Wednesday, November 29, 2006

"It's Probably Worth More than THAT!!!"


Named after the punchline from one of Tysons favourite greeting cards in the store, our Christmas extravaganza of affordably priced art kicks off this Saturday evening. This group show features affordable art from over 15 artists and could be the answer to the constant problem of finding an honest to goodness unique Christmas present for your family/friends/pets/neighbours, etc.

All the art is priced below $100 so you don't have to worry about taking out a loan to spread some art around, heck, you could buy some presents and have enough $ left over to get something for yourself! Oh, and we're not talking about "oh wow, all this art is only $99.99 ..." we have pieces in the $20-$50 range as well. Art for the masses! (As opposed to mass produced art, remember our first post, NO DALI POSTERS!!) Here's the whole scoop:

Headquarters Galerie & Boutique presents:

"It's probably worth more than THAT!!"
A group art exhibition of affordable art

1649 rue Amherst
Get off at Berri-UQAM metro, exit out the St. Hubert/Maisonneuve exit, hang a right down Maisonnueve till you hit Amherst, then hang a left on Amherst and you're there!
Saturday, Dec. 2nd
6pm-11pm
HQgalerieboutique@gmail.com
514.678.2923

Music by ninja asassin Gary Vickers!
Wine & beer will be available for a darn good donation price!
Free X-mas goodies courtesy of our own kitchen!

Outfits of the Week - Nov 28, 2006

Oh, my poor poor readers, it's been awhile since we've had an outfit of the week due to the trip to HK. Here we go!




Beige kimono top with handprinting, Musa & Dutchie (toronto), melted beads and plastic necklace by Claire D (Montreal), vintage fabric purse by Dumb Chauffeur (Winnipeg), jeans with leather detailing by MX Jeans (Montreal), vintage leather boots.




Handknit scarf by Olivin Designs (Winnipeg), white cotton/spandex tunic top by Complex Geometries (Montreal), vintage black leather belt with gold buckle, black and white purse with gold bird appliques by Roadkill (Montreal), black stretch twill pants by Valerie Dumaine (Montreal), vintage black leather boots.

Sorry for the lapse in blogging!

Hey all, sorry for the week long lapse in blogging, but I was in Hong Kong for my "real" job. Here are a couple of style pics from some window shopping. Next time I'll try to get some street shots, the girls there have some super style!








Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Tough girl jewelry by Missy Industry


Tyson has been known to complain once in awhile that Headquarters is sometimes too girly. I always argue that in reality it could be A LOT more girly, but I guess it's all relative... knitted cupcakes ARE a bit girly...




So you can surely imagine the look of delight on his face when we received the new jewelry line Missy Industry, the perfect blend of wit and toughness in impressive sterling silver. Here's what the powers that be tell us Missy Industry is all about:

"Montreal designer Missy Industry's jewellery could very well be the hipster's ultimate fantasy in accessories. Made of sterling silver, her pieces shine their way into your wardrobe with their unmistakable edge, and eye-catching quality. A revolution in jewellery, Missy brings the latest graphic & fashion trends into the often too classic world of bling. Being a hard working Jewellery School of Montreal Graduate, Missy travels and parties constantly as inspiration to create a perfect clash of vintage-gothic-rocker with a girly twist."




We first heard about Missy Industry from our artist friend Krista Bursey, one half of the MTAF (More Than a Friend) creative duo. At the time she told me about the line, she was wearing NO LESS than 4 pieces of Missy Industry, and I have to say, it's not often that someone can wear that much jewelry and not look like early Madonna, but dammit, the girl pulled it off. I figured that jewelry that versatile yet edgy would be totally perfect for HQ and voila! the ball was rolling.




We have a nice little selection of earrings and necklaces making their home in our main display case right now, so come on down and try some on, pretend you're going to buy it for someone as a present, then keep it for yourself. That's what all our other customers do, so why not!



www.missyindustry.com

Monday, November 13, 2006

Outfits of the Week - November 13, 2006

All right folks, it's officially time to start wearing a scarf, so our beautiful ladies are both sporting beautiful felted scarves from Olivin Designs this week! Made in Winnipeg by two professional dancers, you should can truly trust the warmth of a scarf made by a Winnipegger!




