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.
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 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. 💗
Back to the puzzle room and back to my puzzle board. FINALLY.
On Tuesday evening, after receiving a care package of puzzles from my dear friend Penny, I finally got myself motivated to get back to my puzzles.
Having had to stop my strongest pain medication about 3 weeks ago, I was only able to sit long enough to sort and assemble the edges, but it was progress. Finally. Yesterday I wasn’t able to sit up for any length of time at all, and didn’t touch any puzzle pieces all day, but I’m hopeful that I can be back there today.
Puzzling, for me, helps me to relax, de-stress, and actually assists me in dealing with the chronic pain of my injury. My mind becomes laser focused on the pieces, the shapes, the colors, and the patterns; and somehow pushes the recognition of the pain to the side, if only for a little while.
I’m glad I finally got my butt in gear and got back to my beloved puzzles, and I hope to be back to them again today. They are helpful in dealing with stress, anxiety, pain, and much more. It’s like meditation – focusing on puzzle pieces only, and pushing thoughts of everything else from your mind.
For me, they are necessary. And I’m glad there’s a puzzle on my table now; it needs assembling, and I’m just the gal to get it done. 😎
I bought this to assemble and glue to hang in the bedroom of my youngest son. He is a self-professed Comic Book Nerd, and loves to talk about it for hours on end. Mostly he talks to himself, but the entire time I was putting this one together he stayed in the room to watch and I heard about The Avengers, and when it was released, and who played who in the movies, and who the original artist was, etc., etc. etc.
For. The. Entire. Time.
Thank goodness this went together quickly! 😉
The quality was good/fair, and I have to say I adored the artwork – especially the look of the hands holding the comic book. Even the frayed edges of the comic book look amazingly realistic, it seems almost like a Norman Rockwell with its amazing accuracy. I searched every inch of the box to find the name of the artist, but I found nothing at all; it would have been nice to give credit for the exceptional artwork.
This just made me smile. It makes me think of the old movie trailers that told us all about the thrills and chills we’d be experiencing if we saw a particular movie. I’m smiling now just typing this up. 🙂
My Jigsaw Journal 