Finishing Fail

Remember that wood filler from the headboard?  The one I poked into the gaps, that took stain really well but was going to bite me on the ass later?  Yeeeeah...It's so later.

Sanded the hell out of the console, bought some Jacobean stain(regular.  doesn't come in gel), coated the table really well with pre-stain conditioner (I don't always learn ALL my lessons, but I definitely learned this one!) and started staining.

So unhappy!  What did I do wrong?  Was it not dry enough?  It was at least 4 hours, maybe even overnight (I can't recall now...I'm already blocking the anguish) that the wood filler sat there.  I put conditioner on it, I sanded it, I did everything the SAME as the headboard and it took the stain like a champ on that!  The only difference is I used a gel on the headboard.  So, I sanded a spot back to bare (conditioned it again, just in case) and tried using the gel. 

No joy.  Lots of anti-joy.  I did 5 or 6 different things over the space of 3 days trying to get this to work.  So, I'm going to paint it!  Screw you, stain!  Black is the new black!

But first, I'm going to try staining the top.  Because I'm a glutton for punishment and angst.  Plus, I worked HARD to make sure I had no nail holes in that top, so it would stain perfectly!  Also, I think it would look fab with a black satin base and a deep stained top :)

We have a lot going on today (non preschool day) so I'll see when I can fit it in.  Little Boy likes to pretend to drive my car, so maybe I'll toss him in there while I stain?  We've been to the gym already, need to get some laundry put away, work on my Corner o' Cack in the bedroom, clean the kitchen, go to a playdate (he's been begging since 6:30 this morning if it's time yet..not till 3!) and pick up some groceries.  All I WANT to do is the playdate and the stain!