Monday, August 10, 2015

Spotlight Feature for Rhonda J Designs on Artisan Enhancements' Blog!

We are so excited to be featured in Artisan Enhancementsretailer spotlight on their BLOG.!



Artisan Enhancements makes some the most versatile artist and decorative paint mediums on the the market! Too learn more about Artisan Enhancements visit any of our locations. Want to see more of Rhonda J Designs' faux finishing projects? Visit www.rhondajdesigns.com.

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Rhonda's Tip #5 - Rhonda's Rules for Distressing Furniture

Follow 5 simple rules when distressing your furniture.



Rule #1: Don't wait too long to distress!
Paint, especially Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan, begins to "set-up" fairly quickly once the paint is dry to the touch. Don't wait days to distress your painted finishes, try to complete the distressing the same day you paint or at least within 24 hours of painting.

Rule #2: Pick your Dressing Tool!
Everyone has different preferences when it comes to tools for distressing. Use what works best for you and the look you are trying to achieve. 
Clockwise: dry/damp 3M Scotch-Brite Scour green padSandpaper or wet/dry sanding block (no lower than 220 grit sand paper), for a wet distress - lightly moistened rag

Rule #3: No spotted Cow treatment!
For an overall or heavy distressed finish, distress your piece all over. Don't pick and choose certain spots on the surface to distress. Using your preferred distressing tool begin distressing the ENTIRE surface of your piece.  Applying more elbow grease and pressure to areas that would authentically "wear" or "age" of time, such as edge sand seats. If you want to add just a little distressing where pieces would naturally wear, only do areas like edges, corners, and raised details - spots that would get touched and bumped the most. That's it!
Rule #4: If you're sweating and aching, then you're working too hard!
Don't over work your piece. Stand back and look at a section before continuing to further distress. Let the paint naturally remove where it wants to come off...you and your tools are just helping it along.



Rule# 5: ALWAYS HAVE FUN!
Distressing should be easy and fun.

 

For more techniques on Distressing watch Part 2 of this Video of Annie Sloan's distressing method with sand paper. 

To see additional inspiration and visit our Pinterest Page!

Thursday, July 2, 2015

LuBella Candle Company!

If you've ever visited any of Rhonda J's Shoppes, you're probably familiar with LuBella Candle Company, responsible for the very popular "The Market" scent. As of June 1st, Rhonda J became the owner and operator of LuBella Candle Company in Boerne, Texas! Stop by the Shoppe at the Alley to stock up on all of your favorite scents.


Our passion is to offer customers a lasting and high quality fragrance experience when lighting a LuBella Candle. Our fragrances envelop the senses, providing warm and aromatic atmospheres.  Located in Boerne, Texas, our candles are carefully hand-poured at our Shoppe in the beautiful Texas Hill Country. 


Visit our Boerne Shoppe or www.lubellacandles.net for details


Wednesday, June 10, 2015

The "Smooth" Finish!



Although, Annie Sloan developed her famous Chalk Paint® for "old world" finishes, you don't have to love the "old world" finish to use Chalk Paint®!



If you want a "modern" smooth painted finish, like those found on Mid-Century Modern furniture or contemporary French furniture, it is easy to achieve with a few easy steps. 

Our preferred method of achieving a smooth finish begins with selecting the correct paint brush. 

Some of our favorite brushes for a smooth finish:
Made of pure, natural, fiber bristles and specifically designed to be used with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint®, but firm enough to use for Annie Sloan Soft Wax applications. This brush holds a lot of paint eliminating the number of "passes" needed to achieve a solid coat a paint. The less passes needed to cover your piece the less texture created. Beautifully crafted and made to last a lifetime!




Annie Sloan Flat Brush
Annie specifically designed this synthetic fiber brush to be used with Chalk Paint® to create a smooth, "silky", modern finish. This brush is considered a "flat brush" but is dense enough to hold a lot of paint and distribute the paint evenly.

This brush is sometimes called a "varnish brush", and was designed to be used with Clear Topcoat Sealer by Artisan Enhancements.  The combination of both natural and synthetic bristles help the brush glide along, reducing brush strokes , creating an even application of sealer. The same properties make this brush a good brush to use when creating a smooth paint finish. Just be sure to clean thoroughly when switching from paint to sealer. Or have two brushes!




