Eastern Bluebird II – Buffalo Games (Audubon) – 500 pieces
Another thrift store puzzle, it was only 500 pieces so I thought mom and I should work on it one day while we were visiting. We got it done in no time, but alas, 2 missing pieces. 😦 I can’t get too upset though, we’ve been quite lucky lately with our thrift store puzzles. So if every once in a while we get one with missing pieces, it’s just par for the course AND we just saved someone else from buying a puzzle with missing pieces. 🙂
We still had a good time with this puzzle, excellent Buffalo quality and the colors were absolutely gorgeous. The pieces fit together really well, even more than usual for a Buffalo puzzle.
It’s so nice to be able to sit and talk and work on a puzzle with someone. I forget sometimes as I’ve been mostly working alone on the giant Disney puzzle. I told mom that she has to come over at least once a week and sit and work on puzzles with me, I need a little chit chat sometimes!
What If? – Garden Open Day – Ravensburger – 1000 pieces
It’s been a while since I’ve done a What If puzzle, almost forgot how much fun they are! Also, I’m only showing a tiny portion of the puzzle, because I don’t want to give away the “answer”.
In this puzzle, Hyacinth has worked all year with the help of her husband to get her garden ready for the “open gardens” weekend, what will happen if unexpected visitors drop in?
I haven’t done a regular Ravensburger in a while, I’ve just been working on the giant Ravensburger puzzle. It reminded me how awesome this puzzle company is, and why they’re my favorite. The pieces are wonderfully thick, they fit together so well that you always know if you’ve got the right piece, the image reproduction is gorgeous and there are a variety of piece shapes so it isn’t boring. Ravensburger Rocks!!
Cartoon puzzles are my favorite and I adore the artwork of Geoff Tristam. I can’t really say why, it’s not childish cartoony at all and just something about his artwork makes me happy. So add together Geoff Tristam cartoon puzzle with Ravensburger and I am a happy happy puzzler! 🙂
An Afternoon Remembered by John O’Brien – Ceaco (Parlor Puzzles)- 500 pieces
Another very interesting thrift store find. This puzzle has velvet on the back of the pieces!
This image seems lovely and bright but the pieces all looked extremely dark and it was difficult to find the right piece at times.  Once we got the lower area assembled we looked at it and were shocked at how light it looks. I like the image, but boy was this a challenge! Full disclosure – I attempted to assemble this puzzle last year, but it was too difficult for me at the time. I think it’s better to do the more challenging puzzles with someone. Mom and I worked this puzzle together and it was still tough, but it’s not so bad when there’s someone with you to talk to and laugh with. Also, the sense of accomplishment when you’re done is even bigger with a more difficult puzzle. You did it! Way to go! 😉
Ceaco has some very interesting puzzles. I’m not a big fan of their regular puzzles, the pieces are too thin for my taste – but they also have some special puzzles that are much better quality in my opinion. We found a puzzle backed with cork (click here for my post about the cork backed puzzle – so much fun!) and now this puzzle backed with velvet – very chic!
The pieces are thicker than normal for a Ceaco puzzle, and then the velvet adds even more thickness. The fit was tight and there was no problem lifting up a completed section to move it. I wish Ceaco would put the extra effort into quality for all their puzzles, because the ones I’ve found that are outside the norm are really exceptional quality. Wouldn’t that be great all the time?
If you can find a Ceaco puzzle that is a special edition, definitely go for it. The special puzzles we’ve done are really unique and fun! If you’re in my area check out the thrift stores, this puzzle is going back – it might be your next fun afternoon! (Bring a friend though, it makes it way more fun!)
The Talking Jigsaw – The Hospital – Buffalo Games – 560 pieces
We found another talking jigsaw at the thrift store! That makes 3 we’ve found, I’m hoping we can find some more. I know there are still a few we don’t have – The Beach, City Hall, and I think a few others. I purposely didn’t take a great picture of this one, as I don’t want to give away the answer 🙂
Anyway, I think this puzzle has been done a LOT, because the fit seemed quite loose, much more than is normal for a Buffalo puzzle. But it was still a lot of fun! First you assemble each window (4 pieces), and then you use the clues in each window to decide where it goes in the puzzle. In some windows you can see a room number on the door, and in others they may tell you what is happening next door to them or on another floor. It’s a logic problem within a jigsaw puzzle!
On the back of the puzzle is the word “congratulations” over and over in several different fonts, you can use these to help you be sure you’ve placed a window correctly. This puzzle would be perfect to do on a glass top table 😉
If you like a little extra puzzling in your jigsaw puzzles and you can find one, I definitely recommend the talking jigsaws, they are a blast!
Cinque Terre – Buffalo Games (Vivid Collection) – 300 pieces
This was a fun, quick puzzle that I did in one afternoon. It was so nice to start and finish a puzzle in one day rather than taking a couple of weeks!
Thrift store puzzle – 59 cents! How awesome is that? Gave me a fun afternoon, you can’t beat that for less than a dollar. Plus mom still gets to assemble it at her house. 🙂
I enjoy the larger piece Buffalo puzzles – they fit together quite well, have a nice variety of piece shapes and are the same great Buffalo quality as their puzzles with a larger piece count. The vivid collection has excellent image reproduction and are beautiful when assembled. I’m looking forward to finding more 300 piece puzzles at the thrift stores, it’s a wonderful palate cleanser after working on a large piece count puzzle!
My Jigsaw Journal 