Sacred Circus – Karla's Cottage

Rainbows and Fire Dancing for Pride Night

celebrations, family, guncles, Sacred Circus, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / July 22, 2022

On Randy and Kevin’s night to cook for the family reunion, they wanted a Pride Night theme.

They had rainbow everything to go with the grilled chicken and salads. I don’t know why I didn’t get more pictures, it was quite the festival and the decorations were bright and fun.

Our Hippie Chick brought rainbow, glitter face paint and many partiers got all sparkled up.

There was even a fire dancing show.

Featuring our professionals.

And crowd members could take a quick lesson too.

There was a great view from the balcony. These two were on the lighting committee and did a spectacular job with it.

The night ended with a few 1am stragglers sticking their forks directly into the rainbow cake.

We had different events throughout the weekend, but I think pride night was the best.

I am going to leave all of those lights strung across the courtyard, and possibly add more as I find them at garage sales for a very pretty reminder. Thanks, Guncles!

A seashell framed mirror

cottage, how to's, redos, Sacred Circus, sea shell fairies

By Karla Nathan / February 5, 2022

After repainting my bedroom, I also moved artwork and mirrors around. This was a mirror that hung in the studio, and it had a carved shell at the top, so it fit in nicely with my beach paintings.

But it was a little blah and a dull tan color.

So I gaudied it up a bit!

I used shells collected on our last vacation, mother of pearl and pearl beads, and Beth gave me a huge box of seashells she’d gotten from an estate sale.

My first move was to lay them out in a pattern to accentuate the carving at the top.

Then removed a few shells and I spread tile adhesive in about 6” areas. Kind of like icing a cake, not the way you’d lay tile on the floor.

It went on nice and thick, so I could smoosh the shells down into it. While it was still wet, I pushed pearls and smaller shells into the adhesive that wasn’t covered by the main shells.

I worked my way around the frame, in those 6” patches at a time.

After it dried, I filled in bare looking spots with the Diamond Glaze and sprinkled crystal quarts chips into it.

It may look like a jumble, but there was a plan. Big shells at the top, then black and gray ones down the sides, starting with darker at the top and going lighter towards the bottom. The very bottom is all cream and white.

I go back and forth, wondering if it is glorious or just too gaudy. But since I do enjoy some over the top foof, I think I like it.

Fringe Festival at the Kansas City Union Station

family, Sacred Circus

By Karla Nathan / August 19, 2019

Avahni made an ideal Snow White at the Fringe Fest.

The story was adorable and show had tons of talent. I am happy to announce that they won Best of Venue.

I knew it was going to be good, since I had watched a couple practices that they had done in my living room. But it is much more dramatic to see them on stage with lighting and costumes in a professional theater.

While at Union Station, we visited Science City.

(Dont ask what a giant, potato chip maze has to do with science, I couldn’t tell you)

We played in the infinity mirrors…

And explored the mysterious hotel of optical illusions.

Then, learned about levers. Apparently, it was a lesson that I needed, because I didn’t read the sign, and I thought it was just a game of tug-o-war. And that I was extremely good at it, not realizing the leverage was the winner, not me.

Kismet Forest Farm Barn Clean Up Day

family, Sacred Circus

By Karla Nathan / November 13, 2018

My son and his family live on a sprawling, 13 acre piece of wooded land that they call Kismet Forest Farm. There is a barn full of possibilities sitting on the grounds, and last week a group of friends came to help get started on making those possibilities into realities.

This is the interior of the barn. For now, the plan is to strip down the old dry wall, paint everything white, and add a wood stove for heat. Then, the circus performers can use it all winter.

Later on, more renovations will happen, as budget allows.

Once completed, there will be all sorts of workshops, from yoga to circus classes, as well as sustainable growing classes and music.

Helpers got started on tearing down old outbuildings, and sorting the materials into piles to save and reuse.

Nails had to be pulled out of the wood before it was stacked up for reuse.

Lots of good supplies were salvaged for the work on the barn that day. And a bonfire was enjoyed with the rest of the wood.

