Zen Doodle Name Art

I'm calling this Zen Doodle Name Art. It was really fun to make. Affiliate links below.  

Zen Doodle Name Art

Materials:

• drawing paper
• ink pads
• blending brushes
• repositionable letter stickers
• black fineliner

Steps: 

Use the letter stickers to spell your name on a piece of paper. The ones I put in the supply list above are repositionable, so you'll be able to remove them later. If you use something else, like I did, stick them to your pant leg a few times to remove some of the adhesive before putting them on the paper. Otherwise you risk tearing the paper when you remove them. 

Use the blending brushes to cover all of the exposed paper with color. I used three colors, but you can obviously do whatever you want. 

Carefully remove the stickers. 

Now fill in each letter with a different pattern. 

That's all there is to it! I love projects like this for groups, because the finished designs will look completely different from one another. Enjoy!

Tournament of Champions VI

We did something really cool back in September 2024. We were in the audience for Tournament of Champions VI. 

Tournament of Champions VI (affiliate link)

This was the fourth time that Steve and I were able to participate in filming a TV show. We were volunteers on Mythbusters in 2012 and 2013 and Restaurant Impossible in 2021 and we absolutely loved each experience. (Jeopardy in January 2025 was #5!) Tournament of Champions films in Windsor, about an hour from where we live. When I saw the call for audience members, I jumped on it immediately. We love the show and are rabid Food Network fans. And since Trevor had turned 18 and college hadn't started up yet, he was able to join us! 

We weren't allowed to take any pictures anywhere on set, so I was thrilled when Guy Fieri took a selfie with the audience and air-dropped it to all of us. I was expecting to have to do screen captures of the episode itself in order to get any photos to scrapbook. This was so much better! 

We were in the audience for two battles, with very strict instructions not to say anything until the episode aired. So from September 11 to March 2, we kept our mouths shut. It was so exciting when "our" episode was on and we were finally able to talk about our experience. And there was no missing us in the audience - there was one camera that stayed on the audience the whole time, so I'd guessed that we'd appear on screen. Quite a few times, as it turned out!

As I said, we watched two battles. The first was the #2 seed Adam Sobel versus the #7 seed Adriana Urbina. The randomizer gave them little neck clams as the protein, broccolini for produce, a blow torch for the equipment, smashed for the style, and black tea for the wildcard ingredient. Adam Sobel was the winner. The second battle pitted #1 seed Antonia Lofaso against #8 seed Maria Mazon. The randomizer delivered chicken breasts, leeks, a donut pan, herbaceous as the style, and yellow mustard. Antonia Lofaso won that battle. Commentators were Justin Warner, as expected, and Tiffani Faison, who was new to the job. The previous commentator, Simon Majumdar, was there; but it wasn't until the episode aired that we learned  that his new job is to interview the judges after each round. The judges were Wolfgang Puck, Alex Guarnaschelli, and Maneet Chauhan. 

We had a great time watching the battles and seeing everything that goes on behind-the-scenes. There's so much that goes into making a TV show go smoothly. It was great fun seeing chefs that we admire and have watched for so many years. Guy is just as much of a character in person as he appears on TV, if not more. Whenever the cameras stopped rolling, he was interacting with the audience, telling us jokes and anecdotes. All in all, it was a fantastic experience.

Quirky Collages to Color: Carousel Horse

I wanted to give the Ohuhu Halawa colored pencils another go, so I used them to color another super fun image from Quirky Collages to Color. This time, I colored a carousel horse, made up of all sorts of toys and games and other miscellaneous stuff. 

How many of the 60 hidden items can you spot? I'm the one who colored it and some of them are still hard for me to find!

 

Once again, I enjoyed working with the Ohuhu colored pencils. They hold a nice sharp point, which is great for coloring the tiny spaces in this collage. The color selection is great. Because they are oil-based, they don't blend as easily as the wax-based Prismacolors I usually use, but that wasn't really an issue with this image. In the future, I can see myself using both sets of colored pencils in order to take advantage of the best features of each. 

