Circuspeanut- thanks so much for responding. I really want to do soapstone, it was my very first initial desire even before I discovered this tile. But it didn't seem correct with the dark cabinets I had chosen. Then, when I found this tile, and realized the dark cabinets were not going to work after thinking hard about it. The kitchen really does not get good light and, even though I'm adding a sliding glass door into the room, I also have noticed that the rear of the house gets the least amount of direct sunlight during the daytime (I've been watching it because I'm also trying to plan a garden). So, I need to lighten up the cabinets which I intend to do, but have not chosen exactly what color yet. In which case, soapstone would be possible. I LOVE the idea of yellow tile near the soapstone. And, love the tiles you posted. It keeps the kitchen more in the Craftsman style, with just a hint of Art Deco - which would be more in character of the house. The house has elements of both, but overall is much more Craftsman and is more my style than Deco. My eye is very drawn to the first tile you posted, the one on the upper left, yellow and brown geometric. Like that a lot. I can see adding in some copper with the pulls/handles, perhaps the faucet, fixtures and if feasible, the sink. In fact just today, I noticed that some of the plates on the doors in the house have a copper tone to them. As for other things - my contractor was over today (finally) with his super to talk about gutting the kitchen. Some surprises were found, issues with the floor level, some piping from the bathroom above complicating the potential ceiling height (but he still thinks I can get in 42" cabinets), a structural beam and possible plumbing in an area which may shorten the run of my counter top (and has put me back to a 30" range), etc. Old homes - you have to just deal with the surprises, you know? But, he loved the old tile, and was all about keeping it. Said if worse came to worse, and it didn't work out no harm done and out it comes but he'll do his best to be gentle with it during demolition. I've known him for easily 15 years, or more and trust him and his team completely to do the right thing (I've been working for Architects for over 25 years, and know him from my last job). Anyway - will certainly keep you all posted as things go along. Demo was supposed to start tomorrow but it got pushed off until Monday, no big deal. I go back to the kitchen designer next Saturday - should have been tomorrow but I have to cancel since no point going until demo is done and I see exactly what that structural beam situation is all about for one thing, and some other minor issues. I want to be certain about the measurements before ordering cabinets!

To the OP: You say that you've had "great success" using pushin connectors and that "you trust them more". You *REALLY* *SHOULD* *NOT*! Pushin connectors are, IMHO, sent to us straight from hell. I *never* use pushins and when I'm working on an outlet or switch that uses them, I remove it, throw it away, and install a better one that uses screws. The reason is that your pushin connectors just don't have the necessary surface area to properly handle a decent amount of current. They are quick and easy to use, but "quick" is way too often a sacrifice of "reliable". The little tiny barb that hooks and grabs the wire has nowhere near the surface area of a screw or a compression plate. It might be fine for an amp or 2, but when you start to actually try to carry 15 amps through a 15amp outlet, those little connections start to heat up. Screws are a pain, buy there is a decent compromise available. Buy pro-grade "rear entry" outlets and switches. They have a hole in the back like a pushin, but instead of a spring loaded clip, the straight piece of wire is sandwiched between 2 brass-plated steel plates and then when you turn the screw on the side of the outlet, the 2 plates squeeze tightly onto the wire over it's full length. You can put a decent amount of force on the screw which will tend to flaten the copper wire, which provides for more surface area and a very low-resistance contact.

Image by: CMWren Spirals FLAT SPIRALS Just a few of numerous possible shapes! I find that if you use the width of one of the tips of your round nosed pliers as a guide, you can make even increases without needing to guess at every turn. Bend your shape's first "layer". When you need to make the first increase in size for the second layer, set the inside edge of one of the pliers "pegs" even with the outside of the last layer and turn the wire around the outside of the peg to start the next row. Do this *every* time you put in a bend, for every side of every layer; the size of each progressive layer will automatically increase as you go. Finish off the spiral where you started so each side has the same number of layers. These can be left plain or you can bead them, and they can be used upright as picks or hangers, or upside down as dangles. Be imaginative with shapes, and get creative with uses... Plant picks, hair picks, chain pulls, etc.

Image by: Yukon_Gold Stove Element Heart Stove Element Copper Wire Heart Member Yukon_Gold doesn't let any good junk pass her by, here a rose heart she made from a burnt-out stove element: Just can't throw the stuff out--this time, used the following materials: 1) The good old left over electrical Romex 12/2 copper wire (still have tons left) from ours and now somebody else's electrical projects; and 2) A nonfunctional electric oven baking element that blew just before Easter dinner needed to be cooked. We got to go out for dinner (heh, heh). Replacement element cost $40, so the old one HAD to be recycled by me. Just squished the bottom connector tabs together to hold bottom to a pointed shape, the rest was as you see it. It made a nice, strong framework for the copper wire designs. Of course, as I was staring at the blown-out element after my husband replaced it, I heard him say quietly, "Oh, no! I just knew you were thinking of making something with it." Sure enough... The wire gauge is 12, which is a little heavy, but I've gotten used to it. Plus it stays put when stressed. Got my hands on some 14, but I keep going back to the 12, it seems to be larger and more visible from a distance. It's limited for more intricate shapes, and most beads don't fit on it. To strip, I use a box cutter carefully: A) If you are using Romex electrical wire pieces, there are 3 copper wires in there, one wrapped in paper and 2 wrapped in plastic. I hold the Romex flat and put it on a heavy piece of cardboard to avoid damage to the table, then carefully slice the covering and remove. B) Then for the individual plastic coated wires, I put an old magazine over my knee for protection, put the wire on my knee at the 2 o'clock position, then I hold the boxcutter at a slight angle with my right hand putting pressure on the wire covering with the blade, then I slowly draw the wire through with my left hand as the blade cuts a side of the plastic. I can do about 10-12" per tug. I do not remove the plastic cover until I have the whole wire length completely opened on the one side, then I pop it off. I've done up to 15 feet of wire this way. Make sure the box cutter has a newer, good blade or you'll be chopping little pieces off instead which is tedious. My personal favorite is the swirl shape, like concentric circles, only continuous. Like acorkscrew piggy tail, then flattened. I could see some of these inside the star, kind of swirling-planet look alikes. Have fun. P.S. There are two v-shaped attachments on the upper back of the element which will hang it perfectly (those were the legs that held the element off the bottom of the oven). Actually, I've been thinking of screwing it to the edge of a wooden flower box or deck edge, there are also two metal tabs with holes about 6" from the bottom on the back for doing that (those were the metal tabs that screwed the element to the back of the oven box).