Saturday, October 10, 2020

Have a Happy Thanksgiving! The Camellia, Thunder Bay, On.

sign that says thankful

It's Thanksgiving in Canada, and Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! It's a good time to jot down a list of things you are thankful for. With all that is going on in our world today, it's easy to get stuck in negativity. 


fall scene at Lake superior near Thunder Bay

It's Fall here in Northwestern Ontario, and it's a spectacular leaf show of yellows, rusts, oranges and greens. 


country road near Hacquoil Rd. slate River, On


Time to get in the car, and go for a ride in Slate River, on Hacquoil Road. That way you can shop at our store, the Camellia, at 30, Hacquoil Rd. We are open Thanksgiving weekend, Sat. 11-5, and Sun. 12-4. 
30/32 Hacquoil Rd. Slate River, On. 
p 807-475-3551
https://iwindowshop.ca/





Friday, September 25, 2020

September at the Camellia, Slate River Valley, Ontario.



As always, September seems to come along way too early. Sunflowers are in full bloom, and even though the days are still warm,  the nights are on the chilly side. Of course, after the hot summer we have had, everything feels cold in comparison.
What was your Summer like, weather-wise? 

bright yellow sunflowers


As summer draws to a close, some of us are a bit panicked about all the painting projects we meant to get finished, but somehow, well...it was summer and Fishing and Camp and Life happened. Is it too late to paint? No, especially with the warm temperatures we have been enjoying lately. Just get started on your painting projects, and you'll be surprised at how quickly they will get done. Need Cottage Paint? Stop in at our store at 30, Hacquoil Rd. We have Paints, brushes, sample colours and more. 

old muffin pan painted with Cottage paint


Here is a tin muffin pan, painted with Cottage Paint, lightly distressed, and voila! 
A catchall for keys or jewellery, or those random bits and pieces that seem to accumulate on counters.

laundry room cabinet painted with Cottage Paint


Here is a Laundry Room cupboard makeover, with Cottage Paint and some stencilling. Do remember to use our cleaner before painting! ( see photo below). Paint will not adhere to a surface that may be contaminated with grease, dirt, and/or Furniture polish. 

cleaning with Cottage Paint Furniture cleaner




dried flower bouquet at The Camellia

It was a great Summer for growing Flowers, and we have been busy harvesting, drying, and making up Dried Flower bouquets, like this one with ferns, grasses, oregano and peonies. These are for sale in our store, the Camellia, at 30, Hacquoil Rd. 


ferns in a field in Fall in Slate River Valley.

All around us, Fall is in the air, ferns and grasses make a spectacular show of colours and textures. Here at The Camellia, we draw inspiration from Nature, and a lot of foilage from our fields finds its way into our dried bouquets. 


eucalyptus spray for a bathroom.

Today, these hanging Eucalyptus sprays were made up for use in an At-Home-Spa area, or in a bathroom. Eucalyptus will smell wonderful once the bathroom steams up, and this helps clear sinus congestion. In this swag, we used field ferns, seeded eucalyptus, baby eucalyptus, and limonium. We will have a number of these for sale in the upcoming virtual Craft Revival Christmas edition 2020. 



apple tree in Fall


It's a beautiful weekend for a Drive in the Country, the Fall colours are spectacular. Stop in and visit, we are Open Wed. through Sunday. Shop online at our 
Phone 807-475-3551
30, Hacquoil Rd. Slate River, On


Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Buy Cottage Paint online in Canada at I Window Shop.ca

floral logo I window shop.ca


We are pleased to announce the launch of our online website for Cottage Paint!!  Now you can order, pay, and get Cottage Paint shipped right to your door, in Canada! With all the Covid- related restrictions in place, sometimes it's just easier to sit at home, and order online. We get it. No more dashing in and out of a store like we used to do. Now it's a line up outside to get in, answer some screening questions, and then join another line to pay. Go to https://iwindowshop.ca/



Colour is one of the quickest ways to change the look of your Home.... here is the colour Mango in the Cottage Paint line. Are you craving a trip to the warm waters of the Caribbean? Click on the following link which takes you to our Caribbean Beach collection of colours.  

Caribbean beach Cottage Paint collection





We live in Northern Ontario....this is the old General store on Silver Island ( no longer open, but under reconstruction). Do you love hanging out by the water, and being at Camp? You need to take a look at the colours in our Lake Superior Camp collection. Here is the link: https://iwindowshop.ca/collections/cottage-paint/products/lake-superior-camp-collection-cottage-paint
  
Farmhouse look with a staircase painted white


Perhaps you love the look of an old Farmhouse, and would like to create the feel of an old Farmhouse in your Home. Cottage Paint has Farmhouse colours.... White, Cloudy Day, Cottage white, Antique White, Creme Brulee, Shoreline grey,  Asphalt, Evening sky, and black. Here is the link to the Farmhouse collection. 




And last, but not least is the Northern elements collection of Cottage Paint. Our Northern elements collection is a soothing palette of earthy neutrals. Grey tones come from the rocks of Lake Superior, and beige tones draw inspiration from Fall grasses, and birch bark. Cottage Paint is a clay chalk paint that offers an inexpensive and easy way to renew and restore your furniture so you can re-love it all over again. 


