My grandmother was awesome. She was smart, she could sew, she was creative, she loved learning new things, and she was always up for an adventure. She was my favorite person. When I was younger she lived downstate and would often travel north to visit. When she saw me, instead of cupping my face in her hands and telling me how pretty I was (I was a nerd and a tomboy), she would ask me what I was reading. She wanted me to know things, to do things, to read things. She'd save The Mini Page for me to read from her local newspaper and would often bring a book along on her visits that she thought I might enjoy. During one such visit she brought a few Nancy Drew Mystery Stories, on loan from my Aunt.
The books were old. There were slight signs of wear from being previously loved, and I couldn't wait to dive in. They did not disappoint! I fell in love with Nancy Drew stories! Thanks Gram!!! I rushed to the library and was thrilled to find they had a complete set on the shelf for me to enjoy! The cover art was dated but dynamic, the binding was yellow (easy to spot on the shelves) with a Nancy Drew logo and the number of the series, and they were SO COOL. Were? They're STILL cool! As a kid I never had a complete set of my very own, but whenever I find them at a book sale or yard sale I snatch them up to add to my shelf. If I find that I've got duplicates, I share the wealth and gift them.
Well, we collect children's books and, as with anything collected, our shelves were bursting at the seams! We decided it was time to let go of the books we've outgrown. Our children asked if they could have a book sale to raise money for a game they've had their eyes on. Yep! Entrepreneurial spirit, goals, dedication, work, of course we'll encourage that! While they arranged, sorted and sold, I set to work painting in the grass behind them. (Focus on the adorable little entrepreneurs and ignore the landscaping, we just ripped out the shrubbery and haven't replanted yet!)
The project? The book theme for my classroom door this year. The book? Why, Nancy Drew of course! Rather than copying an existing book cover I made my own version with a personal twist. I've been known to use glitter from time to time. Surprised? Well, whenever there's glitter anywhere in the school I'm usually teased about it. My solution is to suggest that perhaps the glitter trails are caused by another shadowy figure that may or may not resemble a certain football coaching music teacher I know.
What? It could happen... Just keep painting, just keep painting....
Oh! And glitter! Don't forget the glitter... Our music teacher LOVES glitter. See?!
I used a few metallic paints and in certain lighting you can really see the shimmer. The image on the left is with the lights on, and the image on the right is in natural lighting. This was a lot of fun and working on it brought back many fond memories. I hope my students have a sense of humor and enjoy this cover! I hope the music teacher has a good sense of humor as well! Finishing the project made me feel like I'd just finished reading a good book, and it's time to start another!
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