Mad Hatter at Disneyland

 I was contacted by a pharmacist in Orange County to host a Mad Hatter party for the CSHP at the Disneyland Hotel. It was to honor the volunteers of the organization that supports pharmacists around California. The amazing woman honored is a Dr. and teaches pharmacology at USC and is a leader in women's studies and emergency contraceptives.


All of the guests loved the decor that I had made myself for the event. Since it was a much larger event and venue that I usually do, I had to make a lot more decor and think outside the box with such a tiny budget.

 I made all of the Mad Hatter hats including the one on my head out of poster board and fabric. It took me 8 hours to make 12 hats. ( I made 20 total!) The hat stands were made from Dollar Tree candlesticks and wood trims from Home Depot. I also painted all of the tea cups and saucers stacked on the tables. The pharmacists supplied green medicine bottles that had "Drink Me" stickers on them.

It was difficult to decorate this room since I couldn't put anything on the walls or hang the paper lanterns from the candelier. There is also constrution going on in the pool area of the hotel (where the room overlooks) so the windows were frosted over and there was no view. :(

 The big hit of the night was the photo booth. I painted a canvas blue and hung it on a frame of PVC pipe. I decorated it with flowers made from colored lunch bags and google eyes. The guests acted like little kids picking out their hats and posing for the cameras. There was a professional photographer and a pharmacist with her cmera as well. I will be getting "better" pics from them later :)

 The hat I am wearing is the original size of the pattern. I had to enlarge it 150% to have the hats big enough for the cocktail tables. I attached the hat to a black elastic headband and no one could tell how it was attached to my head.

 It also poured rain when I made my 5 trips down to my van to get all of the decor. This is why I look like a drowned rat. I'm so glad I had the hat to distract.

One of the bartenders said she noticed all of the details I had put into everything and said I should work for Disney. That was the greatest compliment I could have gotten!