Tag: 400+ pieces

Living In Bird World In Progress…

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzling, Miscellaneous7 Comments

Living In Bird World by Lisa Houck – Liberty Puzzles – 498 pieces

I’m having a bad day today, and this beautiful Liberty Puzzle has been helping me keep my mind off of things. That’s number 138 on the list of reasons why puzzling is good for your mental health. When you work on a puzzle it isn’t possible to multi-task, every part of your brain must be engaged with finding out what shape, cut, and color you’re looking for. The best puzzles can do that with ease, they keep you engrossed in what you’re doing, there’s no time to dwell on problems you may have or situations you can’t change, etc. It’s a mindful, peaceful meditation, and that’s just what I needed today.

I love to puzzle and being a dissectologist has been such a blessing in my life.🧩❤

The symmetrical section with many repeating pieces is where I started, that’s the top section shown; when that began to become more difficult and I needed something a bit easier I went with the darker section of dots in the bottom corner. It took a bit to reorient my brain to how all these pieces worked together, but from then on it’s been pretty smooth sailing. When that was finished I started on the smaller dots in the section above it and that’s where I am now. I’ve pulled out all the pieces (I hope) with the dots on the light background and am attempting to put everything into it’s place and hopefully connect these two sections together.

When I work a premium wooden puzzle like this one I normally put the box away where I cannot easily catch a glimpse of the image on the box. It makes the assembly last a little longer for me and I enjoy figuring out where each piece and whimsy fits into the overall picture. And when I’m finished it gives me a greater sense of accomplishment.

God Bless this puzzle for being here for me today, to keep my mind otherwise occupied when things that I can’t do anything about are happening and I don’t want to wallow (which I would definitely be doing right now). Puzzles have always been a cozy, warm hug for me when I’ve needed it, and I need many hugs today. 🤗🤗

Love Connection

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw PuzzlesLeave a comment

Love Connection by Sage Wirth – Liberty Puzzles – 440 pieces

Don’t be shocked everyone, but I actually remember assembling this one! Since this puzzle was part of the reason I finally got back to the puzzle board it holds a special place in my heart. Once I saw it online I REALLY wanted it, so it was ordered. But once it arrived that meant I had to get my lazy butt out of bed and get myself back to my puzzling. Honestly, I’m so glad I did.

As usual, the quality of this Liberty Puzzle was amazing. Their piece shapes, the fit, the design of the pieces, it’s all excellent in my opinion. The puzzles aren’t cheap, but for an well-made wooden puzzle I find them to be completely reasonable and very much worth it.

Aren’t the whimsies adorable? Part of the fun for me of wooden puzzles and their intricate whimsies is sorting through the pieces and seeing all the beautiful and intricate shapes and how they relate to the puzzle image.

I always LOVE to look at wooden puzzles from the back, it always amazes me how the puzzle designer comes up with the themes and piece shapes and makes them look so beautiful. It’s always a risk for me to flip the completed puzzle over, sometimes it doesn’t go very well – but this time I did it with no problems at all. Yay me!

Love Connection was an entertaining puzzle that finally got me back to one of my great loves – jigsaw puzzles. It made the connection in my brain that I needed; remembering how much joy jigsaw puzzles bring me and that I needed to get back to them. I’m so glad the love connection was finally made for me, again. 💖

It’s Been a While, I Know…

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Jigsaw Puzzling, Miscellaneous20 Comments

Love Connection by Sage Wirth – Liberty Puzzles – 440 pieces

I know, you’re probably shocked that I’m still alive and kicking. Yup, still here! How’s everyone been? Sorry I’ve been MIA, just wasn’t feeling it. Life happens, stuff, depression, more life, you all know what I mean – hopefully.

So, after two years I’ve finally taken my puzzle off the board, the one I completed around March of 2024. And yes, it was ACTUALLY sitting on the puzzle board all that time. Yikes. That sounds horrible doesn’t it? Anyway, pictures have been taken, it’s put away in it’s box and I’ve started a new puzzle!💚🧩💚

An email from Liberty Puzzles had me looking around at some of their new releases and I was smitten by this one; decided to get off my lazy butt, buy myself a new wooden puzzle and get back to the table. It’s been a little difficult and my brain seems fuzzy since it’s been so long, but it’s good too! Liberty Puzzles can be difficult sometimes, and perhaps starting with one of their puzzles isn’t the best idea, but even though the brain is fuzzy and struggling it’s still very enjoyable for me.

