Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book Two

On March 15, 2018March 15, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Thrift Store PuzzlesLeave a comment

This is the second of these puzzles I’ve done, and they’re quite difficult! The line drawings and lack of color add to the challenge – you really have to pay attention to every piece.

Like the first one I assembled, the quality was very good but the finished puzzle doesn’t lie flat. This could be because we live in Florida and there’s a lot of humidity, if you don’t store a puzzle properly it could warp with all the moisture in the air. It could be that it’s been a well loved puzzle that’s been assembled many times. It’s hard to make judgments on quality when you’ve purchased second-hand; you have to rely on your prior knowledge of the brand as well as taking into account the amount of use the puzzle could have had.

This image is not one I would purchase new, monochromatic images aren’t ones that interest me. Still, it was an entertaining assembly and luckily it was only 200 pieces. With stick figures, line drawings, and no colors it takes plenty of concentration to get all the pieces placed properly.

It’s always interesting to assemble an image that isn’t your style, but most of the time I end up really having fun. That’s one of the great things about thrift stores, the price makes it difficult to pass up the puzzles and gives me to opportunity to work puzzles that I wouldn’t normally assemble. Give an unusual image a try, you just might like it!

Betty Crocker

On March 14, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles2 Comments

Here’s another fun puzzle that 3 generations of women in my family assembled together. My mother, my daughter and I all spent the day together and worked on this puzzle; it was harder than it looks but we got it done!

A lot of these packages were foreign to me, toastwiches? What in the world was an Answer Cake? Never heard of them! Most of our meals when I was young were actual home cooking. Store bought cookies taste awful to me, I’ve always had homemade. (Oreos are the exception, mom never had that recipe 😉 ) Mom got reminiscent while we were working, especially about the Betty Crocker coupons – apparently our silverware was purchased with them! How cool is that?

Sometimes the White Mountain quality is just mediocre, and this was one of those times. There were a few coupled pieces that weren’t completely separated, and a few pieces with the image coming off. The image reproduction was slightly blurry in some places, but overall was good. The fit was very good, right in the middle – not too tight or loose.

Collages are my favorite puzzle type, I love the fun of assembling several mini puzzles that all connect together. Working with the box lid and having to search for where a piece or section goes feels tedious and almost like a job to me, there’s no fun in that. Puzzling for me helps me to relax, de-stress, and pass the time; if it feels like a “task” it wipes out all the relaxation and makes time seem to drag.

We all have something different that we’re looking for in a great puzzle – piece shapes, thickness, fit, number of pieces, an image that excites or inspires. What makes a puzzle fun for me may be the exact thing that drives someone else crazy – good thing there are so many different images and companies to choose from! What’s your ideal puzzle?

Unicorns

On March 13, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Thrift Store PuzzlesLeave a comment

If the first puzzle ball we found at the thrift store hadn’t been complete I don’t think we’d have bought anymore. That first globe we assembled was lots of fun for us and all the pieces were there, now mom can’t seem to pass up a puzzle ball if she finds any at the thrift stores. 🙂

5 missing pieces from a 96 piece puzzle is a lot, and it makes assembling a ball quite difficult. Fortunately we were able to get a pretty picture without having to show the glaring holes. This was our first time putting together a kid’s puzzle ball, and the fit seemed a bit odd. The pieces didn’t seem to want to click or stay together as well as the other ones we’ve assembled, the finished image isn’t as smooth as you’d want a ball to be. I don’t know if that’s the puzzle itself or the fact that it’s been assembled before (perhaps many times); those are the chances you take purchasing from thrift stores I guess.

Other than the fit, the quality was excellent. The pieces are thick and plastic and are numbered on the back to assist with assembly. There is an arrow underneath the number to tell you in which direction the next piece will be placed, this is extremely helpful when you’re assembling it by the numbers. You don’t have to use them though, you can put it together using the image just like any other puzzle – it’s completely up to you.

I hate saying that the quality was good “other than the fit”, fit is pretty darned important with a puzzle! Although those of us who are hard core puzzle practitioners will sometimes put up with a lot to be able to get a fix of that sweet, sweet puzzle magic. At least I would. I’ve got a full-blown addiction going on here!

Review: Apple Pie Kitchen

On March 12, 2018March 12, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Puzzle reviewsLeave a comment

This post is sponsored by Cobble Hill Puzzles.

Apple Pie Kitchen by Kip Richmond – Cobble Hill – 500 pieces

Apple Pie Kitchen is a gorgeous image, and was a fun puzzle to assemble. I love an old country kitchen, I think I may have been born too late to enjoy them though; I was raised in the age of hideous avocado colored refrigerators and enormous microwave ovens.

Cobble Hill Puzzles are excellent quality, and this puzzle was no exception. The pieces are a good thickness with a linen finish, the image reproduction is very good with beautiful colors and crisp lines. The cut is random, which I find makes for a fun and interesting assembly although some puzzlers find working with them more difficult; and the fit was excellent. Their catalog is varied, with plenty of different styles to choose from, and their new puzzles come with a poster to help with assembly. Click the link above to see all the Cobble Hill puzzles currently available at one of their preferred online retailers, Puzzle Warehouse.

This puzzle was a joy to assemble; I love the warm, homey feeling of the image. The random cut of the pieces kept me on my toes and completing each small section gave me a great sense of satisfaction. This puzzle is definitely recommended!

Details:

Title: Apple Pie Kitchen
Artist: Kip Richmond
Brand: Cobble Hill Puzzles
Piece count: 500 pieces
Size: Approx. 26 x 19 in. (69 x 48 cm)
Purchased: N/A, sent for review

Quality:

Board: Very good
Cutting: Very good
Image: Excellent
Box: Very good, poster included
Fit: Very good
Puzzle Dust: Minimal amount
Piece cut: Random cut
Piece shapes: Very good variety
Finish: Matte finish, lays flat

Overall Rating: Very good, recommended

I received this product at no cost in order to facilitate this review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are truthful and 100% my own.

Monarch Butterfly Tree

On March 11, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles2 Comments

Usually when you see a 100 piece puzzle they are made for children, these are not kids puzzles! Pomegranate has a whole line of 100 piece puzzles with images by Charley Harper, Edward Gorey, Henri Rousseau and many more. They are beautiful little puzzles that come in a metal tin that’s perfect for traveling. Pomegranate knows how to do it right!

The pieces don’t exactly feel the same as their larger piece count puzzles, but they’re still thick and fit together very well. The finish is a little shiny, but the image reproduction is beautiful and bright with clean lines. I love their images, such beautiful works of art!

I find Paul Huessenstamm’s work is lovely to look at, as well as fun and challenging to assemble, I highly recommend trying a puzzle with his artwork. I reviewed his Mandala Fruit Tree last year and thoroughly enjoyed it.

It’s a small little puzzle, and doesn’t take much time. It’s perfect for travel in a very thin and portable metal tin. There are quite a few of these mini puzzles available, all with beautiful artwork; you should check them out!