Printed on foam board and cut it into 64, 12 inch square tiles, the mural was mounted on pegboard face down. The back of each tile was labeled with a dollar amount. 

​Guests were encouraged to join the “Revolution for Education” and purchase a tile, sign the front of the image and replace it on the wall.

Propaganda flyers littering the floor and covering most surfaces encouraged guests to head over to the Revolution Headquarters to buy a piece of the mural.

Lastly, upon purchasing a tile, guests received an “I Joined the Revolution for Education” button that helped propel the movement. Viva La Revolución en Educación!

​

Our friends at DesignSensory have a killer sign made of golf tees that greets guests at their company headquarters in Knoxville, TN (check it out here.) Obsessed with the golf tee concept, we decided to attempt it ourselves for A Children’s Golf Course fundraiser. Hence the slogan, "Making Greens Come True." Get it? Making this work of art was not as easy as it looks, but it was well worth the effort.

​First we custom ordered pegboard with 3/16” holes and 1/2” center spacing. This is key. DesignSensory modified their pegboard by drilling a million extra holes. We did not. We found our pegboard on a factory floor in Minnesota. While the pegboard was inexpensive, the shipping was NOT.

Next, we spent hours trying to find golf tees that fit the holes—not too tightly; not to loosely. Here is the scoop: Pride bamboo golf tees. We were fortunate that our golf client ordered us 10,000 tees in various sizes. We also had fun pushing the tees in at various heights to create a somewhat textured effect. 

We simply framed out the pegboard with 1x4s and added trim to hide any flawed edges. Then we experimented with type fonts. We called upon local Portland designer Ryan Mowery for some advice. He mocked up a sample grid pattern that we used for our layout. After much trial and error we determined that serif fonts worked best and were the easiest to “read” when recreated out of tees on the pegboard.  

We printed out our sign at Staples on their inexpensive oversized printer.  We numbered our holes across the top, bottom and sides of our pegboard; and numbered our holes on the sign as well. Then we used the graph as a template. Yes, it was intense.

The result was spectacular. So much so that we did another sign! 

Each sign was 3'x5'. 

Remember, there is always a reason to celebrate! Amy

A 75-year-old matriarch wanted to take her family camping -- her family  wanted to stay in a hotel. Our great compromise: Glamping. We enjoyed turning a Florida beachfront hotel into a family camp with all the amenities. 

We started out by making flags, banners snd tshirts representing "Camp Oma." 

The camp meet and greet was held on the hotel patio where family members were divided into teams for cabin competitions. Each guest receive a lanyard on which to write their "camper" name.

A teepee and clothesline entertained the littlest campers.  

Hot dogs and hamburgers were served up on pie tins with homemade baked beans served in cans! We cut old plaid shirts into napkins and tied them with twine around silverware. The fabric  scraps were tied into a rustic garland. Log chips made for cute name tags on mason jars. 

Logs made from corrugated cardboard and painted white were lit from beneath with white lights to simulate a real campfire. Campers enjoyed roasting s’mores over sternos tucked in terra cot pots while participating in a campfire singalong. 

Camp Oma campers were easily spotted at the hotel and beach. 

The next night campers were treated to a NATIONAL PARKS themed party for Oma's birthday celebration. 

We pitched a safari looking tent right in the hotel banquet room and hung a chandelier of mason jars from the center of the tent. An old-fashioned beverage dispenser was stuffed with lights for a festive glow and we sprinkled the bar with some park signs and wild animals. 

Little red lanterns, old maps, miniature forest animals and moss topped 
burlap-covered cocktail tables.

A “scenic overlook” featured a wall of pictures of Oma’s friends and family. Guests wore their own Camp Visitor lanyards.

Logs, moss, succulents and candles lined the center of the tables creating a woodsy tablescape. Napkins tied with national park logos were a nod to Oma’s pilgrimage to almost every national park in the country. 

A row boat fashioned from cardboard and painted, made a big splash at the party for photo opts.

 After three days of fun, family camp activities like crafter-noons, surf lessons, a scavenger hunt, skits and a singalong, it was time for camper awards. Everyone left with something -- even if it was just a hangover. Good thing we had survival kits on hand (vodka, bloody mary mix, mini bottles of Tabasco sauce and Alka Seltzer! 

Remember, there's always a reason to celebrate. Amy

Let's break down the party. 

Jane and Helen and their son Grady wanted a fun, non-traditional first dance at their reception. We tapped a University of San Diego dancer to choreograph a line dance,  sent it out to family and friends to learn before the reception and created a flash-mob feel at the event. And the dancing never stopped... 

Remember, there's always a reason to celebrate.  Amy

"Busy. Busy. Busy," to quote Professor Hinkle, the naughty magician from Frosty the Snowman. Parker+Paige Events has been busy this month. We dipped a party room in yellow for a Minion Fest (see parties), elaborately wrapped and staged a wall-of-wine for an auction fundraiser (see party favors,) and hosted an incredible retirement party (see parties.)

Five old doors painted in 5 fun colors and emblazoned with quotes created a high-impact opening statement for our Teacher/Principal Retirement Party.  This was a joint retirement for a married couple celebrating 32-year careers in the school system. 

We carried the door theme throughout the room by using one door as a guestbook for guest to sign. Painted black and adorned with best wishes in silver marker, this turned out to be a one heck of a keepsake.

 Another door was plastered with old photos, newspaper clippings and mementos from their careers. One side of the door was the “Principal’s Office,” the other was “Room 202,” the teacher’s classroom. 

Keeping the doors erect was going to be the biggest challenge. A simple stand made from 2 x 4s and shelf brackets did the trick. Being able to slide the doors in and out of the stands made transporting them much easier. 

 Handing out “Team Susan” and “Team Richard” buttons was a charming way to identify who each guest was representing at the event. We used a few of the buttons as cupcake toppers for a bit of added whimsy.

Of course it wouldn’t be school-themed with out books. Lots ‘o books. We stacked them on tables and topped them with various centerpieces. Some of our centerpieces were brown lunch bags (the universal lunchbox) adorned with kid-doodles and bursting with colorful tulips. Other centerpieces featured towers of milk cartoons spilling over with tulips. Tulips burst from a school backpack as well. Vases were filled with crayons, pencils and erasers. We even made up report cards. 

Our teacher was a very good sport. We created a “messy table,” to represent his creative classroom environment  and even had a special spot reserved for his invisible student Carl. 

What a wonderful way to close the door on their careers and open the door on their next adventure together.

Remember, there is always a reason to celebrate.

Love,
 Amy

Our Survivor Auction Party was over the top.  Guest artist Dawn Wyllie helped us capture the spirit of a tribal island by transforming ordinary shipping tubes into show-stopping tikis. 

The Pinterest moments didn’t stop there. 

The trick of cutting the bottom off of a wine bottle came in handy again.  Just invert the trimmed bottle onto a grooved dowel (broom handle), add  rope for detail and insert the candle  -- perfect tiki torches! A must for the summer patio.

Very Portland of us were the plastic flowers that we crafted from recycled plastic bottles. Just spray paint the outside of the bottle in various fun colors, cut the bottoms off and cut down the sides to make petals. Simple and beautiful. And cost efficient.

Our client wanted to use Valentine’s Day as a cover for a party heralding her husband’s new job. It just so happened that it coincided with Chinese New Year, so why not have a trifecta of parties and combine all 3. Having a Good Fortune Party on Valentine’s Day was the perfect way to do just that. 

Where to start? The color red, of course. Spray painting everything high-gloss red was in fact a simple, inexpensive way to turn the smallest detail into something bold. A tube of miniature play horses from Joanne Fabrics was transformed into a red army of nobility. 

