The City I Most Want to Visit in Each State, Part 10: Virginia to Wyoming

This is the tenth post in a series. I recommend reading the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth posts before this one. Today I'll be wrapping up this series by selecting the city in Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming that I most want to visit, then listing my top 2 attractions in each location. 

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The City I Most Want to Visit in Each State, Part 10: Virginia to Wyoming

 

It should come as no surprise - the city I most want to visit in Virginia is the capital, Richmond. It's one of the five state capitals I haven't visited yet. There are a lot of things I want to see and do in Richmond, but my top priorities are the Virginia State Capitol and the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. 

Leavenworth is a Bavarian-inspired village in the Cascade Mountains of Washington and it is the city I'd most like to visit in the Evergreen State. It looks so charming and I'm a big fan of Bavarian food. The attractions I most want to see include the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum and Blackbird Island. 

The city I'd most like to visit in West Virginia is Fayetteville. It's a very small town, with approximately 2800 people. The amount of infrastructure in such a small place is surprising, until you realize it's the gateway for our newest National Park. New River Gorge National Park is the primary place I'd like to visit. Since it's right there, I would enjoy a look at BSA's Summit Bechtel Reserve. 

Green Bay is the city I most want to visit in Wisconsin. It the oldest city in the state and is famous for being the smallest American city to have a major professional sports team. Green Bay is known as the Toilet Paper Capital of the World (!) and is where "splinter-free" (!!) toilet paper was invented. Sadly, there is no toilet paper related attraction in town; worse, the World's Largest Toilet Paper Roll is gone. When I visit Green Bay, I would most like to visit the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary and the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame and Museum. 

The city I'd most like to visit in Wyoming is Jackson. Located in the scenic valley of Jackson Hole, Jackson is the primary entry point for Grand Teton National Park, which is the attraction I most want to visit. My second priority would be the National Museum of Wildlife Art. 

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That wraps up the cities I most want to visit in each of the 50 states. This was such a fun project! It introduced me to some places I wasn't previously aware of and had me really studying maps, especially  for the states where I've traveled extensively already. Not every one of the 50 places I chose is a must-visit for me, but quite a few of them are. I look forward to sharing them with you in the future!

Crayon-Resist Swallowtail Butterfly

I liked the results of my wax-resist Colorado hairstreak butterfly so much that I used the same technique to make a different butterfly. This time, I chose the Eastern tiger swallowtail. It is the state insect of Virginia, the state butterfly of Delaware, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, and both the state butterfly and mascot of Alabama. Affiliate links below. 

Wax-Resist Swallowtail Butterfly

Materials: 

• watercolor paper
• crayons
• black paint
• microtip scissors
• colored pencil

Steps: 

Because I wanted my Eastern tiger swallowtail to be accurate, I printed out a picture first at the size I wanted my finished project to be. Then I used the window to trace the butterfly onto watercolor paper. 

Next, I used yellow, orange, black, blue, and white crayons to color in the butterfly. Since this is a wax-resist project, press hard and leave a thick layer of wax where you want the paint to resist; color lightly in the areas where you want black to cover most of your crayon marks. 

Create a wash by mixing a few drops of black acrylic paint into some water. Brush the wash over the butterfly. The paint will resist the areas with crayon. When the paint is dry, cut out the butterfly. 

The wash dried a little lighter than I wanted, but it was an easy fix. I used a black colored pencil to darken the areas that needed to pop. Here you can see the difference between the right side that I've colored and the left side that has just the wash. 

Here is is with both sides colored. 

The Eastern tiger swallowtail is such a pretty butterfly! I'm really happy with how my project turned out. 

The Best and the Worst of the 50 State Seals, Part 5

This is my last post rating the designs of each of the 50 state seals. I suggest starting with the first post, which gives the background and explains the criteria I'm using for grading. 

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Rating the State Seals: South Dakota through Wyoming

The state seal of South Dakota was designed before statehood, then modified in 1889 when it became the 40th state. It features scenes of agriculture (farmer, cattle), commerce (steamship), industry (smelting furnace), and natural resources (hills, river). The state motto and the year of statehood appear around the outside. This is an attractive seal. While there are some generic elements, I appreciate the details that make it unique. Question: I'm not a farmer; should he really be plowing furrows that are knee-deep?

Design: 4, Representation 3.5 = 7.5

Tennessee's state seal, most recently updated in 1987, takes a different approach to depicting agriculture and commerce than other states do: the words are literally written on the seal. Images of agriculture include a plow, wheat, and cotton. A riverboat represents commerce. Roman numerals XVI show that Tennessee is the 16th state, admitted to the Union in 1796. I don't like the addition of these words at all. It makes the seal look really crowded. And what is up with the tiny doghouse that is dwarfed by the plow and wheat? I'm assuming it's supposed to be a people house in the background. 

Design: 1.5, Representation 3 = 4.5

The state seal of Texas is two-sided and was updated in 1992. The front features a 5-pointed star in the center, representing the Lone Star State. An olive branch (peace) and a live oak branch (strength), tied together with a ribbon, surround the star. I like the simplicity and symbolism of this seal but it feels incomplete. Adding the date of statehood (1845) or the state motto (Friendship) to the empty portion at the bottom would make this design so much better, both aesthetically and in representing the state. 

Design: 3, Representation 2 = 5

Utah's state seal was adopted in 1896 and features a shield in the center. On it are a beehive (the state emblem), the word Industry (the state motto), sego lilies (the state flower), and 1847 (the year pioneers arrived in Utah). Behind the seal are the American eagle and US flags. The year 1896 is when Utah became a state. Ordinarily, I wouldn't be a fan of having national symbols on the state seal, but with Utah represented in so many ways on the center shield, I don't mind it. It's a very attractive design. The only thing I don't like are the dots on either side of the text. 

Design: 4.5, Representation 4.5 = 9

The state seal of Vermont was designed in 1788, replaced with a (better) design, and then reinstated in 1937. It includes a 14-branch pine tree (Vermont is the 14th state) rising from a forest of much smaller trees. Above the forest are several floating items: grain, a cow, and wavy lines (possibly representing the Connecticut River). Below the forest is more grain surrounding the state motto, Freedom and Unity, plus more wavy lines (possibly representing Lake Champlain). I'll say it - this design is hideous. There are so many things wrong with the design that if I listed them, I'd just end up with a list of everything on the seal. The only thing saving this seal from being the very worst is that it incorporates the state motto and 14 branches (and possibly the water boundaries) that are unique to Vermont. 

Design: 0.5, Representation 2.5 = 3

The state seal of Virginia was designed in 1776 and standardized in 1912. It is two-sided; I'm focusing on the front. It features Virtus standing on a man representing tyranny, whose crown has fallen off his head. She's holding a spear and a sword. The tyrant is holding a broken chain and a whip. The state motto (Thus Always to Tyrants) appears below the fallen tyrant. OK, I get it: this was designed immediately after the Declaration of Independence, when vanquishing the king was at the top of everyone's minds. But that was not unique to Virginia then and it certainly isn't now. Other than the state name, the state motto is the only thing that says Virginia. There is another problem with this design. 

Design 1.5, Representation 1 = 2.5

Washington's state seal, designed in the 1850's when Washington was still a territory then updated in 1889 with statehood, features a portrait of the state's namesake. This seal is distinctive, if boring. I wish the natural beauty of the Evergreen State was featured as well (or instead). 

Design 2, Representation 2 = 4

The state seal of West Virginina was adopted in 1863, when it became a state. It features a boulder with the statehood date. Two men, representing agriculture and industry, lean against the boulder. In front are crossed rifles and a liberty cap. The state motto ("Liberty out of Fidelity") appears at the bottom. Two thoughts: The miner looks like a skeleton. There are periods after State of West Virginia and Montani Semper Liberi. Why? 

