by laura beth

My friend Maggie worked with Salt Lake City's Brolly Arts H20 Festival this year. Part of the festival included an installation of altered umbrellas, and Maggie asked if I would like to submit one. It sounded like an easy enough project so I put off getting started with it. Aunt Laurie supplied the slightly broken and beat up umbrella (black and gray snakeskin print!) and although I toyed with several ideas including changing the fabric, stripping the fabric all together, covering it with bit & baubles of all sorts, and draping it with origami animals, I ended up just painting it. I had to get it in the mail before heading to Pennsylvania and I just finished it this morning before going to the airport! It fun a pretty fun project. I didn't do my best, and I didn't put as much work into it as I could have, but it did end up being pretty darn challenging! I love being crafty, and being given a project rather than staying within my comfort zone is a healthy stretch for me. Thanks Maggie!