April in Northern Ontario

It's April...we're that much closer to Spring or are we now? It's snowing out there, again. At this point..most of us just want to see green again. The Robins have returned, and some Canada Geese are flying back. What is the weather like where you live? Of course, Canadians are obsessed with the weather. We check it at least 2 times a day. Just so we can know how to dress for the Day ahead. 

We can dream about these large Sunflowers we planted last year

One way to feel Springlike is to paint an old piece of furniture you may have laying around, paint it a bright colour such as Bimini or Turquoise. Bright colours  just make you feel better. come into our store, the Camellia, to look at our selection of  #CottagePaint, in over 50 colours. 

Add some green to your decor, in the form of succulents, faux or real. 

Even a simple bowl of green moss will make you feel Springlike. 

Thank you to all of you who stopped by our booth at the Spring Home & Garden show! The Camellia is open this week Wednesday through Sunday. Thurs. 12-5, Fri. & Sat. 11-5. Sunday 12-5p. 

30, Hacquoil Rd. p-(807)475-3551

For upcoming April and May classes at The Camellia, http://www.thecamellia.com/classes-at-the-camelia.html

Tropical Inspiration, The Camellia, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Today we are heading to Jolly Harbour, Antigua for Tropical inspiration. When Winter starts to drag, the Caribbean is the place to head to, 28 -29 C most days. Antigua boasts that they have 360 beaches, we manged to see only  a few. This beach is the best one for Seashell collecting...masses of small shells wash up on shore,  this is the North finger.

One gets inspired to pull out forgotten watercolours and attempt to paint. So many tropical blossoms and birds to paint. 

Have been meaning to try doing an  Art Journal...first attempt at this. 

We're heading to GAZEBO - the place to find unique Home Furnishings. Look at that pop of colour on the wall , makes you want to repaint your wall with #CottagePaint KIWI. As always when you visit the Caribbean, you return home wanting to redo your entire home's decor. 

Summer is coming...Daylight Savings time starts this weekend, Time to think about outdoor entertaining, and outdoor furniture.

Colour ...and more colour. At The Camellia, we are all about colour, think about how to introduce more colour into your decor for the Summer. 

These are special pieces found at Gazebo in Antigua, but you can redo an old piece of furniture with Cottage Paint from The Camellia. 

We have an Antique Dining ( solid wood)  room set for sale with 2 leaves and 4 chairs. This is a great Cottage Paint project,  some of the joints on the chairs need  regluing. To refinish, you will need 1 , maybe 2 quarts of Cottage Paint. Contact us at 475-3551 if interested. 

Lovely Wicker set from Gazebo. 

For Tropical decor Inspiration, visit The Camellia. Open Wednesday through Sunday. 

Sat. 11-5, Sunday 12-5. 

p(807)475-3551

30/32 Hacquoil Rd. Slate River, 10 miuntes from Thunder Bay Airport heading south. 

The Battlefield called RETAIL

 That's right, make no mistake, Retail today is a Battlefield. As with a traditional Battlefield, some retailers want to fight and do battle, beat those Big Boxes!, we can offer cheaper  prices than the Internet!, they yell. Other retailers just want to lay down, give up, and die. Enough they say, I've fought the good retail fight, and now I am giving up. They are fed up of being bullied by customers who demand a low price,want 5 hours of customer service, and then purchase at another store.  Their life seems to be an endless battle of ad deadlines, trade shows, floor displays, battling with employees, doing social media, and many unpaid hours collecting taxes and doing bookwork. Close the doors, they say, we are done.

This song by Taylor Swift sums it all up, "Are we out of the woods yet, are we in the clear yet?" 

http://vevo.ly/03TNT0 

Yes, for those of us in Retail, it feels like we are being chased by wolves, whether those wolves are other, bigger, local Retailers, web stores on the internet, suppliers who supply other stores nearby with the same goods, and the list goes on. It's no wonder that the urge to lay down and not fight has surfaced in every independent retailers' mind lately. It's also no wonder that many store owners become ill, stress playing a great part. If you are a store owner, and are reading this, remember the best thing you can do for yourself is to Breathe. 

Retailers are at the front line of the Battlefield so we hear what our customers are worried about, and about what's going on in their lives. So what are they worrying about?

• the low value of our Canadian dollar  compared to the U.S dollar, curtailing or cutting short their normal travel plans
• nil or negative return on $ invested last year
• terrorism
• customers are ageing, we don't need anything, we are downsizing,  but we just love looking!
• lack of time, if you could just bottle time, and give it to us!
• the unknown mosquito borne viruses
• job security
• pension security

One of our jobs as retailers is to reassure our customers that everything will be OK. However, at the end of the day we need some hand-holding too. 

Then we look out of the window, and happen upon this lovely Mother with fawn. 