Design: 2, Representation 2.5 = 4.5

Wisconsin's state seal was redesigned most recently in 1881. It features a shield with a plow (agriculture), pick and shovel (mining), arm and hammer (manufacturing), an anchor (navigation), and the US Coat of Arms. Above there is a badger, the state animal, and the state motto. Below, a cornucopia (abundance) and 13 lead bars (mineral wealth and the 13 original colonies). There are 13 stars below that. (Wisconsin is the 30th state.) I love that there is a badger and the state motto on this seal. Other than that, meh. 

Design 2.5, Representation 2.5 = 5

The state seal of Wyoming was revised in 1921. It features a statue in the center with the banner "Equal Rights" as Wyoming was the first to give women the right to vote (in 1869, while still a territory). Other banners highlight livestock, mines, grain, and oil, four of Wyoming's major industries. A rancher and miner stand on either side of the statue. At the base is an eagle and a star with 44 printed on it, as Wyoming was the 44th state. The two dates represent the organization of the territorial government (1869) and statehood (1890). This is a very nice seal. It's aesthetically pleasing and does a good job of representing Wyoming's history. 

Design 4, Representation 4 = 8

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Here are the results! For the states that are tied, I've listed them alphabetically. 

1st (tie): Arizona, Minnesota

3rd: California

5th (tie): Ohio, Utah

6th: Kansas

10th (tie): Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming

16th (tie): Delaware, Hawaii, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota

19th (tie): Colorado, Nebraska, North Carolina

24th (tie): Florida, New Hampshire, Missouri, New York, South Carolina

27th (tie): Maine, Maryland, North Dakota

31st (tie): Iowa, Michigan, New Mexico, Rhode Island

35th (tie): New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, Wisconsin

37th (tie): Tennessee, West Virginia

41st (tie): Kentucky, Louisiana, Indiana, Washington

45th (tie): Alabama, Georgia, Massachusetts, Vermont

47th (tie): Illinois, Virginia

48th: Mississippi

49th: Arkansas

50th: Connecticut

This was a fun (if incredibly time-consuming) exercise. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Let me know if you agree with my rankings or if yours are completely different!

Design a Square Dance Outfit Coloring Page

There are a whopping 24 states that have named square dance as their official state dance (or folk dance). These include: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington. The point of state symbols is supposed to be to highlight what sets one state apart from the other 49, so I'm not crazy about the fact that 24 states share a state symbol. But it's not a coincidence: starting in the 1960's, square dancers across the country petitioned to make their hobby the official national dance. Despite many attempts, it never passed (the story is fascinating) and square dancers turned their attention to state legislatures. Obviously, that was far more successful. 

Because of the popularity of square dancing throughout American history and its status as a state symbol for so many, I wanted to design a craft inspired by it. I settled on the most iconic aspect: the outfits. Students can use my coloring page to design clothing for a square dance couple standing in promenade. I opted not to add faces or hair, as if the clothes were on mannequins. Feel free to add in whatever features you'd like.  

Square Dance Outfit Coloring Page

The first thing I did before making my coloring page was to research square dance outfits. Square Up Fashions gave me a good idea of what's popular amongst square dancers. Check out some of the dresses and skirts they currently have for sale: 

I used the basic shape of the outfits to draw a very simplified couple.

I scanned and copied my drawing. I put two couples on one page (so I could try different designs) and printed it out. 

I colored in both images with my Ohuhu Honolulus, then added details with a black fineliner. The first design (purple and black) is at the top of the post. Here's one in shades of blue. 

I tried to make the two couples look as different from each other as possible, while still staying true to what square dancers might actually wear. It was a lot of fun. As is square dancing! The last time I did square dancing was at Trevor's 4th grade Gold Rush camp in 2016. I'm overdue to do some square dancing again!

The Best Tour in Every State, Part 5

This is the fifth and final part in my series about the best tour I've taken in every state. I recommend reading the first post (Alabama through Georgia), second post (Hawaii through Maryland), third post (Massachusetts through New Jersey), and fourth post (New Mexico through South Carolina) before this one. 

