Ugh, that's the worst! So many people just throw the stones right on dirt. You gotta dig down at least four inches and put in a solid gravel base. Compact it really well with a tamper, then add your sand leveling layer. If the ground can move, the stones will definitely sink. Skipping the gravel is just asking for a wobbly mess next spring.

Come on, hand sanding is a great way to mess up an old table if you don't know exactly what you're doing. You can sand right through the veneer or leave waves in the surface so easy. A good quality stripper now is way gentler than the old stuff, it just lifts the old finish out so you can see the real wood grain. For a detailed piece with carving or corners, chemicals get into places sandpaper never will. Sometimes the fast way is actually the smarter way to go.

My mom guarded her meatloaf secret for years, just oregano.

Seconding this! My whole family switched to them earlier this year. Their frame selection is pretty solid too, and the insurance billing process was completely painless.