It was a beautiful, fall day to be out and enjoying the colors, and helping make Kismet a gathering place for camping, learning, and music.

The family made a vat of vegan chilli for the group, then we all went for a walk in the woods to explore the trails my son has carved out of the wild.

I was quite impressed with what he has already accomplished.

This place will really be something when they get done!

Van Go

celebrations, family, Sacred Circus

By Karla Nathan / July 26, 2018

Our town is lucky to have an organization like Van Go. Here is a snippet from their website that will explain them better than I can:

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE KIDS.

Our Mission

Our Mission: To improve the lives of high-needs youth using art as the vehicle for self-expression, self-confidence, and hope for the future.

Van Go is an arts-based, social service agency that employs at-risk youth ages 14-24, to make public works of art that are sold in the community. It’s holistic, year-round programming uses the ARTS to deliver in-depth mental health support, job training, health nutrition education, and life skills lessons. Van Go’s nationally recognized programming gives troubled teens a job, real world skills and opportunity to succeed.

Lawrence Busker Festival

Sacred Circus

By Karla Nathan / June 6, 2018

My girls were part of the annual Busker Fest in Downtown Lawrence over Memorial weekend.

Since they travel so much for performances, it is always extra welcome to have them doing their act right here in town where I can easily catch a show.

And it was a really good show!

Festival Faces

family, paintings, Sacred Circus

By Karla Nathan / September 6, 2017

There is a 50% off sale in the Boutique!!! To access the bargain prices, type in

LABORDAYSALE

at the checkout, and hit "recalculate" and watch the amount drop in half.

I'll be out of town and away from my computer and out of touch for a few days, so shipping will be next week. Please remember that the postage prices will be adjusted when I get the actual total from the USPS as I box the goodies up to send to you and I will refund excesses.

www.karlascottage.com

At the Darkening of the Sun festival my kids performed at, I was asked to help with the face painting.

The theme was tribal that night, and they didn't want to appropriate native designs, so we went with an Avatar/tribal look, with lots of blue.

I probably painted a dozen or so faces, and am afraid it was done so fast, I barely got photos. I thought I'd get them after the show, but the light was bad and people were busy.

(that is our Hippy Chic in the background, doing hair for the show, she is a master braider)

Here is one of our practice looks before the show and I had more time to do it, plus had white. I didn't have any white with me for the performance, which I think made the designs not as vibrant from the crowd.

But the troupe has asked me to do butterfly faces in the future for an act Sugarwings has in mind, where the aerialists start out as eggs, and morph from caterpillars to cocoons to butterflies.

I'm excited about that, I love butterflies. And it is nice that they are asking me to help again. I loved doing it, even with the rush with less than perfect results, they were ok with what I did.

I was afraid I'd let them down.

We used eye shadow for the shading and eye liner for the designs. I think I'll have to throw in some white paint too for more distinction.

The makeup help up well, so much so that with no hot water, a lot of the performers woke up in their tents the next morning with the look intact.

I was curious about how that effected the sun screen situation…. When they went up on the hilltop in the bright sun to watch the eclipse, did they end up with a sunburn in a tribal pattern?

I've got plenty of shots of Sugarwings in her makeup, since she hangs around on our laps as much as she can.

And Sylvan's face was done first, so the light was good and the line of performers hadn't gathered yet for me to work on them, so I took some of her.

Avahni was the only other picture that I took.

I gave Sugarwings my leftover paints and she has been face painting everyone who will sit still for her. Maybe she and I will go into business together.

Sacred Circus at Darkening of the Sun

celebrations, family, Sacred Circus

By Karla Nathan / September 3, 2017

There is a 50% off sale in the Boutique!!! To access the bargain prices, type in

LABORDAYSALE

at the checkout, and hit "recalculate" and watch the amount drop in half.

www.karlascottage.com

Our kids were performing in Missouri, inside the path of the full eclipse.

We love watching their performances, and hanging out with the grand fairies, so we packed up our little camper (I call it the world's biggest rolling suitcase, instead of the world's smallest camper) and headed toward the Darkening of the Sun.

