Saturday, March 30, 2013

A Sleuthpunk Nancy Drew Vintage Style Bathroom Makeover

Nancy Drew "Sleuthpunk"
Bathroom Makeover

Loving the new Moda Nancy Drew Get a Clue Fabric, I decided I wanted to have a shower curtain made from the red silhouette endpapers style. My Mom took off our previous shower curtain which was in abstracts of chocolate browns, rusts, and reds for a template on size and holes for hooks and put together a very simple yet gorgeous shower curtain.

Without having to change out our red rugs, I set upon creating a decor that would go along with the vintage endpapers design in reds, metals, rusts, browns, and blacks so it would have a more masculine air (to please my hubby!) and also have a great vintage style look including what I'm calling "sleuthpunk" vibe. 

Here are some images of the before (the former shower curtain was down when these photos were taken) and then the after look--click on these images to see larger views:

 
 
 
I added a nice large metal vase and filled it with black and red painted and lacquered bamboo which helps break up the long double counter space. I added a neat wire "tricycle" accessory to accommodate Dixie cups and some other brass style items for toothbrushes and a mirror. With the decor on the walls changing quite a bit, I went from horses and sea shells to keys and clocks:

  
This "steampunk" like set of 3 clocks replaced the seashell wreath I'd made and I think it fills up the wall really nicely.

Before, we had nothing in this large space above and next to this towel bar. Now we have 2 floating metal shelves with interesting decor. I added in cool Nancy Drew Silhouette Bookends (see below) after this photo was taken. There's a magnifying glass in a small vase, an old Jenny style plane, a horse chess piece, a neat little red clock, a vintage style flashlight made of metal and leather, and a neat glass "thermometer" style decorative piece that works like an hour glass with colored red sand inside.


 
 
Here's a closeup of the fabric in the curtain - the background is a brighter red and the silhouettes are in a deeper red which really all blends together nicely and makes it less flashy and more muted so it doesn't overtake the rest of the room or decor nor "scream" Nancy Drew too much either.

I really love how it turned out. I found most of these items at Hobby Lobby, the tricycle from JoAnn, and the large vase and the "steampunk" like clock decor came from Wal-Mart. I already had the flashlight and magnifying glass as well as the Nancy Drew bookends so they added nicely to the decor.

The view from inside the shower, from the light glowing behind the curtain makes it a nice red reversed silhouette look and so it makes showering a bit more mysterious ;)

I have one more piece to add to the bathroom when I find the right frame for it--I took The Secret of the Old Clock and artistically rendered it in my graphics program into shades of red to blend in with the decor over by the door.

Jenn:)

Friday, March 29, 2013

Nancy Drew Fabric Contest - Entry #9 & Recap

Fabric Contest Entry #9
Sleuth Dede's Quilted Hanging

Here are some photos from Dede of the quilted Nancy Drew wall hanging for her Nancy Drew display area.
 
 
 
And here's a recap of this week's entries:

