I’ve been told in several performance reviews, one of my greatest strengths is the ability to adjust to changing circumstances on the fly, and improvise solutions to fit the circumstances. I don’t know about that, but Halloween always seems to offer such opportunities.
This is the story of one such challenge.
Long time readers here might recall a couple mystery projects in the works.
Well, I think it’s time to pull out that umbrella and get it all wrapped up.
EARLY in the year, Kyle had said he would want to help me out this year. I’m not actually counting on it, but, after watching Pirates of the Carribean a few times, and many of the wierdo documentaries we view, he decided he wanted to be a headhunter/cannibal to help out, as it fits with existing decorations. And, a little hut will work well whether he’s in it or not.
Thus it was that in April we were out searching for umbrellas.
See, I had this plan. A nice little hut. Thatch umbrella for a roof, and then we’ld just have to make the walls. Thatch umbrella’s were $60 minimum. Regular Umbrella’s I figured would end up in the $40 range at the end of the summer. So, we made our own umbrella for ~ $6, detailed above. The original plan was to use grass table skirts to make the thatch for it’s roof.
The skirts were too short, and too thin for it to look up to my standard when spread around on the umbrella. Thatch umbrella covers were $30, and didn’t look quite right. But, we had other, bigger problems…
We looked over several real huts and began making stick walls.
Let’s just say this was abandoned due to severely underestimating the number of sticks it would take.
Meanwhile, weeds had begun to grow, and they fit through the holes pretty good. We began threading them through the wire. This would be a great look. However, the remodeling project has made it unrealistic time wise.
I was prepared to abandon the project for this year when I was cleaning out the garage to make room for the table saw. There I stumbled once again upon the grass table skirts….
The current plan NOW is to remove the sticks and weeds from the wire. Apply these grass table skirts (and the new ones purchased) to form the walls. THEN glue the weeds onto the umbrella with some carpet glue…
And, somehow, I’m sure we’ll end up changing direction somewhere at least one more time before it’s done…
As for why I need the bead curtains. Keep guessing…