Nancy Drew 2011 Convention Clues #35

Nancy Drew Sleuths on Ghost Tour

Nancy Drew Sleuths members will be going on a ghost tour during our Nancy Drew convention in Charlottesville, VA. It starts out in the downtown Charlottesville area and is described as:

You don’t have to believe in ghosts to enjoy this walking tour. Hear about reported ghost sightings. Walk in the fatal footsteps of Sam McCue, Charlottesville’s former mayor and prominent lawyer, and his wife, Fannie. Hear the witness testimonies. See where it all happened. Decide for yourself who is guilty of this famous 1904 murder.

The tour is a gentle two-hour stroll and covers approximately 1 mile over mostly flat terrain. We alternate walking and talking with lots of sit-down opportunities. It is completely wheel chair and stroller accessible.

To read up more on Sam McCue and his wife Fannie, here's a piece written in the local Charlottesville weekly, The Hook, about the murders. Or save the story for the tour and read it when you return...

We are looking forward to this evening of mystery and hauntings!

Jenn:)

Nancy Drew 2011 Convention Clues #34

Meet Dede!

Sleuth Dede Agosta both read and loved Nancy Drew books as a girl. My sister, friends and I would hide messages in the bushes by our houses, aka The Hollow Oak. Also, my father built our house and my sister and I were SURE that he had put in a secret room behind the brick fireplace. However, despite measurements and looking at the original blueprints of the house, we couldn’t find any hidden rooms or staircases. The Nancy Drew books inspired me to write a book, “The Secret of Mystery Mansion” while in the 6th and 7th grades. I loved Nancy’s independence, pluck and determination and her friendships with George and Bess.

My sister and I collected many of the Nancy Drew books throughout the years. At that time, they were sold at our local stationery store WITHOUT PAPER COVERS. That’s why the artwork is new to me. I later got confirmation that books were sometimes sold this way. Unfortunately, I don’t have any of them left now as I had a lending library one summer and they didn’t get returned to me. How I wish I still had them!

They have also been crafting since childhood and, through these joint interests and others, they have become best friends. I became re-introduced to Nancy Drew by my best friend, Sleuth Judy Hubbard. We went to the 2007 convention in Pasadena and have been an avid collector and fan of Nancy Drew collectibles and books since then. My book collection now has 100 books PLUS some Hardy Boys books, a Judy Bolton, a few Bobbsy Twins volumes and 10 Beverley Grey books. I got introduced to the latter series at the 2008 convention.

I also have made many hand-crafted Nancy Drew items (over 14 different categories) for gifts and for my collection. The 2007 Convention Gift Exchange and Lea's 2008 presentation about crafting Nancy Drew items have inspired me to bring Nancy Drew into my everyday life and decor. The latest convention has inspired several different peacock items. In my other life, I was a marketing and business development manager for Motorola and General Dynamics and am married, with a grown daughter and two cats.

Dede

Nancy Drew 2011 Convention Clues #33

Meet Amanda!

Hi there, My name is Amanda Arkebauer and I am a flight attendant who lives in Seattle, WA. I have collected Nancy Drew books my whole life! I have books that belonged to my mother and my aunts and I still have many of my original books that I purchased via mail order in the 1970's. I got serious about collecting in the early 90's and was so happy to encounter The Nancy Drew Scrapbook by Karen Plunkett-Powell. It opened up a whole new world for me by exposing me to the Yellowback Library and The Whispered Watchword. These are periodicals that specialize in series book information. I have always collected more than just Nancy Drew. I am a huge fan of Ruth Fielding, Vicki Barr, Anne of Green Gables, The Dana Girls, Susan Sand, Beverly Gray, Robin Kane, Beanie Malone, Betsy-Tacy, Laura Ingalls Wilder and many more.

I have made pilgrimages to the grave sites of Edward Stratemeyer and Walter Karig. I have visited the Syndicate archives at the NYC Library and at the University of Oregon. In addition to visiting sites that were inspiration for Nancy Drew books, I have also visited Prince Edward Island (Green Gables) and traveled the Laura Ingalls Wilder highway through Wisconsin, Minnesota and South Dakota!

It has only been recently that Nancy Drew items have been available to purchase in the marketplace. 20 years ago, if you wanted a Nancy Drew t shirt or bumper sticker, you had to make it yourself! So out of necessity, over the past 20 years I have made many different Nancy Drew crafts, from quilts and cross-stitch to greeting cards and jewelry.

Amanda

Nancy Drew Cafe Press Sale Mar 10-11 $3 off $30+

Nancy Drew Shop $3 off $30.00+ Sale!

WHEN: Mar. 10 - Mar. 11, 2011

SAVE:$3 off orders of $30+

CODE: SMAR1130

WHERE: www.cafepress.com/nancydrewshop

Thanks for your support!

Jenn:)

Nancy Drew 2011 Convention Clues #32

PEACOCKS AND DINING

Peacock teapot anyone?! Tearooms were a staple of vintage Nancy Drew mysteries. Imagine if Nancy Drew was served at a tearoom in Charlottesville in this tea pot? Available at Macys.

And hand towels--World Market specials:


What about dessert to go with tea?

Fondant Decorated Cake

Scrumptious Cupcake

Peacock Cookies

Jenn:)

Nancy Drew 2011 Convention Clues #31

Win Nancy Drew Prizes!

I'm going to be giving away a prize a week here at the Blog leading up to the convention--there are 4 weeks so there will be 4 prizes. We are now at prize week #2 (see below for winner to week 1's prize) This week's prize is one of our Nancy Drew 1950s Clutch Bags as shown.

To win this prize, you must comment on this week's convention clues Blogs. I've posted 2 so far and there will be more later in the week. All those who comment (include your full name when commenting) will be entered into the drawing. Prizes will be given out at the convention.

These weekly prize drawings are only open to those attending the Charlottesville, VA convention!

Also, anyone who follows in LuAnn/Elizabeth/AB/Dawn/Janet/Lisa's footsteps and shares a photo of you and/or your collection and a brief bio and your collecting info, will also be entered to win that week's prize.

Last Week's Prize Winner: Elizabeth W.

Prize: Nancy Drew Hidden Window Coin Purse:

Jenn:)

Nancy Drew 2011 Convention Clues #30

Meet Janet!

I’m Janet. I’m a charter member of the Nancy Drew Sleuths. Growing up in the Chicago area I read most of the Nancy Drew books (and tons of other series as well). I had three sisters and a brother so our house had a ‘book closet.’ It was like a little library. My cousins who lived a few blocks away and were around our age had a bigger book closet and we checked books out from both libraries.

I still have some of my childhood books – funny they all have my name in them as JAN – as I grew up watching the Brady Bunch on TV. I’ve always loved books and libraries and exploring. The books with missing objects, hidden compartments, old attics and tunnels are among my favorites.

I’ve spent the 2nd half of my life in Florida, and now have over 600 Nancy Drew books to my name. For the last 14 years I’ve worked in a library, written a few books myself, and still love to solve mysteries. I’m an archivist and historian, they I prefer to be known at ‘the history detective.’

Recently I received a Nook eReader as a gift. Guess what was the first book I downloaded? Nancy Drew and The Hidden Window Mystery!

Janet DeVries