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

This is the fifth (and final) post rating the designs of each of the 50 state quarters. I suggest starting with the first post, which gives the background and explains my grading criteria. This time I'm looking at the 5 quarters from Year 9 (2007) and Year 10 (2008). 

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2007 - Year 9 of the 50 State Quarters Program

Montana is the third state to feature a bison (this time, a skull). The skull hangs over the Montana landscape and the state nickname. I’m not a fan. A skull, the symbol of death? That seems as inviting to newcomers as the flags of Alabama and Florida. Aesthetics 1.5, representation 2, education 0.5, for a total of 4. 

Washington’s quarter shows a salmon breaching in front of Mount Rainier. It also includes the state nickname. It’s an interesting and dynamic design. Aesthetics 4, representation 3.5, education 1, for a total of 8.5. 

Idaho’s quarter features a peregrine falcon, an outline of the state with the capital city marked with a star, and the state motto (‘May it be Forever’). Not only is the peregrine falcon the state raptor, but it is a symbol of one of the most successful conservation efforts of all time. Visit the World Center of Birds of Prey to see their work in action! While I appreciate the symbols they chose, the design itself is out of balance. I would have put a large Idaho on the left and a slightly smaller falcon on the right, facing into the state instead of looming over it. Aesthetics 2.5, representation 3.5, education 1, for a total of 7. 

 

Wyoming’s quarter features a bucking horse and rider, along with the state nickname. This design is really plain. While most of the quarters have depth and detail in the images, Wyoming’s has a silhouette. It would be much more interesting and vibrant if the details were in place. I’d also like to see the state flower or something similar in the space in the bottom right. Aesthetics 1.5, representation 2.5, education 1, for a total of 5.  

Utah’s quarter features two trains moving toward the golden spike that linked the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads, with the mountains in the background. I love the ‘Crossroads of the West’ theme and the level of detail in this quarter is fantastic. Aesthetics 5, representation 3.5, education 1, for a total of 9.5. 

My winner for the penultimate year was Utah, followed by Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, and then Montana. On to the final year!

2008 - Year 10 of the 50 State Quarters Program

Oklahoma's quarter features the state bird (Scissortail Flycatcher) flying over the state wildflower (the Indian Blanket). This is a really nice design and highlights the most distinctive feature of the bird. I like the balance and the scale. Aesthetics 5, representation 4.5, education 1, for a total of 9.5. 

New Mexico’s quarter features the Zia sun symbol over a topographical outline of the state. The state nickname is squeezed into the bottom left. The balance on this quarter is terrible. There are so many ways you could improve this design by shifting things around to give each element its own space. Aesthetics 1, representation 3.5, education 1, for a total of 5.5.

Arizona's quarter portrays two different landscapes found in the state: the Grand Canyon and the Sonoran desert, home of the Saguaro cactus. The two scenes are divided by a banner containing the state nickname. I love this quarter. It is a beautiful, thoughtful design. It represents the state perfectly. Aesthetics 5, representation 4, education 1, for a total of 10. 

Alaska's quarter features a grizzly bear catching salmon. The design also includes the North Star and the inscription 'The Great Land.' This is the translation of the Aleut name for Alaska. This is another gorgeous quarter that can't be improved. Aesthetics 5, representation 4, education 1, for a total of 10. 

Hawaii’s quarter features King Kamehameha I gesturing toward the eight major Hawaiian Islands. It also includes the state motto, which translates to 'The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.' I'm not crazy about this quarter. While I appreciate including an element of Hawaii's history, putting a representative of an overthrown monarchy on a coin is a strange choice. Also, Hawaii is arguably the most beautiful state and none of that beauty is on this quarter. Aesthetics 2.5, representation 3.5, education 1, for a total of 7. 

