Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Nancy Drew's 85th Spotlight #1


2015 marks the 85th anniversary of the Nancy Drew series, which debuted on April 28, 1930 with the first three books - The Secret of the Old Clock, The Hidden Staircase, and The Bungalow Mystery. Each of these vintage covers is shown here - artwork was by Russell H. Tandy.

All year long here at the blog, I'm going to be spotlighting 85 interesting moments in Nancy Drew's history, books and collectibles. 

 

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Nancy Drew Books & Collectibles to Sleuth for in 2015


Nancy Drew Fans - 
Here's Your Handy
Sleuth Sheet for 2015

If you're wondering what's coming out for 2015 or when the annual Nancy Drew Convention is, check out the following books and collectible releases by month for 2015--this Blog will be updated from time to time with new information, so keep it bookmarked or find it under "2015 Nancy Drew Releases" in the Blog labels below right.

2015 is Nancy Drew's 85th anniversary, so check out some of the merchandise below and the conventions this year to celebrate this milestone.

JANUARY 2015:

Nancy Drew 1000 Piece Puzzle: shown above, features the 56 hardcover pcs in the classic series - order at The Sleuth Shop.

Nancy Drew Sleuths: 1930s Nancy Drew Calendar - featuring images of Nancy Drew from 1930s Tandy covers is our homage to the 85th anniversary this year. You can purchase it in our Cafe Press Nancy Drew Shop.  

Nancy Drew Sleuths: 85th Anniversary Merchandise including 85th anniversary posters (by mid-Jan) at the Nancy Drew Cafe Press Shop. Also Stratemeyer Syndicate 110th/Mildred Wirt Benson 110th and NDS 15th too.


Nancy Drew Diaries: Book #8, The Magician's Secret

DEADLINE: Book your Nancy Drew Mini Con events by middle & end of January!

FEBRUARY 2015:

Papercutz: Nancy Drew Diaries #4 (graphic novel)


The Nancy Drew Board Game - fully funded on Kickstarter in Oct. 2014, this Nancy Drew trivia game should be coming out in February or soon after. Sutherland Games. Soon, a website will be up and running to purchase it if you didn't order it via Kickstarter. 

MARCH 2015:

Nancy Drew & The Clue Crew: #40 Butterfly Blues

This is the last book in the Clue Crew series - it's being revamped and reissued as the Nancy Drew Clue Book series - see below, July 2015...

APRIL 2015:

Nancy Drew Sleuths: Nancy Drew 85th Anniversary Kickstarter Project: Details coming soon!

Nancy Drew Sleuths: 15th Anniversary on 4-10




MAY 2015:

Nancy Drew Diaries: Book #9, The Clue at Black Creek Farm

 


Her Interactive: Nancy Drew Computer Game #32 - Sea of Darkness
 
JUNE 2015:



JULY 2015:

Nancy Drew Clue Book #1: Pool Party Puzzler

Nancy Drew Clue Book #2: Last Lemonade Standing 
 
 

Papercutz: Nancy Drew Diaries #5 (Graphic Novel)

AUGUST 2015:

Nancy Drew Sleuths: 2015 85th Anniversary Nancy Drew Ornament Issued

SEPTEMBER 2015:

Nancy Drew Diaries: Book #10 - A Script for Danger


OCTOBER 2015:

Papercutz: Nancy Drew Diaries #6 (Graphic Novel)

Her Interactive: Nancy Drew Computer Game #33

Grosset & Dunlap/Penguin: Classic books #'s 5-8 released with new covers for Shadow Ranch, Red Gate Farm, Clue in the Diary, and Nancy's Mysterious Letter.

3rd Annual Drew-O-Ween: Queen Creek, AZ - Oct. 24-25

NOVEMBER 2015:

Nancy Drew Clue Book: #3 A Star Witness

DECEMBER 2015:

Nancy Drew Sleuths: Nancy Drew 2016 Calendars available

Friday, December 26, 2014

Nancy Drew Books: Scary Things Kids (& Adults) Do #49


They need to join Book Coasters Anonymous - just say NO to using books as coasters!

On the flip side, could it be...another Nancy Drew Stargate!

Monday, December 22, 2014

Nancy Drew Mys-Tree


My Nancy Drew Mys-Tree :-) I have received Nancy Drew ornaments at various times over the last few years--most were handcrafted, and I have some that I made. I created a paper chain and some paper ornaments this year to add to the mix I already had and decorated this tree. A felt Nancy Drew stocking went on top.

