The Ark

On April 10, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Thrift Store PuzzlesLeave a comment

Another Noah’s Ark puzzle, we actually assembled this the same day as The Gathering. It’s a very popular theme, especially for children’s puzzles. Even though there was a missing piece we still enjoyed it very much.

Ravensburger puzzles hold up very well, their quality is excellent; and even with a well-loved puzzle from 1991 the quality is still evident. The pieces don’t show much sign of wear although you can tell this puzzle has been assembled many times. There was no image lift, the fit was still very nice, and the only telltale sign of aging was some slight discoloration on the backs of the pieces. What a bummer that one of the pieces escaped, this would have been a great puzzle to donate to the school my daughter works for. 😦

I’m hopeful that soon I’ll be feeling well enough to do more 1000 piece puzzles, there are many more of those in my to do “pile” than any other piece count. Not only is it the size that most puzzlers assemble, it’s the one with the most availability. Still, I’m trying to stay positive and enjoy the smaller puzzles we’ve been assembling – there are more of those around than I knew and I’m having fun looking for new challenges with smaller piece counts. I found a few puzzles yesterday on the way home from physical therapy and I’m looking forward to showing them off.😎

Seed Packets

On April 9, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Thrift Store PuzzlesLeave a comment

Mom and I put together four puzzles the day we did this one, and it was by far our favorite puzzle of the day; it was bright and fun and went together quickly. We barely cared that all the pieces were ballerinas because they were thick and fit together well, and the image was pretty and entertaining.

I haven’t done many Lang puzzles, in fact this is only the second one I’ve done. I was much happier with this one than the first, I believe because of the difference in the color palette. When there is no variety in piece shape a brighter, busier image seems much less of a struggle to complete. The pieces seemed thicker than I remember from the previous puzzle, but that could be a trick of my mind. I enjoyed this assembly more, so I may be more forgiving without even realizing it. I’m not a fan of puzzles with only one piece shape, so unless the image is amazing it’s not a brand I would normally purchase new.

Still, the beauty of a thrift store purchase is that you’re not out much if you don’t enjoy the puzzle, and if you loved it then you got such a good bargain! Seed Packets was a bargain. 😁

Noah’s Gathering

On April 8, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Thrift Store PuzzlesLeave a comment

This is a Cobble Hill family puzzle which contains pieces of three different sizes. From small kids to adults, everyone of every skill level can work together to assemble it. It’s an excellent idea and I think it makes for great fun even if you’re putting the puzzle together by yourself. 🙂

This brand is excellent quality in my opinion, though sometimes the fit can be a little loose. The pieces are thick, linen-coated, and the fit on this puzzle was very good. I will say for a puzzle aimed at the whole family this image was a bit dark in color which made it a bit of a challenge at times, especially when working on the middle. Challenge isn’t a bad thing though, it keeps us interested and on our toes!

Noah’s Ark is a very popular puzzle subject, I think I’ve done at least 7 or 8 Noah’s Ark themed puzzles in the last year or so, maybe more – from 300 pieces all the way up to 2000! They’re all so different and it’s interesting to see the artist’s take on the subject. My favorite was a 300 piece Pomegranate by Jenny Tylden-Wright, it’s so interesting and different and I adore the image; click here to see her beautiful Noah’s Ark.

Have you tried a family puzzle? Many different puzzle manufacturers have made or are making them now. I think they’re great fun, and if you have younger children it’s a wonderful way to spend time together and hopefully get them interested in puzzling.

4th of July Market

On April 7, 2018April 7, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Thrift Store Puzzles2 Comments

IMG_E4406 — 4th of July Market by Geraldine Aikman – Karmin – 500 pieces

There’s something about this image that just draws me in; so much so that even knowing it was a Karmin puzzle and wouldn’t be stellar quality, I still wanted to assemble it.

Karmin puzzles have pretty thin pieces, but on the positive side there are a good variety of shapes, the image reproduction is good, and they fit together quite well. It’s all about the image when it comes to brands I don’t normally assemble; if I really like the image I’ll put up with what I consider quality shortcomings. This was one of those images that I very much wanted to assemble, and it was fun and entertaining just like I thought it would be!

I can be pretty snobby about puzzles and what brands are best – we all have our own opinions and all of us are absolutely right. Some people prefer a premium puzzle with very thick pieces and some have no problem working puzzles from the dollar store with very thin pieces. For some a good brand has to have a variety of piece shapes, and others don’t mind working with just one shape. Find what makes you happy and go for it, regardless of anyone else’s opinion.

Puzzling is good for you no matter the brand, if you’re having fun and relaxing you’re doing it right.

Teddy Bears with Flags

On April 6, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Thrift Store PuzzlesLeave a comment

What an uninspired name for this puzzle! How about Patriotic Bears or something cute like Fuzzy Americans? When I saw the name of this puzzle I just laughed at how silly and bland it seems. I suppose if you can start off the puzzle with laughter you’re doing well, right?

I was actually intimidated by all that fur and put off doing this puzzle for quite a while; it was a bit challenging, but working with mom makes it much more entertaining and less like work. Thank goodness we get together every Friday no matter how I’m feeling to talk and puzzle and just hang out – she kind of insists on it. Otherwise I spend all my time at home only going out when I absolutely have to; she doesn’t think that’s healthy and she’s pretty persuasive for a little old lady. 👵

Despite being intimidated by all that teddy bear fur, this was quite a fun puzzle to assemble. The fit was a bit loose, but it wasn’t too bad. And other than the fit the quality was excellent and my assembly partner made it even more enjoyable.

I’ve been having such a difficult time lately being able to sit and puzzle for any length of time without pain. The 1000 piece puzzles that used to take me 2 days are now stretching out for a week or more, and it’s depressing. It’s to the point where I open the box to look at the pieces of a puzzle, and the 1000 piece ones are just overwhelming me. Trust me, I know how ridiculous that sounds; I completed a puzzle with 40,000 pieces, but one that only has 1000 pieces is just too much. I never claimed to be rational!

So for now I’m mostly working on puzzles with 300 or 500 pieces, I’m trying to keep my mood positive. I’m hopeful that I’ll be feeling a little better soon with some physical therapy and that I’ll be back to working puzzles of all sizes very soon. Fingers crossed! 🤞