How-to survive DIY renos with your spouse/partner

You may be an avid watcher of the DIY Network and HGTV. It all looks so easy on TV, everything goes so quickly and the couple gets along, and while there may be some arguments, they all laugh about it afterwards and all is ok again.

Image via Pinterest, and ScottMcgillivray.com

Let's step away from the TV and move into real life. Common things people fight over:

1. Proper Prep for areas not to be touched in Reno. This includes laying drop cloths over Furniture to prevent dust and paint splatters. Cardboard on hardwood floors to prevent damage from tools and from the paint. You try to mention this and what you get is ..." DO YOU WANT TO DO THIS YOURSELF?" Yes, I need you to put cardboard down onto the hardwood as I hate having to be on my hands and knees cleaning tiny bits of white paint off the hardwood. And please tape up the tile that was just installed, also don't want to scrape bits of paint off tile. Sigh...

Here is a cedar Tubsurround being prepped for painting with Serenity Cottage Paint. First, the surface is scuffed up with a Scotchbrite pad, then vacuumed. Next is cleaning with Cottage Paint Clean 'n Prep., let dry.  Next step is  2 coats of BIN primer to seal the knots in the cedar. ( if you skip this step, you may get bleedthrough from the resins in the knots).

2.Time Frame things have to be done in. 
You may start a Reno. when it's Summer and raining non-stop, and then the weather clears up and it's Sunny out. what you get is ..." YOU WANT ME TO WASTE A SUNNY DAY WORKING ON THIS...???!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?"
From your point-of-view, you started this reno. and the rest of your Rooms may be littered with all the items displaced from the Reno. area. The thread your sanity is hanging on is almost threadbare, and the thought of living in a construction zone for another however long, well, need we say more.

3. Nobody tells you about the Mess.
All those lovely Pinterest images showing beautifully styled rooms, well, they never show you the mess. There is no magic clean up fairy appearing anytime soon. You can enlist the help of a friend or another family member. Expect that you are going to be living in a mess.

4. You can't find anything. Where is that **** thing? I know we have one somewhere...! 





5. Your Family decides to come for a Visit and they make helpful( not!) remarks about how you should be keeping on top of things, and you try to refrain from grinding your teeth and yelling at them.  You listen & nod your head through clenched teeth.  




6. You visit another couple's home which has just been built by a contractor, and you come Home, look around at your mess, and feel very sorry for yourself. 

Any of this sound familiar? Sigh...we've all been there. And when your Renovation is DONE, it's all worth it, but are you still on speaking terms with each other? Hmmm. ...
Eventually, as the renovation drags, you may start work in another messy area of your house. You tell yourself that there are many areas of your Home that need attention, and you should contain your impatience, and stop complaining.
Sporadically, you look back in on the original renovation, and make a half-hearted attempt to clean up all the mess. It's easy to get overwhelmed, but wait, the END is in sight!

You get to that magical day when it's DONE! And it looks amazing! Now to get to the pile of displaced stuff that doesn't look so good in the space, maybe these were temporary solutions to a permanent storage problem ( which is hopefully solved now).

After the 2 coats of Bin primer are dry, it's time to paint 2 coats of Serenity Cottage Paint - here we are using the colour Country Manor. Hard to believe this is the same tubsurround! Looks like brand-new shiplap. #Fixer-upper worthy!

For inspiration and help with your Cottage Paint Renos, visit The Camellia, at 30, Hacquoil Rd. Thunder Bay, On. Check our website for upcoming Fall classes. 

p(807)475-3551

www.thecamellia.com

www.cottagepaint.com

A Visit to Silver Islet, Thunder Bay, Ontario

When it's a really hot day like today, 31 C with high humidity, and a heat warning in effect, there is only one way to cool off, and that is to head to a Lake.  One of the best places to visit is Silver Islet. To quote "Wikipedia, " Silver islet refers to both a small rocky island and a small community located at the tip of the Sibley Peninsula in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. A rich vein of pure silver was discovered on this small island in 1868 by the Montreal Mining Company. " Wikipedia.

 You head along Highway 11/17, head towards Pass Lake and Lake Marie Louise. When our kids were little, there were many Family outings to the Lake, where we sometimes went canoeing. The road ( once you leave the main Highway) is long and winding, but mostly paved. This is the original General Store, which you could buy products and have High Tea. The entire area is delightful, with one-lane roads once you draw closer to where the Cottages line the shore. Don't you just love that bright blue on the General Store? 

