Thursday, March 19, 2020

Hello Spring 2020!! The Camellia, Thunder Bay, On

Thunder Bay Flower & Gift shop

white roses blooming in garden

Hello Spring! Normally we are jumping up and down in excitement, as #Spring is our favourite time of the year! It's a signal for the end of Winter, and a time to put out all our Spring decor, and get ready for Easter celebrations. Spring also means the Spring Home & Garden Show at the Canadian Lakehead Exhibition, sadly this event had to be cancelled due to COVID-19.  At this time, the Canadian Government has told us that it is imperative to practice social distance. 

moss baskets filled with begonia plants, The Camellia

We know a lot of you are looking forward to Planting your Summer garden with flowers and vegetables. This is still going to happen, so while it is important to get prepared for the virus, it is equally important to act as normal as possible, under these circumstances. Spring means starting your bulbs indoors, or starting seeds to plant outside in the Summer.

spring planters with pink impatiens for Thunder Bay delivery

What colour combinations are you planning on for your backyard Patio? Pink sunpatiens and grey Dusty Miller is always a winning combination for partial shade or full sun. Here at #TheCamellia, you can order planters for Gift delivery. The planters above will be available starting just before #MothersDay. Due to the Virus outbreak, you can phone in orders ( 807-475-3551) and we deliver in the Thunder Bay area, and Slate River valley. 

Spring at the Lake

If you suffer from anxiety, looking at beautiful scenes like this one above (photographed in British Columbia) can aid in calming, especially when used in conjunction with deep breathing techniques. 

handmade bunnies The Camellia Thunder Bay


Spring means Bunnies and Easter chocolate Bunnies and eggs. We have beautiful hand-made bunnies at The Camellia. Perfect for Gift giving to a special Grandchild!

willow cross sympathy gift The Camellia Thunder bay

Easter is almost here, and a new reality, no Church Masses due to the ban on public gatherings. Churches will be live streaming. Funeral homes will be doing the same. We have unique #SympathyGifts which you can order, and we can deliver to someone's Home. Shown above is a willow cross, with sign. We also have crosses with faux flowers. 

Tinting Cottage Paint at The Camellia, ThunderBay

For many of us, engaging in Painting is a way to stay grounded, and helps us focus on something other than the virus. Call ahead and place you order, we will tint, and have it ready for you to pick up, or we can deliver ( $). 
Click on this link to see #CottagePaint colours.  https://cottagepaint.com/color-guide/
The Camellia is your CottagePaint stockist in Thunder Bay and surrounds. 
The Camellia, 30/32 Hacquoil Rd. Thunder Bay, On. 
p-807-475-3551


Tuesday, March 10, 2020

Styling essentials - vases for Spring and Summer florals, The Camellia, Thunder Bay.



white flowers in vases, thecamellia.com

Flowers have the ability to cheer us up, especially at this time when fears of COVID-19 and its spread around the World have led to feelings of alarm and anxiety. We need to stay calm, and Flowers can certainly help us do that. White, Cream and green are classic Spring and Summer colours. March is the perfect time to change out your Winter blooms to something lighter, like the Flowers in the above photo. 

tall white vase arrangements

There are so many different shapes and sizes of Vases. These tall ones showcase these sculptural branches with spring magnolia blooms. White vases go with everything, and can be moved into other rooms. 


fresh white and green urn floral

A great article to read is Heather Bullard's take on this topic of Vases: https://heatherbullard.com/blog/2019/12/styling-essentials-vases
Take a look around your home, what kind of vases do you have laying around, perhaps gathering dust in a forgotten corner? 

Serenity Cottage Paint The Camellia Thunder Bay

Maybe your accent colours changed, and your current vases no longer suit your space. You can repaint your vase with #CottagePaint, it's water based and has hardly any smell, and comes in 60 colours. We stock Cottage Paint here at The Camellia, and we can ship within Canada. 
Visit https://cottagepaint.com/color-guide/ to see the colours. Then you can visit our store at 30/32 Hacquoil Rd. in Thunder Bay, or visit our website at www.thecamellia.com

mechanics of floral vase design The Camellia

Once you've selected your vase, then you will need proper mechanics for anchoring your stems, such as twigs and branches, moss, water, floral foam, etc. Not sure where to start? Take a Floral Workshop here at The Camellia, where you will learn Creative Floral Design, incorporating Dutch Floral design techniques. 

fresh blooms in Dutch Floral shop

Here is a beautiful assortment of fresh blooms, at a Flower shop in Holland. Hydrangeas, Gerberas, Anthuriums, Stocks, snapdragons, Roses, Lilies, and so much more. 
Visit The Camellia, for Floral workshops, custom Wreaths and Floral Designs, and Cottage Paint.