Visit us at The Camellia, at 30, Hacquoil Rd. Slate River, On. 
p 807-475-3551




Thursday, August 20, 2020

We are OPEN online here at the Camellia, Thunder Bay, Ontario.




Fall colours on Hacquoil Rd. Thunder Bay


We are OPEN here at The Camellia. While we know a lot of you do not feel safe with a second wave of Covid being predicted for this Fall, we have launched a Shopify website for you to shop or browse online. You can shop and pay online, and do contactless pick-up. We can deliver your order ($), or you come into our store at 30, Hacquoil Rd. Slate River, Ontario. Fall is coming as our August nights are getting cooler. We've had a lot of rain last night, which was very welcome. 


leaf falling in forest





white and grey kitchen makeover with cottage paint

Some of you are thinking about painting your old Kitchen cabinets with Cottage Paint. Think no more, just do it. You will get a new kitchen at a fraction of the price. We may have a Cabinet painting class coming up soon. For more information, go to http://www.paintoldkitchencabinets.com/

dining room table restored with cottage paint

Here is a dining room set with chairs that were in the garbage, and rescued with Cottage Paint. The colour Driftwood was painted on the chairs. There is no need to buy new furniture, why not check the second hand stores and revamp something old? Thrift shops and Buy and Sell sites are booming at the moment, as everyone has had time at home to clear out their unwanted goods.  

Fall leaf tablecloth at The Camellia


It's time to put out a Fall  ' Magic' tablecloth, these are water-repellent and stain-resistant, they are perfect for everyday life. 


Plaid tablecloths at The Camellia

There are 2 ways to shop at The Camellia. 
1) Browse on-line at I window Shop.ca, pay on line and arrange for no-contact pick-up or delivery.
2) Shop in-store at 30, Hacquoil Rd. Open Wed. through Sunday, maybe. Phone to check for current hours. There may be a 2nd. wave of Covid, in which case hours will change. 
p .807-475-3551. 
Here is the link to our online site: https://iwindowshop.ca/


floral logo for I WindowShop.ca




Thank you for supporting small, local businesses in Thunder Bay. 

ways to support small businesses

Sunday, July 26, 2020

How's everyone doing? July 26, 2020. The Camellia, Thunder Bay, Ont.

woman wearing mask

It's July in Thunder Bay, and it has definitely been hot and humid. The heat makes it even more uncomfortable to wear a mask. It's now the law that you must wear a mask in Thunder Bay. According to the Thunder Bay District Health unit's website, " As of Friday, July 24, 2020 at 12.01 am. all businesses and organizations in the Thunder Bay District Health Unit area must adopt a policy that requires all members of the public and employees who enter or remain in an enclosed public space to wear a mask or face covering, under instructions issued by the Medical Officer of Health."
More information can be found at https://www.tbdhu.com/mandatorymasks


Most of us are fed up with the whole Mask/noMask debate, and just want our lives to go back to "Normal", or what life was before Covid-19. If wearing a mask helps us to cut down on the spread of Covid-19 , then just wear it. When coming to our store, do bring your own mask and put it on before entering our store. 

pink peony blooms in garden

Our gardens are loving the heat, and recently we have been having tropical downpours, so we have beautiful Blooms and our Veggie gardens have been prolific with beans, kale, lettuce, peas and more. 
This is despite the recent invasion of Japanese beetles. 

soaking in bathtub reading a book, self-care


Now, more than ever, it is important that we take some time for self care. Soaking in a bathtub and reading a good book is good for taking your mind off all the what-ifs. Visit our store, or call us (we offer delivery and curbside pickup), to pick up Lavender bath bombs, and Napa Soap bars. 


We know many of you have been using this extra time at home to do some painting with Serenity Cottage Paint.  You have been painting old Kitchen Cabinets, walls, and furniture. Thinking about painting your old oak Kitchen Cabinets? Go here to get the How-to: http://www.paintoldkitchencabinets.com/



Here is a dining room set which was given a Cottage Paint makeover, with the colour Expresso on this chair's frame, with some yardage from our store, this is a beautiful Delph blue Waverly toile fabric. 




Serenity Cottage paint can be sprayed, this is an old metal shelf sprayed with the colour 'Country Manor.'

provencal blue burlap fabric at the Camellia.com

It is important to add texture to your Home, and fabric is perfect for that. This bright Provencal blue burlap will add colour to your outdoor or craft room projects. 
Visit us here at TheCamellia.com. for #CottagePaint, Home decor, Cotton and linen fabric, and much more! Open Wed. through Sunday. Do bring your own mask, we do offer Delivery( $), and curbside pickup. Our Shopify store will be up and running soon, you will be able to order Cottage Paint, for pick-up or shipping in Canada. 


Saturday, July 18, 2020

Paint pouring Supplies, Cottage Paint at The Camellia, Thunder Bay, Canada.

paint swirls on canvas, paint pours from Pexel


You may have a bare spot on your wall and you've heard about Paint pouring...why not try it? 

