Sunny Palms by Patrick Reid O’Brien – Mega Puzzles – 300 pieces
This puzzle was not fun, the image didn’t make for entertaining assembly at all. The fit wasn’t great either and it was an all-around pain in my behind until I was able to finish it and get it off my table.
Mega Puzzles aren’t a premium brand, and I knew that going in, but this one was the worst quality of theirs that I’ve found. I usually don’t have a problem with them for the most part, but this was a bad picture mixed with bad chipboard and it didn’t add up to entertainment.
All pieces looked like a variation of these, not easy to work with. The best part of this puzzle was giving it away! 😉
I had a great time with this collage – these are my favorite sorts of puzzles – lots of words, many colors, many textures, they are never dull!
The piece shape is quite obvious in the finished puzzle, which is annoying if you want to frame and hang it, but doesn’t really detract from the enjoyment of assembly as far as I’m concerned. Otherwise the quality was quite good; thick pieces, nice fit, and beautiful colors.
These are a few of my favorite bits…
This tiny puppy squaring off with a very big bear – how adorable is that? I don’t know the book or anything about it but the cover is fantastic.
This poor guy looks like I feel sometimes, ugh. He makes me want to sit down next to him and give him a nice belly rub. 🙂
And of course, any book cover with a Boston Terrier is gonna make me happy. My Buddy is a Boston so the breed itself is one of my favorites, and they have such wonderful expressive faces. So adorable! If that’s a French Bulldog, I don’t even care – it looks like my Buddy. 😉
Pencil Collage by Maureen Rupprecht – White Mountain Puzzles – 1000 pieces
I’m not sure why, but this puzzle’s been on my mind the last few days. It was finished almost 3 years ago, and was really a joy to assemble. I haven’t touched a jigsaw puzzle since Sunday morning, and I’ve been thinking about certain puzzles I’ve done and really liked – perhaps just trying to get my groove back.
This puzzle stands out for me, I was almost afraid of it and put it off for quite a while because it was supposed to be very challenging. I found it to be highly entertaining to assemble and not nearly as hard as it was supposed to be. The fit was so tight that I could pick it up and stand it on it’s bottom edge!
I still haven’t started a new puzzle yet, but looking at this one makes me want to find one with lots of words like this pencil collage. Or perhaps I’ll get a few of the educational kids puzzles done, they’ve got a bit of wording and at only 24 pieces it’s not too much of a commitment. 🙂
I positively LOVE LOVE LOVE these images of cats dressed up and looking thoroughly pissed, they make me laugh – and don’t we all need a laugh these days?
They’re Ceaco puzzles, and about average quality; I enjoy them regardless because the image is fantastic.
This cat looks so ticked off! If you look at the eye on the left, it looks like an arrow – kitty is saying “you are going DOWN for dressing me up like this!”
Got my hands on another old wooden puzzle, are you surprised? It’s a lovely image, but there were so many missing pieces! I went into this knowing there were only 499 pieces, but I mistakenly assumed that meant there was only one missing piece. I was wrong of course. This puzzle apparently started out with 510 pieces, not 500. Still, mom and I had a good time putting it together and that’s what counts.
There is such beautiful detail in the artwork, the hands seem almost photo quality. It was a beautiful puzzle and mom and I enjoyed it even with the many missing pieces.
EBL 1920 – I wish I knew if that was in reference to the date the puzzle was cut or if it’s when the image was painted. It could be both, actually.
I’ve got one more old puzzle yet to assemble and one more in the queue, but unless I find something amazing I’m done with the vintage/antique puzzles. Not because this one had lots of missing pieces, but because either fortunately or unfortunately (I’m not sure which), the municipal building puzzle was so amazing, and such fantastic quality that I feel that everything else is a bit of a letdown. Even if it’s great quality it still isn’t as good. I was so lucky to find that puzzle; it’s a one of a kind, exceptionally well made, and mom and I enjoyed the journey of putting it together so much – it just can’t be matched or duplicated. Nothing even really comes close.
I’ve told hubby to stop sneakily buying these old puzzles on eBay. He purchased a few for me as a surprise, it’s very sweet but I’d prefer it if he didn’t do that anymore. I think I’d rather be happy we had the experience and fun of assembling a very rare and wonderful antique than be let down by the not up to snuff quality of lesser (but still lovely) puzzles.
My Jigsaw Journal 