Flowers add happiness to your Day!
The Camellia, 30/32 Hacquoil Rd. Slate River, thunder Bay, On
Open Wed. through Sunday. 
807-475-3551

Thursday, February 20, 2020

We are OPEN at The Camellia!! Thunder Bay, Ontario

Hello everyone! It's almost March, and that means Spring will be here soon, yeah!!! We are Open here at The Camellia, for all your Spring & Home decor needs. 

                                                  via GIPHY

This Giphy sums it up....I have been recovering from Hand surgery, so this is what I've been doing, minus the drumming of fingers on the table. And of course, you need your hands for simply everything! We are Open here at The Camellia, and will post new Spring Classes soon. 


cottage paint classes at The Camellia

Hummingbirds are part of our Northern Ontario summers, here  we used #CottagePaint to stencil  a Hummingbird. It sure is difficult to capture their shimmering feathers and many colours. If you are interested in this class, contact us. 

pink flowering crabapples at The Camellia

It's the time of year when our spirit craves Flowers, and colour, and warmth. How about you? Are you ready for spring? Above is a photo of our flowering crabapple trees. 


purple spring blooms at The Camellia

This is the perfect time to head into our store for a Visit, to buy some new silk flowers to replace your winter decor. It's time to freshen everything up for Spring! Already have a container? Bring it with you!

best tablecloths ever The Camellia, grey with white magnolias

Our beautiful, yet practical Tablecloths - perfect for anyone who spills or drops things when they eat. Water-repellent and stain-resistant. And this pattern is lovely and timeless - white magnolia blossoms on a light grey background. 



cottage paint in green colourway The Camellia

We have 60 colours in #Cottage paint  - you can easily add a touch of green to your furniture or Kitchen cabinets. For more information on painting your Kitchen cabinets, go to paintoldkitchencabinets.com. Not sure if your cabinets are paintable? Take a door off and bring it in so we can take a look. 


The Camellia sign


To find us, head south on Hwy. 61, turn left onto Hacquoil Rd. Look for our sign on Hwy. 61. 
We are just 10 minutes south of  the Thunder Bay Airport. 
The Camellia, 30/32 Hacquoil Rd. Slate River, Ontario

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Winter skincare, The Camellia, Thunder Bay


silly goats lotion Thunder bay, the Camellia


Winter is hard on your skin. Cold temperatures, low humidity and harsh winds make your skin dry, itchy and miserable. You are so bundled up when you go outside, and one may feel unattractive and a bit depressed. You must moisturize with our favourite Goats Milk Lotion from Silly Goats! What is great about Goat Milk Lotion? Read on.

Goat Milk Lotion Benefits.
1. Vitamins and Minerals - Goat Milk has vitamins A, B1, B6, B12, C, D, and E, and Selenium. Selenium is known to help prevent skin cancer and to help sun-damaged skin.
2.  Anti-Inflammatory - Goat Milk reduces skin inflammation due to its fat protein content. The cream in Goat Milk is a moisturizer.
3. Anti-Aging - Goat milk is rich in  Caprylic Acid, Lactic acid, and Alpha-Hydroxy Acid. 
4. Doctors have recommended using Goats Milk Soap for those who suffer from acne, eczema, psoriasis, rashes and sunburn. 
For more information, go to https://sillygoatssoap.com/benefits-of-goat-milk-lotion/

Danish midsummer rose bloom The Camellia, thunder Bay

Most of us want to keep our skin feeling as soft as a rose petal. This is a bloom from our Danish Midsummer Rosebush, it smells like an old-fashioned Rose.

Silly Goats soap, the Camellia



goats milk soap thunder bay

Goat Milk Soaps are also wonderful for our skin, and are natural, and long-lasting. 

bucket of green and white flowers, The Camellia, thunder Bay

Our skin, and these Flower stems in the bucket above, need 1 essential ingredient to stay alive - WATER. So often we forget to drink enough water, especially when it's Winter. 

Bucket of green and white flowers The Camellia

Why not get a large jug and fill it with your water intake for the day...every time you pass by the jug, drink a glass. This will help your whole body, but it sure is difficult to drink 6 -7 glasses of water a day in the winter! 