Turquoise and rust felted scarf by Olivin Designs (Winnipeg), black/grey tweed jacket by Valerie Dumaine (Montreal), Teal/leaves dress by Homebaked Fashions (Montreal) & vintage rust suede boots.




Multi-colour pleated neck wrap by Olivin Designs (Winnipeg), heather grey and chiffon top by MX Jeans (Montreal), black silk tank top by Valerie Dumaine (underneath), slate pleated skirt by Homebaked Fashions (Montreal), vintage black leather boots & vintage velvet/wood purse.

Friday, November 10, 2006

Organize your Life with Little Otsu!



One of the lines of paper products we've been carrying in the store since we opened is Little Otsu. Little Otsu started as the publishing division of the San Francisco store Otsu, founded and run by Jeremy and Yvonne since 2002. They had already been working with artists through hosting art shows, carrying their handmade goods, and making their exclusive artist t-shirt series. LO began in 2004 as an extension of that, serving as a way to collaborate with like-minded artists to make unique and useful print products using alternative materials like soy-based inks, recycled, and tree-free papers.

Both Yvonne and Jeremy made zines in their "youth" on opposite coasts and had considered making a magazine before they decided to open a store. LO was a new outlet for their dormant love of publishing and as they worked on more projects, it became obvious to them that it was the direction they needed to move in. With their new focus, they moved to a new space and re-launched their operations as Little Otsu. LO headquarters still has a retail component where they carry all their paper goods along with a selection from some of their favorite small companies.

We thought this was a perfect match for Headquarters. We're carrying quite a few products from Little Otsu, but check out the pics below for 3 of my favorites, along with descriptions by Yvonne and Jeremy to give you the low-down on each one.




Lart Cognac Berliner 3-in-1 Book
"Hot off the presses, our newest release is a multi-function work of art by our good pal Lart. Combining our collective love of lists, drawing, note-taking, and origami, we came up with this paperback book that addresses it all! We've divided the book into 3 sections: the first is two sets of mini to-do lists with original origami patterns on the back so you can cut out your lists when you're done and have folding fun; the 2nd is intricately framed sketch pages where you can note the date of your drawings or ideas; the 3rd is four different note page designs (3 lined, 1 graph) with Lart's spin of course.

This perfect-bound book was printed with vegetable-based inks on 100% post-consumer recycled paper across the Bay in Oakland and has a total of 96 pages of 70# text. The cover is full-color and the interior is an alternating brown and aqua. Measures approximately 6" wide x 5.75" tall."



Lart Cognac Berliner Directory
"Look out world! It's the wildest address book you've seen, brought to you by Little Otsu, and drawn by our friend Lart Cognac Berliner. Our pal and t-shirt artist Lart put her imagination on paper and it was made into a repository for all your most favored contacts. It was printed with soy-based ink on tree-free kenaf and recycled papers at an environmentally-friendly printshop in Portland, OR. The convenient size fits in a pocket or bag and 5 color-coded lettered sections (A-E, F-J, K-O, P-T, and U-Z) allow you flexibility of entry and ease of use. Each entry has lines for Name, Address, Phone, Mobile, E-mail, and Birthday. There are even 3 notes pages for any extra info. Measures 4" x 5", 36 pages. Limited edition of 2000."




Little Otsu Annual Vol. 1 Weekly Planner
"With almost a year in the making and a resultant 128 pages, the Little Otsu Annual Vol. 1 weekly planner is the most elaborate project we’ve ever worked on! Collaborating with our good friend, the amazing artist and graphic designer Martine Workman, we set a goal of making a dream planner that could provide plenty of space and function while showcasing different art on every page.

Incorporating a series of pattern drawings—among them abstract flowers, clouds, and many different shaped knots—we give each week, 54 in all, a two-page spread with lots of features and a unique look. Starting with our dateless format, which allows you to begin your planner whenever you want, we give you a shortcut by allowing you to check off the month you’re in. Then each day is given plenty of alternating lines which make for easy list-making. We’ve also added structured room below the days to write lists, notes, and to-dos for the week. To top it off, each week has a different non sequitur question at the bottom for a laugh or just a break from organizing. Who said planning had to be so serious?