The Method


  • Paint the first coat in even, clean, and linear strokes. Limit the number of passes and strokes used to apply Chalk Paint® to the piece of furniture. Allow the first coat to completely dry.
  • TIP: For an extra smooth finish, once the first coat is dry, very lightly sand the first coat of the newly painted surface with 400 - 1000 Grit sandpaper. Brush off any sandpaper or paint particles.
  • Using a spray water bottle, very lightly mist the surface of the first coat, then begin painting the 2nd coat of paint. If you feel the paint is drying too quickly. Lightly mist the surface again.
  •  Allow 2nd coat of Chalk Paint® to completely dry.
  • Distress your piece on edges with 220 grit sandpaper if desired. For a sleek modern look skip the distressing!
  • TIP: For an extra smooth finish, VERY LIGHTLY sand the second coat of the painted surface with 800 - 1000 Grit sandpaper. Brush off any sandpaper and paint particles before waxing.
  • Seal your piece with just clear wax for a fresh Mid-Century Modern look or with a combo of Annie Sloan Soft Clear & Dark wax for an antiqued Mid-Century aesthetic. 
  • TIP: For an ultra modern contemporary, glossy finish, use Artisan Enhancements Clear Finish only instead of wax.  
Pictured: Smooth Finish using Custom Mix of Antibes Green and FlorenceGraphite dry brush and finished with Clear Wax.
All these products are available through Rhonda J's Shoppes!

To see Annie's Smooth Technique visit her YouTube page to see her 3-Part tutorial on creating a smooth finish.

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Oh Consuela!!!

We announced a few weeks ago that we received our Consuela shipment at our Shoppe at the Alley in San Antonio. The bags and accessories have been so popular since their arrival...we have to talk about them some more!

Consuela is a bold, fun, artfully, and skillfully made lifestyle brand! They have built the brand behind their "Four Pillars: Look Good. Laugh Easy. Lift the World. Live in Color". 

We love the funky but luxuriously chic look of all of their products! Perfect for couture or boho fashions. Currently, our two most popular collections are the "Candy Crush" and "Valentina". Come and get it! 





 SPIRIT THAT INSPIRES JOY.

Monday, May 25, 2015

Transformation Tuesday: Chalk Paint® Paris Grey Kitchen Cabinets with Tinted Wax

One of our favorite things to paint with Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan is kitchen cabinets! It is just so easy to completely transform your home with Chalk Paint®. Here is a recent cabinet job Rhonda completed using Paris Grey Chalk Paint® and Annie Sloan Clear Wax tinted with Pure White Chalk Paint®





To learn these techniques join us for Chalk Paint® Intro or a Cabinet Conversion Workshoppe!  Get hands-on experience using Chalk Paint® and Soft Waxes by Annie Sloan!

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Shelley's Outdoor Planter Transformation


Shelley from our Buda Shoppe shares her story and method for transforming an old pot into a fun outdoor planter using Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan and Fine Stone by Artisan Enhancements.






Monday, May 11, 2015

The Great Debate: English Yellow vs. Arles

Shelley from our Buda Texas location, Shoppe at the Railroad, has been experimenting with color mixes again! She wanted to see the difference in custom "green" colors created with  English Yellow Chalk Paint® versus Arles Chalk Paint® .  Here are her fun results! 



Friday, May 8, 2015

Gifts for Teachers! Gifts for Graduates!

We've got gifts for Grads & Teachers! Give the gift of inspiration, positivity, and pampering!

For Teachers!

Teacher Gifts Shown:
Be Happy/Enjoy The Ride Neoprene Key Fob - FarmHouse Fresh Coconut Beach Body Scrub - Be Happy Pink Floral Wood - Coaster Set of 4 - Lavender Melamine Giving Platter - The Market Candle (our #1 selling scent) - FarmHouse Fresh Body Milk Moisturizers - Ivory/Gold Spot Bead Linked Wrap Around Bracelet 

For Grads!



Grad Gifts Shown:
Hexagon Convertible Cooler Bag - Don't Look Back Tee - Follow Your Dreams Inspiration Flags (more styles available) - Kneel Prayer Box - Not All Who Wander Mini-Canvas Art -  FarmHouse Sweet Cream  Body Milk - Don't follow Your Dreams Chase Them Tassel Car Air-Fresher - FarmHouse Fresh One Fine Day Shea Sugar Scrub 

All available at Rhonda J's Shoppe Locations!

Thursday, May 7, 2015

New fashions and apparel arriving daily!

We have so many great new things arriving every day at Rhonda J's Shoppes. One of our "hottest" sellers right now are the graphic text tanks. We also have brand new pieces from Pink Lemonade. We are in love with the Pink Lemonade Rosette Statement necklace - Handmade up-cycled from vintage fabric and lace, and embellished with vintage jewelry elements. Perfect accessory for a day of shopping or night on the town! It ties in the back, is lightweight, good for Mother’s Day!


