Past & Continuing Projects
Splendid Colors has an outstanding track record of completing innovative projects for clients who need custom gifts or event decor. Whether clients provide their own artwork or commission something new, Splendid Colors creates pieces that exceed expectations (but not the budget or schedule).
Project Portfolio
These project summaries supplement the Past Performance listing to provide a greater understanding; reference contact information is available by request. You can also chat with the owner over virtual coffee for stories of how everything still worked when obstacles arose.
Yelp Employee Recognition Gifts
Yelp's manager of Engagement, Diversity, and Belonging commissioned lantern kits with their custom designs and printed materials for monthly work anniversary parties at all four locations. Employees assembled the kits as a craft activity with glue and LED tealights provided. Monthly deliveries between March-June 2017 totaled nearly 2,400 kits.
PayPal Conference Gifts
PayPal's marketing department commissioned 450 lantern kits as gifts for their lounge at Women In Tech 2019. Splendid Colors redrew their complex existing artwork depicting corporate values to adapt it to laser cut designs.
Team San Jose and San Jose Sister Cities
Team San Jose, the official "convention and visitors bureau" for the City of San Jose, commissioned 50 lantern kits for press gift baskets in 2017. These kits used the client's logo on the lantern lid and the kit label, with stock landmark designs in the San Jose collection for the sides.
The City Councilmember for Splendid Colors' district in San Jose commissioned 50 of a similar kit, combining landmarks and customization, as a Sister City delegation gift. (Not shown.) San Jose and Okayama, Japan celebrated their 60th anniversary in 2018. The retro lettering and script fonts for the lid were inspired by San Jose's Mid-Century neon signs from the time the program began, and a tradition of hand-lettered signs that still continues today.
Willow Glen High School 40th Reunion
The chair of the reunion committee commissioned 150 lanterns for guests to purchase at the event in 2015. These featured all custom artwork and were delivered assembled, with goldtone LED tealights.
OMCA "Art of Burning Man" Tie-in Gifts
The gift shop director at the Oakland Museum of California purchased a large wholesale order of tree ornaments and tree toppers for the "Art of Burning Man" traveling exhibition in 2019. Although these are stock designs (sold on Etsy), this order was for over 100 pieces, made to order. The original order sold well enough to require a rush holiday reorder, for a total of over $1000. (OMCA also carries the Oakland lantern kits in their gift shop.)
Gioia Company Ongoing Partnership
Gioia Company is a local vendor of Italian artisan gifts, both imported from Italy and custom-made by local artists. The support of this alliance has been invaluable, from orders of lanterns and jewelry for resale, to commissioning thank-you gifts for events, and brokering commissions from businesses and groups in the local Italian-American community.
Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo Ongoing Partnership
Splendid Colors laser-cuts wood and acrylic for museum exhibits and also etches inscriptions on wooden blocks for the donor wall. The Exhibits Manager reported that publizing the prototypes from 2019 successfully encouraged donations during the pandemic and the first batch of donor blocks will be coming soon.