How to cope with Winter and dry skin, The Camellia, Thunder Bay, On

Winter - for some of us, the word equates with cold, dry skin, bleeding noses, dry eyes and a whole lotta "I hate Winter!". Especially when the temperature hits  -30 or -40 C. Some of us get so fed-up that we head to the airport and head SOUTH! 

Here we are at Playa del Carmen...a short hop from Thunder Bay on a direct flight with Sunwing. Sun, sand, Beach and moisture.....green living plants, Vitamin Sea, as they say. Our oh-so-dry winter skin started to feel much better as soon as we stepped into all that warmth! and let's not forget, moisture and humidity. 

Lovely view from the Breakfast Room - that is a not a mural, but a real, live Coconut Palm tree outside the window. ( At Viva Wyndham Maya Resort, Mexico). 

What our skin is lacking in the Winter is moisture....the plants in the above photo are getting misted, creating a moist environment in which tropical plants can flourish. It is difficult to get moisture in Winter, indoor heating systems make everything dry, and even with a humidifier on, our skin is always dry. Why do we live in a place where the air hurts your face when you go outside?  Hah...that's a good question.!

Of course it goes without saying that we need to drink lots of water - but don't you find it difficult to chug 8-10 glasses of water per day? You can also drink hot liquids, and you can juice your fav fruits and veggies. #BlissCafe offers classes in Juicing.

Here is one of the delicious juices you can make yourself , this is a Class at Bliss Cafe in Thunder Bay.

Teas made from Mints grown in your Garden are great for sipping during Winter.

Even though it's Winter you should still be going swimming and going to the sauna is a must. There are a few pools in Thunder Bay that use Bromine and not chlorine. Great for those of you who cannot stand the smell and the itching from swimming in chlorine. Click on the following link to get some more ideas on Hydration from Ste. Anne's Spa in Grafton, Ontario.

http://www.steannes.com/blog/dehydration-vs-dryness

Here are our fav Skincare products that get us through a Northwestern Ontario winter! Rocky Mountain Dry skin Butter, Rocky Mountain Foot Butter, No-Crack Hand cream, and Rocky Mountain Breakout Buster. You can buy these Rocky Mountain soap products here at the Camellia, at 30, Hacquoil Rd.

 Watch a short video from Beekman 1802 of soapmaker Deb, of Sharon Springs, N.Y.  https://youtu.be/1lLapEhe5Bo

Our winter skincare Kit makes a great Valentine's Day Gift, something that is appreciated all winter long. We especially are crazy about White Oak's Lavender Deep Muscle Jelly, which smells divine and helps with muscle pain. Beekman 1802 Goat's Milk soap is very hydrating for Winter skin. Call us at 475-3551 to order or toll-free at 1-877-523-7444, we deliver Valentine's Day gifts in Thunder Bay and Slate River. 

The Camellia, 30, Hacquoil Rd. Open Wednesday through Sunday. 

Pinterest predicts Sage as the 2018 colour for Cabinets

Image via Pinterest. 

Is 2018 the year you want to Renovate your Kitchen? How do you go from a dream to making a New Kitchen happen? Some of us may be stuck in arguments, in trying to persuade your partner to undertake a Kitchen Reno...and you cannot get beyond the argument stage. How do you move onto the Planning and executing stage of a Kitchen Reno.? Persevere. Choose colours of cabinets, counters, walls and backsplash, and don't forget about Flooring. Price out your Renovation. Then start talking. It's easier to talk when you have estimated dollar costs down on paper.   If you have cabinets that are in good shape, perhaps Oak from 30 years ago, the most economical solution is to paint your Kitchen Cabinets. We sell Cottage Paint - Serenity - here at the Camellia. This is the perfect paint for your cabinets. You clean with our Cottage Paint cleaner, then follow up with 1 coat of paint, then a second coat of paint the next day, and you're done!

A Sage palette draws its inspiration from the green of air plants. 

The colour Sage can be found in succulent plants. 