My favorite quarters from the final year are Arizona and Alaska, followed closely by Oklahoma. Next is Hawaii and then New Mexico. 

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I gave a perfect 10 to three quarters: Nevada (Year 8), Arizona (Year 10), and Alaska (Year 10). There were some standout quarters from the earlier years, like South Carolina (Year 2) and Tennessee (Year 4), but overall the quarters got better as the years went on. The highest average score was from Year 8. Of course, all of this is just my opinion. If you have other thoughts, please let me know in the comments.

I learned a lot more about the state quarters as I was researching them to put this series together. I'll be putting together a list of Fun Facts from the 50 State Quarters Program, so be looking for that soon.  

The Best and Worst of the 50 State Quarters, Part 4

This is my fourth post rating the designs of each of the 50 state quarters. I suggest starting with the first post, which gives the background and explains the criteria I'm using to for grading. This time I'm looking at the 5 quarters from Year 7 (2005) and Year 8 (2006). 

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2005 - Year 7 of the 50 State Quarters Program

California’s quarter features John Muir, Half Dome, and a California condor. It's impossible to sum up a state like California in a single quarter, but I think this was a good attempt. It's an attractive, well-balanced design. Aesthetics 4.5, representation 3.5, education 1, for a total of 9. 

 

The Minnesota quarter leans into their nickname, Land of 10,000 Lakes. The design includes fishermen, a loon (their state bird), and an outline of the state. Again, it's an attractive design that is well-balanced and represents the state well. Aesthetics 4.5, representation 4, education 1, for a total of 9.5.

Oregon's quarter features Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the United States. It's the only national park in Oregon, so it's a good choice for the quarter. But the beauty of Crater Lake is in its colors, which are obviously not on a minted coin. Aesthetics 3.5, representation 3, education 1, for a total of 7.5.

The Kansas quarter features the state animal (bison) and state flower (sunflower). I would have added taller sunflowers to better fill the space. (Fun fact: Sunflowers can grow up to 15 feet tall!) Aesthetics 3.5, representation 3.5, education 1, for a total of 8. 

The West Virginia quarter depicts New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. Just like with Oregon, I feel like it's a good choice to feature one of the state's most beautiful locations, but that a lot of the beauty is lost without color and at such a small scale. Aesthetics 3, representation 3, education 1, for a total of 7. 

After the somewhat disappointing designs of 2004, it's nice to see much better choices for 2005. My top quarter was Minnesota, followed by California, Kansas, Oregon, and West Virginia. 

2006 - Year 8 of the 50 State Quarters Program

The Nevada quarter includes wild mustangs, snow-capped mountains, sagebrush (the state flower), and the state nickname. I love this quarter. The design is interesting and attractive. It includes numerous features of Nevada. I wouldn't change a thing. Aesthetics 5, representation 4, education 1, total 10. 

Nebraska's quarter features Chimney Rock, with an ox-drawn covered wagon carrying pioneers. The quarter is well-designed and interesting. While numerous states fall along the Oregon Trail and could have used the covered wagon design, it is uniquely Nebraskan by including Chimney Rock. Aesthetics 4.5, representation 3.5, education 1, total 9. 

The Colorado quarter features the Rocky Mountains and the inscription “Colorful Colorado.” It's a nice enough design, but it's a questionable choice use a piece of artwork that is entirely silver to highlight how colorful your state is. I would have gone with the other nickname, the Centennial State. Aesthetics 4, representation 3, education 0.5, for a total of 7.5. 

North Dakota is the second state to feature bison. They are pictured in front of a sunset over the Badlands. This is another nice quarter. The design is interesting and well-balanced and represents the state well. Aesthetics 4.5, representation 4, education 0.5, for a total of 9. 

The South Dakota quarter has the state bird, a Chinese ring-necked pheasant, flying over Mount Rushmore, with heads of wheat acting as borders. Personally, when I think of South Dakota, I think of pronghorns and prairie dogs and ton bales first, but these are fine symbols of the state now. Aesthetics 4, representation 4, education 0.5, for an 8.5. 

