Welcome to August, The Camellia, Thunder Bay.

Hello! This Summer seems to be flying by, leaving me way behind, how about you? Summer is filled with so many want-to-get-dones. More walks by the Lake, time at the Cottage, house and maybe deck repairs, pools to put in, garage sales to have, and so the list goes. So much living to pack into a few short months. July was supposed to be my Manana month, ( manana is tomorrow in Spanish, it means don't worry if it doesn't get done today, it will get done tomorrow). The Manana concept has not kicked in yet. Then we sometimes have Family visiting, kids moving out, and Life happens, and the hecticity continues. This year all our whacky weather has added a new dimension, gotta get it done before it starts raining again!! Photo above was taken at a friends's Garden party, beautiful, isn't it? 

Lower than normal temperatures and lots of rain have left our Gardens looking like mud baths, but on the plus side, no time has to be spent watering the Gardens. Somehow the plants are putting on a good show and blooming away. Plants and Flowers add so much Joy to our lives!. 

A rare moment the other day, a Blue Sky! Have to share this with you. Things always look better with a blue sky. How has the weather been where you live? We love to hear comments, so leave us one below. 

A brief moment of respite this past month was a wonderful Garden Party at my dear friend's house. She has a spectacular Garden, we all wore hats and a relaxing time was had by all. The weather was beautiful and sunny. A reminder of what Summer is supposed to be like, time spent outside in the Garden, doing nothing, and enjoying a meal with friends. 

A container planting of all succulents. They are great in hot, dry climates, and will grow profusely. Too much wet soil will kill them, they hate too wet conditions. If you go to Camp lots, and cannot water often, these are the type of plants you should get. 

Aaahh Summer! The sound of water running and cascading in fountains, also a great de-stressing tool for most people. 

These Aqua glazed pots are simply stunning ..large pots add a great dimension to your Garden, they also add a feeling of grandeur. I can see a mass planting of vivid Sunpatiens in these. 

And the Ocean or Lake. Our bodies are 70% water, and we feel so much better when we are at the Ocean or Lake. Make some time to do this before Summer is over. Which beach have you been to lately?  Please share below in the comments box.

A family of Grizzlys eating by the roadside. They look sort of cute, don't they? As seen in Jasper National Park. 

Ah yes, the Vintage autos all come out of their garages in the Summer. Nothing beats a drive in one of these on a hot day! Especially a drive to an Ice-Cream or Hamburger joint. 

Mermaid in Stanley Park, Vancouver. A great park with lots of walking trails, however, if you're driving, roads are not clearly marked, so easy to get lost in the park. 

We've been inspired by all this cool, gloomy weather to start preparing for Fall. This is one of our Designs, a table piece of Magnolia, gerberas, callas, ranunculus and anthuriums. Rich, dark tones with a pop of orange to transition your Home from Summer to Fall. 

Another design we just made of Hydrangea, Poppies, and snapdragons with dried grasses and preserved salal. Drieds are wonderful to use in the Fall and Winter, a reminder of the glory of our Summer Gardens.

More Summer glory in Thunder Bay, Peonies.

Happy Long weekend!   Come Visit us at The Camellia at 30,Hacquoil Rd. We are OPEN all weekend.  Wed. 11-5, Thurs. noon-7. Fri. 11-5. Sat. 11-5. Sun. 12-4.     p .807)475-3551

Shop on line at www.thecamellia.com

Summer ..to be continued..The Camellia, Thunder Bay, On

 Well, it's supposed to be Summer here but someone must have pressed the To Be Continued button, and fast forwarded to FALL....dare I say it, it's cold out there. Well, it's probably because we've put in the Summer A/C's seeing  as it was plus 35 C and up. It's probably about 7 degrees out there now. Brrr....! 

Summer will continue next week, we hope. Strawberry Picking continues at Belluz - fresh picked juicy goodness. Stop by and see us at The Camellia. We have Organic culinary Lavender from Matanzas Creek Winery in Sonoma Valley, CA. Magic Tablecloths that repel water and stains, and they are polyester, so you can easliy wash them. Most people buy 1 of these, and come back for a few more as they are so low-maintenance, and they look good too.

You must try our Soaps from the Napa Valley Soap Company. These soaps are made by hand in small batches in St. Helena, at the heart of Napa Valley. The highest quality natural ingredients are used including antioxidant rich local grapeseed oil and wine. These soaps create a luxurious lather and are gentle on your skin.

 Try our Farmhouse Lemon Verbena products - turns cleaning the house into an Aromatherapy session. Great for chasing away Fish smells.

 And some bathroom eye Candy - from a wonderful bath shop in Los Altos, California.

We are Open here at The Camellia at 30 Hacquoil Rd. Oliver Paipoonge, Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Open Wed. 11-5, Thurs. 12-7, Fri. 11-5, Sat. 11-5, Sun. 12-5.

p-807)475-3551

Shop on-line at www.thecamellia.com

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Peony Love at The Camellia, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Hello!  Peonies are one of my favourite Flowers, they are so vibrant, so fragrant, and so pretty. Here in Thunder Bay, they are just ...  now in full bloom. In our garden here at the Camellia, we have 3 different shades of Pink Peonies.  Most of the plants have been given to us by friends and family. Peonies are an easy-going plant, just give them lots of sun, and water when it's dry, and they will reward you with many blooms. They flower only once during the Summer, but what a show they put on! Plant them where there is lots of room, as they tend to grow quite large, and dislike being moved.

 Such splendour!

 

 This is out best Vase which we sell here at the shop for Peony blooms,  $9.95 in-store. Peonies and this vase were, well, made for each other. Our other fav container is an old Mason jar.