If you would like to know more about Silver Island, click on this link for more information: https://youtu.be/c0qGobP1guY. As I'm writing this, (just having viewed this video), I had no idea that Silver Islet started as a silver mining operation. It's hard to visualize where an area started so long ago. 

You are never very far from Lake Superior and many have their boats docked here, ready to head out for an afternoon sail. Its a beauty of a day today, with a nice breeze coming off the lake.

There are many Artists and Artisans living on  Silver Island, and many have little Studios which are open seasonally, where you can buy their wares, Look at this handcrafted Driftwood railing! 

If are in the Thunder Bay area, be sure to visit Silver Islet, pack your swimsuit, there is a Beach area

and Campgrounds, hiking trails, and Cottages to rent in the area ( most of them are booked up early in the Summer). 

Visit The Camellia for Hand-made in Thunder bay goods, we are 3.6 km. past the Thunder Bay Airport, turn left on Hacquoil Rd. We are 1.6km. on the left, #30/32. 

We have stunning Pottery from Mussels 'n More, Linens, Tablecloths, hand-made Wreaths, Canadian made soaps, and so much more. Get your copy of the Handmade in Thunder Bay, at Thunder Bay Airport, any of the local hotels, or Shopping centres. 

Extraordinary Whites from Cottage Paint - The Camellia.

White has a clarity about it, it's clean, it's versatile, and goes with anything. It's not picky about who it hangs around with, it has a calming effect in any room. Is White for you? If you work in a chaotic environment, then yes, White is for you. Cottage Paint has many extraordinary whites in its 50 colour palette - White, Cloudy Day, Antique White, Beechwood, Cottage White & Creme Brulee.

White does a beautiful job of Framing, making the mouldings around these windows stand out. #Serenity Cottage Paint can be used indoors and outdoors. Visit our store, The Camellia to purchase Cottage Paint.

White makes this Fairytale turret stand out nicely against the grey thatched roof. Look around your home and see where you can use White. 

Are you redecorating and thinking about repainting your dark Furniture in White? Then read on.

Cottage Paint can turn a dark, varnished piece into an updated, light and airy mid-century modern masterpiece. Just clean with Cottage Paint cleaner, then 2 coats of Cottage Paint. 

Colour used above is #CloudyDay. 

This colour used to paint this sign is #CottageWhite. 

Here is a round Table painted with Antique White Cottage Paint, and our Clock stencil. 

An 8 oz. jar of Cottage Paint covers 20 to 30 sq.feet. We have quarts and gallon sizes for larger projects. 

This cabinet door is painted with Antique White Cottage Paint. Need more information on painting old cabinets, go to http://www.thecamellia.com/painting-kitchen--bathroom-cabinets.html

White is very popular in the Caribbean, as it gives a light and airy feeling to any building. 

Here is an upholstered chair being revamped with Cottage Paint - colour Cottage White. Ask at our store, The Camellia, we will show you how-to-do-this. 

Same chair painted, what a difference from that dirty dusty rose colour! Stripes are in Turquoise Cottage Paint. 

We have many whites in Cottage Paint. There is White, Cloudy Day, Cottage White, Antique White, to name a few. All whites are not the same, so choose wisely. The beauty about Cottage paint is that if you don't like it, you simply paint over it. 

Visit The Camellia, at 30/32 Hacquoil Rd. to purchase Cottage Paint and to get help with your DIY projects.

When is it going to be shorts and sandals weather in Thunder Bay? Searching for Summer...

Aaaah Summer! The very word conjures up visions of hot, sunny days, fanning oneself, drinking tall glasses of Lavender Lemonade, wearing shorts and sandals, and being outside in the Sunshine. Imagine sitting on a beautifully decorated Patio, with beachy Lanterns, outdoor rugs and comfy Patio Furniture. 

Reality in Thunder Bay has been Rain, cool temperatures, and more Rain. It's almost JULY...Canada Day long weekend is almost here, and yes, surprise, it's been raining all day!! It's enough to drive a Summer-loving person crazy! As for going Camping, well, it's not too much fun in the pouring rain, with blackflies bugging you. 