Most of the family goes early to set up the village and rigs. So we had little ones all week, for back to school and Sugarwings' birthday too.

Which was pretty nice for us.

There is a ton of work to be done, this group doesn't just show up, do some tricks and leave, they set up an entire world of their own inside the music festival. They've got two 23' high rigs, that get covered in parachutes for shade, and multi colored lights for rainbow fun. There is a geodesic dome for sound therapy, and another big tent for workshops and then there is a vending area too.

It is all done artistically, and comes out quite beautiful when they are done.

As I walked through the venue, I realized that these guys had transformed the entire event into something really spectacular.

I'd been to festivals they throw themselves, so had seen their set up before, but had not really seen just how much they do at other people's events. (this photo is just part of the set up)

Of course, they also bring some great entertainment to fill those tents!

The show just gets bigger and more exciting every time I see it.

They have the two rigs with aerialists in each, fire dancers, hula hoopers, a guy on stilts, and dancers floating about, as well as my son spinning his songs.

Plus, there are workshops all weekend for attendees of the festival, who get to show off what they learned on the last night. It is adorable to see they little ones up there feeling proud of their accomplishments and being part of the circus.

All of the parents and grand parents out in the audience, enjoy that showcase as much as I do, I'm sure.

Well, it is all great to watch!

Next to the Sacred Circus was the main stage, and my husband spent a lot of time there. His favorite performer was the headliner, so he was pretty happy. Even happier when he had a fairy to perch on his shoulders to watch with him.

Of course, times without a kiddo climbing on him over the weekend were few and far between.

I'll leave you with some more photos from the parties. This is my son with his crystal singing bowls. (I'd love to sneak one away and fill it with water, fish, and a fountain for my back yard, these bowls are beautiful up close)

I'll leave you with some photos of the party.

Darkening of the Sun

celebrations, family, Sacred Circus

By Karla Nathan / August 23, 2017

Our town was not completely in the path of the totality, but was close. I'd have been happy with that, but my family's Sacred Circus troop was playing at a festival that was dead center of the darkness. So we packed up the camper and headed out to enjoy the shows on the arial rigs and in the afternoon sky.

This event was built around the eclipse, and there were huge parties on Monday in honor of it. Drum circles, dancing, Native American ceremonies. I'd fully planned on attending the Cherokee one, but after three days of heat, the idea of walking a 1/4 mile up to a bare hilltop in the mid day sun wasn't ideal. Our air conditioner didn't work in the camper, and neither did the outlets, so we had no fan.

The nights cooled off, and there was a breeze, but I was still worn out from getting very few breaks from the Missouri summer. (Although it could have been worse, I'd expected bugs and there wasn't any problem with them at all! Thank goodness for that break, yay!)

While thousands of happy hippies headed up the hill to go dance in the sun as it disappeared behind the moon, I joined some of my family who decided to take advantage of this Roots in Bliss Village that my boy had erected for the aerialists. The place was pretty much deserted while everyone climbed up the road to the hilltop, so we sat under the shady tents and waited for the eclipse, enjoying our private time. There was howling at the moon, some dancing, lots of relaxing.

There was even a fan. And chairs. And shade.

There were a few others about, but the field was large, and our group still had an intimate feel to it.

I was thankful that these guys also decided to stay behind and not go with the crowds, they serenaded the moon as it covered the sun and I felt like I was being serenaded myself.

After the lively days we'd spent at the overflowing festival, watching the sun from this spot with a handful of people felt even more special.

I'd been more worried about everyone's eyesight than I was about looking forward to seeing the solar event myself, and wasn't expecting to be so moved by seeing first little bite of sun go away.

When the air started to change and the light eerily began to have that glow, I was hooked.

Of course, I was still worried about eyesight. And kept watching the girls as much as the sun, making sure everyone was following proper glasses etiquette. And since bright lights lead to migraines for me, I peeked up in small doses.

But there is much more to watching one of these than just looking up. Looking around, feeling the shifts, and thinking about the magic of nature was more important to me than watching the entire sun get swallowed up.