And all of a sudden, we are filled with a sense of wonderment and blessings, and remind ourselves that The Sky is not falling, not today anyway. In the end, most of us get into business because we love helping our customers with solutions to their problems. Nothing compares to the excitement of seeing a customers' face light up!! Your excitement and joy gives us the strength to march onwards!! As retailers, we strive to offer the best personal service in order to ensure that we see our customers return on a regular basis. 

Have a wonderful day y'all, and drop in and see us here at The Camellia, for solutions to your decor dilemmas, and for Cottage /chalky paint. 

We are Open Wednesday through Sunday, 30 Hacquoil Rd. Thunder Bay, On

p(807)475-3551

February Classes at The Camellia

What is a Summer-loving person supposed to do in February in Northwestern Ontario?  Take a Painting class at #TheCamellia. 

You know how Spring & Summer come along, and you have a kazillion things to pack into those few months? As #Cottage Paint is low VOC, ( does not smell stinky and offgas and make you sick)  and water-based, you can just put a dropcloth around your furniture and start painting!! No need to wait until Spring or Summer. 

Feb. 19th. 2016 - Turn new wood into Barnboard with Cottage Paint
C$50.85
Learn how to turn new wood into old barnwood with Cottage paint.  Barnboard can be costly and hard to find. The techniques you learn in class will allow you to create wall coverings, window or door mouldings, furniture pieces , and feature walls. All supplies are included in the class fee, you will be going home with your piece of new barnboard. Feb. 19th. 2016, 7-8pm . or alternative date is Feb. 20th. 3-4pm.  Price of $50.85 includes hst. Call 475-3551 to pre-register for this workshop.
 C$49.95

Friday, Feb. 12th. 2016. Beginners' Stencil Class

Learn how to stencil , using Cottage Paint stencils and paint. $49.95 +hst = $56.44 You will go home with a Cottage Paint stencil, stencil brush, and your board design. 

Here is a project that's on the go - a wooden tubsurround is getting a makeover with Cottage Paint Sernity - colour Country Manor. It will update the look without going through the mess of ripping the wood up and starting over. 

Sunday, Feb. 21st. 2016, Kitchen Cabinet Painting class

Are your cabinets outdated, and you’ve been thinking of painting them, but don’t want all the work of sanding and stripping? Then this is your Workshop, you will be using Serenity Silk paint and Urban paint ( from the Cottage Paint line) on an actual cabinet door. Sunday, Feb. 28th, 2016. 1.00-4.00pm.  (update: This class is cancelled, and will happen at a later date, a scheduling conflict, sorry) $101.70 . Class date subject to change. Call 807-475-3551 to register or visit www.thecamellia.com

This is an Oak kitchen which is in the process of being painted with #Cottage Paint. 

Beginners Cottage Paint class :

Sunday, Feb. 14th. 2016, 1-4pm.

You will get a cupboard door to practice on,  Cottage Paint, and other supplies like waxes, varnishes, crackle medium, & antiquing pastes will be shared.  We will cover one-colour Wet distressing, Two -colour wet distressing, Crackle medium, applying Varnish, applying waxes, antiquing pastes, applying glazes, and dry brushing techniques. Price of $62.15 includes hst
DATES: Sunday, Feb. 14th. 2016, 1-4pm. 
 

A gold frame is getting a fresh new look - Cottage White by Cottage Paint. 

And my fav find from the Salvation Army Thrift store - a Sklar Peppler wall unit, painted with Cloudy Day #Cottage Paint. 

Look around your home, in your garage, and in your attic, and see what you can transform today with #Cottage Paint and a class at The Camellia. 

Phone (807)475-3551 to register for classes. 

The Camellia, 30/32 Hacquoil Rd. Slate River, Ontario.

www.thecamellia.com

Classes at The Camellia, Slate River, Thunder Bay, On

Today we're sharing some  photos from some of our recent classes at the Camellia. 

This is our Beginners' Cottage/chalk Paint class.

We cover several techniques such as 1 colour distressing, and 2 colour distressing .

You get to try Crackle medium, dry brushing, and antique glazes. 

And waxing and varnishing. 

This class is a full 3 hours. The 22nd. of October class is changed to  October 30th. 2015. We will also have a Beginners class in November on the 24th. or 25th. 

This is our Stencil class. 

It was a fun evening for a Sisters reunion. You can book your own class with 4 or more people. 

And some photos from the Fall Wreath-making class, This is a Harvest Wreath made with all kinds of preserved foilage and dried grasses and grains. Made the old-fashioned way, all wired in by hand. 

And here is a Happy hydrangea wreath, made with fresh blooms. 

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Check our website for upcoming classes, at www.thecamellia.com

The Camellia, 30, Hacquoil Rd. 

p(807)475-3551

Open Wed. 11-5, Thurs. noon-5, Fri. 11-5, Sat. 11-5. Sun. 12-5

We are a GEM OF THUNDER BAY, http://www.gemsoftbay.com/