Tag: Ceaco

Fruits of a Morning Walk/Summer Blooms

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles4 Comments
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Fruits of a Morning Walk/Summer Blooms by Marjolein Bastin – Ceaco – 300 pieces

Fruits of a Morning Walk (Summer Blooms) – gorgeous puzzle! I knew this puzzle would be a bit more difficult than usual for a 300 piece puzzle, but it was just too pretty to pass up. As you know I’m not normally one for pastels, but there’s something about the combination of colors used…it’s stunning!

Why was the name of the artwork not on the box? I have no idea, but I find it frustrating; at least the artist’s name was there, that’s something. I had to look up the artist online and find this image to come up with the name. Once I found the image and it’s name, I found that this puzzle is not named for the artwork, it is called Summer Blooms. Huh. If they were going to change the name, why not put that new name on the damn box!? With all the space available on puzzle boxes, shouldn’t the artist and artwork be named somewhere? Being the stubborn old broad that I am, I’m still calling it the much more poetic name (but I’ve added the retail name too in case anyone wants to purchase it).

I found the quality of this Ceaco puzzle to be very good; the pieces were thick and fit together very well. You can see from the picture that the image reproduction is beautiful. It’s a little brighter than the original artwork, but still lovely. As with many brands, I find that the 300 piece puzzles seem to have better quality chipboard. Perhaps because many people who choose this piece count have dexterity or vision issues and the better board makes for easier puzzling. Whatever the reason, I am grateful for the improved all around quality.

Mom came over to hang out and puzzle with me, and we worked on and finished this beauty together. It’s amazing how it looks so unassuming and fun when you see the completed puzzle, but when it’s just pieces on the board it is definitely not so easy. It seems to me that it’s much more entertaining to work on a difficult puzzle with someone else. At least that’s the case with me; I get a little less frustrated. Then there’s the added bonus of spending time with someone you care about – without distractions – it’s time extremely well spent. 💗

The 12:09 – On Time Again!

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Thrift Store Puzzles6 Comments
The 12:09 - on time again!
The 12:09 – On Time Again! by Jane Wooster Scott – Ceaco – 528 pieces

I haven’t assembled a good corkboard puzzle in years; I’ve assembled a few, but they weren’t very good and just didn’t live up to the first one I did. Fortunately this puzzle was great quality and a lot of fun to assemble. If you’re wondering, yes the sky is supposed to look like that according to the image on the box. It’s weird though, right? Anyway, as an added bonus it’s a fall puzzle with lots of pumpkins everywhere, and even some jack-o-lanterns! 🎃

This was a very good quality puzzle, with thick pieces and a wonderful fit. The cut was devious, with a wonky edge and color line cutting that had me checking the box often – I’ve never seen that from a Ceaco before. Although it was a pity they didn’t put a picture of the entire image on the box (other than a tiny 2 inch picture) – I hate that!

I don’t believe these corkboard puzzles are in production anymore, both of the good ones we have were found at thrift stores, and the boxes say that they’re from the early 90’s. All the cork backed puzzles we’ve found were from Ceaco, but I can’t explain why some are poorer quality than others. A few that I’ve assembled were not as thick, and the cork didn’t seem as well adhered. Different places of manufacture perhaps?

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These are only some of the whimsy pieces in this puzzle, but they’re so fun, and there are so many birds in the sky! I love that you can tell the different breeds of the dogs just by their silhouettes – there’s a dachshund, a cocker spaniel, and beagle (at least that’s what I think they are 🙂 )

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Sweet apple junction, how adorable is that? What a great image by Jane Wooster Scott. All the cork puzzles we’ve assembled have been with her artwork – I’d love to find some more!

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This picture not only shows some of the color line cutting (you can see the straight edge at the bottom of the train); it also shows that unfortunately the name of the artwork and artist has been cut off – whoops!

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The added challenge of this puzzle was to find and join the 10 railroad cars hidden in the puzzle – I did it! There was a similar challenge on the first cork puzzle I put together; you had to find and assemble all the parts of a clown. I didn’t even attempt it, but this time I was a bit more brave. 💪

I found this puzzle hiding on one of my shelves full of puzzles just in time for Halloween, and I’m so glad. Mom came and helped me with it too, which is always a joy. It was great fun and made me very happy!

Review: What, No Chocolate!?

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Puzzle reviews1 Comment
This post is sponsored by Puzzle Warehouse.
Fruit
What, No Chocolate!?- Ceaco – 500 pieces

I thought this puzzle would be pretty easy. Once again, I thought wrong. This puzzle, which I have named “What, No Chocolate!?” is another from the 8-in-1 multipack called Sweet & Salty. I was going to name it something mysterious and weird, but when it came time to think of something my mind went blank! It isn’t an enigmatic name, but it makes me smile, and it’s a little more creative than just “Fruit”. 😉

This particular puzzle looks so inviting and fun to assemble on the box, and it was! Although it was more of a challenge than I anticipated it was still great fun. The bright colors of the fruits helped in the sorting, but it wasn’t as quick and easy as I thought it would be. I was going to start with the blackberries, but once the puzzle was sorted I changed my mind and started with the cut orange. I had to just go with my gut and assemble it as it played out, not with a set strategy. It’s a great image, and looks amazing once complete!

