Lisa Congdon is an artist and illustrator living in the Mission District of San Francisco.  This year she started a blog called A collection a Day, 2010.

Lisa’s blog documents a project that will span exactly one year, from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010. On each of those 365 days, she photographs or draws (and occasionally paint) one collection. Most of the collections are real and exist in her home or studio; those she photographs. Some are imagined; those she draws or (occasionally) paints.

From the obscure (bread tags and clothes pins) to the beautiful (vintage paper coasters and mugs), Lisa’s blog is both fascinating to peruse and interesting to follow.  What’s really special to me about this is project is that I haven’t seen much of anyone expressing their art form through a social networking media.  i.e.: the blog itself is the canvas or paper so to speak.  Whether that is her intention or not, I’ll be interested to see the kind of feedback it generates.

Lisa’s collections are neatly organized and beautifully photographed. Being a bit of a vintage pack rat and collector myself however, I can’t help but wonder how she houses all her collections in her home/studio!  I mean what you see on her blog no doubt has been distilled from a much larger collection.

So what do you guys think?  Is Lisa’s project a carefully curated museum of curiosities? or is she a poster child for Hoarders.  For me I’m totally smitten with the absurdity of this project so it’s thumbs up all the way!

We’re pleased as punch to introduce to you today, some of our new Smitten Kitten retailers!

Growing up, while other little girls dreamed of their wedding day, I dreamed of one day having my products for sale in a MOMA Museum Shop…

OK maybe it hasn’t been quite that long, but it’s definitely one of those Mary-Tyler-Moore-tossing-her-hat-in-the-air moments for me.

We’re thrilled to announce that our new Pocket Device Notebooks are available in the San Francisco MOMA Museum Shop!  Could the New York MOMA be close to follow? (hint hint)

Having been the winner of the coveted Canadian Retailer of the year Award and FOUR TIME winner of the Award of Merit for retail excellence.  Owners of the renowned Bradshaws, Carrie and Jeremy, know a thing or two about running a great business!

Carrie and Jeremy recently expanded and opened a funky new store just down the street called Small Mart (LOVE the name!).  Small Mart features unique gift and novelty goods from Canada and beyond.  We’re so happy that they have welcomed Smitten Kitten into their fold!  If it wasn’t already, Stratford Ontario just became a must-see destination in our books.

For Small Mart store updates and tidbits, follow Carrie on Twitter.

A warm hug and hello to my new friends Hazel in Chicago!

Not only does this beautiful card and gift store get mad-props, shout-outs, fist-bumps and hollas from pretty much everyone who has ever visited (see reviews here), they were super nice and helpful during our whole parcel abuse fiasco.  Hazel definitely gets a hells-yeah from us!

If you’re lucky enough to live close to the area, definitely stop by.  Otherwise you can also shop online.  Oh and they have a Facebook page too!

What are you doing still reading this post?  Go check’em out already!

Oh you might not think parcel abuse happens, but you’d be wrong my friend.  I got a call from one of our retailers yesterday.  The order we just sent out to them arrived busted up and damaged.  and I mean BUSTED UP!

We’ve been shipping via canada Post now for 7 years and this has NEVER happened before!  Forget about it arriving in such a sorry state, the perpetrators opened up our parcel mid-route and stole 20 pocket mirrors (retail $160 worth), then tried to tape it back up like we wouldn’t notice!

See how there’s some masking tape on the top there?  And a couple strips of skinny scotch tape at the bottom?  Yeah that’s not my doing, that was them trying to cover their tracks unsuccessfully.

Wow!  Who would do this??  Really there’s a black market pocket mirrors out there?  Pssst… Hey buddy you wanna buy a Smitten Kitten pocket mirror?  Meet me in the alley in 5 minutes, I’ve got some hot mirrors for you…

Out of the 7 styles of RIP pocket mirrors, the idiots stole only two styles, David Carradine and Patrick Swayze.  Should I take their preference as market research?  2 out of 3 mail thieves prefer David and Patrick style mirrors.

They also ignored all the new Pocket Device notebooks (they arrived safe and sound without even as much as a scratch on them) and opted to steal 14 assorted styles of fabric pocket mirrors instead.

I’ve already filed a claim with Canada Post in regards.  hopefully they’ll reimburse me for the stolen items soon.  In the meantime, if some shaddy looking individual offers you pocket mirrors at a discount price… oh what the heck, BUY THEM!

It was Toronto Pride last Sunday and in the past I’ve always gone to celebrate and watch the Pride Parade with my gay husbands.  This year however, I opted to accompany The Boy to the Queen’s Plate.  I mean c’mon people, it does it get any gayer than meeting the Queen?!

Of course I’m using the term “meet the Queen” really loosely here.  The Boy, a certified, bonafide writer with credentials could only get within 15 feet of her to take the above pictures.  And that’s AFTER a full background check by the RCMP!  Us mere mortals had to watch her on the jumbo Tron.  Nevertheless, it’s the closest I’ve ever been to the Queen and it was a real treat.

Check out how dapper we all looked!  I’m especially fond of the snazzy turquoise hat I found at a Antique market. Looks like the Queen and I both love the same colors!

We had reserved seats at the races with a great view and the sunniest of sunny days for the event.  I don’t think we could’ve been more lucky!  Well, except instead of winning any money I lost a whole $2 that day at the tracks.  Guess I’ll chalk that off as admission to see her royal highness.

Our new Pocket Device Notebooks have been getting quite a bit of notice lately.  Yay!

Pocket Device Notebooks feature some of our favourite 80’s gadgets.  Measures a portable 4″ x 5.5″ and offers a generous 120 sheets of assorted found papers!  Available in 6 different styles and like everything else we design, are made in Canada.

Many hugs and thanks to http://tinycartridge.com and http://albotas.com for the mentions!  You guys rock!