Entry #1 - Julie's Quilt

Entry #2 - Gina's Jacket

Entry #3 - Marcy's Doll & Outfits

Entry #4 - Lea's Travel Bag

Entry #5 - Leone's Purse

Entry #6 - Joan's Bag

Entry #7 - Karen's Chair

Entry #8 - Pam's Lamp

Entry #9 - Dede's Wall Hanging

UPDATE: Have you voted in the Nancy Drew Fabric Contest Poll? I was told that one person who voted, their vote isn't showing up today. I'm not sure why that would be or if this has happened to anyone else. I don't have any way of manipulating or fixing the poll--it's run by Blogger. So it may be a glitch that ends up being fixed at some point. However, if you look at the poll in the upper right--if you've voted, it should show that you have and won't give you the option to re-vote, just the option to change your vote. If it gives you the option to vote, then go ahead and vote again and see if your vote registers like it should. That's my best advice. The poll once you vote counts that you've voted and doesn't allow re-voting, so you can just keep reloading the page and vote again and again--it has that feature to avoid stacking a vote. So if you have voted it should show up. If it doesn't, again, just simply re-vote and that should take care of it.
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UPDATE TWO! - I've reset the Poll at the Blog for the Fabric Contest, so please if you've already voted, go re-vote. Takes a second. Apparently there were glitches according to one entrant and her friends who saw their votes disappear and reappear and then disappear again. So, I redid it. Hopefully this fixes it. If not, I'm not sure what to do, there's nothing I can do to fix it. Nor a way to complain that I could find. Nothing in blogger's help area on "polls". So, it is what it is. :( 5 days left to vote :)


Jenn:)

Nancy Drew Get a Clue Fabric Blog Party & Contest (Final) Day 5

Nancy Drew Fabric Blog
Party & Contest Day 5

Here's our last day of the Nancy Drew Fabric Blog Party! Our final submission and a recap of those posted for the week. On the right side of the Blog up at the top is a poll for you to vote for your favorite! Prizes will be awarded to the Grand prize winner and then a 1st and 2nd runner up! Prizes are as follows:

Grand Prize: Layer Cake & 1 Yard of the White Endpapers Fabric & Key Chain Watch

1st Runner Up: Charm Pack & Coin Purse

2nd Runner Up: Charm Pack 

The poll will be up from Friday, March 29 through Friday, April 5 with the winners announced on Saturday, April 6.

Later tonight or by Saturday, I'll be posting the Nancy Drew shower curtain/bathroom makeover!

Jenn:)


Thursday, March 28, 2013

Nancy Drew Fabric Contest - Entry #8

Fabric Contest Entry #8
Sleuth Pam's Flashlight Lamp

Pam created this sleuthtacular lamp from a vintage flashlight and made the shade using the Nancy Drew book spine fabric. Here it is all lit up. Clever!

Jenn:)

Nancy Drew Fabric Contest - Entry #7

Fabric Contest Entry #7
Sleuth Karen's Director's Chair

Karen created a director's chair back using the red Nancy Drew faces pattern and it looks like a fun chair to settle in for reading your favorite mystery. Or maybe directing a Nancy Drew short film!

Jenn:)

Nancy Drew Get a Clue Fabric Blog Party & Contest Day 4

Nancy Drew Fabric Blog
Party & Contest Day 4

Today's contest entries are so much fun and very functional too! Hope you've been enjoying seeing what everyone has created so far!

Here's a sneak peek at another project my Mom is working on--it's a table runner using my favorite of the book spine fabric:


Another suggestion for those of you who are newer to quilting or sewing--the charm packs and the layer cakes are ready to use, all pre-cut with a sampling of all the fabrics from the Nancy Drew line. Another way to get a nice sampling is the fat quarter bundles too.

Jenn:)

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Nancy Drew Fabric Contest - Entry #6

Fabric Contest Entry #6
Dr. Joan Korins

Sleuth Meredith submitted this bag that her friend Dr. Joan Korins made for her. Joan created it using the black Nancy Faces and black magnifying glass fabric for the outside. Meredith attached a fabric button that I made for her using the fabric that says, "Miss Drew, you're a fine detective." Shown displayed with some of Meredith's Nancy Drew collection above.

Kudos to Joan!

Jenn:)

Nancy Drew Fabric Contest - Entry #5

Fabric Contest Entry #5
Sleuth Leone's Nancy Drew Purse

Sleuth Leone created a clever Nancy Drew purse using the Nancy Drew fabric! Here are her notes for the project:

The Nancy Purse is a pattern by Penny Sturgis entitled Baja Traveler. The outside pocket is designed so that the keys to the blue roadster are always readily available to pursue crooks at a moments notice.

The red zipper flower with the Dastardly button is there because Nancy effortlessly makes a fashion statement wherever her adventures take her.

