Wednesday, April 6, 2016

April in Northern Ontario


It's April...we're that much closer to Spring or are we now? It's snowing out there, again. At this point..most of us just want to see green again. The Robins have returned, and some Canada Geese are flying back. What is the weather like where you live? Of course, Canadians are obsessed with the weather. We check it at least 2 times a day. Just so we can know how to dress for the Day ahead. 






We can dream about these large Sunflowers we planted last year







One way to feel Springlike is to paint an old piece of furniture you may have laying around, paint it a bright colour such as Bimini or Turquoise. Bright colours  just make you feel better. come into our store, the Camellia, to look at our selection of  #CottagePaint, in over 50 colours. 






Add some green to your decor, in the form of succulents, faux or real. 




Even a simple bowl of green moss will make you feel Springlike. 

Thank you to all of you who stopped by our booth at the Spring Home & Garden show! The Camellia is open this week Wednesday through Sunday. Thurs. 12-5, Fri. & Sat. 11-5. Sunday 12-5p. 
30, Hacquoil Rd. p-(807)475-3551

For upcoming April and May classes at The Camellia, http://www.thecamellia.com/classes-at-the-camelia.html



Friday, April 1, 2016

Visit The Camellia at the Spring Home & Garden Show 2016

Well it's April 1st. and we are exhibiting at the best Spring event in Thunder Bay, the Spring Home & Garden Show 2016. First we had to dig out out our props from the snow and ice. The things you do when you live up North. 












At our booth, you will be able to see our Cottage Paint used to paint Cabinets, with or without distressing.





Do we have cushions...! Yes, you can paint upholstery with Cottage Paint, this chair was an ugly dusty rose before it was painted.




Beautiful silk-like Florals and wreaths to add instant Spring to your day. 





Calling all bacon lovers out there...people as well as doggies. 




Ask about our Brick panels - an easy DIY product. 


See The Camellia in the Coliseum, at the CLE. 

Friday April 1 – 4.00 p.m. – 9.00 p.m.
Saturday April 2 – 10.00 a.m. – 6.00 p. m.
Sunday April 3 – 11.00 a.m. – 4.00 p.m.
p(807)475-3551






Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Easter Flowers and Hours at The Camellia




SPRING is not that far away. although with all the snow we have been having lately.... Anyone notice how the days are getting longer? ....it stays light now until 8pm. Great for walks after supper.
We've been checking out the Design shops in St. John's, Antigua. Love the pops of colour on the top left, Cottage Paint Sour Apple on the wall.  A visit to the old sugar mill, Betty's Hope is a must-see.  And my favourite Caribbean window, the jalhousie shutter, designed to catch that ocean breeze.   This Spring it's all about Watermelon pink, Turquoise, Bimini and White. Look around, and see where you can incorporate some colour into your Home, then head to The Camellia for Cottage Paint ideas. 


Spring is in the air - fill vases with faux Tulips, and change out your pillow covers ( just arrived Brunelli covers priced at $9.99 for 18" square). Put out your Spring Wreaths, or get us to design a new one for your door. Our classes & Workshops for APRIL & MAY are up on the blog, click on this link   http://www.thecamellia.com/classes-at-the-camelia.html.
Classes are a great way to learn, nothing beats an actual hands-on experience ( photo in middle from our Cottage Paint Beginners' Class). 


We are OPEN this week, Wednesday 11-5, Thursday 12-5, Good Fri. 1-4 . Sat. 11-5. Sunday 12-4p. 
Phone us at 807-475-3551, or email us at thecamellia@hotmail.com. 


The Spring Home & Garden Show is coming up on April 1, 2, and 3rd. Visit The Camellia in the Coliseum Building at the C.L.E. 





The Camellia,  your source for Neob Lavender products, & Beekman 1802. Freshen up your Home Spa!















Happy Easter! The Camellia, 30, Hacquoil Rd. Thunder Bay, On
p-(807)475-3551

Friday, March 11, 2016

Tropical Inspiration, The Camellia, Thunder Bay, Ontario





Today we are heading to Jolly Harbour, Antigua for Tropical inspiration. When Winter starts to drag, the Caribbean is the place to head to, 28 -29 C most days. Antigua boasts that they have 360 beaches, we manged to see only  a few. This beach is the best one for Seashell collecting...masses of small shells wash up on shore,  this is the North finger.




One gets inspired to pull out forgotten watercolours and attempt to paint. So many tropical blossoms and birds to paint. 




Have been meaning to try doing an  Art Journal...first attempt at this. 



















