African Afternoon by Gerold Como – Ravensburger – 100 pieces
I do so love when a thrift store puzzle is not only from a company with really great quality, but it is also complete. And if it’s a kids puzzle – even better. I can “check” it to be sure all the pieces are present, and then send it on to a child or school where it’ll be used and loved like puzzles are supposed to be.
This isn’t a scene I would choose to puzzle in a larger piece count, it just isn’t my pile of pieces (or cup of tea as it were). But with only 100 pieces the muted colors and subject matter weren’t a problem to deal with. As an added bonus, once it’s been assembled and if it’s all there my “grandson” gets to have it. He’s gonna love this one.😀
This little guy with his parents is just too adorable for words. I love that brush cut he’s got going on!
I can relate to this cat, the African plains are just too hot. It’s better to spend the day lounging around in a tree. And, if some unsuspecting prey wanders underneath and makes themselves available to jump down onto – even better. 🐆
SpongeBob Squarepants by Romero Britto – Cardinal – 300 pieces
The bright, bright colors in this image made me mistakenly think this puzzle would be easy – it wasn’t. Part of it could be because I put the box away and didn’t use it for help at all. I saw the colors and patterns and thought this would be a breeze, so the box was stowed beneath the puzzle table. Once the assembly started it became clear that once again…..I was very wrong.
But, I had already decided that I would assemble this using only the pieces with no help from the box image; so the box with it’s helpful picture stayed put right where it was. Stubborn – that’s me. There is no explanation for it, I’m weird. Came to grips with it looong ago.
I usually take a few close up pictures so that you can see details; but there’s really no need for any close up pics, everything is right there for you to see. It’s a great image; the artwork of Britto makes fabulous puzzles.
Even though it was a little more demanding on the aging brain cells it was still a lovely assembly. More concentration was required, so I went to that puzzle place in your brain where only colors and shapes matter. Peaceful meditation in the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle – with the added bonus of not having to maneuver myself into the lotus position. 🧘♀️
This was my first 1000 piece puzzle since I got my some of my mojo back, and the worst part was opening the box and seeing that very big pile of pieces – it was a bit overwhelming. But because this is a collage, it wasn’t as difficult as it could have been. Thankfully it was a joy to assemble and helped get me back in the swing of things. 🧩💗
Re-marks is about middle-tier quality (in my opinion), and they’ve got a great catalog of collages to choose from. In that sense, they’re about where I place White Mountain puzzles on my list; there are sometimes quality issues, but it’s easier to deal with when I’m in love with the image – which is how I usually feel about collages.
Re-marks puzzles can sometimes have a LOT of puzzle dust and hanging chads on the pieces, and occasionally the fit is loose or wonky. Only once has there been an issue with the image reproduction, otherwise the images are usually very nice. Overall though, they’re good puzzles and I love their catalog.
These are 3 of my favorites, the pattern on the background in the left was easy to pick out, and the whole image is very calm and pretty. LOVE was the most difficult of the three – at least for me. And the musical notes and rain in the background were so fun to assemble!
I almost wish this has been made into a 2000 piece puzzle, each block was so entertaining that it would have been great for them to be even bigger.
Pretty Kitties by Keith Kimberlin – Cra-Z-Art – Approx. 125/500 pieces
Our last day of the Pretty Kitties, and to be honest I’m so glad! I’m just not a cat person, and although these little ones are exceptionally cute they’re just not the subject matter I prefer. I’m sure you could tell by their backstories, it was difficult for me at times to come up with anything to say, they just aren’t that inspiring for this little old lady who prefers dogs. Oh well, I enjoyed the puzzle aspect of them and that’s what truly matters here at My Jigsaw Journal.
I hope some of you have been inspired to give one of these sets of small shaped puzzles a try, they really are enjoyable to play with. Taking a small pile of pieces and in a few minutes having a complete little puzzle is so satisfying and feels like an achievement; and they’re great when you don’t have a lot of time to sit and puzzle. I adore smaller puzzles, and these are terribly cute – even I have to admit that. 😸
This color is awful, honestly it’s like a bad 70s outfit. Mirielle here doesn’t mind though, she’s a budding designer who loves all things fashion. Her style is quite bold, as you can see, and she loves to shock with her mix of fabrics and textures. She’s hoping to attend the Massachu-catts College of Art and Design to study both design and merchandising. I’m not sure Mirielle will make it as a designer, but you never know – there’s no accounting for taste.
This is one of my favorites; love the color of this purse and the big, chunky beads. This is Pamela, and she is very regimented in her ways. For example, she has this bag because it matches her eyes – things have to match! It will come as no surprise that she’s going to college for a degree in mathematics; because rules are rules and there’s no changing them for math. I’m not sure how she’s going to use her degree, but hopefully if she becomes a teacher she can learn to relax a little bit. Sometimes bending the rules is necessary, and life doesn’t have to be so rigid. Perhaps Pamela might benefit from some yoga or meditation, or a fun partner who is a bit more adventurous. 😉
And lastly we have Herman. He’s that guy in high school who knew he was good looking, he’s kind of a …… lady’s feminine hygiene product one might use on a summer’s eve. All the girls think he’s awesome, and they call him Herm. He’s not awesome, he’s a lazy user who gets what he wants by stepping on and over other people. I hope Herm changes his ways very soon, if not, he’ll probably be a politician, the worst kind of politician. Ugh. Other people are important Herman, everyone is important to someone – grow up!
Pretty Kitties by Keith Kimberlin – Cra-Z-Art – Approx. 125/500 pieces
Alright, even dog people have to admit that this set of kittens is pretty darn adorable. I’m a dog person, and still my initial response to seeing these three is to say “Awwww”. So very cute!
I’m not a huge fan of the regular Cra-Z-Art puzzles, but these shaped sets bring big smiles to my face. Some of the sets can be a little boring, but most of them are fun both to look at and to assemble. The quality is good, and they make for an uncommonly entertaining time putting them together.
This is Marvin. He’s tired, life as a growing boy is exhausting. You know how those teenage years can be for boys, they’re always tired, sleeping, or hanging out in their filthy rooms. Marvin is a midfielder for his soccer team, and has no idea what to be when he grows up. He’s playing things by ear for now, waiting for luck and opportunity to collide. He isn’t great with his studies at the moment, there are lots of pretty female kitties out there to look at and try to talk to. Priorities, Marvin. Get it together!
Love the color of this purse, it pops! Such a vibrant color for such a shy looking kitten. Meet Brigitte, she seems bashful and most other cats overlook her and pay her no attention. She uses this to observe without being too obvious. Then she uses those observations to create stories and characters for her future great American novel. Kitten-watching is her favorite pastime, along with writing short stories and studying for her college boards. She has big, big dreams and she will achieve them!
I love these boots, and so does our last kitten for the day, Freya. She’s a blue-eyed beauty who plans to become a super-model. She’s not looking for long-term fame, just to make her fortune so that she can spend the rest of her days relaxing in early retirement. Freya has educated herself about finances, and plans to be smart with her money now so that later in life it can work for her instead of the other way around. She’s got a good head on her shoulders for such a young kitty – and she’s planning to be retired by the ripe old age of 5. We’re rooting for you Freya!
My Jigsaw Journal 