actually I am planning on using something like Cultured Stone or similar stone veneers. I stumbled upon alot of useful information at
http://www.culturedstone.com/
It includes installation guides and a directory of dealers close to me. Apparently what I want to do is more of a trend than I first realized, so finding information hasn't been too difficult as I thought it would. Although now I am tackling the notion if I can in fact do it myself or if this is better left to a professional.