The blue crystals are in each of the magnifying glasses. Swarovski should rename this shade of blue crystals "Nancy Drew Blue" as it is a perfect match. Also, the crystals could come in handy if she is left to die in the desert by unsavory characters...she can use the crystals to signal SOS using the sun so that Ned and Carson can rescue her in the nick of time.

The zipper pull has Nancy's name on it. This works to speed up the capture of evil doers....whenever Nancy is asking for assistance from non River Heights police officers, all they have to do is look down and see her name and suddenly realize that she is the daughter of the renowned Carson Drew and she is to be taken seriously.

 Lots of pockets for her flashlight, magnifying glass and treats for Togo. Judging how often she is thrown in to total darkness when her flashlight batteries fail, there is room for an extra supply.

A secret compartment in the purse bottom to stash cash so whenever there is an opportunity to stop at an inn for luncheon, money won't be a problem....there is always a mystery or a clue in the most unexpected places!  Or perhaps she needs a new pair of sleuthing pumps from Taylor's Department Store in River Heights.

Jenn:)

Nancy Drew Get a Clue Fabric Blog Party & Contest Day 3

Nancy Drew Fabric Blog
Party & Contest Day 3

Here we are, day three of our Nancy Drew Fabric Blog Party! Hope you're enjoying everything so far. I've loved what everyone has created.

For those of you who have fabric or are planning to purchase some, who are wondering about easy sewing projects, here's a few links you might check out:

Martha Stewart - Easy Sewing Projects

Country Living - Creative Sewing Crafts

Better Homes & Gardens - Easy Sewing Projects

I recently had a custom Nancy Drew bag made for me using the blue endpapers as a liner and the more natural looking book spines by Nancy who does the bags for The Drewtique, here it is:

This week, when leaving comments, keep in mind this is a comment moderated Blog due to spam and anonymous comments are not allowed any more. You need to be registered through Google, Blogger, or Open ID of some type to leave comments. When you do leave a comment, I have to approve it, so it won't go through immediately, once I see the comments come through, I'll get to approve them, so please be patient and don't repeat comments unless you don't see them posted by end of day--if you don't see them by then, maybe some Nancy Drew villain has foiled you ;) So, retry again.

Jenn:)

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Nancy Drew Fabric Contest - Entry #4

Fabric Contest Entry #4
Sleuth Lea's Travel Bag

You'd be traveling in style if you had Lea's neat Nancy Drew travel bag using the Nancy Drew faces, book spines and magnifying glass fabric plus some coordinating fabric for the inside. Here are a few more images of the bag:



Jenn:)

Nancy Drew Fabric Contest - Entry #3

Fabric Contest Entry #3
Sleuth Marcy

Marcy Writes:

After looking at all the wonderful designs on the new Nancy Drew fabric,  I decided to make a Nancy Drew doll.   The pattern I used is from Tinker’s Corner. The pattern is named Sara Sleuth. The designer of the pattern suggested fabric choices for each outfit. I am thinking that the style of clothes she used for Sara Sleuth are from the fifties Nancy Drew. 

I decided to have some fun with the new Nancy Drew fabric. I used the various prints for different outfits.  One of the fun things about Tinker’s Corner’s Sara Sleuth is that for each outfit, the designer gave a little paragraph describing what mystery Sara was working on. I am not sure if this pattern is still available. I have had it for years. 

I also borrowed some fun accessories I had from my Robert Tonner Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys dolls.  The magnifying glass, lantern, flashlight and books are from the Tonner dolls. I loved Nancy Drew as a child and as an adult I still love to read her but I also love to make cloth dolls and doll clothing. This project was pure joy to work on.

Nancy in evening gown with headband and necklace
 
Nancy in bathing suit
 
Nancy in pajamas and robe
 
Nancy in jumper and blouse with tote bag
 
Nancy in dress, coat, and hat with purse
 
All the fabrics used for this project

Jenn:)