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South Dakota

We have taken a number of excellent tours in South Dakota, but there's no question which is the best: the Buffalo Safari Jeep Tour at Custer State Park. My only complaint about the tour is that they should call it the Bison Safari Jeep Tour. During the two-hour tour, we saw many bison, pronghorns, and prairie dogs. We learned so much about the native plants and animals of the area. I'd happily take this tour again and again. 

Tennessee

The best tour I've taken in Tennessee is Old Town Trolley Tours in Nashville. This hop-on-hop-off style tour took us to the most popular locations in the city, including the Ryman Auditorium, Marathon Motor Works, Centennial Park (home of the Parthenon), the Belmont Mansion, Music Row, and the Frist Art Museum. Our guide was outstanding. 

Texas

The best tour we've taken in Texas is the Lone Star Riverboat Sunset Cruise in Austin. The tour begins with a narrated scenic cruise during the daylight, then the captain positions the boat by the Congress Avenue Bridge in time for the bat flyout. 

Utah

I've taken many great tours in Utah, but my favorite has to be the Great Salt Lake Tour. The narrated tour took us through downtown and past a lot of interesting sites on the way to the Great Salt Lake. There, we caught live sea monkeys and then had the chance to swim in the lake (we waded). Our guide was excellent and we learned so much!

Vermont

Oh how I agonized over this one! Ben & Jerry's Factory Tour or Rock of Ages Quarry Tour?! I went back and forth a dozen times. They're both so good! But I'm going with the Rock of Ages Quarry Tour. I learned so much during the tour. The smaller size and more relaxed pace (relative to the larger group and strict timeline at Ben & Jerry's) made for a really enjoyable experience. Don't miss either tour when you're in Vermont. 

Virginia

The best tour I've taken in Virginia was a ranger-led tour of Yorktown Battlefield. That was part of the April 2000 trip I took with my fellow 5th grade teachers and our students. We all learned so much about this important site from colonial times and the American Revolution. 

Washington

The best tour I've taken in Washington is one of the most unique tours I've taken anywhere. It's called Beneath the Streets and that's literally what it is: a tour of what's beneath the streets of Seattle. It was so interesting to learn the history of a place that not a lot of people know about and even fewer see. 

West Virginia

I haven't actually taken any tours in West Virginia, so I can't pick the best one. However, I can highly recommend the outstanding West Virginia State Museum. 

Wisconsin

The best tour we've taken in Wisconsin was the Milwaukee City Tour by Untapped Tours. Most tours are either driving or walking, but this was both. I loved that, as we were able to visit places that were far apart, but still get an up-close view of them. It was a fantastic tour. 

Wyoming

I've only taken a single tour in Wyoming (so far!), so I'm calling Cheyenne Street Railway Trolley the best tour in Wyoming. We really enjoyed our trolley ride and learned a lot about the fascinating city of Cheyenne. 

That wraps up my version of the Best Tour in Every State! If you have any tours to recommend, please let me know in the comments. 

50 State Quarters: Coloring Pages Using Prismacolor Premier Markers

I've finished the next four of the 50 State Quarter coloring pages. Today's states include Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Virginia. This time I used Prismacolor art markers. Affiliate links here and below.   

I have loved Prismacolors for a long time and I enjoyed using them for these coloring pages. However, Ohuhu's alcohol markers have spoiled me. The quality is just as good as Prismacolor and there are so many more colors available (not to mention they are so much cheaper). 

Including these four, I have now completed 42 of the 50 State Quarter coloring pages. Here are all of the art materials I've used previously:

• Ohuhu Kaala markers (Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Wisconsin)
• ink and Prismacolor colored pencils (Connecticut, Idaho, Missouri, Montana)
• Flair pens (Delaware, Indiana)
• Sharpies (Maine, South Carolina)
• Stabilo Woody 3-in-1 (Colorado, New Hampshire)
• Folk Art acrylic paint (Wyoming, Rhode Island, Mississippi, Michigan)
• Crayola crayons (Florida, Maryland, South Dakota, Vermont)
• Himi gouache (Iowa, New York, Utah, West Virginia)
• Derwent Inktense pencils (Arizona, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana)
• Ohuhu Pupe markers (Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Washington)
• Koi watercolors by Sakura (Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Oklahoma)

Eight more pages to go!

