Congrats! You're getting there - exciting!

I love that you are enjoying the process. You even know their names! Can't wait to see installed.

Woohoo Christine that is awesome! I am waiting for a call on my marble installation.

I've been meaning to send you a shout out about your beloved maples. Will you recommend a few small pot size for PNW zone 7/8, which is probably much wetter than your 7/8 zone.

Oh my gosh, I'm so glad I checked in today. I'm so excited for you!

That soapstone is beautiful.

Awesome! It's going to be fantastic! I hope you post photos after the installation.

Thanks guys. I'm excited, too. Finally I'll have something worth posting!

Terri, you're so lucky in that you can grow any JM up there!
Pot-sized is a relative term. But if you just go on and search "dwarf" Japanese maple, you'll find tons. Two years ago I started another garden bed with a Red Pygmy, a Brocade, a Ryzu, and a Grandma Ghost. Hupp's Dwarf, Chantilly Lace, Cynthia's Crown Jewels, Butterfly, Geisha, Johin, Katsura, Octopus, Wilson's PInk and Pink Lace all come to mind for beautiful examples. I look for something in container/raised garden beds that won't get more than 6' tall. If it's in a pot, it'll remain much smaller, longer.

I have a Pinterest collection of Japanese Maples I Have if you'd like the link. For my own edification and sorting, my descriptions always include width/height and size. At last count Friday, I had 96. I tend to pick up anything red, so keep that in mind. Jordan and Emmitt's Pumpkin, big ones, are actually bright orange, but they have red flares in their fall colors. Gaw-geous.

With the 70F we've been having, everything is budding out. The last 2 days have been low 20s, so I have no idea what's going to happen with my babies -- or my hyacinth, etc. Makes me sad to lose them again this year. I lost about 8 trees last year because of temperatures.

Love the soapstone. I can feel your excitement. Thank you for posting and letting us know about your milestone.

Go Christine!!! Can't wait to see it in place.

That's so exciting! I was going to say I can't imagine waiting 10 years, but I suppose I can. We've waited 7 to do our kitchen. i wonder how long it will take before you don't just stand in your kitchen looking at your gorgeous soapstone. Maybe years? :-)

Yay Christine!!! Welcome to the soapstone club. You will love it! (ours is called smoke as well, but looks very different from your slab. Just goes to show you that names are wonky.)

That stone is smashing, but I think it should be called "Evolving Weather Patterns."

I am mindful of this as I watch the demise of my Yoshino blooms, which usually peak come April 1.

but his year came three weeks early and now have frozen as a mix of buds and blossoms.

Climate change, anyone?

So pretty, I've always wanted soapstone.

Yay!!! Can't wait to see it all come together. And great find on CL!

Oh, familiar face))) Rusty templated my kitchen back in August, 2016))) Granite Grannies was fantastic to deal with, I am so glad I picked them. If I ever move lol: they will be my first choice.

Your stone looks amazing, enjoy your new counters!

Congrats!! Enjoy every second of the process!

I thought you were going to say you won the frozen-cookie-dough-and-wine-for-life lottery, but this is almost as good. :)

Your soapstone is lovely!

Whoo-hoo! So exciting! It looks like Granite Grannies is doing right by you with their templating.

Thanks, guys! GG did my bathroom about 5 years ago and I love it every time I move the crap on it to see the counter. I wonder why I didn't move crap sooner, then I make more crap piles. Uh-huh. Don't judge me.

Bpathome? Oh, were there such a lottery! In the meanwhile, I'll .. settle .. for my counters. going in at the end of the month! YEAH!

I'm excited for you!!

Oh Christine - I am so, SO very happy for you! The window looks beautiful and I remembered the name Granite Grannies - it would pop up every now and then as you mentioned you were saving. 10 Days - We'll be counting them down and looking forward to more pictures!! (Does this mean cabinets are all in?!) (And would I be correct, if I said they're all inset?!)

Awesome window! Can't wait to see THE soapstone installed.

I'm so happy for you! I've read your posts over those years as I've planned quietly in the background for our new kitchen which should happen yet this year! Looks like you're enjoying every moment, as you should!

Four year soapie here, welcome to the real world of counter tops!

You have waited patiently and deserve this! Enjoy, I know you will! All the best!

Christine, I've watched your threads now for the past two years. Congrats on your new gorgeous soapstone. I love soapstone.

Christine, yes please the link. I've bookmarked your list above too.

We both will have counter top pictures soon... Finally coming to them after a few years.

How exciting! I love, love soapstone.

Here, Terri: My Pinterest Japanese Maples . I'd forgotten a couple: Garnet, Shania, Skeeter, and Lozita. I have favorite ebay vendors I've been patronizing since 2004, so I can share them, too.

Excellent! The soapstone should be wonderful!

Beautiful soapstone! The movement looks similar to the one I have picked out. Mine should be installed in a few weeks!

Thank you! Now back to soapstone talk....

I had considered it. But then went with gray cabs. So carrara it is. :)

That's great CEFreeman! After so many years of DIY and planning, I'm so happy to see it finally happening for you. It's beautiful.

Good for you!!! It's beautiful, you have excellent taste!

can't wait to see it installed!

you do realize that with the soapstone on top of the lower cabs, they'll be a lot more difficult to rearrange?

LOL! desertsteph, that was a very serious consideration! I moved my fridge to the other side of the wall, into the mudroom and had to decide if I wanted that on a permanent basis, because now... But that 36" of counterspace is significantly more than the current 24" and I'm gonna make the sacrifice.

On the other side of the kitchen and into my dining room, I've moved the cabs around about 10 times. You should see how I've figured out how to move 16' of butcher block counter top when I want to move those base cabinets around.

She might be small, but she be mighty. Or something like that!

In a redesign urge, there are always the top cabinets...

"In a redesign urge, there are always the top cabinets..."

yep, there are always those - lol! - or another room!

I keep all of my 'remodeling' in my head... that way I can change it anytime I want to, with no heavy things to move around. It's cheaper that way too!

Christine, so happy your vision is coming to fruition! Your soapstone is beautiful. Can't wait to see what you've done with your space over the past few years! How about progress pics? You know we love pics!

bbtrix, I always promise those and never deliver. I think it's because I have so much crap everywhere. I keep telling myself when x is done and I can put all the xx away, I'll take pictures. But small details get in the way. Like the other pile of crap I moved to get x#2 done, which caused pile of crap #3. But I'll try.

Remember, maybe? I had a whole revelation about my life style after a marathon hoarders binge watch. I realized in order to not squeeze by cabinets on the kitchen floor, I needed to INSTALL them. Along with other things like that. That the difference between the Hoarders and me was...
NOTHING. I had all the "projects" they talked about and never did. So, after identifying myself with them and having a lasting moment of horror, I got back on my horse and started working on things.

That's also when I started selling everything I could get my hands on on CL.
So no pics at this time, but I'll try!