Monday, May 6, 2019

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

floral design classes at The Camellia, 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. 


Pink Flowering crabapple trees, The Camellia Thunder Bay

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. 



Saturday, May 4, 2019

Craft Revival TBay Spring 2019, The Camellia



shout media building in thunder bay


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. 






poster for Craft Revival Tbay 2019







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. 


wallscape at Canada Blooms display

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. 

wire heart with flowers  custom design at The Camellia

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. 


floral hoop wreath mother's day gift at The Camellia


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


bundling of willow to make wreath at TheCamellia.com

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. 



willow wreath at thecamellia.com


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. 



Friday, April 26, 2019

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


wire basket over large planter in flower display, Belgium

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. 

twig ball over vase in floral display, the Camellia

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. 


eucalyptus stems with root balls in floral design

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 stems in Floral design, the Camellia


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



gerbera daisies in floral design The Camellia

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. 


protea blooms in floral design the Camellia Thunder Bay


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

Tuesday, April 16, 2019

Whites in Spring designs, The Camellia, Thunder bay



white upholstered antique chair, Brocanterie deja vue

Using WHITE in your decorating is timeless, and never goes out of style. This upholstered chair is left in its raw state and would easily fit into the decor of any sitting or Living room. You can always add seasonal colour with a throw pillow. 


cement crown on wreath




antique teddy bears with white lace cushions

One might assume that old fashioned Bears are not in style anymore, and cushions, well, some decorating styles deem them a nuisance and tell you to toss them away. These cushion covers are old, and in great shape, and yes, I couldn't resist and bought a pair for my home! Cushions are perfect for reading in bed, and just plain lazing around. Here at The Camellia, we have many different styles of cushions for sale, most of them have removable covers and are washable. 

white Paris cushion The Camellia thunder Bay


These are washable cotton duck pillows, and are made in Canada, they are perfect for a white Spring theme. 



white sunroom decor, Brocanterie deja vue Holland


Here you can see how pops of colour can add life to an all-white colour scheme. Delph blue and white is a classic combination. What are your go-to accent colours ? Photos taken at Brocanterie Deja-Vue in Holland, https://www.facebook.com/www.brocanteriedejavu.nl/


white flower arrangement in grey urn, the Camellia, thunder Bay


Let's not forget the Flowers in a room - the piece de resistance! Here at The Camellia we custom make Flowers to fit in with your white decor scheme. Simply email us a photo of your room, specify dimensions, likes and dislikes, and we will get back to you a price estimate. Take a look around, and see what you need to finish up your White rooms.....  then come visit us here at The Camellia for Inspiration, decor items, and Flowers. 

The Camellia, 30/32 Hacquoil Rd. Slate River, Ontario. 
Open Wed. 11-5, Thurs. Noon to 5, Friday 11-5, Sat. 11-5. Sunday 12-5
Follow us on Instagram 


flowering crabapple trees at The Camellia, thunder Bay

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Happy Spring 2019! Purples and Lavenders at The Camellia, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada



purple flowers at Keukenhof exhibit

Happy first day of Spring! Here in Thunder Bay it's too early to see flowers growing outside, but we can certainly look at photos of beautiful flowers.  Purple is a colour that's so cheery and uplifting. 


purple anemones in garden

Lovely purple anemones and muscari blooms in the background. Spring blooms are simply magical. 


mauve lilacs in garden in Holland

Lilacs are such a treat, here in Thunder Bay they bloom later than they do in Holland. Lilac bushes sure do attract many Butterflies. 

Sacred Mountain Lavender Farm on Vancouver Island

Lavender is our very favourite of all purple flowers. Lavender helps calm and soothe away anxiety. Here at The Camellia we carry dried Lavender buds, and Lavender and Lemongrass skincare from Neob Lavender Farm in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Come into our store to try out these products!

lavender bath bombs at The Camellia

A Lavender Bath bomb is a real treat in your Bath. Time spent in a warm Bath is wonderfully relaxing. Call today to order a Bath Gift Basket for delivery to a special someone in Thunder Bay. Phone 807-475-3551 to order or visit www.thecamellia.com 

culinary lavender Neob Lavender Thunder Bay



Lilac Cottage Paint at The Camellia

Cottage Paint has many lovely Spring colours, like this Lilac. Paint is a quick way to refresh your home or your furniture. We sell Cottage Paint at The Camellia, in Thunder Bay and we ship within Canada.  

spring purple and tulip wreath The Camellia

Enjoy the first day of Spring, and visit us here at The Camellia for Spring Wreaths and more. 
Open Wednesday through Sunday. 30/32 Hacquoil Rd. Slate River, On. 
p 807-475-3551

Thursday, March 7, 2019

The welcome effect of Spring, after a long, cold Winter.




It really has been a long Winter here in Northern Ontario...never-ending amounts of snow, shovelling snow, long weeks of cold temperatures with no day or so of warmer temperatures, which might give us some much-needed hope. What has your Winter been like? 

Maybe you live in  a place with no Winter. I grew up in such a place, a few degrees below the equator, warm temperatures every day, tropical and humid heat with 2 seasons...Dry season and Rainy season.


