Jacque, there are some carriers out there (I think Pampered Chef
offers one), but do you really want one? Many bakers let their pizza
stone "live" in their oven all the time. Oh, you can remove it maybe
for that big Thanksgiving turkey, but most of the time it can stay
there. It's not like you're going to bring that stone to the
table. If you want to remove it for any reason, just lt cool down
with the heat off and oven door open and then remove it with a couple
of oven mitts if it's still too warm. The carrier is just not worth
it in my estimation. And the answer is yes to your question about
putting the bread pan directly on the stone. You might want to
invest in a short-handled peel to flip those artisan loaves onto the
stone. The stone is also great for baking English muffins and pita
bread. I leave the light on and watch the pitas puff up through the
window in the door. When they "poof," I feel like a real pro. ;-
Bob the Tarheel Baker