipping out tree after tree, angels, ornies, and more. Santa’s little helpers have nothing on me, I could out tinker them any day.

This season, I might’ve gone overboard…

But I kept thinking, okay that’s enough, but wait, just one more?

So of course, I’d make ten more.

Who am I kidding- I’d make twenty more!

How could I possibly let any dove go unglittered and crownless?

Or leave a stack of tulle in a pile when I knew it deserved to be a tree?

No old, broken dolls were going to the Island of Misfit Toys on my watch, they needed a do-over.

And wings!

Just because vintage satin balls were missing a way to be hung, didn’t mean they couldn’t be glued onto a wreath. Someone had to do it and that someone was me.

No candleholders were going to be left empty and bereft of use. They needed to be topped with sparkling trees and tiny deer.

Same with the boxfuls of lanterns I’d gathered at garage sales all summer. I was not going to let a single lantern go unlit. They were stuffed with twinkle lights, trees, deer, and any other glittery item I could shove inside.

See what I mean? I couldn’t stop. Luckily, our foundation is collapsing and we have a major reconstruction project to start today. That will finally stop my uncontrolled holiday crafting obsession.

More about that later. Ugh.

Come and see us at Good Juju for First Friday weekend today and tomorrow to see some of my creations. We also have a single bonus day to be open on the Saturday previous to Thanksgiving before our next First Friday weekend on 6-7.

A tub of treasure

antiques/junking, jewelry

By Karla Nathan / October 13, 2024

Jackpot!
At an estate sale, I bought tub of dirty, dusty jewelry, but could tell at a glance that it was worth washing. What I didn’t see was that it was vintage new stock, still in original packaging, never worn!

Some even had their display stand. I was thrilled with this find, but had some more complicated cleaning ahead of than I had planned. It was important to leave them on their cards, but most were paper and all were dirty. I gently cleaned each with a toothbrush, paper and all.

Some of the cards were a bit torn up, but most were in decent shape and looked great once I washed them.

In total, there were 155 old clip ons, maybe half of those are bead clusters. The other half are nicely varied. I also scored a couple dozen singles or broken bits to use in crafting. And a pile of eighties pieces that I personally don’t care for, but which might be to someone else's taste.

Here’s a bonus! Heavily tarnished, chunky silver pieces that have a nice glow once polished.

Overall, it was an exceptionally good garage sailing weekend. I tended to buy a lot of project pieces and filthy stuff, but all worth the effort. I’m not afraid of a little cleanup when it comes to bargains.

A Nightmare Before Christmas combo with a few turkeys thrown in

antiques/junking, Good JuJu, holiday decor

By Karla Nathan / September 30, 2024

Yep, it’s that time again.

I am all set up and ready for First Friday Weekend in the Old West Bottoms of KC.

And for October, many dealers have taken on a range of holidays. We are still featuring Halloween, and autumn, and there is some Thanksgiving decor here and there too.

And for everyone who thinks it’s too early for Halloween, here’s a lil bit of Christmas for ya. It seems way too early for me too, but in the past couple of years, I did not get on board with early Yule tide wares and my October sales were lacking. I don’t know why I didn’t just go whole hog holiday, xmas is my absolute fave and I have a ton ready to go.

Fall is not my best theme, well excluding Halloween, that is

I love the Romantic Gothic, spooky stuff. So I have a combo booth with a different theme on each wall.

Plus my regular jewelry set up and some pretties to go along with that.

These are some of my witch’s brooms. I still have a big selection of those. Actually even though my Halloween sales last month were good, there is plenty left of it. I tend to go way over the top when creating for the seasons. In my mind, as I’m crafting and collecting, my booth must be full sized, not a tiny little half space.

It can look a little crowded, with so much inventory in an 8 1/2’ area. I’d love to have more space!

But knowing me, I’d just overcrowd that too.

