Camp hacks from someone who lived near the Amazon Rainforest, May long Weekend in Northern Ontario

It's HERE!! May long Weekend..the start of Fishing season..and Camping..and getting the Boat out, and ....we know, you can hardly contain your excitement! you have waited all Winter for this. 

You eagerly look forward to walking by the Lake, to Barbecues and good times spent by the Firepit. 

You are happy to see all the Mommas with their babies, and Life is just wonderful. You pack up the boat, buy groceries, pack a supply of books and fun things to do, and head out to Camp. You get there, and just walk from your vehicle to the doorway of your Camp, and then you notice you have ticks crawling quickly up your leg. Screeeeaaam.......!! 

Bugs....and ceepy-crawlies...don't you just hate them? Here's advice from someone who used to live close to the Rainforest in South America: 

1. No exposed skin. Cover up!! If it's hot, wear some cotton long pants and thin long-sleeved shirts. Mosquitoes and sandflies come out in the evenings, so make sure you are covered up. 
2. Army boots and pants tucked into socks when walking in the grass. When you get indoors, check for ticks, or undress and change into different clothes. Have a mirror by the door so you can check for ticks. 
3. Buy a Mosquito Net from The Camellia. Our Mosquito and no-see-um nets are a life-saver, hang them over your bed or sofa, and sit or sleep in peace and relax. They are especially useful for new babies, hang them over their crib or bassinet. Ours fold up into a small flat package when not in use. 
4. No perfumes or heavily scented body creams, use a natural bug repellent which is safe for you. 

Yes, you don't have to worry about Piranhas, or snakes such as Boa constrictors, or Rattlesnakes which were common where I grew up, however Ticks can carry very serious diseases. And these diseases are masked as something else, read this article http://www.nextavenue.org/kris-kristoffersons-dementia-now-believed-caused-lyme-disease/

You head into your Camp, and take a look around, and while you love the familiarity of some old pieces of furniture, and mismatched cabinetry in the Kitchen, you've just been watching HGTV's Home to Win, and you may catch yourself  dreaming about some much needed renos. But where to start? At The Camellia we can help you come up with a plan, first step is for you to take some photos and email them to us. We can help you with  colour schemes , painting your wood panelling and cabinetry and /or furniture, new cushion covers, and some new Lake decor & Vintage pieces. A Fish/ Waterside Lake theme is well suited for Camp. Find this Tin sign and many others at our store, The Camellia, at 30, Hacquoil Rd. 

Look at this Kitchen Makeover ( in progress) , done with #Cottage Paint from The  Camellia.

Our prints are coated so you don't need glass, which means no glare from the glass, and no glass to break if it falls. See that Barnboard wall? This is done with a paint technique from #CottagePaint. Take a Barnboard Class at www.thecamellia.com

Don't forget the right gear, our camo leggings and MultiKap Bug Hat. Nothing worse than having blackfly bites by your ears. 

With the recent Ice storm and bad weather, some of our Robins died. However, we hope that the ones that survived are starting to build nests and lay these lovely coloured blue eggs. 

Happy MAY Long Weekend! Don't forget to try out our Camp hacks, and stop by The Camellia for Camp & Lake decor, Bedding, Mosquito Nets, Cottage/Chalky Paint, Camo leggings and much more!

Open Wednesday through Sunday. 30, Hacquoil Rd. p (807) 475-3551

Trying to hold onto your sanity when doing Bathroom home renos...Happy Jan 1st. 2017! The Camellia.

It's January 1st. of 2017!  A New Year...full of possibilities, new ideas, and dreaming about Home Renovations. 

We dream about a new Bathroom..a Sanctuary...our sanctuary...devoid of  Rubber duckies, dirty clothes strewn  on the floor, and worse yet, stinky toilets with seats left up. A place where we can relax, and restore ourselves and our sanity. 

Some of us have Ideabooks on Houzz, we have Pinterest boards on our Dream Bathroom, but never get beyond the dream-about-it-stage. Time to change all that, it's a New Year, and with the Holidays out of the way, this is the perfect time to plan your new Bathroom. 

Your Bathroom doesn't have to be as elaborate as this beauty in the above photo, it can be simple and basic, depending on your budget and time frame. It goes without saying that all ideas should be discussed with your partner before you start contacting a contractor and tradespeople. Some of us get stuck at this stage...we end us fighting..."The Bathroom is fine the way it is, why do we need double sinks, I don't care what the Property Brothers say, what do they know..? " Is it too soon to start finding a contractor? No, the best ones are booked way ahead of time, and you have to join the line. 

#BarnDoors are so in ...are you DIYing and want a more cost effective #BarnBoard? Come into The Camellia and ask about our #CottagePaint #Barnboard paint techniques. 

Bathroom at #WhitewaterGolfHomes condominium.. built by Di Gregorio Developments, and styled by #TheCamellia. This home was part of the Spring #ThunderBayArtGallery #HouseTour 2016. For more information on these Townhomes  visitwww.digregoriodevelopments.com. 

