The Sewing Box

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The Sewing Box – Springbok – 500 pieces

This was a super fun Springbok puzzle that mom and I assembled together. We love a collage and putting together each little compartment of the box made for a great afternoon. It was a little bit of a bummer that it was missing a piece, but c’est la vie – that’s life.

Springbok quality is sometimes hit or miss, thankfully this one was a hit. The pieces fit together well and didn’t require having to force connections; sometimes I find their fit is much too tight, but this one was just about perfect. The image reproduction was crisp and beautiful, and the image itself made for such a great puzzle!

I love our Fridays when mom and I spend the day together. We assemble puzzles, talk, laugh, and generally just enjoy each other’s company. When the hormones are raging and I can’t stand anyone, mom is the only one I want to be around; no matter how I’m feeling, spending time with mom is always good for me. Lately we’ve been doing smaller piece count puzzles, we are having more fun being able to do more than one puzzle per day.

I love a thrift store puzzle, there’s always a chance that it may be missing a piece but you can find such interesting, fun puzzles at deeply discounted prices. Yes, this puzzle had a piece missing – but it only cost us 99 cents. For less than a dollar we got to spend the afternoon together putting together a really entertaining puzzle – what a bargain!

 

Gentlemen

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Gentlemen by Andrea Tilk – Clementoni – 500 pieces

This is the companion to yesterday’s puzzle, Ladies. I don’t know exactly what it is about these images that draws me in, but whatever it is they were both excellent quality puzzles that were great fun. I’m so glad I was able to get these before they were discontinued because they didn’t disappoint and are more beautiful than I expected.

Once I finished Ladies I couldn’t wait to get going on this one! The image is relatively easy one to assemble, but not so easy that it’s boring. I loved the embossed accents on some of the items, but am pretty bummed that I wasn’t able to capture the accents in a photo.

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of these puzzles, the pieces were thick and fit together very well. I’d love to get the rest of the Home Collection, these were such great quality and so much fun and the images are beautiful! Both of these puzzles are already glued and waiting for me to find a some gorgeous matching frames.

I loved this puzzle❣

 

 

Ladies

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Ladies by Andrea Tilk – Clementoni – 500 pieces

I absolutely adore this image, and I bought it specifically to glue and frame. The first time I saw it I thought that it, along with it’s companion Gentlemen, would be perfect framed and hanging in the master bath. As an added bonus, it was excellent quality and wonderfully fun to assemble!

I usually have a LOT of puzzles hanging out on my wishlist at several stores so I can look at the list, go back and look at the puzzles, and keep an eye out for price reductions, etc. I’ve had both Ladies and Gentlemen on my list for quite a while and when I went over the list one day I found that they had both been discontinued – oh no! Even though I wasn’t really planning on placing an order that day I knew I didn’t want to let these get away from me. I’m so glad I got them!

This was the first Clementoni I’ve gotten new. I’ve assembled one other, but it was a thrift store purchase; I was excited to see what the quality was right out of the box and I wasn’t disappointed. The pieces were thick, had a variety of shapes, fit together very well, and the image reproduction is fantastic! These puzzles are part of the Home Collection, and have an added feature of enhanced images with glossy detail that really make them stand out. Unfortunately it isn’t something I was able to capture in the picture, but it’s beautiful and gives the puzzle a little added pizzazz.

This puzzle was so much fun to assemble that I couldn’t walk away from it, and once it was done I couldn’t wait to get going on it’s companion. It’s too bad that they’ve been discontinued because I’d love to get the rest of the collection. If you come across one of them I highly recommend you give it a try, I absolutely loved it!

Review: Apple Pie Kitchen

This post is sponsored by Cobble Hill Puzzles.
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Apple Pie Kitchen by Kip Richmond – Cobble Hill – 500 pieces

Apple Pie Kitchen is a gorgeous image, and was a fun puzzle to assemble. I love an old country kitchen, I think I may have been born too late to enjoy them though; I was raised in the age of hideous avocado colored refrigerators and enormous microwave ovens.

Cobble Hill Puzzles are excellent quality, and this puzzle was no exception. The pieces are a good thickness with a linen finish, the image reproduction is very good with beautiful colors and crisp lines. The cut is random, which I find makes for a fun and interesting assembly although some puzzlers find working with them more difficult; and the fit was excellent. Their catalog is varied, with plenty of different styles to choose from, and their new puzzles come with a poster to help with assembly. Click the link above to see all the Cobble Hill puzzles currently available at one of their preferred online retailers, Puzzle Warehouse.

This puzzle was a joy to assemble; I love the warm, homey feeling of the image. The random cut of the pieces kept me on my toes and completing each small section gave me a great sense of satisfaction. This puzzle is definitely recommended!

Details:

  • Title:                  Apple Pie Kitchen
  • Artist:                Kip Richmond
  • Brand:               Cobble Hill Puzzles
  • Piece count:     500 pieces
  • Size:                  Approx. 26 x 19 in. (69 x 48 cm)
  • Purchased:      N/A, sent for review

Quality:

  • Board:               Very good
  • Cutting:             Very good
  • Image:               Excellent
  • Box:                   Very good, poster included
  • Fit:                     Very good
  • Puzzle Dust:     Minimal amount
  • Piece cut:          Random cut
  • Piece shapes:   Very good variety
  • Finish:               Matte finish, lays flat

Overall Rating:      Very good, recommended

 

I received this product at no cost in order to facilitate this review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are truthful and 100% my own.

Review: In Full Bloom

This post is sponsored by Puzzle Warehouse.
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In Full Bloom by McKenna Ryan – Cobble Hill – 500 pieces

In Full Bloom is an absolutely gorgeous puzzle, but it’s a little harder than it looks! The image is an actual quilt which makes it a little more challenging; still it’s great fun, and would make a beautiful wall hanging.

Cobble Hill puzzles are excellent quality, and this puzzle was no different. Thick pieces with a linen finished image full of bright, beautiful colors. The fit was a little loose and a few of the pieces were still attached by small bits of paper, but not so much as to be a major annoyance. I find that when an image is one I really like that I tend to forgive quality issues a little more readily. A slightly loose fit doesn’t lessen the enjoyment of the assembly, I just have to be sure that I’m paying more attention when moving small sections. Click the link above to see all the Cobble Hill puzzles currently available at Puzzle Warehouse.

The picture above doesn’t do the puzzle justice, the colors are deep and rich and the entire image is beautiful. It takes my breath away! It was harder than I anticipated but the colors and overall image made it worth the challenge. The artist, McKenna Ryan, has three 500 piece puzzles currently with Cobble Hill; in addition to In Full Bloom, there are Back on the Farm and Dog Park. Click the links to check them out, they’re adorable!

I definitely recommend this puzzle, especially if you’re a fan of quilt puzzles like I am, or if you just like a beautiful puzzle of good quality. I had a great time with this assembly, and hope you do too!

Details:

  • Title:                  In Full Bloom
  • Artist:                McKenna Ryan
  • Brand:               Cobble Hill
  • Piece count:     500 pieces
  • Size:                  Approx. 18 x 24 in. (46 x 61 cm)
  • Purchased:      N/A

Quality:

  • Board:               Very good
  • Cutting:             Good, some attached pieces
  • Image:               Excellent
  • Box:                   Average
  • Fit:                     Very good
  • Puzzle Dust:     Moderate amount
  • Piece cut:          Random cut
  • Piece shapes:   Very good variety
  • Finish:               Matte finish, lays flat

Overall Rating:      Very good, recommended

 

I received this product at no cost in order to facilitate this review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are truthful and 100% my own.