#1,804 Traveling + Staining.

We spent most of the daylight hours driving north through farmland to north Mississippi. We would’ve made it there faster, except we saw someone on the main thoroughfare in Tupelo who had lost a load of lumber and metal roofing from their trailer. Like a labrador and cold water, Ben can’t stop himself when he sees a stranded motorist. He says it’s his ministry, helping people on the side of the road, but I think he just really likes talking to strangers. Add this to the list of things I like about Big Ben.

It took a while for him to finish, but I got to see THE prettiest cotton candy sunset while I waited:

So we got to his parents and went right back to work on the table. I know what you’re thinking, you don’t even have to say it. “When is she gonna shut up about that table?!” And I can tell you the answer to that is:

Tomorrow.

But not today.

Today I put a coat of wood conditioner on everything, then stained the new yellow pine boards only with ‘American walnut’ first. We decided not to put any stain at all on the antique pew wood on the sides since they have so much existing character and color:

Then I used a little trick Jim taught me when he did their hardwood floors… I used dark walnut stain and a 2″ brush to give it the multi-tonal effect the old wood has.

Then I wiped it all to blend it randomly, and sat the the legs on top to see how the different wood tones and colors will all look together, and I’m SO EXCITED. So are Sam and Ellie.

Can you believe those end and center boards were bright yellow pine before? Stain is magic!