Thank you all for the great ideas. Sorry, it takes me awhile to get back to the computer. I'm thinking Garden Chicken's tecnique on the partially cured 'tufa might be the best way to go for a first project. She does want to write more than just the horse's name and dates so trying to do it on wet tufa might be pushing it. Leigh, those foam rubber letters reversed in the bottom of the mold would probably be great if she weren't going to need multiples of some letters. Marley, your mold making instructions came up when I did a search. I told my neighbor about the talented person who carves letters out of POP and makes her own silicone mold and she started thinking maybe a wooden cross might be OK. Of course this was after also explaining why If she wanted to have rebar sticking out the bottom to stand it in the ground instead of making the stone longer she should coat with epoxy. :-) For the recipe I'll probably use 1 cement,1 1/2 sand, 1 sifted peat, and 1/2 vermiculite. Right now the size is 1ft x 2ft x 3in. Were're hoping this won't be TOO heavy. We should probably try a small test batch first to practice carving. Sure wish I had a dremel. Sorry I can't promise pictures :-( That's one reason I don't post about my projects cuz I know how disappointing it is when there aren't any pictures. I did try awhile ago. My son finally brought his digital camera over and I took some pictures...then after several tries he finally brought the right CD over for downloading from the memory card. Afterwards our cpmputer was all messed up and spent 3 weeks at 'puter Dr.'s house....ended up having to order a new mother board... he said it wasn't our sons fault-just a coincedence but I'm not real anxious to let him try again. It sure is frustrating being computer illiterate. packrat2

Gardenweed has so kindly & generously shared all her organizing tips on WS 500 containers & I may be close to that! This is my 1st year WS & really 1st year to gardening & my yard is a blank slate!!! 3 of my kids are in school & my 4th (youngest) is in preschool 5 days per week so I have easily 2-3 hours per day to WS & tend to my seedlings. I have soooo much I am sowing thanks to the WONDERFUL swaps & trades & just the AWESOME generosity of members sending a newbie like me seeds!! As of last eve my database/list of seeds I have was at 450 & I still have the wintersowing swap to come & I am still receiving seeds from the Christmas card swap!! So I think I will hit close to 500!! I am trying so hard to get my Christmas work list done by end of this week so next week I can prep my jugs & START GETTING MY HANDS IN THE DIRT AGAIN!!!! My kiddos are off of school the week before Christmas so they are going to get their hands dirty too! LOL Gotta get back to my Christmas work list...... Peace & Love, Jodie

Not sure if this will help but we are planning a party for our DD's upcoming graduation from college as an X-ray Tech. Maybe you can revise this to use for your situation. I added some clip-art in the form of a skull x-ray with a graduation cap on it and some books and a diploma but didn't include them on here as I'm not sure they would show up. Hopefully, you can find your own clip-art if you need it. dd Her Name ___________________________ Will receive her Diploma in Medical Radiologic Technology From S.A.I.T. On May 29th, 2008 Please join us in celebrating this upcoming event and wishing ____________ well in her new career. You are cordially invited to attend a Graduation Celebration in her honour Date: Friday, May 9th, 2008 Time: 6:00 p.m. to ? Place: ________ Residence, 1545 Mtn. View Dr. Event: Come and Go/Appetizer-Dinner Buffet RSVP: 837-______ or reply to this email

Just thought of something else I do for kids....this is great for travleing...I make them up in the summer for our reunions too with different pix of course I am including a link of pix already doen.....all you have to do is size them however big you want(I made mine 4"square) print them out on cardstock paper......then put 2 together back to back(2 different pictures)when I made them last year, I made some with halloween on one side, and thanksgiving on the other side, or with christmas on one side and winter (snowmen, etc)on the other side. I glued them lightly back to back with a glue stick (cheap from dollar stores) just enough to hold together till I could laminate them.....bought laminate at Walmart cheap.....cut them out, stuck them in a bag with different colored flat marble stones from walmart, and the kids loved them....some adults too! I also took a bunch of recipes, halloween for halloween, and xmas for xmas, and using vintage graphics I found online, made everyone a nice cookbook(did this for reunion too using family recipes) I used the vintage graphics for the front & back cover of the book. When I made the halloween cookbook(small booklet), Have some for sale on Ebay right now, I printed out the recipes, then printed out the covers, cut them all out, punched a hole in the corner, tied it together with jute twine.....then I cut out a pumkin shape(2 sided) out of felt, sewed them together, crocheted a jute handle, embellished with silk leaves, and an acorn or pine cone, stuck the recipe book inside..made a nice gift and they can hang it inside the cupboard door for easy finding or even hang on the wall for the season. The xmas ones i am working on now for gifts...I am printing out the recipes, more vintage graphics from online, then will make mittens (make a big snoflake on the outside using glitter glue) or other shape from felt and will stick the recipe booklet inside with a candy cane or something.....if you have any questions, email me..I'll be glad to help... Here is a link that might be useful: tic tac toe boards