Blackbirds…In Progress…

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzling3 Comments

Blackbirds Roost at Mill Creek by Charles Wysocki – Buffalo – 1000 pieces

Another gorgeous Wysocki is on the board, this one’s giving me a bit of a run for my money – it’s not an easy one that’s for sure! Still the challenge is fun and I love putting together his artwork (most of the time) and it makes for lovely meditation.

After laying out all the pieces and assembling the border I went and took a break, rested in bed for a while. When I came back to the board my son had already put together most of the words! That he’s enjoying puzzles and working on mine with me makes me very happy – but the words are my favorite part! *stomp*🤬

That’s alright, he should have fun with them just like I do. We’re still working on it together today, and maybe while I’m off at the doctor this afternoon he’ll get some more of the harder parts done. Here’s hoping!

Twilight Flight

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles10 Comments

Twilight Flight by Alan Giana – MasterPieces – 300 pieces

Isn’t this a beautiful relaxing image? Wouldn’t you love to sit on the porch with an ice cold glass of lemonade just watching the swans at twilight? Sigh. I picked this one up after a doctor’s appointment, and was pleased as punch to find many different puzzles to choose from, most from MasterPieces. Since I returned to puzzling a few months ago, MasterPieces puzzles have continued to impress me with their excellent quality. I picked up several of their puzzles of 300, 500, and 1000 pieces. Excellent day of shopping!

The tightest fit that I’ve worked with in a very long time. I knew immediately when I had only put three or four pieces together that this puzzle would stand up when it was complete. Amazing fit! This would be a great puzzle for a senior center, I think the oldsters would really enjoy this one.

Pride & Prejudice

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles7 Comments

Pride & Prejudice – Professor Puzzle – 252 pieces

This adorable little puzzle was just what I needed after a challenging 1000 piece, and even though this too was a little difficult it made me happy to be able to figure it out. Double-sided puzzles can sometimes be lacking on the quality side, but not this one. I had no problems with it at all, and definitely recommend it.

Most puzzles I’ve done by Professor Puzzle have been mini or micro puzzles, this was the first one I can remember that had normal sized pieces, and I was very happy with the quality. There are a variety of shapes, they fit together well, the image reproduction is beautiful, and the second side image is just as good as the first. Overall, I wish there were more of these puzzles available close by me, I very much enjoyed this one!

I love that this looks like an actual page from an old book, the color isn’t flat, there is some yellowing that you can see – I loved it! You all know how much I enjoy putting words together, so I took it apart and put this side together without using the cover image at all. It was more difficult at the beginning, but as each piece went into place it got easier and easier. (Just think how much faster it would have gone together if I’d ever read this book before!)

I’m giving myself credit for 504 pieces, because I did this puzzle twice. I’ve done one or two other puzzles that were only words, and even though they’re always a challenge they make me happy. There are eight different puzzles in this series, all of classic books with a cover image and one page on the second side; Jane Eyre, Little Women, The Great Gatsby, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Romeo & Juliet, Alice in Wonderland, and A Christmas Carol.

Here’s hoping I can find more of them out in the wild, this one was so much fun!

Trick or Treat! In Progress…

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzling6 Comments

Trick or Treat! by Dean MacAdam – Ravensburger – 1000 pieces

This absolutely fantastic Dean MacAdam artwork is my Halloween puzzle this year. You won’t see a post about it until then, but it has been so fun! The colors, the entire image basically, everything makes me so happy. I’m no longer young enough to trick or treat for real, or even take my kids out as they’re all in their 30’s now, but this holiday always makes me feel younger if not young. 🎃🧡

In addition to how happy the image makes me, the quality of this puzzle is phenomenal. Truly, one of the best Ravensburger puzzles I’ve assembled in quite a while. The fit is fantastic, the reproduction is stunning, and in general it feels like joy in my hands.

Holding a piece, contemplating it’s placement, absentmindedly rubbing my thumb over the top to enjoy the hand-feel, Ravensburger puzzles feel like happiness for me. I remember how many of their puzzles mom and I have assembled together, how many I’ve done on my own; the 40,320 piece behemoth that was mainly me – but my momma came to my house 10 different times specifically to help with every single section. Ravensburger is puzzle love for me.

Assembling this gorgeous puzzle for my favorite holiday has cheered me up like nothing else could. I’m loving what I’m puzzling today – how about you? Puzzling something fun? Challenging? Beautiful?

Life’s A Beach

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles9 Comments

Life’s A Beach by Lars Stewart – Buffalo (Night & Day series) – 1000 pieces

This puzzle was MUCH more enjoyable than it looks, and it looks like so much fun! It was more of a challenge than I thought, but I enjoyed that; easy puzzles can be pretty boring sometimes. This was the perfect amount of difficulty for me, and as an added bonus my son helped me along the way, and at the very end he put in a lot of pieces. I love that he helps me out lately, it does an old lady’s heart good.

Great quality Buffalo puzzle, as usual. The image reproduction was gorgeous, and I was surprised at how my picture of the completed image looks pretty much exactly like the box top. Most times they don’t, the colors are a little different or duller, but this one looks like a mirror image. The fit was very nice on this puzzle as well, almost good enough to stand up but not quite there.

Is that not a gorgeous view? I loved this section and it was the very first thing I assembled after the border. I just can’t stop looking at it. 😍

Looks like a great place to spend an afternoon, doesn’t it? Drinks, pillows, a roof so the sun isn’t beating down on you – lovely. All it needs is a massage therapist (my brain doesn’t want to let me spell mah-soose at the moment – I swear I’m not an idiot, truly, I’m just old).

It isn’t an easy puzzle, but it isn’t too difficult either – it’s Goldilocks.