It’s National Jigsaw Day in the UK! The Gardener’s Cupboard

On November 3, 2018November 3, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Jigsaw Puzzling4 Comments

I’m celebrating National Jigsaw Day by posting an awesome puzzle from the UK, The Gardener’s Cupboard from Wentworth. I’ll also be celebrating by working on a puzzle, big surprise, huh?

In the US we have National Puzzle Day on January 29; it isn’t specific to jigsaw puzzles, but includes all types – sudoku, crossword, brain teasers, etc. In the UK this is the 4th annual National Jigsaw Day, especially for us dissectologists! (That’s just a ten dollar word for someone who enjoys assembling jigsaw puzzles – with today’s exchange rate that word is worth about 7.7 pounds sterling 😎) I’m way over here across the pond, but I’m an avid puzzler so I’m down with celebrating any day that celebrates jigsaw puzzling!

Wentworth is celebrating by offering 10% of any regularly priced puzzles, and having a Golden Whimsy Piece Competition. Buy any of their micro puzzles from their Stocking Filler Collection this weekend (Nov. 2-4, 2018) and you may receive a Golden Whimsy piece. If you find one of the 3 special pieces you win a year’s worth of puzzles – the prize is 12 x 250 piece puzzles of your choice. Wow! My puzzles are already ordered, wish me luck. 🍀 Check out their website for all the details, and happy National Jigsaw Day!

Now to this beautiful Colin Thompson puzzle – it was so much fun! The whimsies were perfect for gardening…

I love the spade stuck in the dirt (top right), although it took a few seconds to register exactly what it was. It’s so enjoyable to open a Wentworth and find all the whimsies to see what they are and how they relate to the puzzle image! I need to get out more, right? I’m WAY too excited about these things. 😉

The micro puzzles from Wentworth are a godsend to me, allowing me to puzzle when I’m unable to get out of bed and sit at my puzzle table, or even when I can’t sit up in bed to work with a puzzle on my whiteboard. I can put all the pieces on a cookie sheet lined with paper and complete one of these beauties while laying down. That’s exactly how I worked on The Gardener’s Cupboard.

I think I’d like to work this image in a larger piece count, there’s just so much to see! Colin Thompson’s cupboard puzzles are filled with interesting (and weird) things – and all those adorable little pink people! Even though it might have been better with more pieces, this puzzle was great fun. Two thumbs way up! 👍👍

New Puzzle Day!

On November 1, 2018November 1, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw PuzzlingLeave a comment

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I’m so excited!!! Hubby says my birthday present from Liberty Puzzles will be arriving today! My puzzle dealer in the brown truck will be bringing me joy and happiness in a box. I can hardly wait!

What will it be? How many pieces? Why isn’t it here already?

It’s gonna be a good day today – I can feel it! Although, I think I may have gone over the limit for exclamation point usage in one post. Whatever! I’m so excited! New Liberty wooden puzzle today! 🤩

Assorted News

On October 26, 2018October 26, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzling5 Comments

Just a few little tidbits that I thought I’d pass along…

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One of My Jigsaw Journal’s readers and fellow puzzle blogger, Puzzle Momma, has recently gotten back to her GIANT of a puzzle, Life – The Great Challenge. This big boy is 24,000 pieces and she’s down to about her last 1000 pieces or so. She’s back working on it after about a year’s hiatus, and I for one am cheering her on. Go Penny! I can’t wait to see pictures of the entire puzzle, although I bet it’s 10 times more beautiful in person than in any pictures. Check out her blog Puzzle Momma to watch for updates. (When I was working on my big puzzle, knowing people were “watching” on the blog helped me to work on it every day – even if only a few pieces. So we’ll be watching! 😇)

Outset Media, which, among many other things designs and manufactures Cobble Hill puzzles, has mentioned My Jigsaw Journal in their latest news update on their website! In a post about puzzle bloggers they enjoy, my humble little blog was one of three mentioned! 😱 Check out their post for their thoughts on some awesome jigsaw puzzle blogs. (Yeah, I said my blog was awesome – because I couldn’t think of a good way to compliment the other two amazing bloggers without complimenting myself!)

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Lastly, and the one I’m most excited about, I pulled up my wishlist at Liberty Puzzles on my husband’s computer last night so he could choose a birthday present for me. If you knew me, you’d know that it’s completely out of character – I don’t really care for presents. I know that’s a ridiculously odd thing to say, but I am a ridiculously odd person! I’m not a fan of being the center of attention, and presents make me uncomfortable. Yup, I said that. Welcome to the weird world of me.

That said, I have a big birthday coming up, and for once I’ve decided to help him out. Since he was going to get me a present this year even though I always ask him not to, I thought it best to make sure it was something that I’d really like. He asked for suggestions, so I figured now was the time to go big or go home – wooden puzzles! You only turn half a century old once, right? 😎

So I’m excited to see what fantastic new Liberty Puzzle I’m getting (knowing hubby, it’ll be whichever puzzle on my wishlist was the most expensive). I’ll try not to think about that, and just be overjoyed that I have an awesome husband who always tries to make me happy and loves me madly even after 30 years of marriage. 💖

Yikes!

On October 21, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzling6 Comments

cat faces

I spent some time yesterday looking at lots of puzzles at Puzzle Warehouse. I came across a couple of new images that made me say a word I can’t really spell – it’s a cross between “uhh”, “ew”, “yikes”, and “ouch”.

Cat Faces and Owl Faces are two new puzzles from D-Toys, a Romanian manufacturer. I haven’t tried this brand before; I was actually looking for one of their puzzles to try out. There are plenty of interesting images from this brand that look like they’d be great to assemble; but these two jumped right out at me, and not in a good way.

These images (to me) don’t look like fun to assemble, or even to look at. I suppose there are plenty of people who will like these images, but to be honest they kinda scare me a bit – just in time for Halloween, right? All those eyes staring out from those images are just creepy!

What do you think of these cat and owl faces? Scary? Cute? Would either of them be puzzles you’d be interesting in assembling?

Owl faces

Making Excellent Progress!

On October 15, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzling2 Comments

Doors of Europe — It’s coming together fast!

I don’t normally post many in progress pictures, but having not done a 1500 piece puzzle in about 17 months, and having just started working on this assembly today – it’s looking awesome already!

These are all the doors I pulled on my initial sort, and they’re looking great! Mom has an appointment this afternoon and then she’s off to work on her black belt ninja thrift store skills. Before she left I had her come over and pick up a few puzzles that I was ready to donate to (or back to) Goodwill, so she sat for a bit and helped me work on a few doors. Isn’t it looking fabulous?

I overdid it a little bit this morning so I’m resting in bed at the moment. Then it’ll be off to sort a few more doors and maybe even put one or two more together. Collages rock!