Happy Summer Solstice! The Camellia, Thunder Bay

It's finally summer in Northern Ontario! We're so lucky to be surrounded by Lakes   ... the great Lake Superior and many inland lakes. Summer means Fishing season has begun. Time to head out to Camp. Summer solstice is the longest day of the year and there are many ways to celebrate Summer Solstice. Click on the link below to see how the Scandinavians celebrate Midsummer. 

https://www.calmmoment.com/escaping/how-to-celebrate-midsummer-the-scandinavian-way/?fbclid=IwAR03jPych7GMx1Xdg-5BhzU-oTtaPEN7d8rYuNiQyC1EjxtScWF32uBwubQ

We celebrate by planting in our gardens....so nice to see Green outside instead of white! What did you plant in your Garden this summer? Flowers or Veggies or both? 

This is a Danish Mid-Summer Rose bloom. It's a bit late this year, but is now starting to bloom. You remember that sweet Rose smell ....this variety has plenty of that. 

Photo by Danka & peter on Unsplash.com

Summer means heading to the Lake to enjoy some wave splashing activity, and some outdoor ME time. What day of the week have you set aside this Summer for outdoor hiking and sitting by the Lake? Or do you fill your days off with errand running, grocery shopping and cleaning? This summer is your Summer to make a change. After all, summer is a short 90ish days long. It does go quickly. 

Here at The Camellia in  Thunder Bay, we are purveyors of Napa soap which is handmade in small batches in St. Helena, Napa Valley, Ca. This is the best soap, it lathers up beautifully and is soft and silky feeling. The smell is not overpowering. New is Eucalyptus Spa - this bar is reminiscent of a Day at The Spa, with Eucalyptus and Peppermint Essential Oils. Come into our store at 30, Hacquoil Rd. to buy some Napa Soap. 

Our most popular bar is Lavender Napa Soap...this bar makes a great hostess Gift. Buy and keep a few at home for those occasions that come up suddenly when you need a thoughtful Gift. 

Another special Summer Gift is our #MusselsnMorePottery - all handmade, and most pieces are oven safe and dishwasher safe. Lovely dishes for someone who lives at the Lake, or has fond memories of  living by the Lake. 

Visit The Camellia, at 30, Hacquoil Rd. in Slate River, On. 

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

p 807-475-3551

www.thecamellia.com

Adding summer to your Northern Ontario Home, The Camellia, Thunder Bay, On.

Well, it's June in Northern Ontario and everything is finally green, we have had so much rain and our rivers in Slate River are swollen to the point of over flow and flooding. Robins are busy nesting and chirping. And there are so many blackflies. Today we had sun, warm weather, wind, rain, and then hail. All in 1 day! 

Summer means hanging by the Lake, with a picnic lunch, and some loungers. It's refreshing to sit by the Lake on a really hot day, with the Lake breezes blowing in your face, whipping your hair around. No phones, nobody asking you to do something for them, just Peace and relaxation. Summer in Northern Ontario. 

Summer means that our Gardens are growing again... and the return of blooms, like this lovely Peony bloom which grew in my mother-in-law's Farm. We transplanted this peony bush into our Garden, and every year it blooms faithfully. This colour of Peony dries to a deep burgundy pink. Summer means lush Flower gardens. 

Summer means Kitchen renovations...look at this beautiful Farmhouse Kitchen! Cabinets are being painted with Serenity Cottage Paint, backsplash will be done in old brick, and counters are all solid wood. If you are thinking of painting your Kitchen cabinets, come visit us at The Camellia to take  a look at our sample paint boards for Serenity Cottage Paint. For information, go to cottagepaint.com and www.paintoldkitchencabinets.com

Are you thinking of updating your Lakehouse? If you have a mix of old and unwanted furniture, why not update by painting right over the fabric with Cottage Paint? Get the how-to in our store, The Camellia, and choose from 60 colours of Cottage Paint. 

Look at all these blues and greens and aquas.....take a look around you and see how you can Summerize your Home with Lake decor and Cottage paint from The Camellia. 

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

  Open Wed. 11-5, Thurs. 12-5. Fri. and Sat. 11-5. Sunday 12-5p. 

Bring your photos, measurements and swatches. 

p 807-475-3551

www.thecamellia.com

Kitchens take a beating - if I paint my Kitchen cabinets, will the finish last? The Camellia, Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Quite often, we get asked the following question: " If I paint my kitchen cabinets with Paint, will the Painted finish hold up in my Kitchen? "

Kitchens take a beating.... at least 3 meals a day are prepared and served in your Kitchen EVERY SINGLE DAY. Unless you work out of town, and are just home on the weekends. That's a lot of wear and tear on your cabinet doors, garbage cans, counters, floor and so on. Oil and grease are constantly spattered, water from the sink, mess from the garbage can, recycling, fruit and veggie peels, and raw meat waste......all of these add up to a big mess everyday. It seems like you never get out of the Kitchen. If you have small kids, aging parents or a retiree in your Home, hah! Need we say more?

Getting back to the original question, it depends. On:

• On how careful persons in your household are in the Kitchen.
• Does everyone clean up after themselves, and put things away? 
• Handles and knobs on your doors, can your finger fit comfortably in the handle without your nail scraping at the paint? are the handles on the doors located in a convenient spot? ( a handle in the middle of the door will not get used). 
• Are you racing around the kitchen ( usually), banging into your cupboards with  pots and pans?
• Are you unloading the dishwasher and stabbing the drawer front with the edges of knives and forks? 

You will probably say...."No, I don't do THAT!" Yet, most of us live an over-scheduled life, and there are many ways to procrastinate, so we end up being in a big hurry when we are using our Kitchens. Kids are hungry, people have to get to work, the dishwasher needs unloading...

We may be on our phones, and not really paying attention to meal-making....does anyone want some burnt dinner, you yell? We KNOW you don't do this...!

Spatters from Lobster shells ........every day, mess happens in your Kitchen. 

We often think that everyone else has a calm, peaceful Life where everything goes according to a timed schedule. This is usually a single person who has an executive job, with a chef who prepares her special meals at the Office. 

Here is our 33 year old oak Kitchen - the Before Cottage paint. 

Here is the same Kitchen - After Cottage Paint. The inside of the doors were flipped to become the front of the doors, displaying a perfect Shaker profile instead of the busy squares. 

So, how do you keep a painted kitchen looking great? Cottage Paint is a low voc, water-based paint. Most Kitchen cabinets that you buy new are finished in a factory with Paint that contains bad stuff for your lungs, but hardens and dries quickly. It's a trade-off between a paint that you can DIY and takes longer to cure, or a factory finish with bad stuff in it. 

With Serenity Cottage Paint, you should keep a small jar for touch-ups which you will probably do once a year. This is true for any painted cabinets. Serenity Cottage Paint is applied with a microfibre roller and a brush, it is self levelling.  Cleaning is done mostly with a microfibre rag and water, do not use anything abrasive on painted Kitchen cabinets. 

For information on Serenity, click here: https://cottagepaint.com/product-category/serenity/

For more information, visit our store, The Camellia at 30, Hacquoil Rd. Thunder Bay. 

We have 2 free Paint Demo Information nights, June 4th. or June. 11th. at 8pm. at 30, Hacquoil Rd. 

Visit paintoldkitchencabinets.com

You can also check out a small display cabinet at Superior Custom Granite, and pick up a Cottage Paint brochure, at 645 Hewitson St. in Thunder Bay. https://www.facebook.com/superiorcustomegranitetbay/

The Camellia, 30, Hacquoil Rd. Thunder Bay. 

Open Wed. through Sunday. 

p 807-475-3551

May long weekend in Northern Ontario, start of Fishing season!! The Camellia, Slate River.

Hello! It's the first long weekend of the Summer... although in Northern Ontario, the snow has just barely left us. It seems like Winter never wanted to end. So although our temperatures are still cool, most have their Campers packed and ready to roll! May long is the official start of Fishing season! 

We will bundle up and sit by the shores of the Lake, enjoying this short interval without pesky bugs and blackflies. 

If you do get bitten this is our go-to product, Breakout Buster by Rocky Mountain Soap, it stops the itching and swelling of blackfly bites. It is blended with tea tree essential oil, peppermint oil, chamomile to soothe irritation, lemon, grapefruit, and Lavender . Lavender is a natural anti-inflammatory to calm and to help reduce redness. 

And while we are talking about bugs, stop by our store at 30, Hacquoil Rd. to grab a Mosquito net or a No-see-um net. As every person that grew up in the Caribbean knows, a mosquito net is the next best thing to sliced bread. These ones have a hoop that folds up so the net is small for carrying around. 

If we are camping on inland lakes, on May long weekend it's not uncommon to see chunks if ice floating. However we are hardy Northerners....we are heading out to Camp no matter what the weather is. 

Oh the joy of having your bed look onto water and forest...!! Comfy bedding is a must...even at Camp. Here at The Camellia, we carry #ClaraClark 1800 thread count sheets queen sized...which are available in 17 colours. Need sheets in a King? Contact us at 807-475-3551 to place an order. 

Here is a beautiful Garden in the Silver Islet area on Lake Superior. 

A lot of Camps have furniture that has seen better days.... it seems like Furniture gets discarded and then goes to Camp to die. Cottage Paint to the rescue!! You clean with our Clean and Prep spray, paint in your choice of 60 colours, then Enjoy! 

Here is the same cabinet, all updated and mod! For information on Cottage Paint, visit www.cottagepaint.com, and if you would like to take a class, www.thecamellia.com

Visit our store at 30, Hacquoil Rd. Slate River, On.

Open Wed. through Sunday. 

p 807-475-3551 

Paint your old Oak Kitchen Cabinets Classes, the Camellia, Thunder Bay

Great News!! We are offering Kitchen Cabinet Classes in May! We have heard from so many of you that you HATE your Kitchen. This is YOUR class! Register on-line today as we limit Classes to 6 people at the most. 

KITCHEN or BATHROOM CABINET PAINTING CLASS

C$107.35

Add to Cart

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, Urban paint ( from the Cottage Paint line), and Colour and seal glazing medium, on an actual cabinet door. Cost: $107.35. We will also discuss Kitchen Cabinet trends, and ROI ( return on investment) on Kitchen upgrades, we will also look at Trends in Modern cabinet design. 

This class is offered on 2 dates, pick whichever date works better for you. Wednesday, May 15th. 2019, 7-9.30p. Monday, May 20th, 2019. 7-9.30p. Class date subject to change, due to weather. Call 807-475-3551 to register, or register on-line. Class fees are non-refundable.

Time to take your outdated Oak kitchen from this....

To this.....

Cabinets are painted with Serenity Cottage Paint...... colours white, and Asphalt. You can buy #CottagePaint at the Camellia, at 30, Hacquoil Rd. 

The Camellia, Open Wed. through Sunday. 

p 807-475-3551. For more information go to: www.paintoldkitchencabinets.com

Gifts for Mom, The Camellia, Thunder Bay.

Mother's Day is Sunday, May 12th. 2019. It's coming up fast and maybe your mom lives in Thunder Bay, and you would like to send her a Gift for Mother's Day to show your appreciation for all that she has done for you. Order this Shoreline Summer Wreath priced at $149.00. 

She-sheds are so popular, maybe your mom is planning on building a she-shed, this SHED sign makes a perfect Gift, priced at $45.00 

Maybe you have a mom that is always doing things for everyone else, but never takes time for herself. This hand-stencilled saying on denim will remind her to slow down. Priced at $55.00 + hst. Phone 807-475-3551 to order Gifts for delivery in Thunder Bay. 

This hand-painted sign ( on a black ash wood round) will resonate with a lots of Moms. It always seems as if something is in the way of living our Life. We can make this saying in green writing on a stained wood panel, or black writing on a pale pink background. 

Visit us at #TheCamellia, at 30, Hacquoil Rd. Open Wednesday through Sunday. 

p 807-475-3551

www.thecamellia.com

www.paintoldkitchencabinets.com

The Mother's Day gift that keeps on giving, The Camellia, Gift delivery Thunder Bay

The day we celebrate Moms is coming up this Sunday, May 12th. 2019. One of Life's greatest joys is designing a bouquet with blooms and foilages from your own Garden. Treat Mom to a Floral design class at The Camellia.  We have a Fun with Flowers Class coming up on Wednesday, June 19th. 2019,  from 7-9p. 

