craftgrrl | yikes! many questions for new art collage thingy...

1. is there a way to HAND WRITE something on paper (regular old white paper) and have it not smear while being decoupaged? a specific type of writing instrument, that is?

2. i believe i read somewhere, sometime, that if you add water to acrylic paint and use it on wood (unvarnished/unprimed/sanded plywood that is) it creates a sort of...colored stain, which will tint the wood but leave the grain visible. is this true? anyone know the rough parts per for that recipe?

3. if i create a collage made of plywood covered with paint/stain, various bits of paper (colored and white) some with writing, and write on it with a sharpie, too, should i seal the whole thing somehow? or would that ruin some part of the collage (for example the white paper)? if sealing should be done, what sealant should be used for such a mixed media endeavor?

thanks all!