Good JuJu – Page 4 – Karla's Cottage

A nice day out

By Karla Nathan / November 25, 2024

On Saturday, we had a bonus shopping experience for Good Juju.

We had some good traffic, and honestly, I’m not quite sure what I sold. I think I did see someone pick up my two net trees.

They stand out because they are big and colorful. I know lots of other goodies left too, but was so exhausted by the end of the day, I did not take stock.

Working on the bathroom renovation after the guys repaired the structural issue wore me out.

Then, the clean up afterwards was brutal. We’d set up a plastic sheet to hold back the worst of the dust, thank goodness, but the cottage was still buried in a heavy layer of it.

A mere dusting wouldn’t clear it up. As I’d wipe it down with a wet, microfiber cloth, I’d get a smear of mud. So, it was heavy duty cleaning time, til everything sparkled.

Needless to say, my butt was dragging after all that. I’m so glad my booth was set up and ready before all of that!

After that, I went ahead and decorated the house for Christmas, so wore myself out even more. I kept reminding myself that I’m closer to 70 than I am to 60 now, but that didn’t change the fact that stuff needed doing, right?

I wonder when the point comes that I simply won’t keep dragging that tired butt around and not get done with what I’ve planned?

So when the time for our sale came, I was so happy to be out of the house and done with all the physical labor, I felt like I had a day off.

It was such a lovely day, festive and fun. I loved all of the Christmas decorations around the mall.

It was a great day, hanging with friends, talking to customers. And now I have about a week to gather up more goodies to bring in for the First Fridays weekend. But for today? I’m taking a real day off. Kicked back, watching endless tv in my comfy sweat pants, and sipping licorice tea while the Christmas lights twinkle.

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 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.

Autumn looks for my booth at Good Juju

Good JuJu

By Karla Nathan / August 2, 2024

Knowing that I’d be bringing in lots of fall colors, and plenty of brown, I wanted to make sure my space still had a romantic feel to it despite the more traditional, antiquey look I was going to have on display. So I over loaded on the wispy florals.

I’d been saving up old bowls all year for my stepping into fall theme in August.

Each of these pieces could’ve been incorporated here and there in any month and mingled easily with my typical look.

But when brought in all at once, and set out on natural wood furniture, it does make for a whole new style for me.

See what I mean?

Plus I have my western/farm/equestrian corner too.

For September, I am working on a selection of embellished jean jackets and flannel shirts. I thought I’d bring one in early, this is dipped in bleach, then over dyed, and has vintage lace added to it.

There is also a bunch of fall toned mushrooms.

And of course, lots and lots of sparklies.

Vintage in one area, new or handmade on the other side of the aisle. I used to commingle them, but realized, it’s often two different shoppers. So I divided up the shelves, that way there was more space for customers to take their time looking at the jewelry without feeling crowded.

Well, wish me luck, it’s a different look for me this season.

Fall Fairies and other creations

fairies, Good JuJu

By Karla Nathan / July 30, 2024

It may be 90 degrees outside, but in the studio, autumn has arrived. I’ve whipped up witches, crafted batches of brooms, stockpiled witchy hats, and have made a few fall fairies.

This girl’s scouting days were behind her, so I repurposed the uniform into a woodland outfit.

Complete with posy toes.

And this delicate(?) little sprite might not be as pretty as her sibling, but she deserved a lovely, whimsical gown just as much.

They have joined the rest of the flock at Juju for the next First Friday weekend (this week!).

I bring in fairies each month. They aren’t an item that sells out, but I do have some shoppers who enjoy them, so typically 1-4 sell each time.

That is basically my formula there. Bring in a little bit of this, a little bit of that, make a few different pieces, then choose a theme for the month and decorate with old stuff to complete that chosen idea. I fill in around the vintage pieces with hand made items and a display or two of jewelry.

My little paintings are one of the many additions that mingle with the antiques. Here, I have sorta broken my “keep to the monthly theme” rule. This narrow wall is filled with springtime decor in the center of a booth filled with autumn.

Maybe my rule is more of a guideline.

Some other creations for this month are tiny wooden books covered in old paper. Plus a few more crowns that I made extra blingy.

This formula works out okay for me. I like making a variety of things, but don’t want to rely on just one craft. If I had a booth full of say, just crowns, my sales would most likely be pretty dismal. This way I can sell a few of each set of crafty items, and that adds up to supplement my overall sales.

Next post, I’ll show you the rest of my booth. The non created pieces.

Thank you for the good, Good Juju weekend

Good JuJu

By Karla Nathan / July 8, 2024

Holidays and summertime both can be iffy in retail. So I wanted to shout out a big thanks to all the shoppers who visited us in the Old West Bottoms of KC to shop in Good Juju over the 4th of July weekend.

Great weather, great people, great weekend!

Big thank yous,