Visit The Camellia with your Mom, and your besties! We are Open Wednesday through Sunday. 

Wed. 11-5. Thurs. 12-5. Fri. and Sat. 11-5. Sun. 12-5. 

Need a Mother's Day gift delivered in Thunder Bay, or Slate River? 

Visit www.thecamellia.com or call us at 807-475-3551. 

Craft Revival TBay Spring 2019, The Camellia

Hello! We are beyond excited to be taking part in our first Craft Revival in Thunder Bay! It happens May 5th. 2019, from 10-5p. and you will find The Camellia in SHOUT Media building, at 37, Cumberland St. S, Suite 204 in Thunder Bay. This is a beautiful, roomy older building with high ceilings and a beautiful brick wall running the width of the building. 

We have been hard at work since January making hand-painted signs, moss walls, and all kinds of things. Moss walls are so on trend at the moment, especially in commercial buildings in urban settings like Toronto & Vancouver. We will have smaller versions at Craft Revival for your home, they make so much sense in our Northern climate where we only see green for a few short months. This is cushion moss, it's been preserved and dyed, so there is no maintenance, just keep your moss design out of direct sunlight. You can give it a light mist with water. 

For commercial buildings, here is an example of a mixed moss wall, with stone, and wood. Wouldn't this look beautiful in a Garden room?  Contact us a year ahead for large commissions for a similar installation. Call Camille at 807-475-3551 or visit www.thecamellia.com. You have to consider the humidity levels in your commerical building. 

For those who are anxious to start gardening and are maybe planning a she-shed, we have wire hearts with faux Spring flowers, like this one above. Everything is wired on, so you can twist and untwist a new seasonal insert for wintertime. Each season, many of our customers bring in their florals so that we change out the insert. 

If simple is your style, this is a hoop style wreath made for small spaces, and the choose happy sign is Hand painted. 

We have spent hours picking willow, which is found in wet spots, up way high. It's quite a challenge to pick enough branches to make a full willow wreath. 

It is a lot of work to do a pop-up shop, packing and hauling it all, and making sure we have guessed correctly as to what product to take. We will see you at Craft Revival TBay 2019, at Shout Media on Sunday, May 5th. 2019. Our store at 30, Hacquoil Rd. will not be open that day. 

We deliver Mother's Day Gifts in Thunder Bay and Slate River, On. 

Call us toll-free at 1-877-523-7444, or locally at 807-475-3551. 

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

Open Wed. through Sunday. 

Spring flowers and the underlying mechanics, DIY Flower Design classes, The Camellia,Thunder Bay

It's no secret..Flowers make a person Happy. They are cheerful, smell wonderful, and are uplifting to the spirit. A lot of us would like to know how to arrange flowers, especially if we have just retired and now have the time to take up some new pursuits. In Thunder Bay, you can take a Floral Design class at The Camellia, in Slate River. Here you will learn the mechanics behind the design, like this upside down wire planter, which will help support a large amount of fresh flower stems. 

Here an airy twig ball will lend support to fresh flowers placed in the vase below. Stems will be poked through the vines into the water below. 

Masses of roots also make good flower structures. Look at these beautiful eucalyptus stems...you can almost smell them! Here at The Camellia we love flowers, and hold Floral design classes so that you can learn all the proper mechanics. For Classes visit https://www.thecamellia.com/classes-at-the-camelia.html

Sticks and Twigs make sturdy armatures to support your Floral design. 

Here is a finished design.....what you are not seeing is what is holding up the stems below. Beautiful Gerbera daisies are used here, along with stems of eucalyptus. 

Want to learn how to create amazing Floral designs, using Fresh and Faux flowers, and branches from Nature? Call or sign up online at www.thecamellia.com. Visit us instore at 30, Hacquoil Rd. slate River. 

Open Wed. 11-5. Thurs. 12-5. Fri. 11-5. Sat. 11-5. Sunday 12-5. 

p 807 475 3551