Lake Superior Batchawana Bay

If you want to keep your skin looking beautiful, plan on a trip to our store, the Camellia, to get Silly Goats Lotion & Soaps!.
The Camellia, 30/32 Hacquoil Rd. Thunder Bay, On
p 807-475-3551

Saturday, February 1, 2020

Making Time slow down when it seems like it's speeding up, The Camellia

Hello February! We have been lucky as January in Northern Ontario can be really, really cold. And this January it's been so mild. It's been easy to get out walking every day. We've had lots of snow, and here we are in February, it seems like January has flown by. 

Which brings us to the concept of Time... why does it seem to speed up as you get older? Click on the link below, which is a great article on Making Time. Read on. 


calendar  months




dried fern wreath at the Camellia

When you're involved in something you like to do, time seems to fly by. This is a ginormous Wreath I made from field ferns. It took hours and more hours, and the idea of a giant Fern Wreath had been in my head for months, and I simply had to find the time to make it. What projects do you have going around in your head? ...when I have time.......I will make .........

pile of paperwork, unsplash.com

 Ever notice how slowly time goes when you are stuck doing some dreaded task...like Bookwork? You pull up your files, then you find yourself checking email, Facebook, and wait, you're starving! so you race off to find a snack, and before you know it, 2 hours have gone by, and you haven't started your paperwork. Yes, time crawls sometimes. 

person sleeping in bed, unsplash.com

It seems like there is never enough time to sleep. For a long time, I treated Sleep as an afterthought, after I get everything done, I will go to bed. Sleep deprivation leads to many health problems. You must make time for Rest. 

person holding garden greens, unsplash.com

It can be a struggle to eat healthy. Especially when there is a Timmie's on every street corner, and there are chocolates at every grocery checkout. And you are tired when you get home from work. This past summer we grew all kinds of veggies, and it's so much easier to eat healthy when you can pick kale from your own garden.

willow cross at the Camellia

One day you get the call that one of your friends has unexpectedly passed away. You may feel terrible as you had meant to call her up and have lunch together, and you didn't make the time. 
This is a willow cross which we have for sale at The Camellia. 

cottage paint and fabric at The camellia

I guess the rule of thumb is that if you really want to do something, you will find the time to do it. We stock Cottage Paint at The Camellia.www.cottagepaint.com
How many of you have a stash of fabric stored in strange places.....omg...why are there plies of fabric and magazines in the Linen closet? 



iris fairy dancing graphic


Oh well, time is relative. What will you do with your time? 
Visit us here at The Camellia! We are Open Fridays and Saturdays during the month of February, 2020. 
30/32 Hacquoil Rd. Slate River, On.
807-475-3551

Friday, January 31, 2020

Escape Winter in with an Island getaway in your own home! The Camellia, Thunder Bay, On.


It's the middle of Winter in Northern Ontario, and even though it's been a mild Winter (so far), some of us are thinking of an Island getaway. But wait! What about the getting on a plane and being in close quarters with people...and what about the Coronavirus? Why not stay home, and decorate your Home in Beach style! Read on to find out more about adding Caribbean beach vibes to your Home. 





















































Visit The Camellia for unique ideas for decorating your Lakeside Camp, we also carry Cottage Paint, Clara Clark Bedding & Paarizaat mattresses. We are located at 30/32 Hacquoil Rd. Thunder Bay. 
p. 807-475-3551



Monday, January 20, 2020

Valentine's Day Gift delivery in Thunder Bay, & Slate River, Ontario.

Vintage drawing of Lord and Lady, kissing Lady's hand.

Valentine's Day 2020 is Friday Feb. 14th.  What are you planning for Valentine's Day? Valentine's Day is traditionally where we spoil our loved ones with Flowers, Roses, chocolate, maybe a romantic dinner, or perhaps a trip somewhere special. Whether you have been together for 40+ years, or 2 years, or whether you're celebrating being single, read on for some great Gift ideas for Valentine's Day for delivery in Thunder Bay and Slate River Valley, Ontario. 


Valentine's Day Spa basket at The Camellia, Napa Soap Company

Why not send  a Valentine's Day Spa basket, filled with artisan soaps, Goat Milk Bath bombs, and luxurious body lotions? 



vintage drawing of a valentine heart




valentine's day fishing lure, Thunder Bay







drawing of lady and man having dinner







Fishing lure gifts, Thunder Bay



The Camellia, Thunder Bay, On