Thanks, Susie. You won't beleive this. I was in Ross about a month ago and I was looking at that set of flatware. A lady who saw me looking said "you better get it, even if you change your mind and bring it back. They don't get the gold-plated very often." I thought about it and classified it as a "want" and not a need. Now my Thanksgiving Dinner count has gone up and I actually NEED it!! It went back Saturday but they had none. Guess I'll have to get a list of all the Ross's around here go to all of them. How long have you had yours?

12x12 slate tiles or stucco spring to mind. With a proper adhesive, and if the cinder block was installed well, you should be able to stucco right over block. If you are talking about the interior, you could use a plaster like that from AmericanClay.com Resist painting the block. It will look like... painted block. Then its harder to cover when you have the money. Reinhardt

Hi Pete thanks for your response. You assumed correctly in that I am doing the surround and not the firebox.. I do not plan on leveling the surface. I am a mosaic artist and find the stone surface a real treat to be able to mosaic. As to the reasons for wanting to seal the fireplace first is because it has seen many a hardcore fire and the stone is still stained after many washings. I want to prevent any seepage of grease or oils still around. especially if I am going to do a direct application which is what I plan to do, in mixed media, mostly stained glass mosaic. I have underpainted many a mosaic so I know it is and can be done in some if not most cases; just not sure about which sort of paint + clear adhesive could be used as far as the heat factor or if I should just use thinset. I want to avoid thinset as I plan on grouting and I want a better control over the grouts depth ( I can be heavy handed w/ thinset ) Thanks for your advice on the squaring of the fireplace, I had battled with the thought earlier in my idea process but decided I'd enjoy the challenge of it's rustic surface to mosaic. But; if down the road I want it to disappear now I know how!! Aren't you glad you're not married to me !! lol Kathleen

Sterling is forever. It can't "wear out" unless it is silver plate. Yes, even a boxed dinner tastes better if one uses sterling! Perhaps it's a southern thing - after the Civil War, people had no money but they still had their silver and china and they used it daily. It is the epitome of "genteel poverty", a style I have mastered over the years! I had to - my husband was a secondary school teacher and there was no trust fund!