We're heading to GAZEBO - the place to find unique Home Furnishings. Look at that pop of colour on the wall , makes you want to repaint your wall with #CottagePaint KIWI. As always when you visit the Caribbean, you return home wanting to redo your entire home's decor. 











Summer is coming...Daylight Savings time starts this weekend, Time to think about outdoor entertaining, and outdoor furniture.





Colour ...and more colour. At The Camellia, we are all about colour, think about how to introduce more colour into your decor for the Summer. 





These are special pieces found at Gazebo in Antigua, but you can redo an old piece of furniture with Cottage Paint from The Camellia. 



We have an Antique Dining ( solid wood)  room set for sale with 2 leaves and 4 chairs. This is a great Cottage Paint project,  some of the joints on the chairs need  regluing. To refinish, you will need 1 , maybe 2 quarts of Cottage Paint. Contact us at 475-3551 if interested. 






Lovely Wicker set from Gazebo. 





For Tropical decor Inspiration, visit The Camellia. Open Wednesday through Sunday. 
Sat. 11-5, Sunday 12-5. 
p(807)475-3551
30/32 Hacquoil Rd. Slate River, 10 miuntes from Thunder Bay Airport heading south. 

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

The Camellia, Reduced hours for the next week

SPRING is not that far away. although with all the snow we have been having lately.... Anyone notice how the days are getting longer..it stays light now until 7pm. 
We've been painting up a storm, check out the bathroom cabinet getting a makeover from drab brown to Grey - we used Cottage Paint, colour is Asphalt. No mess, no throwing away a perfectly good cabinet in the garbage, just a quick and easy Redo with Cottage Paint.  


Spring is in the air - fill vases with faux Tulips, and change out your pillow covers ( just arrived Brunelli covers priced at $9.99 for 18" square). Put out your Spring Wreaths, or get us to design a new one for your door. Our classes & Workshops for APRIL & MAY are up on the blog, click on this link  http://www.thecamellia.com/classes-at-the-camelia.html.
Classes are a great way to learn, nothing beats an actual hands-on experience ( photo in middle from our Cottage Paint Beginners' Class). We have been attending Paint seminars with Candice Olsen ( from HGTV Divine Design) and listening to talks moderated by Lynda Reeves & Suzanne Dimma of Canadian House & Home. 

We are will be on reduced hours starting this Sat. Feb. 27th. 2016, through to March 10th. During this time, the store will be OPEN Friday, March 4. 11-5, and Saturday, March 5, 11-5. You can call Chris at 472-8193 if you need to come at other times. 

We are OPEN this week, Wednesday 11-5, Thursday 12-5, & Fri. 11-5 .
Phone us at 807-475-3551, or email us at thecamellia@hotmail.com. 


 

Monday, February 15, 2016

Farrow & Ball new colours 2016


It is quite obvious to some of us that we have Spring fever. The urge to paint something ( walls)  is overwhelming. Yet other things that HAVE to be done are in the way of us picking up a Paintbrush. Farrow & Ball paints are renowned all over the World. Richard Ball first founded the company in 1946. They have 123 colours, and they are mixed up in the factory, unlike other paints which stock three bases, to which tints are then added as customers order them. Check out this introduction of the new colours below: 
















They had me at this entrance to their booth, goat and sheep person that I am. Farrow & Ball makes  me dream of the English countryside, rolling hills, tall ceilings, draped with patterned silks. Stone floors, and brick walls, and afternoon Tea with scones. 





Here is that link again for the new colours. http://us.farrow-ball.com/discover-new-colours/content/fcp-content. Shadow white, Dropcloth . Worsted. Cromarty. Peignoir. Yeabridge Green. Vardo. Inchyra Blue. Salon Drab. 























What rooms are you planning to paint in your Home? 



























Yes, you can paint your Kitchen cabinets , no sanding or stripping required. This is Cottage Paint Serenity in the colour Expresso.




This is Cottage Paint Serenity in the colour Country Manor ( sounds sort of Farrow-and-Ball-like ).  


Visit The Camellia for Paint inspiration, and we do offer in-home Design consultations ( design fees will apply). Call us today at (807)475-3551, or visit in store at 30, Hacquoil Rd. Open Wed. through Sunday. 
Thinking about painting your Kitchen cabinets? Click through to this link:  http://www.thecamellia.com/painting-kitchen--bathroom-cabinets.html

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Valentine's Day gifts for delivery Thunder Bay, The Camellia


How often we take the ones we love for granted. Sometimes the daily grind gets in the way, "we're out of milk, weren't you supposed to do the grocery shopping?.....How many times have I asked you to put away your boots....I almost fell down in the mudroom! " ...and so it goes. we make Date nights, then are too tired or our work schedules don't match. Sound familiar? 