Honestly, it’s been the wooden puzzles that I’ve really been missing. Don’t worry, the love for cardboard puzzles is still here, but right now the one that’s been calling to me is this gorgeous puzzle called Love Connection. It’s patchwork-y, so it reminds me of quilts, which you know I love; and it’s designed so you can work on each heart containing a letter if that’s how you want to go about it (almost like a collage, which is another of my favorite puzzle images).

Just a short note to tell you I’m back, at least for now. How I’ve missed you all! Tell me all about the puzzles you’ve been working on, what’s new in the puzzle world? How is everyone?

(Please try to be patient with me, I’ve pretty much forgotten how the site works and I’ve been fumbling around trying to figure everything out. If I told you how long it took me to remember how to download a picture from my phone and save it to my computer you would be shocked! 🤔)

p.s. Happy Belated Birthday Mom, still miss you terribly.

Color Dream

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles14 Comments

Color Dream by Nadieh Bremer – Artifact – 403 pieces

Oh man! This was a challenging, beautiful, fantastic puzzle to assemble! It was quite difficult, as I didn’t use the image on the box – but I absolutely adored both the challenge, the image, and the assembly itself. 🧡💜💙💚

This was my third puzzle with an image by this artist, and I am completely smitten with her work – it makes for such fun puzzling! And I also have to give a shout out to the designer of the pieces, Chandler Millwood (who designed all three of Nadieh’s puzzles), whose design was like artwork in itself. Stunning!

Look at all those loops and swirls, it was such a challenge, but so much fun! The groups of stars in each corner, the connectedness of everything – just a wonderful design to go with such a lovely image.

The star in the center and the loops that form the flower-like image around it aren’t visible from the front. It made for such an interesting puzzle! I know, my use of exclamation points is getting ridiculous, but this puzzle made me so happy that I just can’t help myself!!

There was a surprise in the box, the description on the website alluded to it, but I skipped right over it when I was ordering the puzzle. It said “Tools included to make your own tiny orbit artwork.” Whatever does that mean?

It came with it’s own tiny little wooden Spirograph! Does anyone remember those from when you were younger? I certainly do, and let me tell you there have been a LOT of little pictures made with this already. I have to fess up and tell you that it didn’t occur to me until I was probably 50% through the assembly that all the little images on the puzzle are ones that you could make with a Spirograph. I was looking at the shapes and putting together colors and suddenly realized that all the loopy, swirly, interesting shapes are ones you could make with the toy in the box. DUH!

This puzzle was unbelievably difficult, entertaining, beautiful, and FUN!

Africa Map

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles10 Comments

Africa Map by Liv Wan – Artifact – 441 pieces

What a fun puzzle! This is a testament to the fact that even though an image may not be what jumps out at you at first when you’re shopping, it can still be a highly entertaining puzzle to assemble – I absolutely loved this one. 💖

Normally I prefer a Victorian cut in a wooden puzzle, or better yet something even more out of the ordinary; this puzzle has “grid cut” shapes, and usually I would pass right on by this one in favor of something more “interesting”. But offer me 50% off and free shipping and I cannot be responsible for what happens. Someone gave me access to my debit card and left me alone and unsupervised – even with my very advanced PADS disorder. Not my fault – not my fault at all! 😇

Look at these fabulous whimsies! All manner of African animals, their beautiful people, even buildings and monuments. Stunning!

It’s a little tricky to find, but just below and to the left of the elephant on the right side of the picture is a street food called Bunny Chow. I was intrigued when this section was put together and did a little research into what it was; it sounds amazing! It’s a mix of spices, meat, chickpeas, and potatoes served in a hollowed out bread bowl – yummmm. As long as it isn’t too spicy I’d be all over that! (My daughter finds my lack of spice tolerance amusing, and when something is too hot for me she says “OMG Mom, you are SOOOOO white!”)

There were so many interesting animals, foods, and natural wonders to see in this image – 100 pictures wouldn’t be enough to show you everything. I adored it once I started assembling, and loved learning about all the regional foods and native animals. Ever heard of a Giant Ghana Snail? I hadn’t. How about Suya? It’s a traditional smoked, spiced meat skewer that’s popular in much of West Africa. (Also, this little picture is a small shout-out to one of my regular readers from Nigeria – hi Tayo!) 😎

I had such a good time putting this one together that it makes me re-think all the puzzles I pass on by when I’m puzzling shopping online. First impressions aren’t always correct.

Hmmm, maybe I need to stop typing and get myself to a puzzle website – tout suite!