My sister Lorrie and I were on the road once again this week. This time it was for the best quilt show of the year - AQS Quilt Week - in Lancaster, PA. In between sit-down breaks to rest my poor, decrepit back, we cruised three floors of gorgeous quilts, incredible fabrics, and every imaginable quilter's gadget, machine, and book. It was pure bliss and I'd be there again today if I had any money left :) Neither one of us left empty-handed, so I have lots of cool stuff to show you. Before I get to that, I have a new page to show you from my mixed media art journal.

Quote: Nothing external to you has any power over you. -R.W. Emerson
I applied a coat of gesso to the page and then scraped Golden fluid acrylics over it. I created the silhouettes of the woman and the star in Photoshop CS6. I had ordered some of the 12" x 12" Crafter's Workshop Stencils from Scrapbook.com. They came on Thursday so I tried out the "circle explosion" one on my page. I also used the 6" x 6" "chicken wire" stencil at the bottom. I used the Ink Essentials sponge applicator and Dylusions inks. It was easy to do. I sprayed just a little ink on the wax side of a piece of freezer paper and dipped the applicator into that. Then it was just a matter of tapping or rubbing the applicator over the stencil. I used two different colors: fresh lime and London blue. I applied some fluid acrylic in chromium oxide green plus hansa yellow light to the woman, and quinacridone red to the star with a palette knife. All of the black lettering and linework was done with Pigma Micron pens and the pink letttering was done with a Sakura Pigma Callipen. The tiny light green dots inside of the circles were done with a Gelly Roll Souffle pen. I stamped the left side with quinacridone red and bubble paper, then splattered the page with quinacridone red. The small squares are scraps of leftover quilting fabric. I adhered them with a Collins Fabric glue stick rather than use gel medium. The gel medium darkens the fabric too much.

And now, for all of the quilt show goodies! Most of you know by now that I am a fat quarter junkie. I added lots of Civil War Reproduction fat quarters to my stash. I just love the combination of brown and pink.

This is from a new collection called Railroad Ties.

Civil War prints of every color.


The vendor had a finished quilt in this pattern. She used more subdued colors and it was absolutely stunning.

I met Lori Smith, the designer of this pattern. She was very nice and we exchanged delightfully funny stories about cats in the studio. She had gorgeous finished samples of all of her quilts patterns that she made herself. Her booth was one of the most enjoyable ones I visited and her work was exquisite! I think this pattern would make a lovely table throw. It's just the right size.

I have a few more things to show you, but I think I'll save them for Works In Progress Wednesday. I've begun a delightful 1930's applique quilt using reproduction feedsack fabrics. I may see you sooner with another art journal page. I'll be linking this post to Paint Party Friday and Art Journal Every Day. Have a terrific weekend!
Until next time,