We are counting down the day until summer starts! We are also getting our closets and wardrobe ready for warmer temps! Here is a sneak peak at this seasons hottest summer looks available from Rhonda J's Shoppes!
1. Charlie Southern Good Girl Tank 2. Charlie Southern Heavens to Betsy Tank 3. Blue Planet Indio Polarized Sunglasses

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

The Perfect Everyday Dress!



The "Traveler Dress" from Natural Life is the perfect everyday dress for this summer! The flattering A-Line cut of this dress looks good on any body type. Pair with boots or sandals or canvas shoes or loafers for the perfect fun casual summer look!!!!
Available at Rhonda J's Shoppes!

Monday, May 4, 2015

Rhonda's Tip #4 - Rhonda's Tools Part I

If you've taken a Workshoppe with Rhonda J or you've been to one of her Shoppe locations...you know how serious she is about her tools! For Rhonda's tip this week we are showcasing a couple of Rhonda's favorite tools - her Annie Sloan Brushes.

The Pure Bristle Brush - Annie Sloan created her Pure Bristle brushes to be used specifically with Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan and Annie Sloan Soft Waxes. The brush is dense, but pliable, so you use more paint with each application which allows you to get through your coats of paint quicker. The shape of the oval wooden handle fits firmly into your hand during painting or waxing. These brushes are available in 3 different sizes and will last forever with proper clean-up!

Annie Sloan Short Wax Brush - This brush is new to Rhonda J's Shoppe for 2015 and we love it! The handle was ergonomically designed to fit comfortably in the hand to make the application of waxes even smoother. The tapered tip helps get wax into the "nooks and crannies" of detailed hard to reach places. 


Get all these brushes and more at Rhonda J's Shoppes!

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Mix It Monday: Heather's "Fava Brown" Custom Color

Heather's Custom Color Mix : Fava Brown

Heather in our Buda Shoppe recently painted her Master Bath cabinets using a custom Chalk Paint® color. By mixing equal parts Barcelona Orange and Graphite she created a color she named "Fava Brown".



The final results finished with Dark Wax:


Monday, April 27, 2015

Get a jump start on Mother's Day!

What's your momma's style?
We've got great gifts at Rhonda J's Shoppes for everyone's mom this Mother's Day!






Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Anchors Aweigh!

We are so ready for lounging on the water this summer!

1. Royal Standard Anchor Dress 2. Blue Planet Sunglasses Beverly in Pearl 3. Pink Lemonade Dreaming of The Sea AntiqueBrass Painted Necklace with Starfish and Shell Charms 4. Slant Collection Bev Napkin "On River Time"


Visit your local Rhonda J's Shoppe for all the latest fashions and accessories!

New Boho Bandeaus Coming Soon!

We just love the Boho Bandeau from Natural Life! The perfect accessory for a vintage, bohemian, or just plain fun look! The original bandeau can be worn 11 different ways! New for 2015, the HALF Boho Bandeau.



All available at Rhonda J's Shoppes!

Monday, April 6, 2015

Distressed Furniture Technique



Do you love the look of distressed finishes? Shelley from our Shoppe at the Railroad in Buda, TX shares one of her favorite methods to achieve a distressed rustic finish. Use this method to create a weathered and aged look for your cabinets and furniture!






Shopping List:
Arles Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan
Old White Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan
English Yellow Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan
Annie Sloan Clear Soft Wax
Annie Sloan Dark  Soft Wax

Tools:
Paint and Wax Brushes
Distressing Tools
Buffing Cloths
The Method

1. Apply Old White Chalk Paint® to the drawers and hardware.  
2. Mix 1 part Arles Chalk Paint®, 1 part English Yellow Chalk Paint®, and 2 parts Old White Chalk Paint®.  This creates a soft pale yellow.  
3. Paint dresser with new custom mixed yellow color.  
4. When the paint is dry to the touch, begin distressing with your preferred distressing tools. The distressing process will reveal the wood color of the original piece.  
4. After you have finished distressing, seal your piece with Annie Sloan's Clear Soft Wax using your wax brush and buffing cloths.
5. Add touches of Annie Sloan Dark Soft Wax to areas like doors and drawers for a more authentically aged finish.
   

For more hands on, step-by-step, distressing and waxing techniques attend a Chalk Paint® workshop at one of Rhonda J's Locations

Psst! Have you heard the new rumor?

From the Annie Sloan Facebook page:
"In today's Daily Mail, one of the UK's most popular national newspapers is a piece mentioning our wonderful paint. As we say, we can neither confirm or deny!"


Which color is your favorite? 
 

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Annie Sloan Press for 2015!

It's only April but Annie Sloan is already being covered worldwide! Here are Facebook links to coverage just in the USA and the UK!