 
 
 
 
 

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Nancy Drew Craft Project - Nancy Drew Snowflakes


Nancy Drew Snowflakes! I was inspired by the intricate snowflakes by this designer that I saw re-posted on Facebook--a Star Wars theme snowflake, which was cool. So, I attempted to create some with Nancy Drew images - the silhouette and Nancy's side profile with the magnifying glass. You need a square piece of paper - or you can take a regular printer size sheet, fold in half vertically and horizontally. It will now be a rectangle--so cut it across the open end to trim it into a square shape. Then fold over into a triangle--you may need to trim a bit more excess to finish squaring it up a bit. Then print a template to use if you're not good at freehand drawing. Then draw on the image using the cutout template--keep it to where the image goes to both folded up sides and doesn't get cut off in several places that meet--so it will stay all together. Cut using scissors of various sizes for smaller pieces or an exact knife. And voila! Nancy Drew snowflakes.

 
 
 

Friday, December 19, 2014

Nancy Drew Books: Scary Things Kids (& Adults) Do #48


The Clue of the Leaning Chimney? Get too close...and Hypers! You bloody foam at the mouth!

Nancy Drew Vintage Book Page Ornaments


Using a falling apart Nancy Drew picture cover from the 60's for the vintage book pages and a stamp, you can create fun and vintage style ornaments using paper and chenille. Stamp your pages or draw on them - anything goes, form your chenille and then cut out the pages and glue to something sturdy--like matte board. Then glue on the chenille and glue a ribbon hanger on the back. I made circles and also magnifying glass shaped ornaments. And another fun idea is to make a paper chain with the book pages to go on the tree.

 
 

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Nancy Drew Book Hunting October 2014 in AZ

Sleuth Pam visited for my annual Drew-O-Ween this year and we spent a few hours book hunting at a couple of bookstores (Alcuin Books and Book Gallery) in Scottsdale/Phoenix area and then an antique mall - Merchant Square Marketplace - in Chandler - there was a nice variety of vintage series books--check them out :)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Monday, December 15, 2014

Nancy Drew 1000 Piece Puzzle For Sale


Order this neat 1000 piece Nancy Drew puzzle - shipping in January! Featuring vintage nostalgic Nancy Drew covers from the classic series.

Pre-order here.

Friday, December 12, 2014

Nancy Drew Books: Scary Things Kids (& Adults) Do #47


A few more uses for Nancy Drew books besides reading?! Scribbling, working out math problems, and creating your future super hero logo!

Thursday, December 04, 2014

Out of Print Clothing - Nancy Drew Fleece

Soft and cuddly, this new Secret of the Old Clock Nancy Drew Fleece from Out of Print Clothing is nostalgic and comforting--like a vintage Nancy Drew mystery :)

Styled with the lettering and silhouette you'd find on a vintage 30s or 40s Nancy Drew book cover, it can be found here.

Jenn:)

Monday, October 27, 2014

Nancy Drew Halloween Party - The Invisible Intruder


Another Spooktacular Nancy Drew Halloween Party has come and gone--featuring the classic Nancy Drew book, The Invisible Intruder. In this book, Nancy Drew and her chums join several other couples on a ghost hunting adventure where they make 5 stops on the ghost tour and tie all the ghostly happenings to a gang of swindlers and thieves. The last stop on the tour finds them at a shell and skull collector's home and tangle with creepy butler, Jeffers, who did it!


The cover features skulls from the scene at Cranshaw Manor so I created a skull mantel to showcase that and several other skeleton/skull type decor:

 
 
 
 
 
 

The Nancy Drew silhouette window featured Nancy Drew's famous silhouette profile combined with a skeleton marionette - an image I combined from an old vintage Halloween costume box of a witch with a skeleton marionette. I also features the 3 ladies from the vintage Nancy Drew silhouette endpapers on the other porch window.

 

I ran with the skull theme and featured a skeleton frolic of sorts and showcased the 5 stops on the ghost tour with an activity. The stops included a haunted canoe shown here with the octopus from the chapter where it attacks Nancy's boyfriend Ned, Madame Tarantella's prophesies, a phantom horse/rider at an old guesthouse and a haunted fortress where prisoners are dying to escape, and finally the creepy Cranshaw Manor. Everyone had an activity to complete by going to each of the ghost tour stops.

 
 
 
 

Inside Cranshaw Manor, we tried to bring it alive with Jeffers the creepy butler, and other skull/shell decor.

 
 
 
 

The mantel from the cover was expanded to set this scene--eventually the meringue bones would be piled high on the black cake stand.

 
 
 
 
 

Everyone got to take home some swag including these skeleton favor boxes and old-time candy skull cups and pumpkin favors.

 
 
 

When everyone arrived we had appetizers out - homemade salsa, guacamole, and queso with chips and blood red punch. Dinner was soon served: Mexican fare - red chile beef enchiladas, green chile enchilada casserole, pinto beans that had been cooking all day, pico de gallo and other garnish veggies. Desert - for all you Bess Marvin fans - was key lime pie, Rice Krispie Treat Cupcakes, Reese's Peanut Butter Cookie Cups with bone/skull decor, and meringue bones. 

 
 
 
 
 
 

We took some photos and had our Nancy Drew Trick or Treat exchange - lots of neat things in the exchange this year! Here's a few samples...