My winner for this year's batch of quarters is Nevada, followed by Nebraska and North Dakota, then South Dakota and Colorado. These quarters have the highest average score so far. Tomorrow we'll see if either Year 9 or Year 10 does even better. 

The Best and the Worst of the 50 State Quarters, Part 3

This is my third post rating the designs of each of the 50 state quarters. I suggest starting with the first post, which gives the background and explains the criteria I'm using for grading. This time I'm looking at the 5 quarters from Year 5 (2003) and Year 6 (2004). 

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2003 - Year 5 of the 50 State Quarters Program

The Illinois quarter shows Abraham Lincoln within the outline of the state. In the backgrounnd, there is a farm scene on the left and the Chicago skyline on the right. There are 21 stars, signifying that Illinois is the 21st state. Overall, it's a nice quarter that represents different parts of the state well. I have two complaints: I don't like the font and spacing choices for the text. And I really don't like the addition of the century part of "21st State - Century." I get that we were barely (3 years) into the 21st century when the quarter came out and that they wanted to portray Illinois as a modern state with present-day importance, but it doesn't have any meaningful connection to being the 21st state. Aesthetics: 3, representation 4, education 1, for a total of 8. 

 

The Alabama quarter design features an image of Helen Keller (born in Tuscumbia, Alabama) with her name in English and in Braille (a super cool element) and a banner saying Spirit of Courage. The quarter also has a branch of Alabama's state tree, the long leaf pine, as well as a flower. The Mint says it's a magnolia, but other sources say it's the state flower, a camellia. That makes more sense. Aesthetics 3, representation 4, education 1, for a total of 8. 

Maine's quarter shows the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse and a sailing schooner. The design is nice enough, but doesn't wow me. Aesthetics 3, representation 3, education 1, for a total of 7. 

Missouri's quarter shows Lewis and Clark’s return to St. Louis on the Missouri River. The Gateway Arch is in the background, with “Corps of Discovery 1804-2004” printed above it. I don't love this design; neither does the man who won the contest that inspired the design. I've been to the Gateway Arch and it doesn't look much like that, nor does it cross the (Mississippi, not Missouri) River. It's strange the way the trees are bending inward on both sides of the river. I realize the quarter isn't meant to be a factual depiction, but it could have been a lot better. Aesthetics 2.5, representation 2, education 1, for a total of 5.5. 

The Arkansas quarter has rice stalks, a diamond and a mallard flying above a lake. Arkansas is the nation’s #1 rice producer and the only state where you can find diamonds, but I’m not sure what the mallard is doing there, unless it's to represent the duck hunting culture. It’s not the state bird, but there is a proposal (now, in 2025) to make it the state duck. Aesthetics 4, representation 3.5, education 1, for a total of 8.5.

That makes Arkansas my top design for 2003. The runners-up are Illinois and Alabama, followed by Maine and then Missouri. 

2004 - Year 6 of the 50 State Quarters Program

Michigan’s quarter has an outline of the state and the five Great Lakes. This would be a fine design if it represented the Great Lakes, but I don’t think it honors Michigan. Something about Motown and the car industry and cereal would better represent the state. Aesthetics 2, representation 1.5, education 0.5, for a total of 4. 

The Florida quarter design shows a 16th-century Spanish galleon, a space shuttle, and land with palm trees. Together, these items show Florida as the “Gateway to Discovery.” It’s a good theme, but I really don’t like the design. Aesthetics 1, representation 3, education 1, for a total of 5. 

Texas’ quarter has a star over the state’s outline and the inscription, “The Lone Star State,” with rope symbolizing the state’s cowboy history around the edges. It’s simple... too simple. That empty space on the left could hold another symbol - a horseshoe or the state flower, for example. Aesthetics 2, representation 2.5, education 0.5, for a total of 5.