 Here we have used them in a fresh floral design, which was used at this weekend's Wedding to commemorate Family members who have passed away. The blooms should be cut when just opening, if you want to use them in an arrangement like this one.

 And here we have used them in a Bride's Bouquet, stunning, aren't they? We used 3 different shades of Pink, a big thanks to those of you that gave us Peony blooms for Stacey's Bouquet.

A Vintage 1957 Red Pontiac and this red bouquet   ... a lovely pairing.

 Let's not forget the Whites.

 White Peony and Antique cream bowl .

 A plump Bud about to burst into bloom.

How to arrange Peonies? Just pick them from your Garden, plunk into a vase with water, make a fresh cut on all stems. Here they are looking lovely in a bathroom, paired with 1 stem of spray rose, and million star Gypsophilia.

Come visit us at The Camellia, at 30 Hacquoil Rd. We'd love to see you! 

Open Wed. 11 - ? check with us for July 17th.open until when, Thurs. 12-7. Fri.11-7. Sat. 11-5. Sun. 12-5

p 807)475-3551

Shop online at www.thecamellia.com

Celebrate Summer at The Camellia, Thunder Bay, On

It's  finally Summertime! What's summertime stress? It's that feeling of "I have so  much outdoor living to pack into a few months...." Gardening, yard work, fishing, walking by Lake Superior, and outdoor eating, just to name a few summertime activities. Do you feel like you'll never get to it all?

One of my favourite evening activities during the Summer is walking by the water. It's soothing and will destress you from your busy day.

Let's not forget the Flip-flop, an important part of Summer living.

Our large outdoor  Summer flag - buy instore .

Eating outside - another Summertime pleasure. Outdoor wood-fired pits are a popular backyard addition. 

Our hand-made cedar pizza planks - made by Larry. Buy at $25.00

A nice shower Gift. 

This is a tasty sprout Salad  made by Chef  Nikos Mantis of Pinetree Catering. He was demonstrating at the Country market at the C.L.E. grounds, showing how easy it is to make tasty meals with fresh, local produce.

His demo inspired me to  do something with the rhubarb I picked from my garden days ago, and was now languishing on my kitchen counter. 

Yummy..! Spoon some of the Rhubarb compote on top of Vanilla Ice-cream, what a great summertime treat. 

Our wicker baskets with wrought-iron holders are a nice addition to your patio at $29.95 ea.

This bird knows how to stay cool - $9.95, and the metal sunflower bath ( $45.95)  is also a nice addition to your patio. 

Come Visit us here at The Camellia! Here's a batch of  hand-made Olive oil soap - Hornby Island Soap. A nice Gift to take when visiting someone's Camp. We're open Wed. through Sunday. Fri. July 5th, 2013. 11-5, Sat. 12-5, Sun. 12-5. 

Shop online at www.thecamellia.com

Visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Camellia-From-Nature-to-Home/145600168837975

p-807)475-3551

If you're visiting Thunder Bay for the Blues Festival going on this weekend, have a great time. Here's the link to the Bluesfest http://www.tbayblues.ca/

Happy Canada Day - The Camellia is Open this Canada Day Weekend! Good weekend to try out Cottage Paint!

 Can you believe it's the Canada Day weekend already! Where did the time go? What are you planning for this weekend? Some of you may have an old piece of furniture laying around, waiting for the time to strip it, and redo it. Wait no more! Cottage Paint is here, just wash your piece down with TSP, make sure it's free of flaking paint or rust, then choose a colour from our palette, and just paint. What could be easier. Cottage Paint dries in under an hour, and has low voc's. Cottage Paint is a unique, clay based paint. Not to be confused with Annie Sloan paint, which is chalk based.

 I too have a zillion projects, saved up for years, like these old shoe lasts I had purchased from a shoemaker who was closing his shop.  Here is the Before photo.

 

Here is the after, I used the colour Creme Brulee, and the number stencil. After you paint, you can ( before the paint dries) use a damp cloth to wipe the piece back, this gives it a nice, distressed Shabby Chic look. Then finish with a water-based varnish, or a wax, both of which we sell at The Camellia. You can also purchase on-line at http://www.thecamellia.com/buy-cottage-paint.html

 Here is a metal star I painted with  Cottage Paint.

 Some larger pieces of Furniture painted with Cottage Paint, photos from Cottage Paint and Linda Lock's website.

 An outdoor planter I stencilled on, stencils will be in stock soon.

Come into The Camellia to see our Paint colours, along with waxes and varnishes. To see colour selection and to buy Cottage Paint online, go to : http://www.thecamellia.com/buy-cottage-paint.html. We are Open this Canada Day long weekend, Sat. 11-5, Sun. 12-5. Check with us for Monday Hours - p-807)475-3551.

30, Hacquoil Rd. Thunder Bay, On

Have a great long Weekend!

It's Planting Thyme at The Camellia, Thunder Bay.

 What are you planting today? How about this moss Wreath with Air plants? I don't know about you, but I am so far behind with seeding and planting. The weeds have taken over my perennial beds, and the poor flowers are buried in the weeds. Sigh..

 Looking forward to fresh Strawberries , which apparently will not be ready until mid-July.

 Just planted some of this - Kangaroo Paw. Does great in a sunny location, and doesn't like a lot of water.

Happy planting, and weeding ( and swatting of blackflies and other assorted bugs )..!

Visit us at the Camellia, we are Open Wed. 11-5, Thurs. Noon-7, Fri. 11-6. Sat. 11-5. Sun. 12-5.

30 Hacquoil Rd.    p-807)475-3551