Cat’s Got Mail by Bryan Moon – Ravensburger – 300 pieces
The large piece Ravensburger puzzles are so good! This is a 300 piece puzzle and the finished image is VERY big – 27 x 20 inches! (70 x 50 cm) That’s the average size of a 1000 piece puzzle. 😮 It’s quite impressive looking and feels like a big accomplishment!
I enjoyed the difficulty level of this puzzle, it was a bit of a challenge and took me longer than a 300 piece would normally take. Not too easy, not too hard – it was just right! I typically don’t do cat puzzles, but I enjoyed this one very much. Mom’s been finding some awesome images at the thrift stores lately and they’ve been so fun to work.
I am having a great time with the smaller piece puzzles. Maybe it’s because I spent the better part of 6 months working on one enormous puzzle, I’m not sure. But I really do enjoy the smaller piece counts as well as the puzzles 1000 pieces and above. Perhaps I just love to do puzzles, no matter the size! 🙂
Horrible Histories Cracking Castle by Martin Brown – Galt – 300 pieces
Horrible Histories are a series of books published in the UK that are designed to engage kids in history by presenting the gory, unpleasant, or unusual aspects in an amusing way. I hadn’t heard of them before, but actually they sound like a wonderful read! I’d be interested in checking them out. 😉
This puzzle reveals some of the truths about living in a castle long ago, and it’s a pretty fun assembly. The pieces are very thick and sturdy and the image reproduction is very sharp and colorful. The only problem I have with it is that the finish is extremely shiny and you can have glare on any of the pieces. Other than that minor detail, this was quite a fun puzzle that went together rather quickly. It comes with a “loathsome leaflet” filled with “foul facts” that will make you want to read the books to learn more horrible things!
Galt Toy jigsaw puzzles are mostly large floor puzzles for younger children, they do have a few 100 piece puzzles and they carry 4 puzzles from the Horrible History series. They are a UK based toy manufacturer, so it may not be easy to find more of them here in the US. I’m hoping to find more though, the quality was excellent and I love the concept. I’d love to find the Rotten Romans puzzle. 🙂
I Remember Those! by Charlie Girard – White Mountain – 300 EZ Hold pieces
I know I sound like a broken record, but when you give me collages to review, 99 times out of 100 I’m going to love it. I Remember Those! was great fun, and had me feeling a little old. 👵 I had many of those toys as a child, and what I wouldn’t give to have them back now. Although it’s probably a good idea that I didn’t have the “Atomic Energy Lab” with over 150 experiments you can perform. I was a tomboy and a teeny bit destructive, what mayhem I could have caused with that!
White Mountain has the best selection of collages in the industry (according to me) and they’re always great fun to assemble. It’s like having a bunch of smaller puzzles in one, and it’s hard for me to walk away from them. Click the link above to see some awesome collages and all the puzzles available from White Mountain at Puzzle Warehouse.
The finished image is 18 x 24 inches (approx. 46 x 61 cm). There was a small amount of puzzle dust in the bag, but all the pieces were separated with no damage. The pieces are a good thickness with a good variety of piece shapes and fit together very well. The image reproduction is bright and colorful with a matte finish to prevent glare. The box is large, about the same size as one for a 1000 piece puzzle. The name of the puzzle, manufacturer, piece count and a portion of the image is on all 4 sides.
This was an easy assembly, but completely entertaining. I started with the words, which gave me approximate position for most of the toys and then started filling in from there. It was interesting to see all the toys that were before my time – Mr. Potato Head was for use on a real potato! It also says you can use it on any fruit or vegetable to make a funny face. Wow! It’s fun to see all the older packaging and the language they used. Just an all around excellent image and assembly.
Charlie Girard has done many a wonderful puzzle for White Mountain, his collages always make me smile. The vintage and nostalgic collages always have me remembering the good old days, and wanting to buy more of his puzzles! Click the link above to see all the puzzles currently available from this artist at Puzzle Warehouse.
I Remember Those! is definitely recommended for anyone who enjoys collages, toys, or board games – or just enjoys putting together a great puzzle image. Two thumbs up! 👍👍
I received this product at no charge in return for a honest review, all thoughts and opinions expressed are truthful and 100% my own.
