Winter Open House at The Camellia, Artisans Northwest 2017.

Winter...It is certainly a magical world after a fresh snowfall. Everything is white and pristine and beautiful. We invite you to our WInter Open house which is on this Saturday (11-5p) and Sunday (12-5p). There is nothing cozier than sitting by a warm fire, watching the snow falling outside. 

Come and see our favourite finds for this joyous season- warm throws, comfy cushions, stars, ornaments, Cottage Paint, and fabulous Gift ideas for everyone on your Christmas list. 

If you need help with updating your Winter decor, take all your Christmas decorations out, and take photos of them. Then head to The Camellia, at 30, Hacquoil Rd. and we can suggest some updates. We have real-looking, faux evergreen Wreaths and garlands. Fresh Wreaths, made mostly with greenery from our own forest,  are being made. Ask about our large Wreaths for commercial decor. 

Note that we are not exhibiting at the Artisans Northwest 2017 Show at Valhalla Inn. You can easily visit us at our store at 30, Hacquoil Rd. which is 10 minutes south of Thunder Bay Airport.

If you need information on Artisans Northwest Show 2017, click on this link:  https://www.facebook.com/ArtisansNorthwestsince1975/

Cotton Farmhouse teatowels, pair up with some home-baked goodies, and you have a perfect Gift for the Foodie on your list. 

Deer are having a moment in Winter decor, even though they are a huge nuisance in our Gardens. These are woven tapestry cushions, and are an easy way to add Winter to your decor. 

The above 2 photos are examples of our Christmas painting classes. 

Snowy twig Wreaths are perfect for Winter decor. 

Just arrived - a collection of Clutch handbags. 

Custom floral Faux Wreaths - these are made here at The Camellia, and are perfect if you don't want to fuss with fresh greenery. 

Our signature Evergreen and Magnolia Wreaths - these should be ordered ahead of time, call (807) 475-3551. 

Here is our store, nestled against the mountains, We would look forward to seeing you! 

The Camellia, 30 Hacquoil Rd. Salte River, On

p (807)475-3551.

www.thecamellia.com

Finding Just the Right Purse, New Purse and Cozy Wrap arrivals at The Camellia

Finding the right Purse is quite a task. Purses that look good are often not practical. We love to look fashionable, but the day-to-day reality when you have kids, jobs, run a business, and so on, may mean that you have barely have time to comb your hair. Here at #TheCamellia, we are excited about our new Purse arrivals, and warm, cozy wraps. 

Fall is a great time to wear wraps, we have warm, vibrant colours like the wraps in the photo above, warm oranges, browns, and navy with reds. Pair them with our fleece leggings, and you have a quick, fashionable look which is easy to wear and looks fabulous. 

Sometimes one purse is not enough. Let's say you're running into the grocery store to grab a few things, and you just need something to hold your wallet and phone. This pair of purses above is ideal for that. You can keep your essentials in the smaller one, and the rest of your stuff in the bigger one. The smaller purse actually fits inside the bigger one. You can see these fab purses in our store, at 30, Hacquoil Rd. These colours go with anything, neutral with a splash of colour. 

This navy and red wrap would look great with blue jeans, add this red Purse, and you will head out the door in style. Perfect for any occasion. 

This handbag is a wonderful shade of brown, conjuring up images of melted caramel, and fallen leaves dancing along the ground. Perfect shape for throwing over your shoulder.

Throw a burnt orange wrap on. Goes wonderfully with this caramel purse.  Our wraps are priced at $19.95 and up. Most of these purses have organizers, and pockets to hold all of your belongings. Sometimes it feels like you have everything but the kitchen sink with you!

Black is the mainstay of the world in North America, and black goes with everything. These wraps have some glitz and shimmer when you move. Sequins are sewn into the yarn so they will not fall off. 

Clutches are timeless, and these are so stylish! Visit The Camellia at 30, Hacquoil Rd. for stylish Handbags, wraps, and Fleece leggings.
Open Wed. Thurs. Fri. Sat. And Sunday.
p (807) 475-3551

Fall Gifts for delivery in Thunder Bay, Ontario, & great advice on preparing your Home for Fall from Houzz.

It's been a beautiful #Fall in Thunder Bay, and even though we've had a few frosty mornings, some of our Gardens are still blooming, which is remarkable in this part of the country. What about your Fall? how has the weather been where you live? 

Autumn is truly a season where every leaf becomes a Flower. 

As the weather gets chillier, a cozy, soft blanket makes a great Gift for a family. We deliver in #Thunder Bay and surrounding area. Blankets are washable and $29.95 + taxes + delivery. Call our toll-free at 1-877-523-7444. 

Autumn Leaves are truly a work of Art. 

Fall #Wreaths make a great Thanksgiving gift, these are priced at $95.00 to $125.00. Why send fresh flowers which are dead within a week?  

If you prefer to send #FreshFlowers in #ThunderBay, we have garden bunches available for delivery starting at $49.95 and up. Call us at 1-877-523-7444 or at (807)475-3551 to place an order. 

