Today I sanded the heck out of the jewelry rack, sealed, stained (2 coats), and re-sealed it. The first sealing makes it stain more evenly, in theory, though it’s still pretty uneven. I’m not sure if that’s because of it being pine and therefore very soft wood, or if I’m not doing everything correctly. Despite the uneven color, it actually looks pretty great, so no real complaints there. I installed it on my wall as well, and it’s serving perfectly beautifully, and I feel very accomplished.