Does anyone else ever use a tarp without pitching it? I have found that I like to cowboy camp. Sometimes I just pull out the tarp and lay it over myself and my gear rather than pitching it if rain starts after I am bedded down. I have only done this a few times and only for light rain, but I have to wonder if it wouldn be that bad even for harder rain. Wind could be a problem, but by tucking the edges under you it should be manageable for all but the worst winds.
In the cases where I have done this so far I was using a bivy and a 5'x5' tarp so it didn't cover the whole bivy, but I wonder about doing the same with a bigger tarp, a DWR sleeping bag, and no bivy or a bug bivy. Is this a really stupid idea?
I'd especially like to hear from anyone who as actually done this either successfully or not. Also feel free to post pure speculation, just please label it as such so I can tell the difference.