2024 Valentine’s Honorable Mentions – Her Interactive
February 23rd, 2024
Howdy Sleuths! Roo here and happy belated Valentine’s Day! I hope your days were filled with lots of flowers, chocolates, and of course… Nancy Drew!
We recently had our annual Valentine’s contest and let me just say this year’s entries were some of my all-time favorites. Your entries either had me cracking up or getting as sentimental as can be going through all the Valentines and I wanted to share some of the honorable mentions from this year!
…and be prepared for LOTS of shout outs to some of my favorite love songs! Sorry! I don’t make the rules!
Silly Love Songs
Kezia S. | Rachel H. | Samantha M. | Woozy W. [Video]
To kick off our valentine melodies, I immediately was singing this first valentine by Rachel H. in the form of the classic Britney Spears song, “Criminal.” Nancy better keep it together for Ned. Can you imagine him dating a FELON? If not, time to go play Alibi in Ashes.
This next one might be a bit more niche, but if any of you were also growing up watching Phineas and Ferb, this valentine by Kezia S. reminded me of their one-hit-wonder, “Gitchee Gitchee Goo means that I love you!” The utterly RUDE remix could go “Gitchee Ichi-DO means that I love YOU!”
Now I’m not sure if it’s the pose of Punchy LaRue, or just the fact that since last summer I always have the Barbie movie on my mind, but this valentine by Samantha M. reminds of that song all the barbies dance to together by Dua Lipa, “Dance the Night!” I can SO see Punchy doing the dance along with the other barbies. I think this also means we need a Nancy Drew Barbie am I right?!
If you saw the Super Bowl halftime show, you may see where I’m going with this, but this next valentine by Woozy W. reminded me of that Usher song (feat. my fave Alicia Keys) “my BOO.” I think if that was the song playing during the ghost hunt in Blackmoor Manor I would have found those ghosts WAY faster (or way slower, as I would have been too distracted by the song)!
Tale as old as Time
1-2 Karri C. | 3-4 Edgar M.
These next valentines highlight the classic relationships in the Nancy Drew games. Starting with two by Karri C. that really gave me the closure I needed on these epic love stories. Who else was wondering if Frances ever reciprocated the feelings Dirk had for her? The only note we ever read was her assuming Dirk had left her! Then with Camille and Jake, we never even got to hear from Camille herself! I don’t know about you guys, but I vote to make these valentines canon, just to let everyone know that love never dies!
Now this next relationship may not be considered a “classic,” but I love to think that this valentine by Edgar M. is letting us know that Minette and Dieter are continuing to see Sparks Fly!
If you stay away from Shadow Ranch and in the hospital with your husband for 3 days over a snake bite, I call that true love! Edgar M. did a good job also emphasizing that AND referencing the author of love herself, Ms. Charleena Purcell!
Love is an Art
Juan P. | Abigail T. | Cynthia W. | Tweedle Dee
I LOVE when the valentines are hand-drawn to show off your artistic skills and you guys did not disappoint this year! This valentine by Juan P. is a fun new style for Ryan and of course had to include the gummy bears just like in The Deadly Device! So cute!
These next valentines by Abigail T. were so doll-ightful, we just had to include the beautiful image of all of them together! This idea of using the Last Train dolls is so creative and fun, plus Abigail did such a beautiful job of hand-illustrating each and every one! P.S. − if you watched the every entry video, note that these were done by Abigail, not Fran! Thanks again for catching that, Abigail 🙂
If spending next Valentine’s Day with Loulou means I get to hear funny bird jokes AND get lots of cake? Sign me UP! To Cynthia W., I think you’ve inspired me for my plans for next year! 😉
Now if getting extra Niacin means I have to eat a Reese’s peanut butter cup or two, I guess that is a sacrifice I am willing to make! Tweedle Dee did such a beautiful job illustrating Ingrid, and for making me hungry for my favorite candy!
Love Letters
Edgar M. | Tweedle Dee | @SleuthyTeacher
What’s better than love letters? Love letters that have a slightly threatening undertone! I actually love that these valentines by Edgar M., Tweedle Dee, and @SleuthyTeacher were all on the same Stay Tuned for Danger wavelength yet added their own creative TWIST to it! From the different art-styles and fonts, I feel like these would be notes the crew on Light of our Love would be happy to receive (as long as they are explosive-free)!