We tend to sometimes dwell on all the things that we want to do, and can't, because it's RAINING AGAIN!! One thing you can do is look around inside your Home or Garage or covered deck, and do one of those jobs that need doing, like this tiling job that's been in limbo for 2 years. Do you have jobs waiting around for the right time to do them....?

There is always the dreaded Closet clean-out. We might not want to tackle it, because we have clothes we are hanging onto ( in case we lose weight), or clothes we have never worn ( but spent a lot of money on), or a mountain of Summer clothes we can't wear because we have no Summer! Once we clean the closet out, (we hate to admit it),   we can find our clothes easier and the whole room seems to just feel better.  

Rainy days are great days to get to those pieces of Furniture that need painting. We have this antique Schoolhouse chair which would look so much better if it was painted with Cottage Paint. Maybe Cloudy Day like the bookcase...or maybe Sea Turtle or a combination of both? What have you got laying around unused in a corner, or in the basement, that you could revamp with #CottagePaint? 

Here is a bookcase that was bought secondhand from someone who was moving...it was a  woodgrain ( faux wood)  look before, and we painted it with Cottage Paint - colour Cloudy Day. What a difference! It now has a coastal feel to it. Can #cottagePaint go over mdf? Yes, it can, most of the time. It does not go over Thermofoil. 

What do you do on rainy days?

 For #Lake & #Coastal-inspired Decor, and #CottagePaint, visit The Camellia, 30, Hacquoil Rd. Slate River, On .

p(807)475-3551

www.thecamellia.com

How to add Nautical details... Perfect for Camp Decor in Northwestern Ontario.

Camp -that's what they call a home by the Lake in Northwestern Ontario. A.k.a cottage, or Beach Retreat, or second Home away from Home. It's usually on a Lake, situated near forest and breathtaking views. And well, sometimes the decor in these Camps can be a mish-mash of old, unwanted items or the decor can be over-the-top too fancy for a Lakeside Retreat. You want to feel like you are getting away from it all, and above all, you want to be able to relax and enjoy yourself. 

All right, where do you start? Pick a colour scheme. Draw inspiration form Nature, look at all the various shades in these shells! These shells represent a fairly neutral palette. If you live and work in a busy place, then neutral is your palette. 

Nautical details are so in for Camp decor.....you can imagine yourself on a ship, leaving all your worries behind. 

Look at the colours on this large Lobster who just got pulled from a Lobster Trap in Jamaica. Shades of terracota, dark browns, ivorys and dark yellows, these are all warm tones, also perfect for Camp decor. What will you choose as your colour palette?

 Then there is all that blue, a million shades of blue. Draw inspiration from the Ocean and the Lakes. 

Blues are soothing...sitting on the dock of the Bay watching the water in the Summer. Blues and greys look well together. 

STEP # 2:  Decide what Furniture is going where. Paint your Furniture with Cottage Paint, which you can buy at our store, The Camellia, at 30, Hacquoil Rd. There are 50+ colours to choose from. Check out this old Sklar-Pepplar record cabinet which was dark and dreary before it was painted with Cottage Paint. 

 STEP 3: decide what Nautical details you are going to use such as Roping,  Rocks are fairly inexpensive and can be used to accent decor in your Camp. 

Enough talking ...let's show you what a Lake/Coastal themed Camp could look like. Today,we are headed to our favourite B&B on Salt Spring Island...we head over on the ferry, and get to this beautiful retreat, all done up in a Coastal Beachy/Lake theme. Wire baskets holding pieces of Driftwood, collected on walks. Starfish and vases with candles. Blues....echoing the blue of the water beside us. 

This is the Kitchen area...our hosts have left us homemade granola and a Quiche for Breakfast. Sheer heaven to be in  such a beautiful place with nothing to do but Relax. 

Shiplap walls..., and that comfy Bed. You can imagine just plunking yourself down on it. 

Nautical and Beach and Coastal Decor - for some of us this is  Paradise. Head to The Camellia in #Thunder Bay and #SlateRiver for Camp and Coastal decor. Have a Camp and need some help with decorating? Send us some photos and book a Design consultation. 

The Camellia, 30, Hacquoil Rd. Slate River, 

p (807)475 3551

www.thecamellia.com

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