It's Fall time and it's time to take your breakable planters in, and get your Home ready for Fall. Click on the link below from #Houzz for great advice on preparing your Home for Fall. Stop by our store at 30, Hacquoil Rd. for a visit! Tell us in the Comments below what you are planning to redo in your Home this Fall ! 

www.thecamellia.com

https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/68269843?utm_source=Houzz&utm_campaign=u5895&utm_medium=email&utm_content=gallery1&newsletterId=5895

Fall Classes at The Camellia. Happening now!

FALL Classes are happening this week at The Camellia! Wood round Class - Learn how to do hand lettering C$32.50 Add to Cart Make this Gather Wood Round just in time for Thanksgiving! You will be painting a black ash round of wood, with Cottage Paint and the word GATHER, doing a small stencil, and finishing your project off with Cottage Paint varnish. Class is 1.5 hours or so, and a fun project if you want to learn how to make your own signs. Wood round, paint pen, Cottage Paint and Gather printout are included. This class is offered on these dates, Pick 1 Date. Friday, Sept. 15th. 2017, from 7- 8.30ish. or Thursday, October 5th. from 7-8.30ish.     Fresh Grapevine Fall Wreath C$107.35 Add to Cart Using a Grapevine Wreath, you will be adding fresh Grapevines from our Garden, Bamboo leaves, maple leaves, along with preserved hanging amaranthus, with lotus pods, and finish your creation with a Burlap bow. This Wreath will dry naturally and turn lovely shades of autumn browns. This class takes place Sat. Sept. 16th. at 1 or at 3p. Call 475-3551 to Register. We need time to pick the fresh greens.  Pinterest-inspired Rustic Burlap Fall Wreath.   C$107.35 Add to Cart Price of $107.35 includes Burlap, ribbon, fall foilage, mesh, wire frame, Instruction fee and hst. Flowers and nests may an extra cost. In this class you will learn how to make a Burlap ribbon wreath, using techniques of wiring, anchoring, and changing a wreath for the seasons. Dates:  Friday, October 6th. at 7-9p. or Saturday, October 7th. from 3-5p. Dates are subject to change, and you can make your own time with 4 or more friends. WE ARE OPEN THIS WEEK: Wed. 11-5. Thurs. 12-5. Fri. & Sat. 11-5. CLOSED FROM SEPTEMBER 17th. REOPENING on October 4th.  We're open our regular hours this weekend, so stop in and see us here at The Camellia!  We will be OPEN Normal hours Wednesday through Sunday, until September 16th. 2017. Then we will be taking a break and will re-open on October 4th. Enjoy the last bit of warm weather, and stay Design-Inspired! We're ordering more Paint, if you have any special requests, or need gallon sizes, let us know! p(807)475-3551

HOURS : OPEN: Wed. 11-5, Thurs. 12-6. Friday  11-5. Sat. 11-5 . Closed from Sept. 17th. Reopening on October 4th. 2017   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.  Look on Google maps for directions.     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/

Wow! It's Falltime at The Camellia, Slate River Valley, Thunder Bay, On

    Here we are at the end of August, and it's been feeling like Fall here for the last 2 weeks. What happened to Summer? We've had frost 2 nights this week, the windshields on our vehicles have been iced up. Most of us here in Thunder Bay feel like we have barely had any Summer, and now an early Fall. Well, there is SO much to like about Fall. The colours of Fall - rusts, browns, beiges, cinnamon, dark greens, yellows and so many more colours that exude warmth and images of snuggling under a warm throw. 

I know it feels like you have barely gotten the Patio set out on your Porch, and your Garden, well, enough said about that. I was embarrassed about the state of my gardens yesterday, when I was showing a client some of my fast-growing perennials. We spotted 2 huge holes dug up by some critter. And a falling down Delphinium. It's hard to keep up with all the yardwork and weeding. 

Sunflowers always add a splash of colour to your Fall decor. Not a fan of yellow? We have beige and neural tones in the store. 

Here is a small #cottagepaint project you can try on your own.....paint an old muffin tin and turn it into a jewellery holder, or a place to store all those thingamajigs that collect on your counters. We stock Cottage Paint here at #the Camellia. 

If you are stencilling, #cottagepaint is your #1 paint as it is water-based, and very easy to clean off your stencils. Check our website for our current #classes. www.thecamellia.com

Sometimes, it feels like the 100 Mile journey playing out here. We sometimes get phone calls...Do you have a store IN-TOWN? Hah...what..? Our store is one-quarter of a mile outside City limits. That's a quarter of a mile, not 100 miles, not 3 hours from Thunder Bay, just a simple 10 (TEN) MINUTES from the Thunder Bay airport. 

Once you get here, you'll be glad that you did! Plan to visit The Camellia this Fall!  

We are OPEN Wed. 11-5, Thurs. 12-6, Fri. and Sat. 11-5, and Sunday 12-5. A simple way to remember is that we are Open every day except Mondays & Tuesdays. 

Note we will be closed from Sept. 17, and will reopen on Oct. 4. 2017. 

p (807) 475-3551

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.