In the evenings, we would head to the ocean, to catch a cooling breeze, and listen to the waves. Our parents would make us wear a sweater afraid that we may catch a 'chill' from the evening ocean breezes. It was probably still 75 degrees F. Hey, if that was the coldest temperature you had ever experienced, then in your eyes, it was well, chilly.

Another thing one gets completely fed-up with in the Winter is the amount of clothing you have to put on, in order to go out in the cold. You long for the Spring, for sandals, for that time when you can throw on a light jacket and quickly head out the door. 

spring lilac bush

You start hallucinating about green leaves and Flowers. You run over to your Plant collection which you tried to save from last year's Garden, some of which are flourishing and green and healthy. You rush out and buy Spring potted bulbs, they provide a temporary relief from the winter blahs. 

Red Tulips at Keukenhof Gardens

You pore over your photographs from your trips to Holland in the Springtime. You continue to dream about Camping, and fishing, and you find you really have to work at being positive, and remembering that Spring will come. 


cottage paint furniture at The Camellia

Here at The Camellia, we are hard at work on our Lake/Summer line of products. Blue seems to be a favourite this year as seen in Ikea's Spring forecast below. 

Ikea's Spring 2019 OTTSJON PHI59488
Photo credit: www.Ikea.ca 

Wouldn't this make a great outdoor shower area? This is part of the OTTSJON PHI59488, from Ikea's Spring 2019 Collection. Are you planning on sprucing up your Lakeside retreat? Navy blue paired with crisp white is always a popular choice. 

waterfront on Vancouver Island

Why is Blue so popular? It's the colour of our skies, the Lake, Rivers and Ocean. It's calming and goes well with whites, greys, yellows, and so many other colours. We sell #CottagePaint here at The Camellia, visit our store to see our palette of almost 60 colours!  

Cottage paint cabinet, the Camellia

We often need a change in the Spring, something to get us excited about Life again. A quick and affordable change is to makeover your furniture with Cottage Paint. Painting is therapy.  Stop in and see us here at The Camellia, at 30/32 Hacquoil Rd.
The Camellia, Slate River, On.
www.thecamellia.com
See us at the upcoming #Springhomeandgardenshowtbay 2019. We are excited to take part in #SpringCraftRevival which takes place on Sunday, May 5th. 2019 ( 10am. to 5pm.)

Friday, March 1, 2019

Island Life at The Camellia, Thunder Bay

Hello there! It's almost the end of February in Thunder Bay, and the end of Winter is in sight. Although with another winterstorm heading our way, it sure doesn't feel like it's almost March. Are you done with winter, and you can't wait for Spring and Summer!! Then The Camellia is your store....here we focus on an Islander Lifestyle. This is when you live in a very cold place, and you pretend you live on an Island in the Tropics. No embracing the cold here....or professing love for your Sorel winterboots. 

water repellent tablecloths at The Camellia

It doesn't matter where you live....whether it's an Island in the Caribbean, a small town in Northern Ontario, or a town on Vancouver Island. Most of us have to work to make a living, and there are mundane tasks that consume the hours after work. We all tend to take for granted the beauty of the areas where we live. While we may fantasize about moving away to an exotic locale where it never snows, deep down we know that Summer in a hot country would be unbearable (all that high humidity, frizzy hair, and clothes pasted to your skin...!). Next best thing to moving is to decorate in an Island theme. Here at The Camellia, we have loads of Island accessories, ask about the tablecloths in above photo. They are vibrant, and practical as they are water and stain resistant. 

thatched roof in Mexico

Here we are at Viva Wyndham Maya, in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Nothing says Island more than a Palapa. Sometimes you can can find a fake, raffia one at the Party store. The real ones are made from Palm leaves and they really do keep the rain out. 

classes at The Camellia Thunder Bay


You can take a Class at our store, the Camellia, and make up your own stencilled or hand-lettered Beach and Lake signs. These are made with Cottage Paint, which comes in 60 colours, you can buy Cottage Paint at The Camellia.

Lake home signs




Lake home decor at TheCamellia


Not sure where to start with your Lake theme? Here at #TheCamellia, we have Lake themed cushions, knitted throws, pillows and so much more. Need help with choosing a colour scheme? We can help you with that! 



Classes at The Camellia







You can make this sign in one of our Cottage Paint workshops at The Camellia. https://www.thecamellia.com/classes-at-the-camelia.html








Fill your home or your Patio with fresh, green Plants. Nothing says Island Living more than large leaf Tropical plants. 



Beachy Life The Camellia Thunder Bay

Island Life is all about the Beach... the crashing of the waves on miles of sandy shores. 


red hibiscus blooms


Are you ready to decorate in an Island theme?  (Those vibrant blooms in the above photo are Hibiscus ). Come see us at #TheCamellia at 30/32 Hacquoil Rd. We are a short, 10 minutes drive south of Thunder Bay Airport. 
We will be at the Spring Home and Garden Show Thunder Bay, which is on April 5, 6, and 7th. 2019, at the Canadian Lakehead Exhibition grounds.