Most cabinets are repainted with  White, Cottage White ( shown in above photo), Greys , greiges and blacks. Neutrals are always a safe choice for resale value. Do visit us here at The Camellia for help with picking colours for your Kitchen. Click on this link to see a selection of colours in #CottagePaint http://www.cottagepaint.com/50ColoursNC.html

Let's talk about  very Important things first - Cleaning your doors by spraying them with Cottage Paint Furniture Clean 'n Prep. Spray your door with Clean 'n Prep, leave for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then wipe with a clean, non-linting rag. Cleaning is extremely important as paint will not stick to a contaminated surface, and Kitchen cupboards take a lot of abuse on a daily basis. Check out the mess on the rag below. 

Here is a gallon of Cottage Paint Serenity. This amount is usually enough for most normal sized Kitchens. It is applied using a microfibre roller and a Cottage Paint brush. 

Here is a Kitchen (Oak) Renovation in progress. This is the stage where the homeowner is trying to decide on what colour to paint the cabinets. On the left is Black, on the right is a Maple door painted Beechwood. Visit The Camellia for help in painting your Kitchen or Bathroom cabinets. Buy Kitchen cabinet paint here http://www.thecamellia.com/painting-kitchen--bathroom-cabinets.html

The Camellia, 30/32 Hacquoil Rd. Slate River, Thunder Bay, On 

p (807)475-3551

How-to make Home Renovations happen in 2018.

Welcome 2018! It's a New Year, a time when we make plans for things we would like to accomplish in the New Year. Some of these plans may include Home Renos, which are long overdue. And for some of us, the New Year starts with a knock-them-down, full-out fight over Home Renos. Has this ever happened in your Home?

One partner has looked at paint swatches, pinned images on Pinterest, talked to a contractor and maybe has some Contractor estimates ($$$$) , while the other partner says, No! No home renos. are needed, let the next owner change everything! The battle is on, and it's not a pretty sight. The D-word gets thrown around as frustration mounts ( Divorce).

What is a person to do? Getting angry doesn't help. When you are trying to bring someone around to your way of thinking, it always helps to have your facts and figures in hand. Arguing or having a discussion ?.....it just goes better when you can pull out some statistics, price quotes, etc.

Start with each Room ...list what Renos. need to be done. Let's take a Basement, there is a Bar in a corner with mirrored tiles, and this bar dates the entire room! In 2018,  the trend is towards a family room with a central island with storage for games or crafts, maybe a coffee bar, a wine fridge, a TV viewing area, and so on. If it's dark and dingy down in the basement, then lighten up the walls, update lighting, replace the flooring. List all renos for that room, then the next step is sourcing out materials, and the next step is getting price quotes. What is the renovation for the basement going to cost? 

Where do you get ideas? Our favourite TV show is Fixer-Upper with Chip and Joanna Gaines of #Magnolia Home. You can check out Joanna's blog for detailed information on past episodes of House remodels. https://magnoliamarket.com/blog/

Other places where we gather ideas from are HGTV, Canadian House & Home, Houzz.com, Scott Mcgillivray, Sarah Ricardson Design, Restoration Hardware, and Rachael Ashwell. 

Remember that the same things that are bugging you about your House, will most likely bug a prospective Buyer.

So go ahead and do this for every room that needs a Reno.

Next step, look at the Comps in your area. What have houses nearby sold for and what features do these Homes have? Most Real estate agents will know how to access this information. 

Look at your estimated Reno costs. Have a Real estate agent look at your Home and give an opinion on what your Home would be worth if you put it on the Market today, as is. Look at the costs of the Renos you want to do, and figure out your Return on Investment ( R.O.I).

Now you are much better equipped to figure out what Home Renos. need doing. You have a Plan, you have estimated costs, and you know whether these proposed Renos will bring you a better price for your Home when you are ready to sell.

If you fail to Plan, you plan to fail. Having a Renovation Plan going into 2018 will ensure that your Renovations will happen, and not stay in the Dream it...stage.

For help in Planning Home and Kitchen Renos. with Cottage Paint, visit The Camellia, at 30/32 Hacquoil Rd. Thunder Bay, Slate River, Ontario.

p (807)475-3551

www.thecamellia.com