Iowa’s quarter is based on Grant Wood’s painting called Arbor Day and features a one-room schoolhouse with a teacher and students planting a tree. I get the Grant Wood / Iowa connection, but a one-room schoolhouse that looks like this could be found in most states. I tried to find out the meaning behind “Foundation in Education” and apparently it’s because Iowa had schools in place before becoming a state. I don’t know if that’s unique to Iowa. Aesthetics 2, representation 2, education 0.5, for a total of 5. 

Wisconsin leans into their agriculture with a quarter featuring a cow, cheese and corn, as well as the state motto, “Forward.” I like that America’s Dairyland emphasizes the importance of milk and cheese, but I would have replaced the cow with a bottle of milk, then added one or two more of their most important agricultural products. Wisconsin is the #1 producer of cranberries and string beans; those would make nice additions, as would brats. Or a kringle! Aesthetics 2.5, representation 3.5, education 1, for a total of 7.

My top quarter from this batch is Wisconsin, followed by Texas and Florida, then Iowa and Michigan. This group has the lowest average score of the 6 years of quarters I've graded so far. Tomorrow I'll look at how Year 7 and Year 8 did. 

The Best and Worst of the 50 State Quarters, Part 2

This is my second post rating the designs of each of the state quarters. I suggest starting with the first post, which gives the background and explains my grading criteria. Today we're looking at the 5 quarters from Year 3 (2001) and Year 4 (2002). 

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2001 - Year 3 of the 50 State Quarters Program

The New York quarter features the iconic Statue of Liberty, an outline of the state, 11 stars to signify that New York is the 11th state, and the inscription 'Gateway to Freedom.' Overall, I like this quarter. I love that they etched a line marking the Erie Canal and Hudson River into the map. I personally would have moved the star from the lower right that's almost touching Long Island over to the western part of the state to make it a bit more balanced. I also would have scooted Lady Liberty down just a hair so that her torch is not setting the N or E on fire. Aesthetics 3.5, representation 3, education 1, for a total of 7.5. 

North Carolina's quarter is based on the famous 1903 photograph of the Wright brothers' first flight in Kitty Hawk, NC. The design isn't bad, but it's a bit one-note, if that makes sense. Aesthetics 2.5, representation 2.5, education 1, for a total of 6.0. 

Rhode Island is the Ocean State, so it's appropriate that the quarter shows a sailboat in Narragansett Bay with the Pell Bridge in the background. It's a nice design. Aesthetics 4, representation 3, education 0.5 for a total of 8. 

Maple syrup is everywhere in Vermont, so it's not a surprise that maple sap appears on the quarter. That's Camel's Hump Mountain in the background. The quarter also has the state motto. Aesthetics 3.5, representation 3.5, and education 1, for a total of 8.5. 

The Kentucky quarter has a horse and Federal Hill, aka “My Old Kentucky Home.” I suppose those are two appropriate symbols for the state, but the design is a bit dull. It's a small detail, but I don't like that the horse is facing outward - it leads my eye off the coin and makes me wonder what he's looking at. Aesthetics 2.5, representation 2.5, education 1, for a total of 6. 

My winner in this batch is Vermont. Second place goes to Rhode Island and New York, followed by Kentucky and North Carolina. 

2002 - Year 4 of the 50 State Quarters Program

The Tennessee quarter honors the important contributions the state made to the musical heritage of the US. There are three stars to represent the three regions of Tennessee and three instruments to celebrate each region's distinct musical style. I love this quarter. No notes. Aesthetics 5, representation 4, education 0.5, for a 9.5. 