Ceaco puzzles have a great selection of images to choose from, although sometimes I find the quality to be lacking. The quality of these puzzles has been better than I expected, especially from a multipack. The fit is excellent, the images are beautifully reproduced, and the pieces are a good thickness. Sometimes the chipboard is fanning on the backs of the pieces, and there are some that aren’t cut all the way through; overall though, the quality is good. Click the link above to see their puzzles currently in stock at Puzzle Warehouse.

Puzzle Warehouse has so many puzzles to choose from, in so many different categories! If you’re a fan of food & drink puzzles, click the link to see the pages and pages of awesome choices. They have so many interesting collages of different foods that I’ve added several to my wishlist (which is getting way out of hand). There’s a gorgeous 2000 piece Springbok called Tin of Treats that looks like so much fun – with some of the same chocolates from a puzzle I completed last year called Chocolate Artistry. Gorgeous!

I’m having a great time with these food puzzles and have started assembling another from this box. It’s more difficult than all the others so far, and it may take me a while to get it done – but it’s going to look so cool when it’s finished! What, No Chocolate!? was a fun challenge and it’s definitely recommended. This Sweet & Salty box has been very entertaining so far!

Details:

  • Title:                  What, No Chocolate!?
  • Artist:                iStock
  • Brand:               Ceaco
  • Piece count:     500 pieces
  • Size:                  Approx. 14 x 18 in. (36 x 46 cm)
  • Purchased:      N/A, sent for review

Quality:

  • Board:               Good
  • Cutting:             Good
  • Image:               Very good
  • Box:                   Average, 8 puzzles in 1 box
  • Fit:                     Excellent
  • Puzzle Dust:     Moderate amount
  • Piece cut:          Grid cut
  • Piece shapes:   Good variety
  • Finish:               Slightly shiny finish, lays flat

Overall Rating:      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: Macaroons

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Puzzle reviews1 Comment
This post is sponsored by Puzzle Warehouse.
Macaroons
Macaroons – Ceaco – 500 pieces

All the puzzles in this 8-in-1 box of Sweet & Salty foods are nameless, so I’ve been naming them as I finish each review. Obviously, this one is named Macaroons – I know, I’m being less than creative. Perhaps I’ll name the next one something enigmatic and weird; something that has nothing to do with the food shown on the puzzle. That’ll be fun to come up with!

This puzzle was one of the reasons I chose this 8-in-1 box to review. I love the look of it and hoped it would be great fun, thankfully I was right. I love the pastels (even though I usually prefer bright colors), and I finished the puzzle in one day. Usually I have to break it up over several days; but I was enjoying myself so much and was so absorbed in the puzzle that the pain that normally interferes seemed almost muted. It’s an amazing gift when puzzling can do that for me. 🎁

Ceaco puzzles have a great selection of images to choose from, although sometimes I find the quality to be lacking. The quality of these puzzles has been better than I expected, especially from a multipack. The fit is excellent, the images are beautifully reproduced, and the pieces are a good thickness. Sometimes the chipboard is fanning on the backs of the pieces, and there are some that aren’t cut all the way through; overall though, the quality is good. Click the link above to see their puzzles currently in stock at Puzzle Warehouse.

I’ve assembled 3 of the puzzles from this box so far, and I feel confident in recommending them; the quality is better than expected, and for $16.99 for 8 puzzles you just can’t go wrong. The box contains 2 300-piece, 4 500-piece, and 1 each 750 and 1000 piece puzzles – it’s quite a good value and I’m having a wonderful time assembling them!

Macaroons gets 2 cookies way up, and a glass of milk too!🍪🍪🥛

Details:

  • Title:                  “Macaroons”
  • Artist:                iStock
  • Brand:               Ceaco
  • Piece count:     500 pieces
  • Size:                  Approx. 14 x 18 in. (36 x 46 cm)
  • Purchased:      N/A, sent for review

Quality:

  • Board:               Good
  • Cutting:             Good
  • Image:               Very good
  • Box:                   Average, 8 puzzles in 1 box
  • Fit:                     Excellent
  • Puzzle Dust:     Small amount
  • Piece cut:          Grid cut
  • Piece shapes:   Good variety
  • Finish:               Slightly shiny finish, lays flat

Overall Rating:      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.

Hollywood Newsstand

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Thrift Store PuzzlesLeave a comment
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Hollywood Newsstand by Ken Keeley – Ceaco – 1000 pieces

My daughter gave me this to assemble after she had done it, she said it was kinda tough and was pretty proud of herself for getting it done. It was a bit of a challenge, so way to go for both of us! Not great quality, but the image is fun – and how could I refuse to assemble a puzzle she gave me?