I have always been an “Old Soul”; attracted to things with history and a story to tell.  Which is why I love this little table, that has been living in a farm yard shop for many years. Each bang, scratch and layer of paint belonging to a passage in time. And now, it is my turn to leave my mark upon it.

In my youth it lived in the porch of Westwood Cottage. Grandma painted it white and stapled a vinyl floral tablecloth to the top.  It did all kinds of marvelous things; a place to pot summer flowers, a crafts table, a pie cooling station. So many jobs to do.  If I close my eyes I can still hear the spring of the screen door opening and the bang as it slammed closed as a young granddaughter followed her grandmother walking back and forth past this little table.

I don’t know how it came to be at Westwood Cottage.  Perhaps it once lived with my Great Grandparents or it came from an auction sale for a few dollars. But what I do know is that the wood of the table was once stained a dark colour.  I imagine it once sat in a sunny kitchen serving fresh baked Saskatoon pie and a strong cup of tea.

It has been sleeping. But no longer.  I’ve woken it up from it’s slumber to go back to work. Underneath the old floral vinyl tablecloth were traces of the dark stain, white paint, a black circle of a past hot pot and a mysterious red line.  With a bit of sanding and some wax, the table top has come back to life.

Time for a cushy new job – living in my sewing studio and supporting new ideas and projects. My “Old Soul” is at peace, comfortable in the knowledge that I too am adding to the story.