Willow Whispers by Alan Giana – MasterPieces (Memory Lane Series) – 300 EZ Grip pieces
Willow Whispers was a quick, fun puzzle to get myself back into puzzling after a short trip out of state. It took a little longer than normal for a 300 piece puzzle, but I’m still recovering from traveling. 🙂
MasterPieces puzzles have come up quite a bit in my eyes, their quality is very good and their puzzles are a great value. The pieces of this puzzle were thick and extremely sturdy, and they fit together very well; I was able to lift the finished puzzle without any pieces coming apart. There was little to no puzzle dust in the bag, the pieces were all separated and undamaged and had no hanging bits of paper on the back. The EZ Grip puzzles are excellent for anyone needing larger pieces. The image reproduction is bright and colorful with a slightly shiny finish. All in all, wonderful quality! Click here to see all the puzzles available from MasterPieces at Puzzle Warehouse.
This assembly was fun, I always enjoy a 300 piece puzzle. It’s a good feeling to start and finish a puzzle in one day, and even nicer when it’s a lovely picture. The edges were easy to find (I appreciate that), and it was also easy to pick out sections to work on without having to check the picture on the box. The red leaves in the foreground and background were easy to spot, as well as the water, path, and bench. There are several sections of flowers, but it’s easy enough to find their places by checking the picture. I wasn’t able to sit for long to work on it, and it was nice to be able to come and sit down for only a few minutes and be able to find and place several pieces.
The finished puzzle is 24 x 18 inches (61 x 46 cm). The box has the name of the puzzle, manufacturer, piece count, and image of the puzzle on all four sides. The name of the artist is on the top and one side of the box, along with a short bio on the back and pictures of other puzzles in the series. Interestingly, if you wanted to shelve this horizontally you would have to store it upside down – the image and wording on the side for storing flat is upside down on the lid. I don’t think it would be a deal breaker if you like the image, but it’s unusual and I don’t recall seeing that on any other puzzle boxes before.
The artwork by Alan Giana is charming, calming, and colorful and makes for excellent puzzling. I’ve done several puzzles with his artwork and they have all been entertaining and sometimes challenging, depending on the piece count. They are beautiful and detailed, and make me want to visit the places shown for a relaxing weekend. 🙂 Click the link above to see all the puzzles from this artist available at Puzzle Warehouse.
Willow Whispers is a beautiful puzzle that made for an entertaining assembly. At 300 pieces it’s quick to go together and could be a great family project for an evening. Definitely recommended. 👍
I received this product at no charge in return for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are truthful and 100% my own.
The Old Country Store by Art Poulin – MasterPieces (Town & Country) – 300 EZ Grip pieces
There’s so much to see at The Old Country Store, you’ll keep finding new items as you assemble this puzzle. Look at everything you used to be able to get in one store! Fixtures, furniture, fish bait, groceries, toys, etc – it was also the post office and barber shop – everything you need in one place. Including lumber and marriage licenses! 😮 It makes an excellent image for puzzling, lots of fun.
This puzzle by MasterPieces was very good quality. They have excellent large piece puzzles to choose from, including several series like Town & Country, Memory Lane, and Playful Paws to name a few. The larger pieces are great for seniors or children; the large pieces are easier for aging hands and eyes, and do not compromise the image quality. I like them just because they’ve got great images and sometimes it’s enjoyable to work with the larger pieces. Click here to see all the puzzles available from MasterPieces at Puzzle Warehouse.
The finished puzzle is 18 x 24 inches (approx. 46 x 61 cm). The pieces were undamaged and fully separated, and there was no puzzle dust in the bag. The puzzle is a random cut, so there were a good variety of piece shapes. They were a good thickness, sturdy, and fit together well. The image reproduction was very good, with lots of detail, and a slightly shiny finish. The box is smaller and square, with the name of the puzzle, piece count, manufacturer and a small complete image of the puzzle on all four sides.
This was an easy assembly for me, starting with the edges of course, then the words, buildings, etc. One section leads to another and before you can get up to warm up your coffee the whole thing is done! It was interesting to see all the things you could get at the country store, I’d love to be able to visit one, but those days have passed us by. We had a “general store” where I grew up, with everything from candy to clothing, but I’m sure it wasn’t nearly as diverse as the old country stores used to be. The big super stores of today have almost everything we need in one place, but definitely not the same feel.
The artwork by Art Poulin is detailed and beautiful. He specializes in Americana and his artwork has been turned into many gorgeous puzzles. You can tell he has a love for the simple things in life and his landscapes are charming and inviting. Click here to see all the puzzles currently available from Art Poulin at Puzzle Warehouse.
The Old Country Store was a fun assembly, with large easy to hold pieces that would be great for seniors or younger puzzle fans. If you’re a fan of Americana or folk art, you should definitely enjoy this puzzle. Recommended! 👍
I received this product at no charge in return for an honest review, all thoughts and opinions expressed are truthful and 100% my own.
