Review: We Are All in this Together

On January 22, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Thrift Store PuzzlesLeave a comment

We Are All in this Together by Sandy Miller – Springbok (Thingies) – 60 pieces

I really loved this little puzzle, it was challenging enough to not be boring, small enough to fit the small bedside table I’ve been working with, and very nice quality.

Mom brought me a few puzzles that I can do here in the hospital so I won’t be bored out of my mind staring at the tv, this one was so interesting we assembled it right away, together. I know, a person doesn’t need assistance with a puzzle this small, but we like doing puzzles together and she came to help keep me entertained. It worked!

I’ve never heard of these Springbok Thingies, what a neat concept! Small, round puzzles in small, round boxes that you can take and assemble anywhere. From what I could find online the Thingies were produced in the late 60’s, all with the designs of Sandy Miller, and were quite popular for several years. The one we purchased has a copyright date of 2013, so it seems they have been reissued, I would love to find more of these! They’re rather like the micro puzzles from Wentworth – excellent quality, small piece count puzzles that you can take with you and assemble almost anywhere.

I love that although they are only 60 pieces and they aren’t childish images, they’re actually a bit more challenging and take a little bit of focus. Mom and I had a great time assembling this one. The finish on the pieces didn’t feel the same as larger piece count Springbok puzzles we’ve assembled, it was almost soft and feels really nice in your hand.

I’m hoping mom finds many more of these, we enjoyed this one very much! 🙂

Details:

Title: We Are All in this Together
Artist: Sandy Miller
Brand: Springbok
Piece count: 60 pieces
Size: Approx. 7′” in diameter (18 cm)
Purchased: Used, thrift store

Quality:

Board: Excellent
Cutting: Excellent
Image: Very good
Box: Small, round, heavy cardboard, very portable
Fit: Very good
Puzzle Dust: Very small amount
Piece cut: Random
Piece shapes: Very good variety
Finish: Matte finish, lays flat

Overall Rating: Very good to excellent, highly recommended

Humpty Dumpty

On December 10, 2017December 11, 2017 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Thrift Store Puzzles3 Comments

This gorgeous puzzle was excellent quality and it has the most stunning colors! The pieces are thick and incredibly sturdy and fit together very well. It’s a really well made children’s puzzle from the late 90’s – if you can find one cheaply I would definitely recommend it for a little one in your life.

We don’t come across many Milton Bradley puzzles anymore. I remember when I was young and doing puzzles with my grandma she didn’t have much variety to choose from as far as brands go. Most of the puzzles she assembled (from what my aging brain can remember) were Big Ben puzzles from Milton Bradley. There wasn’t much variety in the images either, most were photographic puzzles of landscapes, cabins, lighthouses, etc. I wonder what she’d think of all the different brands I’ve tried and all the different types of artwork. I’m sad she isn’t here to try out all these wooden puzzles and brands from across the globe, but it also makes me appreciate that I have my mom to share them with. ❤

With the internet and our ability to shop puzzles from around the world we have so many more brands and images available to us now – I take it for granted most of the time, and I really shouldn’t. It’s amazing that I can get online and browse through puzzles from Germany, Japan, England, Australia, Holland, Turkey, France and too many more to name! I can “talk” to other puzzlers from around the world, translate any webpage to English with a click of the mouse, and order puzzles for myself from almost anywhere on the planet – amazing! We are truly blessed to have so much available to us and it barely fazes us anymore; we don’t really stop to think how awesome it is and how wonderfully lucky we are. I try to remember that when I’m feeling whiny.

I’m not sure how a children’s puzzle started me off on this tangent, but oh well. My brain takes me on wild adventures sometimes, and I’m not always able to trace them back to the starting point. Oh yeah – Milton Bradley! Miss you Gram, love you mom. 💗

Solar System

On October 9, 2017 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Thrift Store PuzzlesLeave a comment

Fun kid’s puzzle! I love seeing what kind of quality the larger companies put into their children’s puzzles. MasterPieces did well. 🙂

The pieces of this puzzle were very nice; thick and quite sturdy. They fit together well and the puzzle lays flat, which hasn’t always been the case with a lot of the kid’s puzzles I’ve assembled. Excellent quality! There’s even an informational poster included that has a picture of the image along with some planetary fun facts. This puzzle is being donated to a school and I know they’ll enjoy the educational poster.

My only issue with this puzzle is the paint or the powder mixed with the ink that glows. It almost feels like sandpaper to me, but not so rough that it would scratch your hands; it feels dry and like very fine sand. I detest the feel of sandpaper and for me this was almost like nails on a chalkboard! Of course, this is really only a big issue for me, but if you’ve got a child with any tactile sensitivities it may be something to consider.

Fun puzzle, and an excellent thrift store find! I love a glow in the dark puzzle, I enjoy seeing what parts glow. Usually it’s difficult to get a “glow” picture, but luckily this one worked out pretty well.

Kittens with Pumpkins

On July 26, 2017July 26, 2017 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Thrift Store PuzzlesLeave a comment

Gorgeous puzzle! Cobble Hill makes an excellent large piece puzzle – beautiful linen covered pieces that feet great in your hand and fit together wonderfully. Thrift store finds are so much fun. 😉

This was one of the 5 puzzles mom and I assembled in one day. We grabbed all the kid’s puzzles we needed to assemble to check that all pieces were there and did every one! For me it was the best quality puzzle of the day. The image is adorable and sweet and would be great for kids; and it isn’t too childish, so it would also be good for anyone who needs or likes larger piece puzzles.

Puzzle Warehouse carries this puzzle in two sizes, a 35 piece and a 60 piece. It’s a great quality puzzle, I highly recommend it. 👍

The 50 United States of America

On April 28, 2017May 18, 2023 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Thrift Store PuzzlesLeave a comment

Yup, another kid’s puzzle and another new company! It only took a few minutes to assemble this one, but it was so cute!

Lafayette Puzzle Factory is a new one for me and I know they do adult puzzles too – I’m looking forward to trying one. The pieces of this puzzle were on the thin side but are extremely sturdy which is excellent for a kid’s puzzle. The colors were amazingly bright and pretty without being over the top and the pieces fit together very well. I’m very impressed with the quality!

This is an excellent informational puzzle as well, it shows the 50 states and their capitals-it even shows something extra in a few states, something they’re well known for. Oranges from Florida, grapes from California, farms in Iowa, etc. I will admit though that at first I had no idea what they’re showing in Nevada and I had to really look at it to figure it out!

Great first puzzle from this company, if the adult puzzles are as well made I’ll be a happy puzzler! 🙂