Tag: 100 pieces

Review: Teachers

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Puzzle reviews, Thrift Store PuzzlesLeave a comment
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Teachers (Girl Power) – Eurographics – 100 pieces

Another interesting thrift store find from my resident thrift store ninja shopper. Way to go mom!

The is from the Girl Power series of puzzles by Eurographics, the motto is “girls can do anything”. Love it! They have puzzles of the many different jobs girls can do, such as an engineer, pilot, firefighter, mechanic, and many more. Although teacher seems like a job girls have always done, it’s still a part of this series and something girls can do. 🙂

The quality of this kids puzzle was excellent. Very thick pieces that fit together well, with bright and colorful image reproduction. There were also a good variety of piece shapes, which you don’t always see in a child’s puzzle. It is an all around wonderful quality puzzle. I love it when manufacturers put effort into making good quality puzzles for children!

Even though I’m a “grownup” and do adult puzzles, I still enjoy working a kids puzzle. Mom still can’t stop herself from buying them, although we mostly just give them away to friends with kids or the special needs school my daughter works for. We put them together to be sure the puzzles are complete before we give them away. Puzzling is puzzling, no matter the piece count and I’m not ashamed to say I have a good time assembling puzzles meant for children. I’m just a fun-loving kid in a old person’s body. 👧=👵

Details:

  • Title:                  Teachers
  • Artist:                ?
  • Brand:               Eurographics
  • Piece count:     100 pieces
  • Size:                  Approx. 13 x 19 in. (33 x 48 cm)
  • Purchased:      Used, thrift store

Quality:

  • Board:               Excellent
  • Cutting:             Excellent
  • Image:               Excellent
  • Box:                   Average
  • Fit:                     Very good
  • Puzzle Dust:     Small amount
  • Piece cut:          Grid cut
  • Piece shapes:   Very good variety
  • Finish:               Matte finish, lays flat

Overall Rating:      Excellent, recommended

Spider-Man 3

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Thrift Store PuzzlesLeave a comment
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Spider-Man 3 – Milton Bradley – 98 pieces

This was purchased from the thrift store the day mom spent the morning “Driving Miss Stacey”. I thought my younger son would enjoy it as he is a Spider-Man fan so we decided to take a chance. This puzzle is made of foam and the package said it fits together so well you don’t need glue, you can just hang it up when you’re done. While this is true, unfortunately I wasn’t impressed.

The fit of this puzzle is weird, and although it’s true that you can pick up the entire puzzle without glue I don’t think it would make a good hanging decoration. The pieces will not lay flat, not even close to flat. I tried to adjust them all so that it wouldn’t be so noticeable, but you can tell in the picture above that I was unsuccessful. Even if all the pieces had been there this isn’t a puzzle I would have kept.

Milton Bradley in my experience usually has good quality puzzles, but this one just didn’t pass muster. I will still enjoy their more traditional cardboard puzzles, but I don’t think we’ll be purchasing any more puzzles made of foam. It was fun to try out a new type of puzzle though. 🙂

Ballet Recital

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Thrift Store PuzzlesLeave a comment
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Ballet Recital – Melissa & Doug – 100 pieces

The picture of this puzzle doesn’t do it justice at all, it’s gorgeous! Sometimes these children’s puzzles surprise me. I enjoyed this puzzle more than I usually enjoy kid’s puzzles – it was fun and so lovely to look at!

Melissa & Doug puzzles generally have very good quality. This puzzle did as well, thick pieces that fit together very nicely. All the pieces are what I call ballerinas 😉 , but there was enough variety in shape that it wasn’t difficult. I appreciate companies that make their children’s puzzles with such good quality. Puzzles are excellent for helping develop young minds; they are good for spatial awareness, fine motor skills, problem solving, self esteem and much more. Puzzles are great for young and old alike.

This would be an excellent puzzle for a little dancer in your life, I loved it! Definitely recommended. 👍

I Spy Blue

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Thrift Store Puzzles1 Comment
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I Spy Blue (Colorful Kids) – Briarpatch – 100 pieces

This puzzle is so interesting! There are 6 in the set of different colors, and if you line them up it looks like they’re holding hands. Really cool! The poem around the edge tells you what to look for once it’s assembled; it’s also quite handy for assembling the edge itself.

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The pieces are thin, but very sturdy. It’s not an easy kid’s puzzle, but it’s worth the challenge in my opinion. If you can find these for a good price, I’d highly recommend them. They’re excellent for assembling with kids, you can help each other find pieces and then compete to see who can find everything first.

It was an entertaining puzzle for the elderly ladies of My Jigsaw Journal, we had fun! 👵

Dear God I Nearly Missed the Bus

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Thrift Store PuzzlesLeave a comment
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Dear God I Nearly Missed the Bus by Annie Fitzgerald – Vista Puzzles – 100 pieces

This adorable 100 piece puzzle is deceptively difficult! We knew after completing the first of three that were purchased together at the thrift store that these little puzzles take a little more brain power than your average 100 piece kid’s puzzle. I look at the finished image and think “how in the world was it that hard?” I don’t have the answer, all I know is that it was a little bit of a challenge.

They’re very cute, and although a little thin the pieces are sturdy and fit together well. I haven’t come across any other Vista Puzzles before, these are the first I’ve seen. For a kid’s puzzle, I’d say they were about mid range, quality wise. A quick search online leads me to believe Vista Puzzles aren’t in production any more. (I could be wrong, I haven’t yet had my entire first cup of coffee)

There’s one more of these for us to complete so we can donate it, perhaps we’ll get it taken care of on our next visit day. 🙂