They say it's bad luck....

...to open an umbrella in the house.

But this vintage paper parasol has such a lovely pattern, it would be a shame to leave it closed.


I was offered this awe-inspiring parasol by a friend who couldn't think of anyone else who might be interested in it. And, of course, I was thrilled to accept this gorgeous piece of vintage memorabilia.

From the background information my friend gave me, it's likely from the 1920s. As soon as I opened it up, I could picture a flapper in a canoe being serenaded by a handsome ukulele player whilst shading her creamy complexion from the damaging sun.

Now here's the odd thing about being offered the parasol at this particular time. Just last week, I discovered that my 30-year-old souvenir lacquered paper parasol from Toronto's Chinatown had become stuck to itself. It was a lost cause. I was unable to un-stick it without significant destruction. Needless to say, I was sad that it couldn't be saved... Then on Sunday, an email arrived from my friend wondering if I could find a use for a vintage paper parasol!

My dearest and I had originally planned to use my Chinatown parasol as decor in the living room. The one pictured above actually fits in better with the tiki/tropical/oriental decor in my living room and the colors are perfect. Now to find just the right spot that will display it to the greatest advantage...