PAGEANT DIRECTORS...PAY UP!

Why is it so hard for some Pageant Directors to pay?

I had a problem 2 months ago with some Pageant Directors who needed crowns for their pageants coming up THAT weekend and needed me to get them out right then. Well, being as trusting as I was (because they had ordered from me before), I went ahead and sent them their crowns before I recieved payment. BIG MISTAKE!!!!!!! One claimed that she would send me a money order in the mail (which she did last time) and the other that her paypal account had been comprimized and she would send as soon as she got it straightened out.

Needless to say, that the money never got there. Finally after a month and posting on Facebook the story...I finally got payment on the first one. The second one however, I still have NOT recieved payment because of a LONG list of personal problems. She has promised to get it out 2 weeks ago and I still HAVE NOT recieved it!

Never mind them for a moment....I have had numerous Pageant Directors that want crowns but they have to wait until enough people submit their entry fee into paypal before they can pay for the crowns. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THIS! Why not keep enough $$$ in your paypal account (from your last pageant) to cover nessesarry items upfront like crowns, sashes, trophies. These things you have to order ahead of time to meet your pageant. Use a credit card if you have to and order these items and then when the pageant is over and all fees are collected.......PAY IT OFF!

I have another Pageant Director right now that was sending me payments as her pageant fees came in. I went ahead and sent her crowns and she has a balance of $35 left that I have sent her several reminders OVER AND OVER again, but guess what? She HAS NOT paid it.

Pageants are a business and like any business you have to plan ahead and prepare and pay your bills on time. In my opinion, the quickest way to ruin your pageant name and your name as a Director, is to have a reputation of not paying for the crowns on the heads of the girls that attended your pageants.

Well I have learned my lesson and if you want the crowns, you are going to have to figure a way to pay for ALL of them UP FRONT! SHAME ON YOU PAGEANT DIRECTORS!

THINK ! PLAN! PREPARE! PAY YOUR DEBTS!

BASHING

What is up with all this bashing going on? I have heard from several different pageant directors AND pageant moms of terrible bashing. I have actually read a lot of it myself on different pageant forum boards, facebook...just to name a few.

Look people, just because your daughter has always won before and happens to lose to a newcomer, doesn't mean that it is OK to bash the innocent child because of it! Or the pageant system's director for that matter.

I just have a hard time with pageant moms who just cant accept losing. And what kind of example are you setting for your daughters? And for you to let your daughters bash their fellow contestants, is just horrible!

Pageants are a fun and exciting sport to be in. Please show "sportsmanship" as you should in any sport! And remember mom's.....it's GREAT to win,but the most important thing is to let your (children) have fun!!!!!!!!

My Picks for 2010

Happy New Year! I know it has been a little while, but now that the holidays are over maybe I can get back on track!

I thought I would list a few of my favorite sites for you to visit. These are my personal favorites!

1. Pageant Photographer- I pick Kelley's Photography. Karen has taken many award winning photos and has been the official pageant photographer of Sunburst State Finals here in Atlanta many times. She is great to work with and will work with you to achieve that special photogenic photo, portfolio, or composite. www.kelleysphotos.com

2. Flipper- I pick Unity Smile Design. The whole process is so easy and you do not have to set foot in a dental office! You simply contact them, send your impressions through the mail and in a very short time you receive back in the mail a perfect flipper that fits perfectly and looks GREAT! www.unitysmiledesign.com

3. Pageant Resource-Great resource filled with pageants,vendors, and anyone who loves anything and everything about the pageant world, I pick Tiara Talk. It is a great pageant social network and is lots of fun! www.tiaratalk.net

4. Photo Retouch, I pick Pageant Perfect Photos. Sheri is a professional and will work with you until your photo is exactly the way you want it. If you are looking for someone who is affordable, professional and very patient, then this is the place for you! www.pageantperfectphotos.com

5. Pageants-If you are looking for pageants in the Georgia area, I pick Pageants of Georgia. Jan McNicholas is the director and runs a very professional pageant with a lot of class! She has many pageants a year and holds them in a variety of locations, and there is sure to be one close to you. www.pageantsofgeorgia.com

6. Make-Up- I pick QDazzle if you are looking for professional make-up tips. Jennifer is a professional make-up artist who has a wide variety of make-up products that are perfect for pageants,proms, and stage events! She is very helpful and will take the time explaining every process of make-up application to you. www.qdazzleprom.com

7. Rhinestone Jewelry- I pick The Glitzy Crown if you are looking for great pageant jewelry sets,crowns,tiaras and pageant pins. There are many varieties to choose from and at wholesale prices. Quick delivery and very professional. http://www.theglitzycrown.com/

8. Photo Pageants/Contests- I pick Miss Glitz & Miss Natural Glitz. The best pageant prizes for on line photo contests. The entry fee is low and the prizes are great! It's a fun site and they offer different types of pageants also. http://www.missglitzandmissnaturalglitz.com/

Hope you give them a try, I did!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Well, it has been one year ago today, that The Glitzy Crown went live on the Internet and was open for business!

