Art Opera's: Queens of the Sea Pageant!

I wish the opera was every night. It is, of all entertainments, the sweetest and most delightful. Some of the songs seemed to melt my very soul.

FANNY BURNEY, Evelina

No Opera, No Beach or Seaside event should be without a Pageant, Don't you agree? At the Art Opera Orientation Dinner Soiree, we will have just that a pageant, one filled with elegance, vintage flair and of course royalty straight from the sea, a pageant called:

The 1rst Annual Art Opera Pageant called: Queens of the Sea Pageant!


There are ten main attendee tables in which a Queen will each be chosen at random, by a seaside delegate, then they will be crowned. Later in the evening, The ten Queens will be asked to come up to the front of the room and await for the Main Queen to be announced. The final Queen will be chosen based on the attendee, teacher and guest vote, then AnnDenise Anderson of Whim and Fancy Designs will announce the Queen of the Sea, and bestow her with a crown, sash and septor that she has created for the winner.
We have had several pageant goodies made from fabulous designers for the event, these were wonderful gifts made by each, which supports Art opera and the events within it.

Art Opera: The main Pageant Goodies were made by both Whim & Fancy Designs, and A Gilded Life for Art Opera!
The 10 table crowns, pageant tickets and ballots were made by me, Lisa Kettell. The ticket glitter buckets were purchased to match the decor and theme.

Glitter wands were made by Sandy Koterba and will be randomly distributed around the room for the attendees.

AnnDenise Anderson of Whim and Fancy Designs made a crown, the dazzling vintage sash and a septor (septor not shown, pics to follow)Shea/Debbie of A Gilded Life made the other crown and the Art Opera necklace! The necklace was a surprise made for me, and is absolutely beautiful!

All 3 of these wonderful ladies hail from Texas, as do several of our Art Opera attendees, coming in for the event, as well as ladies from Arizona, California, Vermont, Rhode Island, NY, NJ, PA, CT, MA, MD and other areas.

Here I am modeling all their beautiful wares:

More pictures to follow of the complete pageant assemble with the septor, table crowns, tickets and ballots.

Preparing for the Carnival Soiree!
There is so much to be done before the Carnival Soiree, everyone is working hard to get things done, Albious Woodsby and his crew are winding the carousel, check each light bulb and detailing the elaborate horses. Albious' assistant Laurel is adding a special symphony to the organ hidden deep inside the core of the carousel!


Sherman Collings is gilding Phoenix the Lion's Carriage and Oiling the wheels of Garrison Shubert's Carriage. Garrison is the Lion Tamer for the Big Top Show and Elsie Shubert is the Lioness for the Show and the Carnival Soiree Celebration!


Over in the French Quarter of the Fairgrounds, the Human Marionettes can be heard practicing their lines, while Daphne the Pixie Wizard is over at Sophie's Dress tent, modeling her new costume.

Last Years Carnival Queens are trying on Soiree Outfits, the Candy-ologist are crafting diamond gumballs and the game staff is adjusting the Carnival Games located in the Carlisle Pavillion.


While I am busy sewing some soiree gowns myself, made from the most rare of materials, I am making the carnival hats and crowns, so every guest who comes through the carnival gate can get one. For the virtual Carnival attendees I have a few surprises for you, which I will unveil on March 14, 2009. Just be prepared to have fun, play games, share carnival, circus or soiree stories, artwork, recipes, party tips, projects and magic. Plus throughout the day I will be having giveaways as well.


I'll see you at the soiree!
Magic and Joy!
Lisa!