Inexpensive picture frames from Ikea were painted red and then sponged with metallic gold spray paint for a chinese “gold leaf” effect (pre gold-leaf photo).  Bamboo steamer baskets were painted high gloss red and filled with tight clusters of red flowers. Outdoor candle lanterns were painted red to enhance a chinese-flair.

Simple  glass vases from the Dollar Store were wrapped with rubber bands and spray painted red, giving them a bamboo-look. Filled with tulips, these vases were a luscious addition to the decor. 

Remember: A little red paint can have a really dramatic effect. Spray on. 

Love,
 Amy

ps: There's always a reason to celebrate. 

Our client has been throwing legendary New Year's Eve parties for 13 years. We were challenged to create an event that would live up to their standards and showcase their newly remodeled home. Their house screamed Gatsby, so we launched into a Roaring 20s theme.  Our approach was to take it room by room. We styled the kitchen into a raucous speakeasy, the living room into a glamorous black and white ballroom, the porch was tented into a parlor/study and the dining room elegantly pampered into a romantic feast for the eyes. 

We spent days scouring our favorite thrift stores to create these magnificent cut-glass tiers. We must admit the inspiration came from Joolz Restaurant in Bend, where Juli is the master of all things bold and beautiful. To keep with the period feel, we incorporated small mismatched china plates from our favorite vintage house in Portland, Something Borrowed. 

An army of mini champagne bottles tied with rhinestone bows welcomed guests to the party. Even Daisy Buchanan couldn't have resisted drinking champagne with a straw!

20s vocabulary sprinkled throughout the party encouraged guests to use the lingo of the era. 

Covering large party poppers with decorative paper was an easy way to take a simple party favor and turn it into something a little more festive. 

At midnight we rolled out the old-school champagne tower for the toast. It was a show-stopper. So were the pigs-in-a-blanket served in shot glasses with Moroccan mustard. 

Happy New Year, Old Sport!

Amy Hamdan
(And remember, there's always a reason to celebrate.)

October was Harry Potter Party Mania (see photos under parties.) Here are a few hints. 

Twenty-eight little wizards and a formidable witch. Each wizard was booked into Azkaban Prison and had their mug shot taken for a fabulous poster. 

Broken drumsticks, hot glue and various odds and ends were transformed into magical wands by our master crafter Alison. These were A-mazing.

Pumpkins were cut and painted into owls for the owlery. 

The floating ceiling candles, a Hogwarts signature, were easy to do with $2 battery operated tapers from Ikea. Always check Ikea first. 

Not a bad party for a Muggle.

NEXT UP: NEW YEARS EVE BASH. Stay tuned. 

The FARM to TABLE party went off without a hitch. See photos under PARTIES.  

In keeping with the theme:  We topped 2 wine barrels with an old door for a rustic bar, used twine to fasten labels on mason jars for drinks.  Guests always enjoy the details. 

I love finding just the right thing and I did it again with these stair treads. By distressing them further with black paint we recreated a barn door look for our food area. 

We had the best time cutting off the bottoms of wine bottles to make candle holders. How very Pinterest of us! By the way, we used battery-operated candles.  They looked so good, the bartender kept trying to light them!

Check out Chef Emily Quick from Blackbird Wine Shop. Her grilled flank steak and poached NW salmon was greeted with ooo’s and ahhs from the guests.

We spotlighted the cake sitting “picture perfect” behind a painted Tiffany Blue  vintage frame. We were pleasantly surprised at how well this went over, as guests enjoyed standing behind the frame and getting their picture taken with the birthday girl.  

Dessert also included a Salt & Straw “cow to cone” ice cream tasting that we highlighted with little marquee signs and colorful cups. The flavors from our local ice creamery were outrageous!

The Kids Zone was colorful and fun with rustic cans and faux candles hanging from the center chandelier. We used wooden farmer berry baskets for food plates and striped candy bags for treats. We found a lot of adults sneaking candy in the "Way Under" 40 zone.









Contact Parker+Paige Events @ 503.709.3725.