Hi Jen I've been watching the threads for this - do you mind if I try working along with you but using a applique pattern that I was 'allocated' last night at a little once a month group I go to - its a pattern I liked and said to the organiser I' like to do sometime - I guess sometime is NOW Its a french pattern with appliqued rows - eg row 1 flowers, row 2 6 chickens and eggs, row bird houses, row 4 sheep, row 5 apples, row 7 flowers again (1 even may be missing a row here!) - I could fuse it but want to do a proper job and may call on help Thanks Ethne

Molly, the journaling genies are different template shapes with lines that you trace onto your page and then use to journal. It creates a nice added touch instead of just "straight line" writing. They have some for every occasion: a "splash", cloud, fancy frame, titles...check out the link below for their complete line.. Hilary Here is a link that might be useful: journaling genies

You best said it yourself in the last sentence. "...Do I pick out other slabs which are not as pretty as mine and start all over again, further delaying my kitchen?" You live with what they did which is the colors you wanted or you go and get something else that won't be as pretty. I think you have the answer. HOWEVER, you need to hold the fabricator and/or Lowe's accountable for what happened. What you don't say is WHO put the template up onto the granite so you could photograph? The Lowe's employee? Or did the actual fabricator who was going to cut, polish and install the granite do it? If Lowe's did it...then that answers what went wrong. You go to Lowe's and discuss with the slab person what went wrong. They obviously didn't communicate a thing to the fabricator. If the fabricator put the template up onto the slab and you photographed then you certainly have recourse to get in his face and demand explanation. Not that I defend the fabricator all the time .... however, I have had the templates laid out for a client's granite and when the fabrication started the slab broke in a bad vein area, I have had the seams "blow out" and not match up right after that so another section was cut differently, etc. It could be there was a problem during fabrication. Research a little before you react. Good luck on the office move!

1. Please tell us a little about your gardening style, if you garden for sun, shade, water(pond), or other. ** I HAVE SUN AND SHADE, WOULD LOVE FOR A POND BUT DONT HAVE THE SPACE** 2. What type of plants do you have for trade? ** I AM NEW AT THE GARDENING THING SO I DONT HAVE ANY PLANTS, I HAVE ALOT OF SEEDS AND IM ALWAYS COLLECTING MORE** 3. What types of plants are you looking to add to you gardens? ** ANYTHING THAT IS VIBRANT, COLORFUL AND UNIQUE.** 4. Do you grow from seed? **ABSOLUTLEY, ACTUALLY ALMOST EVERYTHING I HAVE IS FROM SEED** 5. Do you grow vegetables as well as flowering plants? ** NOT ALOT BUT I WILL TRY A FEW THIS YEAR, ID LOVE TO GROW PUMPKINS FOR MY KIDS BUT DONT HAVE THE ROOM.** 6. Is there a particular type plant you are looking for? **ANYTHING COLORFUL AND UNIQUE, ID LOVE TO SEE IF I COULD GROW ORCHIDS AND THAT BEAUTIFUL CHRISMA AMRYILLIS SUE HAS ON COMMENTS.** 7. Is there a particular type of plant that you do not care to receive? **NOTHING INVASIVE, NOTHING THAT CLIMBS, NOTHING THAT ATTRACTS ALOT OF BEES, NO HOSTAS.** 8. Are you into houseplants? **SOME, I LOVE ORCHIDS.** 9. Outside of gardening, do you collect anything special? **PRECIOUS MOMENTS FIGURES, ANGELS, BUTTERFLIES, PHOTO FRAMES OF ANY KIND.** 10. Do you like garden junk/decor? **SOME THINGS, DEPENDING ON WHAT IT IS AND HOW BIG IT IS** 11. Tell us a little bit about your family - are you married, children/grandchildren? at home? ** I AM ENGAGED IVE BEEN WITH MY FIANCE FOR ALMOST 4 YEARS, WE HAVE 2 CHILDREN-- A GIRL (ANGEL)-4YRS OLD, & A BOY (CAMERON)-ALSO 4YRS OLD. NONE TOGETHER YET BUT WE ARE HOPEFUL FOR ONE OR TWO IN THE FUTURE!!** 12. Any pets? **WE HAVE AN AWESOME KITTY-(CUDDLEBUG) 1YR OLD, WE RESCUED HIM FROM AN ABUSIVE HOUSEAND A TURTLE WITH 3 LEGS WE FOUND ON A NATURE WALK AT OUR OLD HOME (MOMMA)- AGE UNKNOWN.** 13. Aside from gardening, share a little bit about your hobbies.** I LOVE SCRAPBOOKING AND CRAFTS. PHOTOS OF FAMILY AND MEMORIES ARE MY LIFE!! I LOVE TO TAKE OUR KIDS TO HOME DEPOT ON SATURDAYS, THEY HAVE A WORKSHOP WHERE THE KIDS GET TO BUILD THINGS SO WE DO THAT TOGETHER. ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH FUN AND MY FAMILY IM IN!! ** 14. Types of books/mags you enjoy? **ANY KIND HOME IMPROVEMENT, CRAFTING, BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS, RECIPIES, MARTHA STEWART, ETC. ** 15. What colors are your kitchen? **ITS NOT MY KITCHEN BUT THE ONE I HAD WAS BUTTERFLIES AND PASTELS. ** 16. What is your favorite scent(s)? ** I LOVE LILAC, LAVANDER, SOFT FLORALS, FRUITY, BODY BY VICTORIA & VERY SEXY ARE MY FAVORITE PERFUMES ** 17. Do you enjoy receiving food? Coffee, Tea? Any restrictions? ** I LOVE TEA OF ALL KINDS EXCEPT PEACH, NO COFFEE AND NO CHOCOLATE, LOVE ANYTHING STRAWBERRY. ** 18. What size gloves do you wear? ** SMALL** 19. Finally, share with us a little bit about yourself... ** I AM 31, IVE BEEN WITH THE LOVE OF MY LIFE/SOULMATE FOR 4 YRS NOW, WE WERE WELL ON OUR WAY TO STARTIING OUR LIVES, WE OWNED OUR OWN COMPANY, NEW HOME, GREAT KIDS & TRYING FOR ONE TOGETHER, THEN THE ECONOMY FELL AND WE LOST OUR COMPANY AND OUR HOME. SO WE NOW LIVE WITH MY MOTHER-IN-LAW, WE ARE TRYING TO GET OURSELVES BACK UP ON OUR FEET AND START OUR BUSINESS AGAIN, ITS VERY HARD STARTING FROM SCRATCH AGAIN BUT NO MATTER WHAT HAS HAPPENED WE HAVENT LOST OUR FAITH IN THE LORD AND THROUGH HIM ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. I SPEND MOST OF MY TIME DOING THINGS WITH MY FAMILY AND TRYING TO BE THE BEST MOMMY AND COMPANION I CAN BE. I TRY TO RAISE MY KIDS WITH GOOD MORALS AND VALUES AND TRY TO DO BETTER FOR MY KIDS THEN I HAD. I AM TRULY BLESSED BY THE LORD TO HAVE SUCH A TERRIFIC FAMILY AND I THANK HIM EVERYDAY FOR THE WONDERFUL LIFE HE HAS BESTOED UPON ME!!! **