Pink World! · I’m Smitten, Kitten!

I am a total smitten kitten for the beyond fabulous Canadian-based Smitten Kitten!

The Smitten Kitten line of prods is created by the awesome Miss Amy and is a mixture of vintage curiousity and retro-style fabulousness all in a package of ca-ute. Personally, I’m in heart with the penpal writing sets - I want all of them!

Awesome Amy has come to hang in our world o’ pink, I’m so excited! Come meet her and find out all about SK and the cutest range of prods you ever did see - by the end of this feature you’ll be a smitten kitten, for sure!

Describe Amy in five words…
Quirky, Feisty, Fun, Creative, Pantone #1488

You’re creator-girl of Smitten Kitten - J’adore your site but for those who have yet to discover it’s totes fabulousity - what’s it all about? What’s with the name? and why did you set it up?
I set up Smitten Kitten in 2004 after I quit my career as a creative director for a giftware company. I loved the creative process and over-seeing the creation of a product from start to finish. However, I was having a hard time working for the company owners who were importing a lot of items from over seas. Their bottom line was to make a quick buck without real care or concern for what they were selling to their customers. After butting heads with them on quality control issues one too many times, I decided to quit working for someone else and start my own company - Smitten Kitten.

I named my company Smitten Kitten because Smitten Kitten is an old fashioned way of describing someone who’s in love. Ultimately, I want to make and sell products that people fall in love with.

What was the first product you ever made?
Years ago, when I was a wee lassie, I made these shoulder bags from vintage rock concert t-shirts and fun fur. I sold them at a couple local craft shows just for fun while I was working at Urban Outfitters. I remember seeing someone carry one of my bags in Urban once and followed them around like a stalker. The rush I got from seeing someone actually use one of my creations got me hooked. I’ve been a maker ever since.

When and how did you realise you were a creative girl able to make fabulous-o treats that people would buy?
The eureka moment came when one of the products I had designed for the giftware company won a much coveted best new product award at a national trade show in New York. It was at that moment that I realized I was capable of designing products for a living and not just as a hobby.

Tell us about your product range, what you got to offer? What are your current favourite items? What inspires your too-cute designs?
I design everything from pocket mirrors to wallpaper journals to clutches to necklaces. The inspiration for the majority of my products is vintage style fused with function. The product must be more than just pretty; it has to serve a purpose. If you can’t help but want one of whatever it is I’ve made, then I’ve done my job.

My current fave is definitely my Wooligan scarves. They’re soccer scarves… but for girls! I’ve always loved wearing my boyfriend’s soccer scarves, but I didn’t like the colours and graphics, so I designed my own. Now we can all be cheering for team Smitten Kitten!

What’s the secret to your success?
I define success not so much as an end goal to achieve but more of a process. If you’re living life doing what you love and on your own terms, I think you are successful.

Do you have to be all business-y too?
Yeah, you kinda have to get good at the not so sexy parts of running a business like taxes, accounting, shipping/receiving and web design. It might not sound like fun but I’m grateful for my business having taught me these things along the way.

What’s a typical day in the life of Amy…
I like to get up early, bright eyed and bushy tailed! After that your guess is as good as mine. There are no typical days when you’re running your own business which is a large part of the reason I love doing what I do. Everyday there are different challenges and I kinda figure out what hat I need to put on that day. Sometimes it’s the designer hat, sometimes it’s the shipping/receiving hat. For example today I’ve put on my interviewee hat. I’m sitting at my local coffee shop, sipping my good cuppa coffee and answering fun questions. Later on I have to put on my brooch-maker hat ‘cos I’m getting ready for a big Christmas Craft show. How fun is that?

Do you have a style bible – a magazine, book that you completely dig?
I love checking out Japanese fashion magazines. Though I can’t read a single word, I love looking at all the pretty pictures!

What makes you jump-in-the-air-happy?
The feeling of being Smitten with someone or something, road trips to cities I’ve never been to, meeting too-cool-for-school girls like yourself who are excited about Smitten Kitten, scoring vintage finds at a flea market, watching a scary movie on the couch with a curled up kitty on my lap. I’m easily amused which is a blessing. It’s great to be able to find joy in the little things. A delicious cupcake can get me all excited!

What’s your definition of style, Amy?
Style is something that makes you take a second look. I see the absence of style quite a bit, people dressing just to fit in you know? So style to me is that little bit extra that makes you stand out from the crowd. It’s great to see people who are not afraid to stand out from the crowd.

What five tracks would be on a Smitten Kitten playlist?
I’m all over the place with music. Right now I’m into Saint Etienne, Kanye West, Pizzicato Five, Heart, Dolly Parton (I’m seeing her in concert in November. Woohoo!)

I’m diggin’ classic rock at the moment so I’m very thankful for the invention of MP3 players, otherwise I’d have an eight-track player strapped around my shoulder!

The Pink Ladies love to visit new cities - where are you at? And what would be cool for us to see and do there - please be our tour guide!
Toronto is great because there’s so much diversity. There’s mucho fun things to do! For food you’ve gotta check out Korea Town for tofu stew, or little India where they roast fresh corn on the streets. For bars, the fun Sweaty Bettys, or Gladstone Hotel for Karaoke night. For shopping, check out Queen Street West that has lots of indie design boutiques like Magic Pony and Token. For a fun day out it’s definitely Canada’s Wonderland amusement park and then dinner at our place (I make a kick ass pasta salad!) followed by a movie at the drive-in.

Who are your inspirOgirls and why?
Women who have the balls to just go for it and make their dreams happen inspire me. Lio Beadsley http://www.greenstudio.com.hk/b-home.htm for example, is an illustrator extraordinaire who designed Anna Sui’s Dolly Girl perfume bottle. She has the ability to transform the whimsical world in her head onto paper, murals and products. I contacted her a couple years back because I saw a spread of her home in Elle Decoration UK and fell in love with her work immediately. We’ve been penpals ever since and send little pressies to each other back and forth. The funny thing is that our birthdays are on the same day so we’re like twins but living on opposite sides of the world.

What’s your motto for life?
You know, for the longest time it was “Do or do not there is no try” but then someone told me that Yoda said that in Star Wars and I was mortified I’ve been going around saying that like it was my own!

I strive to live a life less ordinary. I want to do something today that means something to me 30 years from now. When I’m a little old lady sittin’ on my porch swing I want to have all these great stories to tell.

Quick fire round: What’s your favourite…
Book: The Tipping Point by Malcom gladwell
Magazine: Nylon
TV programme: I’m torn between Project Runway and The Cho Show. Literally torn because they’re on T.V. at the same time and I have to flip back and forth!
City: Las Vegas. I’ve been there like 4 times and can’t wait to go back!
Place to hang out: This local coffee shop I’m at called the Linux Cafe. It’s right across from the park so there are lots of folks walking their dogs. It’s like a puppy parade!
Food: It’s fall so I’m finding soupy noodles from China Town very comforting.
Website: www.Smittenkitten.ca (insert shameless self promotion here!)