February 2, 2010 by askusaqsue
Renee from Deland, FL asks, “I see USAQ all over the place – Facebook, Blogs, Newsletters and of course your dynamite website. What’s going on around there? LOL”
Renee, we have stepped up our ’social media’ game’ and are having a great time offering contests, challenges and lots and lots of really terrific creative tips, techniques, videos and answers to everyone’s heartfelt questions.
Don’t forget to enter our Dicrofiber Card Contest – and, watch for the new contest entry too. http://askusaqsue.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/dicrofiber-1-1-1.jpg
For instance, WE have had fun to see our new Facebook Fans excited to win one of the beautiful watercolor palettes from USArtQuest. At least two winners are having fun too! We will continue to do so for every 100 fans up to 1000. At that point, someone will receive a $100 gift certificate…JUST for becoming a fan. Now how fun is that?
Hey, did you know that USAQ is the largest manufacturer of mica products for the arts and crafts industry? We are, and although we have a variety of mica products from raw Mica Tiles to Flakes, D’lights, and Perfect Pigment Acrylic Paint, our MicaColor Watercolor is one of our favorites. We have lots of other fab products too, but mica is one of our house specialties.
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January 25, 2010 by askusaqsue
Dicrofibers are among the most versatile and beautiful art materials at USArtQuest. We know because so many people tell us how much they love their color and sparkling quality. We’d like to know what you do with Dicrofibers too, so look below for the contest entry form. 
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January 22, 2010 by askusaqsue
Don’t forget, we’re having a contest and there is still time to enter!
Submit your projects using Dicrofibers and you could win $100!
For a downloadable PDF please click here: http://www.usartquest.com/pdf/dicrofiber.pdf
Not sure how to use Dicrofibers, check out this three minute video!
Posted in DicroFibers | Tagged DicroFibers, tutorial, usartquest, video | Leave a Comment »
November 21, 2009 by askusaqsue
Laurie from Birch Run asks, “I met you at the Birch Run Expo and would like to make the poinsetta card. What do you use for the embossing?”
Hi Laurie, I had a wonderful time in Birch Run. The project you saw there, is one that I did on a video, so you’ll be able to watch it over and over. The embossing ink is VersaFine (black) and the embossing powder can be either black or clear. Both can be found at your local rubber stamp, scrapbooking or craft store.
Just go to: http://www.usartquest.com/video-holidaycard.php
Posted in Questions Answered! | 2 Comments »
November 20, 2009 by askusaqsue
Jane from Kansas City, KS asks, “Where did you get the star boxes used in the gilding project?”
These boxes and other shapes shown here too, are part of the ‘Satin Mache’ line of products. There are about 10 different shapes and several are stacking boxes. (Round, Hex, Star & Keepsake) They are ultra-smooth paper mache and perform much like wood, but have unusual shapes and good pricing. You can find them at http://www.usartquest.com/products.php?cat=181
I prefer most often to ’size’ the box with a light coat of PPA – Matte. This prepares them to be painted, collaged, sanded, polymer clayed (is that a word?) and altered with any other art material. The desk set makes a wonderful gift, especially when loaded with greeting cards, postage stamps and such. The smaller jewlery boxes are charming to give as gift itself, especially when lined with velvet/suede paper and filled with diamonds. (Did I just give away my Christmas wish list! Oh MY!) LOL
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November 18, 2009 by askusaqsue
Jane from Kansas City, KS asks, “Do you do anything different than just cards, using gilding?”
Sure! I use ‘Gildenglitz’ for all kinds of things, from picture frames to collage, wall appliques to gift boxes. For the boxes below, simply give them a light coat of PPA -Matte to prep them. Use the Duo Adhesive according to directions, and add the gilding. Add your own embellishments and gift them to your favorite people!
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November 10, 2009 by askusaqsue
Dave from USArtQuest asked two questions, “What do you use glaze for? Why can’t you just use regular paint and thin it with water?”
