Pageant Bling

Okay. It is my third and final, let us all she a tear, installment of Ashley Eliza Photography. We had double lockets. We had the floral discount. And now we have my fave, the military vest, with all the bling a pageant girl could ever desire. Don't forget to enter the giveaway over at The Wedding & Company for your own shoot with Miss Ashley! I promise you will not regret it because she is absolutely awesome.

Okay. So this vest. Why do I love this vest? Because it takes the military from my fall wish list and combines it with my inner pageant girl with jewels. So now let us talk about pageants. I need to tell you all about something really impulsive and crazy that I did. I have been having pageant withdrawals. I really miss competing and wearing a crown. Silly, I know. I always competed in the Miss America Organization, but did you know there are pageants for Mrs.!? Mrs. America. Mrs. United States. Mrs. American International. Well... I started looking around for how to compete at a Mrs. pageant. Am I crazy? Not yet. And then, as I am looking I see that for Mrs. Utah International it is an application process, because they don't have a local state director. So I applied. Am I crazy? Yep. In my mind, the worst that could happen is they tell me no. So I filled out my application and sent it in with a head shot. Two days later I had an interview over the phone. 

Now about a month later I got an email that reads, "I wanted to reach out to you and make sure you were still interested in the title of Mrs. Utah International 2014? We have narrowed our delegate down to 3 and you are in the top 3. Before we go any further I am check in with you to confirm your interest." ....... I don't really know what to say now. So I haven't responded back... 

Vest: JCPenney \\ Shirt: Gap \\ Jeans: Gap \\ Shoes: Dillards - similar

Linked with | Best of Friday Style | Two Thirty Five Designs
Style Elixir | Favorite Fashion Friday | Simply Lulu Style

Just a Pageant Girl

If you've read my blog for awhile... you know how obsessed with pageantry I am.

If you haven't.... welcome to my obsession!

The Miss America Organization has been a huge part of my life. Four years competing in the Miss Idaho Organization, a year on the Miss Idaho board, and a year judging in the Miss Utah Organization. I have learned so many lessons, I have grown, and I have made lifelong friends along the way. The lessons learned through the Miss America system are invaluable and have made me the woman I am today.

This week was the official Miss America Week, and I was tempted to write a post every day like I did in January... but I did it in January. And also because I didn't want to overload you with pageantry again.. So here is a recap of my Miss America Week posts from January for all you newbies:

Sisterhood \\ Service \\ Talent \\ Swimsuit \\ Modeling \\ Parades \\ Hair \\ Role Model

For the past three years I have made the trip to Las Vegas in January with my mom to attend the Miss America pageant and cheer on my Miss Idaho sisters. This year the pageant made the big move back to September and back to Atlantic City. They took it back to its original place and time. My mom and I debated going, but it just didn't work with our schedule... so I decided to throw a Miss America viewing party. First step? Prediction and scoring sheets for all those attending.

Get the Miss America Predictions print out here.

Get the Miss America Scoring Sheet print out here.

Not sure if you can tell... but I am a little excited. Next on the list? Food and fun... I am thinking some treats for before swimsuit portion and some veggies for after. You can't watch swimsuit portion and not think you should eat more of the veggies. And I've got a few ideas for fun up my sleeve, but you'll have to check back next week for how the party went! Are you watching Miss America on Sunday? Who are you rooting for? Do you have a favorite portion of the competition to watch?

Miss Idaho 2013

I am back from the dead. Actually I wasn't dead at all. Just off living the pageant dream. Hanging out backstage with 19 women that are too fit (seriously the best bodies I have ever seen in a class as a whole) for anyone not working out to feel good about themselves. Sleeping in a dorm room. Eating as if I was going to be on stage because I felt too weird to eat the chocolate. Hanging out with my mom. Realizing just how much hairspray you save if you aren't in pageants.... That is the life.

It was a great week with my mom. We drove up on Wednesday morning. Checked into the dorms to be the host ladies. Then we got to run around town with pageant girls.  

