Snail Mail

On June 13, 2020 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles4 Comments

This was my first puzzle back after many many days of no puzzling at all. For me, it’s always best when I get back to puzzles after any kind of break from them that I start with one that I know I will enjoy – collages are my happy place so that’s where I began.

The overall quality was good, but my one complaint was that many of the pieces were still connected. This puzzle was probably produced near the end of the run when the die had become dull, so all of the pieces weren’t cut all the way through. It isn’t the end of the world, and it wasn’t a big deal for me to separate them.

The pieces were thick and had a great variety of shapes. The fit was slightly loose, but not so much as to be annoying. The image reproduction was gorgeous with beautiful colors and crisp lines, and it really was a joy to assemble.

Snail Mail 1

The color of this stamp was the first thing I noticed – this picture doesn’t do it justice. Absolutely gorgeous!

Snail Mail 2

My first thought was that this would make a beautiful puzzle on it’s own. In fact, many of the stamps in this collage would make gorgeous puzzles by themselves.

Snail Mail 3

The look of this stamp is so unique and interesting. I absolutely love it!

Hound….In Progress

On June 12, 2020 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzling6 Comments

Hound IP — Hound of the Baskervilles by Charles Wysocki – Buffalo – 300 pieces

I started this puzzle on my white board so that I could work on it in bed; that’s why there’s no pretty plum colored fabric behind it. I didn’t get very far with it yesterday before I had to put it down, but at least I made a start!

It’s been a bit since I’ve done a Wysocki, so I’m looking forward to this image. Sometimes they all seem very similar and it becomes a little boring for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love Americana images, but if I do too many of them in a row or too close together it isn’t as rewarding or entertaining.

I hope you’ll be working on a fun puzzle today, I certainly will be! 💖🧩

Boston Cowboy

On June 11, 2020October 20, 2021 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles4 Comments

I love this image, it’s just freakin’ adorable! If you’ve been a long-time reader of this blog you know that unlike many puzzlers I prefer puzzles with images of dogs much more than those with cats. From my viewpoint there are many more “cat puzzles” out there than “dog puzzles”; but you see more with images of dogs here at My Jigsaw Journal because I seek them out.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with cats, or puzzles with images of cats on them. So many puzzles out there have unbelievably adorable cat artwork or images, they just aren’t my taste – that’s all. I’ve done many a cat puzzle, but I’m a dog person so my preference is cute puppy puzzles instead of ones with kitty cats.

This cute-beyond-words puzzle of only 100 pieces was a gift from a dear friend who shares my love of Boston Terriers and knows how much I enjoy a small piece count puzzle. It used to be that puzzles with small piece counts were all cartoonish or childish in some way, but I’m seeing more and more options out there for adults who enjoy smaller puzzles. Thank goodness!

I put this one together around midnight one evening, in the living room in front of the television. That’s one of the great things about small puzzles, you don’t need a lot of room or a special place to put them together. At only 100 pieces this adorable puzzle can be assembled just about anywhere!

Buddy was sleeping on the couch when I finished it, and I couldn’t help myself but take an extra picture. The fit of this puzzle was so good that I was able to walk around with the assembled puzzle and stand it up next to my little man on the couch!

Boston Cowboy 1

How adorable is this? I truly wish I’d had a red bandana that I could have laid across his neck, wouldn’t that have been cute? My Boston boy next to the Boston Cowboy, so very sweet!

Ernest

On June 10, 2020 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles8 Comments

Yes, you are reading that right – this image is by comedian Jeff Foxworthy. Truthfully, I thought the artwork was funny and was going to buy it anyway; but add the fact that I am a comedy nerd as well as a jigsaw puzzle nerd and I just had to get this puzzle!

Stand up comedy has been one of my loves since I was young. When most pre-teen and teenage kids had albums from the current music stars, most of my record collection was full of Steve Martin, Flip Wilson, Robin Williams, Allan Sherman, Bill Cosby (which I debated adding here, but I can’t change the facts to suit me – Bill Cosby was a very large part of my comedy collection) and many more. We listened to comedy albums as a family, and when my sisters and I were mature enough my parents let us listen to and watch Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Redd Foxx and many of the more “blue” comedians too.

I still remember having a videocassette full of episodes of An Evening at the Improv that my husband and I used to watch during our first years of marriage whenever we needed a laugh. We’ve been fans of stand up since forever it seems, so how could I not get myself a puzzle with silly artwork from a famous stand up comedian?

The quality was about average for Cardinal – I would classify it as good/fair. Even so, I enjoyed the assembly more than I thought I would, and found the image a little bit more of a challenge than I expected as well. Both of those are very good things in my book!

Bulldog In Progress…

On June 9, 2020 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzling6 Comments

Bulldog IP — Bulldog with Butterflies by Coco de Paris – Cardinal – 300 pieces

Well, as much as I love this image by Coco de Paris, I have to take issue with the title. If you’re reading this on June 9, 2020 you can see on the right side of the page (under what’s on my board) what the finished image will be – that is NOT a bulldog! It’s a Boston Terrier, and I know this because my beloved puzzle pal who faithfully sits beside me while I assemble jigsaw puzzles is a pure bred Boston Terrier. I know what they look like; I look into this sweet, smiling, adorable face all day. Every day.

If you want to split hairs you could tell me that the breed came from a cross between an English Bulldog and a White Terrier; but I’m cranky today and would suggest that no one try to split hairs with me right now. 😉

Ok, rant over.

My meds have been changed again, and now there’s a patch on my shoulder delivering pain medication every hour. It isn’t going well, so even though I REALLY wanted to get going on this puzzle I just wasn’t able to this past weekend. But I finally got myself out of bed last night so that hubby could go to sleep (he brings home the bacon, he’s gotta be able to rest), and rather than watch the news I put myself in front of my puzzle table and got to work.

The butterflies were where I started once the edge was completed, and once they were done I picked out the all white pieces and put those in. Sometimes I prefer to get the more difficult areas of an image done first, then I won’t be dreading them. So when I get back to the puzzle this morning all that’s left is that sweet face and lots of words – both of which I love. 💗