I don’t know a self-respecting, card-carrying red neck that doesn’t have one of those cable spools in the back yard doing service as a table. I had one until it finally fell apart of old age.

But at my current residence I have not had a spool table, and I really have missed it, especially during family cookouts. But I have not had access to wooden cable spools and since I no longer drive a pickup no way to transport one. So, a few months ago when my landlord asked if I wanted one I jumped at the offer. He brought me two!

Then I remembered an idea I had some time ago for upgrading the spool table and I was in an artsy/crafty mood. I thought painting the spool and decorating it with flowers on the core would be a pretty addition to my garden.

I chose outdoor enamel paint for the base coat and acrylic artist paint for the design. I coated the whole spool, top and bottom with the enamel.

To make my sunflower motif I cut stencils from card stock paper. I cut a circle for the flower center, another stencil for the petals and one for the leaves. I painted the stem free hand. I used a white sketch pencil to trace the patterns onto the spool’s core, and then painted the design freehand.

I do have some art background so this was a simple project for me, but anyone can do this. If you don’t think you can make your own stencils buy them at a craft store. You can go even simpler by using decals.

I was warned that I should cover the hole in the center of the tabletop. My friend said bees might try to nest inside the core of the spool. Well, it was only a week after putting my new table in my garden when I was sitting there with a glass of lemonade and I soon noticed several wasps flying into the hole! I fixed the problem easily by placing a pot of flowers over the hole.

When my friend, Jeany, saw my finished table she commissioned me to do one for her. She chose red for her base color to match her barn. I gave her sunflower a double row of petals. I plan to decorate the next one with sea shells for my front porch.