Well, this was the end result. At least prior to applying a finish. I had thought about leaving this piece unfinished, but it doesn't really stand out at all in it's plain state. There's just not enough contrast in the wood itself for any of the the little details to really stand out. Except for all the freakin knots. That's what you get when you decide top work with pine though. Of course, the thought of ruining the piece after all the work that's gone into it by putting a crappy finish on it made me a bit queasy. If it turned out really badly, there would be no chance that I would have the time to strip it back to the bare wood before the auction. Not to mention the fact that getting the stain out of the end grain would be just about impossible. So, after a brief prayer to the Tiki Gods on high, I reached for the can of stain...