I am proud to say we are celebrating our FIRST YEAR ANNIVERSARY. And as a "Thank You" we would like to offer our customers 10% OFF!

Even in these hard economic times, that can be a huge savings. We try to offer a unique selection of crowns,tiaras and pageant jewelry to satisfy every ones needs.

THANK YOU!

ON-LINE PHOTO PAGEANTS, PHOTO CONTESTS

Almost one year ago I started Miss Glitz & Miss Natural Glitz National Photo Pageant. I decided to call it a Photo Pageant since it was more than just a Photo Contest! I wanted it to be just like a pageant with pageant prizes.

Well since then, there has been many, many photo pageants pop up. Even ones that have gone so far as to copy the SAME wording and use some of the same graphics.

They say "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery". Well, I'M FLATTERED!

But all photo pageants and photo contests are NOT the same. Some give away prizes such as $$$ which can be different than advertised depending on number of entries, some have jackpots which can be as little as a few dollars depending on number of entries, some give fees off to a larger on-site pageant, some offer discounts for purchases to other websites, some offer a small tiara, some offer free or discounted entries into same contest. Some even base their entry fee on what prizes you want to win...in other words, you pay for the prizes you want to win.

Well, Miss Glitz & Miss Natural Glitz offers a real pageant crown, a embroidered pageant sash, pageant medals with ribbons, pageant trophies, and even a savings bond. Everyone wins SOMETHING! I don't think you can get better prizes anywhere for such a low entry fee.

Just do your research before choosing one, and most of all have fun with it!

FLIPPERS, ANYONE?

OK, I will be the first to admit that I thought flippers were for those "serious" pageant go-er's. Well, last year when my daughter Presley lost her 2 front teeth, we skipped State Finals hoping that by the next year her teeth would be all filled in. W-R-O-N-G!

This time State Finals came around and she was missing 2 more teeth in the front. So after checking with a few flipper people, I chose "Unity Smile Design". You know those little "flippers" make all the difference in the world, even to those "not so serious" pageant go-er's.

When checking out their web-site, I contacted Janel at "Unity Smile Design" by e-mail. A cute little box arrived in the mail and when opened, contained an impression kit wrapped in pink tissue paper, an instruction sheet on beautiful floral stationary and some Hello Kitty "prize goodies", along with a welcome letter.

After reading the directions carefully, we made the impressions, sent them back by mail and guess what? Presley received her gorgeous flipper and it fit perfectly! It came with a pink flipper storage box with her name on it as well as another goodie "prize".

The bottom line is , I recommend "Unity Smile Design" for everyone who needs a flipper. Their professional, they care about their customers and make every effort to give 110%. They take that extra step to make sure each child is treated extra special. Personally,to see Presley smile with those beautiful teeth is worth more than any pageant prize!

Thanks Unity Smile Design!

LOW COST-HIGH STYLE!

OK, anyone who knows me, knows that I happen to believe in NOT spending a lot of money on a pageant dress. You just have to do your homework and be creative. Many pageants are won with dresses that are a lot less expensive than you would think! Mothers of children 8 years and younger seem to think that the only dress option is to have one custom made. Don't get me wrong...this is a great way to get an awesome dress. But for a lot of us, spending hundreds or thousands of $$$ for a dress that will be worn once (or twice if you are lucky) is not an option.

First of all, if you are looking for one of those custom made dresses, try a consignment shop or e-bay. The ones who spent those high $$$ on a dress are now wanting to sell them so they can put money down on another one.

There are many on-line stores that sell pageant dresses and special occasion dresses at great prices! There are many flower-girl dresses that work great at pageants also. You will be surprised at what you can find.

Hints:

*If you find a dress/bathing suit in the perfect color but not "fancy enough". Try adding some sequins or sequin appliques (you don't even have to sew,use fabric glue).

* Add a Large rhinestone brooch to a waistband or bust line of a dress to make it look elegant.

*Some great dresses can be found at your local department stores, especially at Easter & Christmas time. (I just found a great one at Burlington Coat Factory) go figure!

*Jewelry can dress up any outfit.

*If you find a spot or any beads/sequins loose, ask for a discount. (Most places will give you 10% off!) and who's gonna notice when your on stage, NO ONE!

*If you can't find the right color, spray paint your belts or headbands to match your clothing .

* Add Sequins or rhinestones to your shoes or the hem of your dress for that extra sparkle!