Like Perfect Pigment Paint, Perfect Glazes are acrylic. However, there are enormous differences in performance.
Perfect Glaze come in ‘patina’ finish colors – such as Verde Gris, Rust and Oxidation finishes. Each of these have a beautiful transparency, that when blended, have the real look of that particular patina. The clear Glaze, when mixed with standard acrylic paints, such as Perfect Pigment, provides that same transparency in whatever color you want. Most importantly either the colored and clear glaze sloooooow down the drying time considerably, so that you can manipulate the paint for faux finishing and color layering/blending. The finish is beautiful. Mixing acrylics with water do not provide the transparency, the extended drying time, or the finish.
While I mostly use the glazes for altered art and vintage looks in everyday art and cardmaking, as you’ll see here, this armoire has been glazed using Perfect Glaze – whitewash & sepia, and then overpainted (grapes/vines) using the Perfect Pigment Acrylic Paints.
I use this armoire to house my antique bags and personal treasures.
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November 7, 2009 by askusaqsue
Jessica from the Dallas areas asks, “What is Mica Encapsulation?”
Jessica, this is a technique that really launched Mica Tiles in the art and crafting, rubberstamping and scrapbooking marketplaces. Mica Tiles can be separated into many pieces. Therefore, by means of a mechanical attachment, such as brads or eyelets, they can be reassembled. If something is trapped inside two pieces, it is encapsulated. Very often I use Duo or PPA Gloss to adhere pieces back together, but I’ve also used wire (Wireworks), tape (Foil it) and ribbon (through eyelets or the like.)
Here are two cards, one with a pressed rose and the other with the Japanese Maple leaves. Both feature the encapsulation technique, or a variation of it. Either way, Mica Tiles are beautiful with natural leaves and flowers – but they are also stunning with unique postage stamps, small photos and other flat paper ephemera.
The pressed Rose
Posted in Mica Tiles and Shapes, Questions Answered! | Leave a Comment »
November 7, 2009 by askusaqsue
Renny from Phoenix, AZ asks, “I have heard about the YOUniversity that you have, can you tell me more about it?”
About once every year or every other year, USAQ holds various YOUniversity classes. Some are for personal development and some for more professional creative development. This year’s graduates attended just a few weeks ago. We spent several days learning about various products from USAQ, as well as techniques, and the hows and whys of demonstrating/teaching, and portfolio work. From acrylic painting to watercolor, fibers to mica – every Pro built their sample book using and exploring these products.
We even went outside to collect leaves. Most of us had to take some photos because the colors were just so beautiful. Afterwards we used PPA on them, to preserve them. These were encapsulated into mica tiles and put into their sample books.
They each made collaged textile pieces, collage cards, and so much more – it is hard to remember – but there were dozens of pieces.
Each of the Pros posed nicely. They truly are a group of professional women. It was a pleasure for Frankie and I to work with them.
Here’s P, Judy, Crystal, Deb, Susie and Barbara. There are five states represented here! Amazing! We’re already making notes for the next YOUniversity. We’ll keep you posted.
Posted in Classes, Questions Answered! | 1 Comment »
November 6, 2009 by askusaqsue
Roz B. from Yardley, PA asks “What do you do with all the samples you make for the books you write, videos you shoot, and the magazines articles?”
Well Roz, we do have a lot of samples! Many of them are displayed in various offices, the showroom and in the studio at USAQ, so that guests and customers see how our products are used. Some samples are sold in the showroom, because we have multiples that were made for step-outs…or, we just got carried away one day. Those that are not the best, but still have value in some way or another, are sold at our warehouse sale held every other year. And then, many of them are used for samples at shows. These get beat-up pretty badly, so are often just thrown away when they have no more value to us. Here in our sales office, one whole wall is covered with scrapbook pages that I made for one of the books I wrote – The Encyclopedia of Scrapbooking Tools and Techniques. This is a photo of that wall with Julie who is typing in a new sales order.
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