Come and see us if you can, like I said, this month- there is a little bit of everything on top of our regular wares and vintage goods. Say hi and wish me a Merry Halloween if you come by.

Part Three of the Fall Display

antiques/junking, Good JuJu, Halloween treats

By Karla Nathan / September 4, 2024

Here is part three of my spooky corner at Good Juju, a little less scary than the creepy doll parts, skellies, and poison toadstools.

This side is full of sparkly crows wearing crowns.

And a few traditional fall colors.

Hmm, I think I forgot the price tag on this black metal planter. There are always a few things that slip through.

I brought in my hand painted clothing too.

And a couple of banners.

As always, it’s jammed in pretty tightly.

The entryway features my previously floral umbrellas and white wisteria. Both got spritzed with black spray paint and hung up high along with some witchy hats.

After it was done, I looked up at it and pondered what was missing. Then added a “haunted” sign to the Karla’s Cottage. It’s only on a piece of paper, and not quite where I wanted it, its as high as I could reach from my ladder.

But it made me smile..

The creepiest of the items I have to offer for First Friday weekend at Good Juju

antiques/junking, Good JuJu, Halloween treats

By Karla Nathan / September 1, 2024

Doesn’t this baby has a look on its face that says he is a bit shocked to have become a bat?

But I think this ballerina bat seems joyful to keep dancing even after they thought they were done.

All the skellies in my booth got some foofing up.

Including the bride.

I think those owls might actually be love birds, huh?

In honor of the season, I no longer have mushrooms, they are all Poison Toadstools.

They are offered up in a variety of colors and styles.

Some are being used as perches for glittering, crowned crows.

And some are stowed away in apothecary jars for when you need just a pinch of toodstool for your potion.

These genuine stone ones are on leather cords to wear around your neck. I am sure they can be used to ward off some sort of evil.

Or if you are more into growing your own patch of toodstools, maybe you need a plant stake to stick in the dirt with them? Sugarwings and I made up some spooky season inspired stakes that can also double as magic wands.

All year, I have been gathering up creepy goods and making haunting crafts for this sale. I was thrilled to find these very vintage doll eyes.

And a concrete gargoyle to watch over a haunted mansion. (I won’t be too disappointed if he doesn’t sell, I think he’d enjoy staying with me at the cottage).

I’ve made up zombie brooches and bags of body parts, and have bits of dolls.

If you have a poltergeist infestation, who ya gonna call? Well, I don’t know if KC has any ghost busters around, but here is the ideal phone to use if there are.

Oh, and if you happen to have a young vampire in your home, maybe toddler aged, here is a tiny tux for your creature of the night to look his best in.

A Practical Magic inspired corner of my booth

antiques/junking, Good JuJu, Halloween treats

By Karla Nathan / August 30, 2024

It’s a relief when I get my booth set up in advance of First Fridays.

I try to do it right after the previous sale instead of waiting til right before the next one. The only downfall is the dustiness of the old building. Especially on the jewelry, so I wait to bring out the sparklies till closer to the event.

The Halloween theme has been a hoot (and not just from the owls), I’ve enjoyed every creepy corner. I’ve made an effort an effort to have lots of spooky season goods, but also have a bit of a Romantic Gothic Ghosts thing happening. Or more of a Practical Magic look? That is what I call this part of it.

My owl and crow watercolors are set out on a mantel that hangs over wallpaper with a dark and moody, haunted house feel.

I filled the shelf with necessary items that a witch would require to make potions.

While pictures of their familiars peeked out from behind the bottles.

Of course, there is a selection of handcrafted brooms available too. No two are alike, because what witch would want to show up at an event and see another crone riding the exact same broomstick? The embarrassment!

While I was at Good Juju laying out my jewelry to finish up, I took some videos around the shop, and will be posting them to Instagram and as reels on FB. Many are behind the scenes, sneak peeks of booths in process of setting up. If you want to see more around the warehouse, please take a look. I’m Karlanathan on IG.