Yeah like Xaq when I was mining sand for my sand castle, I just usually leveled out an area bit by bit.
But yeah, if you're gonna be using sandstone instead, I'd try digging down a bit more in an area to mine the sandstone out of it, then covering it back up to look natural.
Also, how'd DanDan get end stone, thought that meant you had to visit The End (we only found like 1 stronghold didn't we?), which you can't escape normally unless you kill the Enderdragon? Or did I miss it being slain somewhere? Or did he just /spawn out lol...
Either way, I want end stone now, shit is blast resistant to the extreme without being as dark toned as obsidian.