This is a Master Bath at Whitewater Town Homes, If you have an old cabinet which is Oak, and looking a bit tired, you can paint it with #CottagePaint. No stripping, and no mess, and no smell. And 55 colours to choose from. 

Here is a china cabinet which one of our clients painted. This is the Before. Where can you buy #CottagePaint? At The Camellia in Thunder Bay, On. 

Here is the AFTER. Beautiful Cottage Paint makeover! Getting back to the mess of renovations, how does one get through it? We start, and just want to fast-forward to the finish line! Most of us are bored with plumbing issues, and drains, and vents and the list goes on. We want everything to be done quickly, and work perfectly. We may obsess a bit ( or a lot) and drive our plumbers and other tradespeople crazy. Our tradespeople may drive us crazy by taking on too many jobs at the same time.

And we forgot about the mess, and the dust, and the constant cleaning. And the stress of having to make decisions, and then waiting for stock to come in. We may have chosen some sinks purely for their looks, not their practicality.  Anyone ever used a Vessel sink with a tall spout, you turn on the tap, and water shoots out, hits the vessel sink, and sploosh onto your clothes...( now you look like you had a bathroom accident...sigh...) Not to mention all the stuff that was in your Bathroom, which is now homeless and strewn all over the rest of the house. This is also when you realize how much unused Hair products and make-up reside in your Bathroom. 

What is our advice to you? Expect Mess, cost overruns, and delays. In the end, you will have a fabulous bathroom, and it will all be worth it.

Come into The Camellia today to discuss your DIY Renos, and to get #CottagePaint and #FarrowandBall paint, along with custom Florals  & accessories for your bathroom. 

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

p (807)475-3551

www.thecamellia.com

The Camellia is OPEN on May Long Weekend

Happy MAY long weekend!! The Camellia is open all weekend,  Barnboard class on today, and Friday, May 20th. ( same class both days)

Happy dance - it's MAY long weekend!   Our store on Hacquoil Rd. is OPEN  Wednesday through Sunday, and we are open MAY long , FRI.  11-5, Sat. 11-5, and Sunday 12-5. Barnboard classes are on  today, May 19th. and Friday, May 20th.  Our Beginners' Cottage Paint class on May 26th. is full, we are adding a class on  Friday, May. 27th. Do phone if you would like to come on May 27th.     Heading out to Camp this weekend?  Stop in at The Camellia first, to get Mosquito nets and No-see-um nets. Place them over your bed to stop you getting bitten, and to stop ticks from getting into bed with you. Sadly, the news is correct, the ticks are bad this year.  We have NAPA Valley diffusers, and Beekman 1802 products to help get rid of that musty, locked up smell. of course, don't forget the faux flowers, these add beauty without the fuss and mess of fresh. And our favourite magic Tablecloths, which are a must out at Camp. We have the Cottage Life Bedding collection here at The Camellia, and lots of LAKE signs, and fishing-themed framed prints. The bedroom in the top right is in a B&B on Salt Spring Island, what a treat to wake up to the ocean and trees & blue skies! There were also magnolias in bloom ( bottom right photo).   Our classes & Workshops are  on the blog, click on this link  http://www.thecamellia.com/classes-at-the-camelia.html.  Happy  MAY long, see you this weekend at The Camellia!

See you soon at The Camellia!! HOURS :  Open every day except Monday and Tuesday. Wed. 11-5, Thurs. 12-5, Fri. 11-5. Sat. 11-5. Sunday 12-5p.  Visit our website for information at http://www.thecamellia.com.    Twitter Website Email Come Visit The Camellia.   How do I get there?   We are 10 mins. from the Thunder Bay Airport, heading south on Hwy. 61. Turn left onto Hacquoil Rd. We are 1.6km. on the left.    Phone 807) 475-3551   Shop online at http://www.thecamellia.com Visit our blog at http://www.fromnaturetohome.blogspot.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Camellia-From-Nature-to-Home/145600168837975 http://pinterest.com/thecamellia/boards/

What's NEW in the Cottage Paint world at The Camellia

What's new in  Cottage Paint? Cottage Paint SERENITY is the new baby. It has excellent mar resistance, adhesion and lay down. Lay down refers to the flattening out once you brush Serenity on. Available in all the same colours as the original Cottage Paint , 50 or more. No top coat required with Serenity. 

Now you can  turn new wood into Barnboard ...with Cottage Paint.

Lovely for making shelving ...Restoration Hardware style shelving. 

New is URBAN Paint - for that contemporary Loft style, you can paint furniture, brick, and even do a dramatic feature wall. 

This is an old wooden frame with plaster mouldings, in perfect shape. The BEFORE.

The AFTER. Painted with Cottage White (part of the Cottage Paint Whites) 

Painting upholstery with Cottage Paint....

The AFTER - we'll post a better photo later. The legs were painted with Turquoise to match the stripes, the finish looks and feels like leather. We finished with a satin wax. Want to know more? Come into our store, the Camellia, we have a large selection of Cottage/chalky Paint, you can also take classes, and of course, our advice is free. 

The Camellia, 30 Hacquoil Rd. Slate River, On. 

Proud to be part of the Gems of Thunder Bay.

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

www.thecamellia.com