The week was nuts. Seriously nuts. It is so weird being on the opposite of pageantry. I'm not the one looking for butt glue and duct tape anymore. I'm not the one with 30 seconds to change from a dress to a swimsuit. Then one more minute to go from swimsuit into talent. This year I got to be the one coming backstage yelling, "YOU NEED TO BE ONSTAGE RIGHT NOW!!" So much adrenaline from being bossy.

Best of all... I didn't have to be there worrying about competition. I could focus on being a shoulder to cry on, words of comfort, and a quick pep talk before each portion of the interview. The relationships built through the Miss America organization are my favorite. That is why I kept competing, and now, that is why I have become a volunteer. I loved being there this week. I loved seeing familiar faces. I loved cheering for my sisters. It is a wonderful experience. The pageant world is so much more than high glitz, on stage answers, hairspray, spray tans... It is truly a family. And we all support whoever is crowned. We all cheer for her. iss Idaho 2013 is my friend, Sarah Downs. We both started competing together 5 years ago. And oh how times have changed. 

In our five years competing we have both had our failures and our success. We have spent a lot of time supporting each other through crazy diets, our emotional breakdowns, and, best of all, we have supported each other through times of achievement. We both started at the bottom of the pageant expertise. Our goals always aligned almost exactly... in our 4th year, we both had the goal to break top ten. Sarah far exceeded that goal over the weekend.

I am proud to call Sarah Miss Idaho. I am looking forward to seeing her grow throughout her year. She is a stunning individual. She has worked hard. And she is ready to represent Idaho at Miss America. And I am ready to be there to help in any way. Like I said, it is about the relationships. We all step in after the crazy moments backstage, the crying, running around, and fighting, to push our Miss Idaho and support her as she becomes the woman she wants to be.

Miss Idaho Memories

Last year I wrote this post... but I wanted to share it with you all today. Because everything I experienced one year ago, 18 beautiful Idaho woman will be going through TODAY and TOMORROW. Pageantry has forever changed my life. Some people say it is destroying women and some people say it makes women an object. I say it makes women strong, independent, and motivated...

--------------------------------

I am SO happy with how the pageant went this year. There were a lot of changes at the Miss Idaho program from housing and venue to the style of judges they pulled, but I loved every single moment. The girls were as wonderful as ever and I learned a lot this year. I am so glad I had the opportunity to compete one last time at Miss Idaho. I am happy I met the girls I did and made friends with so many. I am proud of our new Miss Idaho, Whitney Wood, she is seriously is SO incredible and deserved the win. I am proud to be part of a sisterhood where there is more love and support than anyone could ever hope for. I am honored to have been placed in the top ten and to have won two awards. And I know what you are saying now, enough of this Deidre, onto the pictures!

We all check in a few days before competition to do a few things. We did a service project, visited the Children's Hospital, and then rehearse, rehearse, and did I mention rehearse? We have to learn two dances and then our modeling patterns. This photo here is for, drum roll please..... Opening number! I make the faces I do because of my "special juice", also known as go-go juice. Which is really just water and zip fizz... but it makes me go crazy with energy. The girls backstage either thought I was really funny when I drank it or completely annoying... I choose to believe they all thought I was hilarious. Because clearly... I am.

The very moment I got called into the top ten. After four years of work in the pageant world I was clearly excited to be called into the top ten for the first time! And you can tell that the girls around me were excited too. They all knew how badly I wanted it, and I think they cheered more than the audience for me! That is what I mean by support.

"Thank your judges!"

The Miss Idaho 2012 top ten! 

Swimsuit. You only get to see one photo, embrace it!

Onstage question. My question was something like, "How do you feel about Obama coming out recently with his support for gay marriage?" I answered, "I admire President Obama for standing strong in what he believes, especially in an election year. He stood firm in an election year when he could lose votes for what he said. That is what we need in a President. Someone that stands for what they believe no matter what."