Then Valentine's Day comes along, and we have a great opportunity to show our loved ones that we really do care. What are you planning for this Valentine's Day? We know some of you are getting married, both in the snow and on the Beach. Congratulations! We are happy to be part of your big day!





Here are The Camellia's Top picks for Valentine's Day...
  • Give A Spa basket to encourage Relaxation. We carry Neob Lavender products from Niagara-on-the-Lake, Lavender bunches grown on Vancouver Island, Beekman 1802 Goats milk skincare. Our Spa packages which we deliver are priced from $49.95 to $155.00. You can preorder gifts , and pick up at the store. 
  • A "You are my Sunshine, my only sunshine " pillow
  • If they love painting, then gift them with  a Cottage Paint class,There is a Barnboard class. Feb. 19th. 2016, 7-8pm . Alternative date is Feb. 20th., 3-4pm.  Price of $50.85 includes hst. There is a Beginners Stencil class on Feb. 12th. 2016, 7-9pm
Some of you have asked for a Beginners' Cottage Paint class - you may have signed up in the past and had unforseens happen, so we will be running a Beginners Cottage Paint class on Sunday, Feb. 14th. 2016, from 1-4pm. If you need a different time, call or email us. We like to have at least 4 persons to  run a class. 
Planning on any painting projects..? New in our Cottage Paint line isSerenity...here is a How-to video, https://youtu.be/vLi_T4XuLPM This paint is excellent for repainting Kitchen cabinets. There is a how- to- paint -Kitchen cabinets class coming up on Sunday, Feb. 21st. at 1-4pm. $101.70. 



We are OPEN this week , Wednesday 11-5, Thursday 12-5, Fri. 11-5, Sat. 11-5 & Sunday 12-5. 
Phone us at 807-475-3551, or email us at thecamellia@hotmail.com.

Happy Valentine's Day! 

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

The Battlefield called RETAIL


 That's right, make no mistake, Retail today is a Battlefield. As with a traditional Battlefield, some retailers want to fight and do battle, beat those Big Boxes!, we can offer cheaper  prices than the Internet!, they yell. Other retailers just want to lay down, give up, and die. Enough they say, I've fought the good retail fight, and now I am giving up. They are fed up of being bullied by customers who demand a low price,want 5 hours of customer service, and then purchase at another store.  Their life seems to be an endless battle of ad deadlines, trade shows, floor displays, battling with employees, doing social media, and many unpaid hours collecting taxes and doing bookwork. Close the doors, they say, we are done.







This song by Taylor Swift sums it all up, "Are we out of the woods yet, are we in the clear yet?" 

Yes, for those of us in Retail, it feels like we are being chased by wolves, whether those wolves are other, bigger, local Retailers, web stores on the internet, suppliers who supply other stores nearby with the same goods, and the list goes on. It's no wonder that the urge to lay down and not fight has surfaced in every independent retailers' mind lately. It's also no wonder that many store owners become ill, stress playing a great part. If you are a store owner, and are reading this, remember the best thing you can do for yourself is to Breathe. 







Retailers are at the front line of the Battlefield so we hear what our customers are worried about, and about what's going on in their lives. So what are they worrying about?

  • the low value of our Canadian dollar  compared to the U.S dollar, curtailing or cutting short their normal travel plans
  • nil or negative return on $ invested last year
  • terrorism
  • customers are ageing, we don't need anything, we are downsizing,  but we just love looking!
  • lack of time, if you could just bottle time, and give it to us!
  • the unknown mosquito borne viruses
  • job security
  • pension security


One of our jobs as retailers is to reassure our customers that everything will be OK. However, at the end of the day we need some hand-holding too. 




Then we look out of the window, and happen upon this lovely Mother with fawn. 











And all of a sudden, we are filled with a sense of wonderment and blessings, and remind ourselves that The Sky is not falling, not today anyway. In the end, most of us get into business because we love helping our customers with solutions to their problems. Nothing compares to the excitement of seeing a customers' face light up!! Your excitement and joy gives us the strength to march onwards!! As retailers, we strive to offer the best personal service in order to ensure that we see our customers return on a regular basis. 


Have a wonderful day y'all, and drop in and see us here at The Camellia, for solutions to your decor dilemmas, and for Cottage /chalky paint. 







We are Open Wednesday through Sunday, 30 Hacquoil Rd. Thunder Bay, On
p(807)475-3551