Ohio's quarter features the Wright Flyer and an astronaut over an outline of the state. These represent the pioneers of aviation who were born in Ohio, including Orville Wright (brother Wilbur was born in Indiana) and astronauts John Glenn and Neil Armstrong. The previous year, North Carolina's quarter came out with a Wright Flyer on it; apparently the two states have a (friendly?) rivalry about who lays claim to being "First in Flight" vs. "Birthplace of Aviation Pioneers." Personally, I wouldn't want to be the second state to put the same image on the quarter, although this is the more attractive of the two. Plus, it includes other elements besides just the plane. Aesthetics 3, representation 3, education 1, for a total of 7. 

The Louisiana quarter has a pelican (the state bird), a trumpet with musical notes, and the outline of the Louisiana Purchase territory with the inscription “Louisiana Purchase.” It's a nice quarter. Aesthetics 4.5, representation 3.5, education 1, for a total of 9.

The Indiana quarter features a race car, an outline of the state, the state motto “Crossroads of America,” and 19 stars marking its status as the 19th state. I like how dynamic it feels. Aesthetics 4, representation 3.5, education 1, for a total of 8.5. 

The Mississippi quarter features the state flower and its nickname, the Magnolia State. The design looks crowded; I would completely eliminate one of the two flowers and a bunch of leaves to clear out space to showcase an additional state symbol. Aesthetics 2.5, representation 2, education 0.5, for a total of 5. 

My winner from Year 4 is Tennessee, followed closely by Louisiana and then Indiana. Next is Ohio and then Mississippi. 

Next up: Year 5 and Year 6. By the time those states made their designs, they had 20+ previous examples to help guide their decisions. Did it help? I'll find out in the next post.

The Best and Worst of the 50 State Quarters, Part 1

I recently finished coloring the last of 50 coloring pages, one for each of the 50 state quarters. Along the way, I developed some fairly strong opinions about the designs each state chose to represent themselves in the 50 State Quarters Program. I thought it would be fun to grade them on a rubric and determine which are the best and worst. 

Before I get to that, I want to share a little about the design process. While the Secretary of the Treasury had what essentially amounted to veto power, the 50 states were in charge of creating their own design, by whatever method they wanted. Most states opted to have their citizens submit designs, with an advisory group selecting finalists, and then either the governor (33 states) or the citizenry (17 states) making the final selection. Each state could choose whatever they felt best represented their unique history, traditions, and symbols, with a few exceptions. No design could include the state flag or state seal, an image of a living person, or a head-and-shoulder image of a deceased person. Also banned were any "frivolous or inappropriate" designs, as well as "logos or depictions of specific commercial, private, educational, civic, religious, sports or other organizations whose membership or ownership is not universal." Instead, the designs should feature "state landmarks (natural and man-made), landscapes, historically significant buildings, symbols of state resources or industries, official state flora and fauna, state icons and outlines of the state." You can read more about the design process and requirements, starting on page 15. 

The 50 State Quarter Program lasted for 10 years. Starting in 1999, five states' quarters were issued each year, in order of admission to the Union. The earliest states had a distinct disadvantage in creating their designs, having nothing to serve as examples. They designed from nothing and pioneered the statewide approval processes. Later states were able to look at already-released coins and learn from other states' experiences when selecting their own quarter design. Not only that, but in 2003, the Mint and Treasury Secretary made some changes to the design approval process, requiring a great emphasis on designs with "an educational value, historical accuracy and artistic beauty." All this to say, it would be unfair to compare the quarters released in 1999 (Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut) with quarters that came much later. For that reason, I'm going to be ranking the state quarters in groups by release date, not in comparison with each other. Each blog post will focus on two years at a time. 

I am considering three factors in my grading: 

• Aesthetically pleasing design that makes good use of the space (5 points)
• Unique design that represents the state well (4 points)
• Teaches viewers something about the state (1 point)

On to the rankings!