Now onto the talent portion. I performed my talent two and a half different times, prelims night and (one and a half times) finals night, which means I have a lot of photos I could share! Here are a few that I love from the bunch. I bet you are wondering what I mean by "half". On finals night I was about 8 eight counts into my music when the song just stopped. My mind was screaming at me, "What did Kim teach you to do!?" I finished my step, turned around, and reset in my starting position. It felt like an hour before my music started, and when it did start it picked up where it stopped... but I just held my pose and the audience started cheering! It was exhilarating so I gave a little wave. then the music restarted and I got a second chance to do my dance. Everyone said I handled it really well like nothing was wrong... but I could have sworn I made a really confused face. Apparently no one say it!

Evening Gown. We all have a little sister which comes out on stage with us. My little sister was adorable. I love her like a real sister. She is so cute and wants me to help her get into pageants in a few years. Of course I agreed. My evening gown was perfect. My director and Mom picked it out. I think they did a wonderful job! And so did everyone else.

Remember earlier when I mentioned learning two dances? Well one of them is evening gown production. A lot of arm movement and flowing of gowns. Pretty, pretty!

The top ten all lined up before the announcement of all the awards girls could win and the crowning of the new Miss Idaho.

First off, let me say I am a hideous crier. This was the first award I won. The Spirit of Miss Idaho, which is voted on by the contestants. It goes to the girl that the contestants thinks represents what the program is about the best and is comparable to Miss Congeniality. I honestly have never felt so honored in my life. I couldn't believe that all these women had voted me as their Spirit of Miss Idaho. It just reminds me what this program is all about. I am so happy I had Mikyla next to me during awards (and during the entire pageant pretty much) because I needed that little shove and love to move me to receive my award. I was in shock and she was so supportive giving me a huge hug when my name was called. P.S. I always voted for the girl that made me laugh the most the week of pageant, so if everyone else uses that criteria.... I am basically the funniest girl at Miss Idaho too.

I was trying to thank all the girls as I went to get my award. I am sure I looked like real idiot, but I honestly was SO honored and appreciative. Winners of the Spirit of Miss Idaho is a line of girls that I have looked up to and appreciated. And now I was one of them!

Being called for one more award. The Miss America Organization awards the Academic and Community Service awards to each state. To be eligible you must apply with transcripts, letters of recommendation, and an essay of what you have done in your community. This year the Miss America Organization selected me as the Community Service Award winner. After a year of promoting anti-bullying in the Magic Valley, I couldn't have been happier. My platform has been so important to me and I am proud to know that the Miss America Organization recognized that. After the pageant Tami told me, "The day that Miss America called to tell me who won the awards everyone at my work knew you had won! I was so excited that I just told everyone I saw!"

  

So there you have it, my last hoorah as a pageant girl... actually just as a pageant participant. I will always be a pageant girl. I am looking into becoming a pageant coach and a volunteer. You can take the girl out of the pageant but you can't take the pageant out of the girl. I have learned so much through competing and I want to share that knowledge with every girl that wants to compete. Please don't hesitate to ask me anything, this is a program I am passionate about and I can talk about it for days and days. The Miss America Organization is about more than just a beauty content. The four points of the crown are style, service, scholarship, and success. And they truly promote that. I know I am a more educated, confident, comfortable, and well rounded woman because of this program. 

--------------------------------

And now you know. Pageants are more than just swimsuits and poor onstage question answers. And when I said I would remain involved, I meant it. I am currently on the Miss Idaho Board as the PR Chair. I manage the blog, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for the Miss Idaho Organization. 

If you have any questions about Miss America, pageantry, what I do as a volunteer.. and so on and so on. Let me know! The Miss America Organization is a part of me now - and I am PROUD to be part of this organization. Good luck to all my Miss Idaho sisters competing tonight. 

Pageant Beauty Secrets

In honor of Miss Idaho week I have been stalking up on all the pageant girl beauty secrets. I reached out to my former Miss Idaho sisters and we pooled out tips and tricks from our time competing in the Miss America Organization. And here are some of our best!

Removing makeup. Instead of eye makeup remover, use Vaseline The makeup comes off great and it makes your eyelashes feel soft and thick and grows more quickly.

Dirty hair styles better. Dry shampoo is your friend! But for blondes - you can use baby powder. It soaks up the oil and you can go for longer without washing your hair. It makes it easier to style, and if you run out of baby powder some girls will even use baking powder!

Get that glow. If you don't have a highlighter, use a soft pink shimmery or pearly white eyeshadow on cheeks for a shimmery glow.

Pinch for pink. Want a little natural flush? Pinch your cheeks a few times to replace any worn off blush. Or use lipstick as a blush replacement.

Clean up shadows. Eyeshadow can be messy. Lots of dust drops off the brush when moving it from pallet to face. Make sure you don't leave the eyeshadow dust sitting there, pick it up with a piece of scotch tape.

Prime. ALWAYS use a primer. Under foundation and eyeshadow. It helps keep make up in place longer. 

Define your face. Use a couple different colors of foundations to create shading on your face. Use a darker foundation on your nose and forehead, and right under the cheek bones and then also the sides of your jaw underneath a little bit. And use your regular foundation everywhere else.

Fake your skinny. Need to smooth out some lines or fit into that smaller dress? Don't crash diet or go without eating. Grab a shaper or pair of spanx.

Make your muscles pop. Need a little umph in your legs and arms before heading to a party? Do a few quick reps and your muscles will make a nice showing. 20 lunges on each side, 18 curls, 20 pushups (wall pushups count), and 10 squats. You are good to go!

Get rid of those flyaways in photos. Use clear mascara for flyaway hair. If your hair is dry get some clear mascara and brush it right on my hair to make the flyaways go down.

Volumize your hair without product. Blow dry your hair upside down and it'll give it more natural volume so that you don't have to use as much product. Using a round brush will also help with that and it's cheaper!

Stop smudges. for a quick, clean way to avoid mascara smudges, hold a plastic spoon under the upper and lower lashes to shield the rest of your eye makeup. It fits right under your eye.

Get more hair. Clip in extensions are a great to add volume and length. They also hold curl a lot better!

Always exfoliate. For a DIY exfoliation/moisturizing mask: homemade mixture includes 1/2 cup of oatmeal, tsp of olive oil and a tsp of honey! Rub in circular motions on face and wash with warm water!

Even exfoliate your lips. Put on lip balm and use an old toothbrush or mascara wand to gently scrub away dry skin. Then grab some scotch tape to pick up any pieces of dry skin remaining.

Keep eyebrows in check. Spritz an old toothbrush or a clean mascara wand with hairspray, then brush brows and style them as desired. Even the most hard to tame brows will fall in line with this trick.

Make your hair color last longer. Use cold water when rinsing your hair if it's colored, because the color will last longer.

Eat right, make your teeth white! Eating strawberries naturally whitens your teeth. 

Fake your tone. Need to make those muscles show up? You can contour your muscles too. Add a little bronzer to emphasize your muscle. Abs, legs, arms, clavicle.. you name it, you can contour it.

Don't over-lip. After applying lipstick always add some gloss. But don't over-gloss. Only place lipgloss on the middle third of your lips. It keeps lipstick from smearing and smudging throughout the night.

Pluck your eyebrows with light. Pluck eyebrows in your car - parked obviously - because you can receive more natural sunlight.

Get the red out. Dab of toothpaste to make the redness go down. Also adding lemon to water decreases acne.

Curl those eyelashes. If you have a metal eyelash curler use a blow dryer to heat it up. Then curl your eyelashes like you normally would but hold the curler in place until it cools down. It's just like using a curling iron on your hair.

Go bra-less. This one is too much info... but use duct tape. Hold in place, tape them up.

Become a bronzed beauty. Spray tans and tanning lotions work wonders. I prefer Sunlabs and use maskCara's tanning application process. Sally Hansen spray is great for a natural tan glow on legs - used with lotion helps it set better and not rub off.

But on top of all those trick and tips... genuine confidence and kindness are the real key to beauty! Now tell me... what are your beauty secrets? Pageant girl or not.. the world needs to know.