Thanks for getting back to me.  I did purchase C7Pro - while the wife wasn't looking ; )
I have a book project (personal - maybe professional some day) that I'm trying to illustrate and I can use the new features in Carrara to give me more tools - and hopefully less headache.  I've been using Carrara since Ray Dream - and before that I used another program... forget the name... but Ray Dream and Infinity were both so cool back in the day!  I never slept.  I look at what people are modeling and making with 3d and I know I'd never compete in the professional market, even though I've been playing with digital 3D for years.  Good thing I've got a day job.

I'm trying to add layers to a textured model so I can paint over the shader...

Happy New Year!

Never Give Up!