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1999 - Year 1 of the 50 State Quarters Program

Delaware's quarter features Caesar Rodney making a historic ride to Independence Hall on July 2, 1776, to cast the tie-breaking vote for independence. I like that the quarter mentions Delaware being the first state, but the design is somewhat plain. They could have incorporated another element to give a broader view of Delaware than just this single event. Maybe the state flower or tree for the horse to run by? I'm awarding this quarter 1.5 points for aesthetics, 1.5 for representation, and 1 for educational value, for a total of 4 points.

Pennsylvania's quarter features Commonwealth (the gilded statue on their Capitol dome, which you can see here behind me), an outline of the state, a keystone (their state emblem and nickname) and their motto. Aesthetics 2, representation 2.5, and educational value 1 = 5.5 points. 

New Jersey's quarter features a rendition of the 1851 painting "Washington Crossing the Delaware" by Emmanuel Leutze, along with their identity as Crossroads of the Revolution. (Here's when the deRosiers crossed the Delaware.) I'm not sure how I feel about New Jersey using existing artwork for their quarter instead of designing something new. It's a nice design, if a little crowded at the scale of a quarter. Aesthetics 3, representation 2, educational value 1 = 6 points. 

Georgia's quarter has an outline of the state of Georgia, a Georgia peach, sprigs of live oak (the state tree) and the state motto. It's an attractive design. Aesthetics 4.5, representation 3, education 1 = 8.5 points.

Connecticut's quarter features the famous Charter Oak, the tree used to hide the Connecticut Charter from British troops in 1687. Unfortunately, they chose an ugly representation of it. Compare this design to how it has appeared on a painting, stamp, and different coin. Aesthetics 0.5, representation 2, education 1 = 3.5 points. 

So for Year 1 (1999), my winner is Georgia! The runner-up is New Jersey, followed by Pennsylvania, Delaware, and finally Connecticut. 

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2000 - Year 2 of the 50 State Quarters Program

The sixth state, and thus the first quarter released in 2000, is Massachusetts. The design features “The Minuteman,” a famous statue at The Minuteman National Historical Park in Concord, Massachusetts (here I am with The Minuteman), an outline of the state, plus its nickname. The design is simple but very well-balanced. I'm giving it 3 for aesthetics, 2.5 for representation, and 1 for education, for a total of 6.5.  

Maryland's quarter features the top of the State House, surrounded by white oak branches and the nickname “The Old Line State.” (We had a great view of the building from our hotel room!) I'm not crazy about using the top of a building to represent your entire state, even if it is the oldest capitol building still in use, and I don't like the way the state nickname is split (The Line. Old State.) Aesthetics 2, representation 2.5, education 1, for a total of 5.5. 

The South Carolina quarter includes an outline of the state with a star designating the capital city (Columbia), along with the nickname and three of their state symbols: the palmetto tree, the Carolina wren and yellow jessamine. I really like this design. It's well-balanced and has a lot of elements without feeling crowded. Aesthetics 4.5, representation 4,  education 1, for a total of 9.5.

The New Hampshire quarter honors The Old Man of the Mountain. It has the state motto, “Live free or die,” and nine stars to mark that New Hampshire is the ninth state. This design feels unbalanced to me. It feels crowded and heavy on the right, light and airy on the left. I don't like having the text on the mountain. Aesthetics 0.5, representation 2, education 1, for a total of 3.5. 

Virginia's quarter honors Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in what is now the US. The design shows the three ships that brought settlers in 1607 and recognizes the 2007 quadricentennial. This seems like a strange choice to me, since the quarter was issued 7 years before that milestone. And 2007 looks like a death date, like they were mourning its impending death. I would have removed the word quadricentennial (and the 2007) and replaced it with Old Dominion, Virginia's nickname. Aesthetics 3, representation 2, education 1, for a total of 6.  

The winner for Year 2 (2000) is South Carolina, my favorite quarter so far. The runner-up is Massachusetts, followed by Virginia, Maryland, and New Hampshire. 

Tomorrow I'll look at the quarters from 2001 and 2002, the 3rd and 4th years of the 50 State Quarters Program.