Alcohol Markers or Regular Markers

 I am making cards to send out with our new address, phone, etc. I tried both sets of markers to see which I liked best for this project. So I thought sharing the pros and cons would be interesting. I had separated the regular markers by color, and then put the alcohol markers together because I have fewer of those. The regular markers have the permanent, scroll and brush, brush and bullet ends, calligraphy, chisel and brush, and different colors of Sharpies. On the whole they have two ends. Quite a variety. The alcohol markers are just brush and broad (thick) ends. They are located in the bottom right corner.  The plastic holders I got from IKEA and they have hooks on the back.  They will hang on this item that looks like a towel holder.  That way I can have easy access to them, instead of digging through the box for the right color and type.

The Alcohol markers that I am using are Copic.  My main regular brush markers that I use and have the most of are Tombow.

Here I stamped 3 images and the top was colored in with the Copic Alcohol Marker.  The bottom two are done with the Tombow markers.  The Alcohol marker is smooth.  The colors are nice and bright and there are no lines. They are easy to blend. The Tombow markers are nice a bright also but do not blend and you can see where each stroke overlaps. With all three images I used a regular dye ink pad.  If you would use a permanent, fast drying ink pad the alcohol ink markers would make it smudge because they dissolve the permanent ink. 

Here is the back side of the three stamped images.  This is 80 lb card stock and the alcohol markers bled through the back.  This does not work well for this project because I am using them as post cards.  The regular markers did not bleed through, so those are the ones I will use. 

In Search of History

Kevin has a history project that has a whole list of items to choose from worth different amounts of points.

He has to have his picture taken at the site and he has to write up points about it in his own words.

The ones in our area had some of the highest points.

This is the interurban overpass that once was right outside of Monroeville.

This is where the 4 townships meet all named after Presidents.

This one is sad because of the advertising that was sold to go over the Chew Mail Pouch Tobacco.

It is on State Road 1, just south of 469.

This is where the interurban train station used to stand.

Don't know what year it was torn down, but we had to do some detective work on that one, using pictures and buildings.

This is on 101 going to Decatur.  This wasn't on the list but there are 5 points for historical items that are not on the list that should be. 

It should all equal up to 25 points.

I love history so it is fun for me too.

Plus he needs someone to take the picture and drive.

The Yard is In

The yard man finished up Saturday night about 8:00 pm.

It is meticulously beautiful and now we are hope for some nice steady rain.

I don't think that's asking for too much, do you?

Ha-I know what you are thinking.

They are calling for some rain on Monday and Tuesday.

We are just glad that he was running behind because the high winds would have just blown it all around.

The yard was so hard in spots that he finally had to bring in a tractor with disks on the back to break it up.

Being the last house to be built in the area we understand that everybody else's dirt was put on our empty lot.

He also wondered if when the pond was dug that some of that dirt was most likely put there. 

He was perplexed as to why it was so hard.

Other places were just fine.

We have never witnessed anyone work so hard, continuously. For all 6 days he put in 12 hours each day.  Very rarely did he take a break.

He is a very focused man and does beautiful work. 

Cookies

I saw this idea in Country Living and thought it was pretty cute.

I used my favorite cut out recipe, found a candy corn cookie cutter and dipped the ends in melted chocolate and vanilla dipping chocolate.

The following cut out recipe was given to us on for a wedding gift.

It has a great flavor, doesn't need to be refrigerated and the texture is just right. 

INGREDIENTS

1 cup shortening

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 tsp. salt

2 1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. milk

Combine shorting and sugar, add egg-sift dry ingredients and add to first mixture.  If too stiff add more milk.  Roll out and cut with cookie cutters.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes.