Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Keeping-up with Karissa: More Photos from LA

Hoping your crown doesn't fall into your salad... not fun!

Karissa was looking like a movie star with those big shades, voluminous locks and designer bag!


At the Warner Brothers studios; I love how Karissa was in the front of all the photos that day!


Some non-Karissa shots that caught my eye:

Why oh why are these poor women in sock-hop outfits ? Let's hope it wasn't something that will air on the reality show! I love vintage inspired classic looks, but costumes and themed events of yesteryear do nothing in terms of making a pageant relevant!

Being Miss State... it's a day at the beach!

Monday, September 29, 2008

Miss America Tune-in Alert

Miss America, Kirsten Haglund, and the national contestants will be on Entertainment Tonigh TONIGHT!

7 p.m. EST on CBS; to be safe, check your local listings.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Keeping-up with Karissa: in LA!

Did you catch Karissa on Ellen Friday?!

I read incorrect information; the Miss America contestants were not in the audience, but rather participated in Ellen's continued attempts to "smoke George Clooney out" of his bungalow, located behind Ellen's sound stage on the Warner Brothers lot! After Miss America, Kirsten Haglund, proved unsuccessful on her own, Miss Ohio, Karissa Martin was the first of the reinforcements to be called in!



It's so exciting that Karissa got some great face time! However, I have to agree with an anonymous poster on the Miss Ohio message board, in that setting, their pageant stance looked pretty fake! It was as if Ellen was calling them to the Top 10 or something! I understand why it happened; pageant women automatically fall into that stance. But even contestants, formers and fans have to admit it looks a bit contrived when you're not onstage. Thank goodness for which ever contestant it was who started clapping to the chant - that made the march much more fun and relatable.

The ladies are here in LA to film the TLC reality show, but in addition to Ellen they've visited an IHOP, the beach and LA zoo.
Above Karissa on the coffee shop set of Friends;
below she's in the second row at IHOP.

There are several photos on the national message board.

Friday, September 26, 2008

Miss America Contestants on Ellen!

Again, don't forget to check your local listings for The Ellen Degeneres Show TODAY. The Miss America contestants, who are currently somewhere here in LA taping TLC's pageant reality show, will be in her studio audience. They'll no doubt be recognized.

CLICK HERE to watch a promo featuring them... I'm not sure what the joke is about George Clooney, but it's cute nonetheless.

Before she left, I asked Miss Ohio, Karissa Martin, to let me know if they have any public events here in LA and I'd try to attend, but I highly doubt they will. Rumor has it these poor girls are stripped of their cell phones and computers the entire time
[In the photo above, I believe Karissa is in the cute black and white animal print dress on the right end of the front row, yes?]

Also, Miss America, Kirsten Haglund, will be on TLC's Who Are You Wearing at 7 p.m. EST. It will reair Saturday at 2 and 11 a.m.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Miss America Tune-in Alerts

Tomorrow: Friday September 26th:

The Miss America Contestants will be in the audience of Ellen; check your local listings.

Miss America Kristen Haglund will be on TLC's new show,
Who Are You Wearing?
at 7 p.m. EST.

Deadline Alert: Miss Portsmouth/Scioto Valley Extended

Miss Portsmouth and Miss Scioto Valley

Scholarship Program

PO Box 299

South Webster, Ohio 45682

www.missportsmouth.org


PRESS RELEASE


The deadline for accepting applications for the 2009
Miss Portsmouth & Miss Scioto Valley Scholarship Program has been extended.


The deadline for accepting applications for the 2009
Miss Portsmouth & Miss Scioto Valley Scholarship Program, as well as the Miss Portsmouth Outstanding Teen and Miss Scioto Valley Outstanding Teen has been extended to Wednesday October 8, 2008. This deadline is just 10 days before the actual pageant on Saturday October 18 at 7:30 p.m. in the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts on the campus of Shawnee State University in Portsmouth. We need eight contestants to give away two Miss Titles and six contestants to give away two Outstanding Teen titles.

Anyone interested Please contact Executive Director Greg Davis via email at gsd1971oh@yahoo.com or call 1-800-482-1921 or 740-981-2948 and visit the pageant website at www.missportsmouth.org for more information.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Miss Lake Erie Pictures!


The photos above are from former contestant Allie Krucek; check out HER BLOG for contestant critiques!

Photos below are from Jenna Wilson's Facebook:



























Photos from Ashley Hartman:













Hhmm... when I created this post in Internet Explorer (where pictures are easier to work with) it was formatted nicely, but in FireFox some of the pictures have repositioned themselves and are not to my liking. I don't have the patience to try to fix it now, so I'm hoping it looks fine to most of you! :)

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Congrats to the New Miss Lake Erie, Jenna Wilson!


Miss Lake Erie: Jenna Wilson


1st RU: Ashley Hartman

Interview: Jenna Wilson
Talent: Jenna Wilson
Swimsuit: Heather Wells

Best of Luck to the Miss Lake Erie Pageant!

Sorry folks, I'm at work, where I can blog from my phone, but not upload pictures...

Tonight in Lexington Top 5 Miss Ohio finalist, Kasey Wilson, will crown one of five lucky young women the next Miss Lake Erie! Although the title Miss Northern Ohio won't be given, I would imagine Nanciann Strosnider will still be on hand to entertain and say farewell, but I cannot say for certain.

I have heard the following women are competing:

Ashley Hartman: a lyrical dancer who should have made it to state last season.

Alicia Huyge (sp?): a tap dancer who competed at locals with great dedication last year.

Monica Johnson: a reletive new comer whose talent I do not recall; I believe she competed twice last year.

Heather Wells: a jazz dancer and reigning Miss Maple City.

Jenna Wilson: a vocalist and recent Top 5 finisher at state as Miss North East Ohio.

A teen title will also be given. Best of luck to all the ladies! I look forward to sharing the results tonight!

Friday, September 19, 2008

Welcome Back to the Blogosphere... Roberta Camp!

I am pleased to announce the blogging return of Miss Ohio 2007, Roberta Camp! Read about her life after the crown on:

Thursday, September 18, 2008

From Miss to Mrs to Mom!

Congrats to Pam (Roessner) Ranly, a former Miss Lake Festival and Miss West Central Ohio, who recently had a baby girl!

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Feed Your Face

On MSN I came across this great story from the Today show about health and beauty benefits of certain foods. I'm all for home remedies, but often times when I read similar articles in beauty magazines, it just doesn't seem doable, or by the time you buy the ingredients from the grocery, you may as well have spent the money on premade skin care products! However, this story has me really excited to freeze my old tea bags and rub some strawberries on my face!

TODAY
updated 9:46 a.m. PT, Thurs., Sept. 11, 2008

Certain foods have powerhouse ingredients that keep skin supple and smooth and help fight age-related damage. Wondering what to eat and what to smooth on? Health magazine found five skin-saving foods to help both ways. (Be sure to do a skin-patch test first, and wait 24 hours to see if you have an allergic reaction.)

Strawberries smoothie mask
Strawberries have more anti-aging vitamin C per serving than oranges or grapefruit. Research shows that people who eat foods rich in vitamin C have fewer wrinkles (vitamin C helps fight free radicals, which break down collagen, leading to those dreaded lines) and less age-related dry skin. Apply a mask once or twice a week, and eat C-rich foods daily.

Recipe:
1 cup of frozen or fresh strawberries (you can also substitute in raspberries and/or blueberries — they’re loaded with antioxidants)
1 cup of vanilla or plain yogurt
1 1/2 tablespoons of honey (a great moisturizer)

Enjoy your smoothie, then apply the remaining smoothie to your face over a sink (it’s a little drippy at first), and leave it on for about 8 minutes before rinsing.

Easy green tea eye treatment
Curling up to a cup of green tea does a lot more than relax you. Green tea is filled with inflammation-fighting antioxidants. What’s more, research shows that drinking green tea may reduce your risk of skin cancer. (And when you add a generous squeeze of citrus juice-like lemon, lime, or orange — the tea’s antioxidants get a boost of staying power).

Recipe:
Chill any leftover damp tea bags in the fridge for an hour and then put them on your eyes for 10-15 minutes.

Sip at least three big mugs of green tea every day for an antioxidant boost. Green tea contains tannins, which can help reduce puffiness when applied to skin.

Pumpkin pudding facial
Pumpkin’s orange hue is from carotenoids, wrinkle-fighting plant pigments that help neutralize free radicals in the skin. Pumpkin is filled with vitamins C, E, and A, as well as powerful enzymes that help to cleanse the skin. Although the seeds make a great fiber-filled snack, you get the skin-saving antioxidants from the pulp. Eat and apply the facial once a week.

Recipe:
In a food processor or blender combine:
2 cups canned pumpkin
4 tablespoons low-fat vanilla yogurt
4 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Coat face; leave on for 10 minutes, then rinse.

(To make a sweeter pudding add: 2 tablespoons 1/3 less fat cream cheese and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.)

Olive oil moisturizer
The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties of olive oil don’t just benefit you on the inside —they soften your skin, too. Ancient Romans massaged olive oil into their skin, resulting in smoother, radiant skin. Olive oil provides antioxidants to disarm free radicals and reduce inflammation (inflammation is a major cause of wrinkling and sagging in the skin). In addition, you can apply the olive oil as a lip gloss or use it on rough patches (think elbows and heels).

Recipe:
At meal time, drizzle a few tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil into a small bowl and dip whole-grain bread in it.

Pomegranate exfoliating scrub
Pomegranates are one of the most antioxidant-rich fruits. Eat some fresh pomegranate (in season now through January) or use it in the age-fighting scrub. Apply once or twice a week to remove dead skin cells.

Recipe:
Cut off the pomegranate crown, and score the rind in sections, without cutting all the way through. Place in a bowl of water for 5-10 minutes. Break rind away from seeds, which will sink; strain seeds.

In a food processor combine:
2 tablespoons of seeds
1 cup of uncooked oatmeal
Transfer to bowl
Stir 2 tablespoons of honey (an antiseptic)
2 tablespoons of buttermilk
Apply to face for a few minutes, then rinse.
Enjoy remaining pomegranate seeds au natural or with your favorite cheese.

For more beauty tips and recipes for your skin, visit Health.com

The funny part is that on the sidebar, there's a photo gallery of Miss Universe! CLICK HERE to see that and watch a video of the related segment on Today.


After finding the video above, I watched several other fun and informative Today show clips, eventually leading me to this interview and clips from the untelevised Miss Teen USA pageant:

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Keeping-up with Karissa

Friday night Miss Ohio sang the National Anthem for a hometown football game (Monore Central vs Caldwell, if that means anything to you...)


Special thanks to Paul Krajnyak for sending me the photo above; Paul was photographing a different football game, but took the time to scan his copy of the local paper to first send me the picture, later alerting me that the Times Leader website posted it. Now that's what I call spirit - a hometown paper that photographs a titleholder and a fan who forwards it on!

Miss America Contestant Lottery

Congrats to Miss Ohio, Karissa Martin, she was FIRST to pick in the recent Miss America contestant lottery, no doubt getting the flight she wanted.

She is last (17th) in the "Alpha Group" with the following schedule:

Monday afternoon/evening: Interview
Tuesday: Talent
Wednesday: Onstage Question
Thursday: Swimsuit & Evening Gown

She is preceded by Miss Kentucky, a pianist; her flight has 7 vocalists, 5 pianists, 3 dancers, 1 vocal/piano and 1 violinist.

To view the entire contestant order, go to the Miss America website and click on "2008 Contestant Grouping" under the Contestant Info tab.

Friday, September 12, 2008

APPLICATION DEADLINES!

Ladies, postmark your Miss Lake Erie applications TODAY!

AND find time this weekend to do your Miss Clayland ap; it's due Monday.

Again, I'm really not one to talk because I was always awful at deadlines, but for the sanity of the directors, don't wait till the last minute! If you are rushing to the post office in the eleventh hour, it smart to let the director know it's on the way!

---

Also, I'm sure you get sick of reading this, but I apologize for my lack of blogging. I had a stomach thing earlier in the week that zapped my energy. After doing horrid extra work Wednesday I actually went to sleep at like 9 p.m., then didn't wake up until after noon Thursday to go do more extra work, followed by an acting class...

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Pageant Polls: Where have all the contestants gone?

With only five women competing at Miss Miami Valley and the need for a very strong local to extend its deadline, pageant circles I still chat in have been wondering, where have all the contestants gone? After a long day of sharing the magic of movie making with tourist, I’ve decided to relax with some mindless blog research…

Below are the contestant amounts from Ohio locals in the 07/08 and 06/07 pageant seasons (according to my records). As it turns out, three of the five locals that have taken place this year actually increased the amount of participants. Then why does it feel like the numbers are down? Because this is the second year in a row they’ve been down, in comparison to the 2006/2007. Not all that long ago Miss Ohio local pageants averaged 15 to 20 women and a former contestant just reminded me of wait lists to compete in popular programs! Participants used to do the begging, now it's the E.D.s who have to...


Pageant Name – 08/09 - 07/08 - 06/07

Lake
Festival
* – 11 - 12 - 14
Greater Cleveland/Open City - 13 –12 - 18

West Central Ohio* – 13 - 9 - 8

Ohio Valley* – n/a - 6 - 9

North Coast – 9 - 6 - 14

Lake Erie/Northern Ohio – n/a - 13 - 12

Miami Valley – 5 - 8 - 12

North East Ohio – n/a - 9 - 14

Clayland – n/a - 7 - 15

Portsmouth/Scioto Valley – n/a - 9 - 13

Maumee Valley/AAC/FT – n/a - 14 - 15

Northwestern Ohio- n/a - 10 - 14

Maple City – n/a - 11 - 16

Mansfield – n/a - 12 - 8

Central Ohio – n/a - 17 - ?

Hamilton* - n/a - 9 - 10

* Closed pageants

Why the drop in numbers? I can think of a few very obvious reasons off the top of my head… I know the there isn’t one “right answer” and that the issues are all interconnected, but, when forced to choose, what do you think is the greatest contributing factor to the decrease in local constants in Ohio?

Friday, September 5, 2008

Pageant Pictures: Ohio's Sweetheart!

Here are photos of Miss Maumee Valley, Becky Minger, at the National Sweetheart pageant in Hoopston, Illinois, where she was a Top 11 Semifinalist!


Special thanks to Becky's dad, Mike, for keeping me updated. Again, I was so embarrassed to have posted the incorrect Top 5. Usually message board predictions are clearly marked as such; with the Sweetheart pageant taking an awfully long time, I mistakenly trusted a poster who seemed to have been purposely trying to spread false results.

Also, thanks to local E.D. Eric Wagener for emailing me these photos. The application period for Miss Maumee Valley, Miss Fallen Timbers, Miss All*American City and their Teen Titles is open now, until October 20. Becky, Jessica and Emily will crown their successors on November 1st in Maumee!

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Miss Lake Erie / Northern Ohio / Teen applications due TOMORROW!!!

I meant to do this a few days ago, but Loren's in LA visiting, so I've been... preoccupied.

Miss Lake Erie / Miss Northern Ohio / Outstanding Teen applications are due TOMORROW - Friday September 5th!

This is your opportunity to be part of one of Ohio's most successful programs in recent years. Correct me if I'm wrong (and I know you will), Amanda Beagle and Marlia Fontiane became Miss Ohio as Miss Lake Erie; Leslie Ondrey and Kasey Wilson were both Top 5 finalists and Bryn River Hough and Nanciann Strosnider made the Top 10!

This top notch program will be giving three titles on September 20th at Lexington High School.