Is that a crossed note I see? We are SLEUTHS! We NEED to know if that original note from @SleuthyTeacher was going to include DRAMA! I also love that Edgar M. created stationary for Rick Arlen, and Tweedle Dee drew out the whole thing theirselves!
Live, Laugh, Love
@CloverShoppe | Kezia S. | Mary M.
We are living, we are loving, and we especially are LAUGHING at the fun valentines this year! @CloverShoppe’s editing skills are top-tier on this first valentine adding the life alert to our favorite amnesiac.
We actually had the valentines showing on a video call sometime last week, and during it I spotted a cutie from Kezia and giggled to myself the rest of that meeting. If only we could send out our valentines via Pigeon Mail! Come on, people! We have the technology! I say the pigeon revolution starts now.
Speaking of giggling, I have thought about this valentine from Mary M. every day since it was submitted and it has continued to CRACK ME UP EVERY SINGLE TIME! I think I truly need sweet nothings whispered to me in the form of a Beech Hill monolith mummy.
I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues
Tori D. | Elizabeth M.
These next two are for poor sweet Ned, who either did not receive a valentine at all (Tori D.) or only received an Icelandic sword (Elizabeth M.) like in Sea of Darkness. Now personally, I am a Ned-stan first and a human being second, so I truly feel for Ned in these valentines. But I couldn’t help but laugh at the truth behind these because – let’s be real – Nancy got that Icelandic sword as a backup plan. Which is so shocking because she normally would not get him anything at all!
Le Festin
@prof.hotchkiss | Jessi G. | Gabi F. | Catherine F. [Video]
Now you may be wondering, “What love song is ‘Le Festin’”? Well, it’s not necessarily a love song for people but for FOOD! Calling all Ratatouille connoisseurs! Let’s imagine we are listening to that sweet theme song while we go over these next valentines.
This fun valentine from the professor herself (@prof.hotchkiss) is not only showing off her incredible artistic skills, but makes me HUNGRY for some drumsticks! Anybody else??
Doesn’t this next cozy valentine by Jessi G. make you feel safe from the WRATH of picking vegetables too soon? I think it’s the sweet little smile that tomato has. Thank you Jessi G. for making this a safe space 🙂
This next one REALLY makes me want to give Iggy from Legend of the Crystal Skull a chocolate-covered strawberry! I think we need an official HeR Interactive pet Iguana to dress up and test Gabi F.’s theory on what would happen. If Iggy becomes a beautiful fairy princess, I am definitely putting my foot down for a company pet!
Heyyy Shawty! This valentine by Catherine F. doesn’t necessarily include food, but includes the master chef himself, Shorty! I think he would be happy to see his legacy live on the form of flirty lines about cooking.
Spice up your life
Katie D. | Gabi F. | Edgar M.
Okay, this isn’t exactly a love song but stick with me… this one is all about the GALENTINES! And what better way to be reminded of that then a little shout-out to the Spice Girls? These valentines from Katie D., Gabi F. and Edgar M. are a fun reminder to also celebrate your friends on Valentine’s Day! I especially love the one by Gabi F. that perfectly encapsulates Deirdre’s tough-love.
The KEY to my heart
@prof.hotchkiss | @SleuthyTeacher | @SleuthyTeacher
Of course we had to end it with the valentines that were all themed after Mystery of the Seven Keys! These entries from @SleuthyTeacher and @prof.hotchkiss are only getting us MORE hyped for the release of game 34!
I am so curious to see what the KEY-themed valentines are going to look like after the release! Will we still see all the love for Radek and Oskar? Or maybe more love for some new characters?
I hope you enjoyed going over the honorable mentions from this because I know I did! Congrats again to our fan-voted winners Fran W., Audrey E., and Hannah K. Don’t forget to check out the Every Entry video if you haven’t already, and thank you again to everyone who entered this year!
Stay tuned for more fun stuff we have coming on our socials and as always, sTaY SleUtHy!!1!
—Roo
Her Interactive
Artist, Contest, contest winner, craft, Fan, game, Game 34, HI employees, Holiday, Instagram, Mystery of the Seven Keys, seasons, Uncategorized, Valentine Cards