Decoupaged State Flag Heart Magnets

I still have a lot more National Scrapbook Day projects to share, but I wanted to show you a Mod Podge project first. Mod Podge is celebrating its 57th birthday this Friday, May 17. The Plaid Ambassadors are celebrating by using our favorite varieties of Mod Podge on a craft. I used Mod Podge Ultra (affiliate link here and throughout the post) to make state flag heart magnets for Washington, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Nebraska. Each of these states' flags features a design that would be way too difficult to paint like I did with the previous batch of flag magnets. Mod Podge to the rescue!

 

Decoupaged State Flag Heart Magnets

Materials: 

• salt dough hearts
• Folk Art paint
• images of state flags, printed small and trimmed to size
• Mod Podge Ultra
• magnet tape

Steps: 

Follow the instructions to make salt dough hearts. When they are completely dry, paint them to match the background color of the flag. If the flag you want to make has a white background (like Massachusetts does), be sure to paint it too, even though the salt dough is white. 

To make the images that you'll be decoupaging onto the hearts, find an image of the flag you're making and copy it. Shrink it to the desired size, then print and cut. 

When the paint is completely dry, protect your work surface (I used newspapers and a box I use for spraying). Place each heart onto a plastic lid or small container so that it is raised off the bottom surface. Follow the directions on the bottle to shake the Mod Podge and spray it onto the hearts. 

Place each cut-out onto the heart while the Mod Podge is still wet. Let it dry, then add another coat over the top. Add an extra coat when that one is dry. 

When the Mod Podge is completely dry, turn over each heart and add a strip of magnet tape. Now your magnets are ready to hang on the fridge. 

Felt Cardinal Pencil Topper

I think it's so weird that we talk about most animals year-round, while there are others we've assigned to a certain season. It's as if rabbits and chicks only exist in the spring, flamingoes and tropical fish disappear if it isn't summer, bats and owls are only alive in the fall, and penguins and polar bears vanish when winter ends. I get that some of that is based on climate; tropical fish live in warm water and polar bears live in cold water. But they live there year-round! 

Despite existing year-round with quite a large range, cardinals are considered part of the winter animal category. If there is an image of a cardinal on a card, the sentiment probably references Christmas or winter. You don't see cardinals on Easter greetings, even though baby cardinals start hatching then, just like baby chickens. It's weird. 

All this to say that I made a cardinal craft during the summer. And you can too. Affiliate links below. 

Felt Cardinal Pencil Topper

Materials:

• pencil
• plastic leaves on a stem
• floral tape
• felt (red, black, orange)
• scissors
• self-adhesive black enamel dots or Enamel Accents
• tacky felt glue
• Fiber fill

Steps: 

To make the cardinal, you will need two red felt bodies, two red wings, two black faces, and one orange beak. I recommend using scratch paper to make a template for yourself, unless you want to just wing it (pun intended) like I did.

Use floral tape to wrap a stem of leaves to a pencil. I used an artificial rose I had laying around and just pulled the flower off to save for a different use. 

Glue the face and wings to the two body parts.

Add an eye to each face. If you're using self-adhesive enamel dots, proceed. If you're using Enamel Accents, let them dry completely. 

Put a line of glue around the inside of one body piece, leaving the belly area open. Put the beak in place, then add a line of glue onto the part of the beak that will be covered by the second body piece. Set that piece on top of the first, essentially making a beak sandwich. Let the glue dry completely. 

Add as much or as little stuffing as you want, then add a generous amount of glue to the opening. Place it onto the prepared pencil, clamp it closed, and let the glue dry completely.  

Perfect for any time of year! This craft is particularly great if you live in one of the seven states (Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia) that have named the cardinal as their state bird, or if you're a fan of the any of the Cardinals sports teams!