What is Paint pouring?  First, it is best to paint your board white. You will need some plastic squeeze bottles ( the kind you put ketchup in which you buy at the Dollar store). Mix your Cottage Paint colours with the Pour medium ( we'll show you this shortly) and water.  You can use the original Cottage Paint, Serenity , Urban Paint and Colour and Seal which is semi transparent.  Your paint should be the consistency of melted ice cream.  Watch the video below...

If you doing a Pour on a Table top, make sure your table top is level (use a level) - the formula is 1 cup of pour mixture per square foot of table. It takes 24 hours to settle and a week to dry. Wear gloves and tape off edges of Table. White is heavier, and all paints  have different weights, so don't mix your paint until you are ready to pour. Cover your work surface as this can be messy.  You will be tilting your table, and doing some disturbing. You will get a marble, veined look. Check your edges which you may have to touch up with a paintbrush, putting it on nice and thick. Keep checking your pattern, and tilt your Table top. Let it dry for a week, then put 2 good coats of Cottage Paint high gloss varnish on to protect, putting on a heavier coat of varnish, which should be dripping down the edges ( paint varnish on with a brush).
Once again, make sure you watch the above video! Have some shims and blocks on hand. You can also try this technique on mason jars or old glass vases. Use baking foil pans as a drip tray. You may need a hair dryer to help push the paint over, if your piece is too big to tilt. 


Texturline Prime Glaze pouring medium

This is our pouring medium which has a faster drying time, the usual medium  we would use is Easy-Glaze. Priced at $36.00 Canadian for a quart size. You can purchase at The Camellia in Thunder Bay. p 807-475-3551
For a step-by-step Marble pour, read this blog post below!



Marble tabletop Cottage Paint pour, Antweek studio




Urban metallic Cottage Paint, The Camellia
This is Urban Paint made by Cottage Paint, it is metallic and we have used it to redo metal light fixtures. It comes in several colours. 

Serenity Cottage Paint cans, The Camellia

This is Serenity Cottage Paint, which comes in 60 colours. you can purchase Cottage Paint at The Camellia in Thunder Bay. 



Cottage paint pours, Pexels image

For information on Paint Pours and Cottage Paint, visit The Camellia, at 30/32 Hacquoil Rd.
Slate River, near Thunder Bay, Ontario. 
Open Wednesday through Sunday, 
12-5p.
p 807-475-3551

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

Happy Canada Day! Specials at the Camellia, Thunder Bay, Ontario

It's Canada Day celebration week, but with a difference this year - how do we celebrate while having to social distance due to Covid-19? Here in Northern Ontario, many will celebrate by going out to Camp, as we are blessed here with many Lakes and places to get away from it all. 

person laying in hammock, unsplash.com

There will be no mass gathering to look at Fireworks displays, we will be watching Canada Day celebrations online. As Canadians watch the number of Covid-19 cases climb in the U.S., we are thankful that our Land borders are closed. However, Canadians can fly into the U.S. 
You will still be required to self-isolate for 14 days once your return to Canada. 

red Muskoka chairs beside the Lake

Here in Thunder Bay, it will feel like +38C by this afternoon, so the Lake is a good place to head to, and there are many Lakes close by that we can go to. Cloud Lake is a mere 30 minutes from here. 


Cloud Lake near Thunder Bay, On




collage of crimson red Cottage Paint, www.thecamellia.com

To celebrate #CanadaDay, we are offering a discount on Red Cottage Paint colours which  we have in stock, which are already tinted.  On sale are Crimson Red Serenity quarts that are in stock, and Red Flag Cottage Paint quarts that are tinted, & in-stock. Serenity Cottage Paint can be used outside on pieces like the red wagon above in the photo. The wood  has to be prepped, sanded, dusted, and treated with Protek indoor/outdoor Primer. Pieces outside have to be able to withstand extremes in weather, and be able to expand and contract with cold and/or heat. Note that Crimson Red Serenity has a sheen, and has a shiny as opposed to a flat finish. 


red door on a white building, unsplash.com

A touch of Red , as seen above in this Red front door, packs quite a punch in an otherwise neutral colour scheme. We all need some more colour in our lives, especially during the Winter in Canada. 

stain resistant Tablecloths at www.thecamellia.com

Are you holding a small Gathering of Family? Our 'Magic' Tablecloths are ideal for everyday and for entertaining, as they are water repellent and stain resistant. They come in various sizes and colours, and are a fav of many of our customers. 


Giant stoneware mugs are great with warm or iced Coffees. Buy them in store at our shop: The Camellia at 30/32 Hacquoil Rd. p 807-475-3551


Have a wonderful Day at The Lake, on July 1st. 2020, Canada Day. At The Camellia, we have hand-made decorative wooden paddles for your Camp. 



There is nothing like a Fish-fry at Camp! 
Visit us here at The Camellia, we are Open Canada Day week, Thursday through to Sunday. 
30/32 Hacquoil Rd. 
Slate River, Ontario
p 807-475-3551