first it came out great.

I wipe with mineral spirit to spot the glue residue and sand.

beware I am bad at finishing, really bad.
Blotching is due to uneven penetration of the stain or finish.
I was told to either thin the finish to 10% or so, apply that, let it dry then apply your stain/finish or use sanding sealer as the base.

Abbas, Castro Valley, CA