purchasing stone

As a newbie in the stone carving world, I was in hopes of buying some stone. I have about 8 things that I would like to carve. Some are from a trip this spring to the Atlanta Aquarium, and some are from ideas spurred from pictures in newspapers and magazines. I was in hopes of visiting 2Sculpt later this summer in Lawrence, Ks. but the owner will be away carving in New Mexico when we travel through. So I was searching on line and came up with a Craig's list ad of a sculptor who was retiring from carving after a shoulder injury. Boy did I score. I purchased soap stone in gray, pink, green and brown, and some sandstone! But I am still looking for that extra big stone that will provide an opportunity to do my first extra big piece as an abstract, which I hope some day will sit in the oval drive, for the front drive. Wishing...planning...hoping...and still working on Bun-Bun for my Bunny Boy.