Besides our great weekly pages, we built in other sections to organize aspects of your life that don’t happen on a daily basis. There are easy reference pages for personal information, your important dates (like appointments, events, travel), special occasions, gifts, and entertainment interests (books, movies, music). We’ve also included mini reference calendars for 2007-2009, address book entries, and notes pages. We’ve even made a bookmark that doubles as a list of dates to remember so that your important days are always at hand. The 8” x 5.5” book is perfect-bound and printed locally by a family-owned press with vegetable-based inks on 100% post-consumer recycled paper."

www.littleotsu.com

My Favorite Mirror


Ok, I was just in one of the malls downtown yesterday on my way to the metro, and I think it's official, the holiday shopping season has begun! It was crazy in there, I really wanted to push a lot of people who were walking a little too slow ... Let's just say the mall doesn't bring out the best in me.

I found it a little depressing in the mall too, very generic and generally blah. A lot of people searching hard for a gift for family and friends through piles of pointless mass produced stuff. This is one of the main reasons we opened Headquarters, so people who want more variety don't have to suffer through the mall.



If you're looking for a little tiny something to give as a gift swap or a small add on to the perfect gift you already found, this might be your solution. On their way to headquarters right now are over 30 small pocket mirrors, all featuring prints of original art from a variety of artists from all over the place. They come with a little drawstring bag, and are 2 1/2" wide, the perfect size to stash in a purse. Some of the artists whose work is on the mirrors we're getting in are:

-Brandon Reese
-Jen Corace
-Jill Bliss
-Saelee Oh
-My Paper Crane
-Axelhoney

... and QUITE a few more (we ordered over 30, and they're all different!)




My Favorite Mirror is a small company based in Southern New Jersey, just a few short miles from Philadelphia. MFM is owned and operated by the recently wed Kellee & Matthew Milner.

They got the idea to start "My Favorite Mirror" when they made their own mirror favors for their 20's themed wedding. To their deight (and relief, come on we all know how great Aunt Fanny can be if the wedding favour isn't perfect ... sheeesh!) they were a big hit! No favor got left behind or 'accidentally' forgotten. Based on the success at the wedding they just knew that it was a perfect business for them to venture into.



The mirrors we ordered are all from their Illustrator series, but of course they also do custom designs if you are planning an event (um, weddings of course too). Kellee can even help you with your design, having several years of graphic design experience.

The mirrors are currently on a truck somewhere on their way here, so in a week or so we should have a wonderful selection to choose from!

www.myfavoritemirror.com

Odd Bird Online


For many of those who have stopped by the boutique you have surely seen the great domino pendants from Odd Bird (Vancouver). Well get ready to have a look at much more from Odd Bird on their brand new website! Check it out at:

www.oddbirddesigns.com

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Go Go Monster

So Aya Kakeda came here from NY for our show together and stayed at our place. We spent alot of time painting, drawing and watching CSI together. It was pretty amazing. Not only is she an amazing artist but she's one of those people that you look forward to being around.

Well, for those of you who didn't make it out to the show last weekend, here are a few pics of the work that will be up until the end of November. In my infinite wisdom, I forgot to take a single picture at the actual event, so all of these photos were taken the following day, while we were doing a little cleaning. Enjoy.











70 watercolour, ink and coffee paintings. This is what I've been working on for the past 3 months. If you want to see some detailed photos of these, go to: www.passthepepper.blogspot.com


Russian nesting dolls


Our colab piece "Go Go Monster!"




The rad people at "Restaurant Pho Viet" (1663 rue Amherst 514-522-4116) are not only super cool but also have super great taste in clothing and visit us all the time! They brought over a motherload of spring rolls for all. Min-thi, Marie-luc (pictured above) Lan and Mai are some of our favorite peeps.


DJ's Garry Vickers and Treva rocked everybodies asses off!



Silkscreen by Aya

Fans, hand painted by Aya

colab piece 1

colab piece 2