Freak Shakes – Cra-Z-Art – Approx. 125/500 pieces

Alas, today is the end of the freak shakes. While the images are so bizarre to me, the puzzles themselves were a joy to put together. Little puzzles I can do quickly have become some of my favorites. While I have completed (very) large piece count puzzles, as I age the smaller ones seem to bring me more pleasure. These sets full of a dozen or more small puzzles to assemble bring a smile to my face, and give me a sense of accomplishment with each completed image. I’m in love with them!

Cra-Z-Art is about to get a little more of my money, while trolling for puzzles a few days ago I found four sets that I do not own. The purchase will have to wait several days though, as my birthday is very soon and according to family tradition I am not allowed to buy myself things so as not to inadvertently get something that has already been purchased as a gift. But the day after, those babies are gonna be mine! 😉

This one makes a little more sense to me, an ice cream cone on top of a shake – that’s not too over the top. The colors of the shake itself are beautiful.

He’s a tall boy, and holiday themed. Mr. Gingerbread has a scarf on to keep himself warm, and the red and green candies make it seem like this one is for the holidays. I’m not sure what’s at his feet though, if you ask me it looks as though it’s already been eaten. 🤢

Love the sprinkles around the edge of the donut, or whatever that is on the top of the glass. Strawberry isn’t my favorite flavor, but this one doesn’t look too bad.

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It may seem odd to some that taking a picture and chopping it into little pieces – only to put it back together again – makes us puzzle people so happy. That’s ok, people can think we’re odd. No doubt odd is probably a pretty tame word for describing me. I make no apologies for my love of puzzles, how many puzzles I own, how much I spend on them, or anything else. It makes me happy; looking at puzzles makes me happy, buying them, assembling them, talking about them, sharing pictures of them, blogging about them – all of it makes this little old lady happy.

When I spend “too much” money on a big batch of wooden puzzles, or cardboard puzzles, or small piece count puzzles in tubes – there is that moment of guilt. Even though the click of my mouse to finish the purchase makes me almost giddy, in my head I’m feeling guilty for a little while. My life has been spent taking care of everyone else; married at 19 to my high school sweetheart, got pregnant five months later, had three children by the age of 23. When there was extra money it was spent on something for the kids, or the house, or my husband – almost never for myself.

Still married to my high school sweetheart (still in love too!), kids are grown, and I’ve finally found something that makes me happy. Jigsaw puzzles. Wooden ones, cardboard ones, little ones, big ones – love them all. And I’ve finally learned to spend money on myself just because. I still have those moments of feeling guilty for spending money on non-necessities, but I stomp those stupid thoughts down – I crush them underfoot. I’m worth it, my mental health is worth it, so guilt can go pound sand. Or take a hike. Or bleep all the way off.

PUZZLES ROCK!