Tag: Holiday Puzzles

Holiday Books In Progress…

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzling13 Comments

Holiday Books – Re-marks – 1000 pieces

Another holiday puzzle already on my board, and we’re not even halfway through November! Surprised that I have so many Christmas puzzles here? So am I! Although, thinking about it just now I realized that almost all of them were given to me – they aren’t ones I purchased, because….well, you know.

In fact, of the twenty-one holiday puzzles here at the house left to be assembled, I purchased ONE of them. The set of 12 advent calendar puzzles was a gift from hubby, three are thrift store puzzles mom bought, five (including the one I’m currently working on) were sent to me by my bestest puzzle buddy Penny, and only one of them was actually purchased by me.

When I tell you the title of the Christmas puzzle I bought, you’ll get it. It’s called Ruby the Red Beaked Emu. I just gotta be me! 😁

I’ve already put together three holiday puzzles, and I gotta tell you – I’m sick of them already. Yep. Once I finish this one I’ll be taking a break from them. In fact, there are two 1000 piece Christmas puzzles that perhaps will be put away for next year because I just don’t want to make myself put together puzzles because it’s the right season. I’m supposed to be having fun!

Eighteen of the puzzles are 100 pieces or less, so I’m planning to save those until December; I can assemble them in the morning with a hot cup of coffee and start my days with a completed puzzle. Doesn’t that sound lovely? It does to me.

This collage puzzle I’m working on right now is going pretty quickly, and other than a very loose fit I’m enjoying it. Collages make me happy.

Even if they are holiday themed. 😉

Christmas Spirit In Progress…

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzling, Thrift Store Puzzles8 Comments

Christmas Spirit by Susan Winget – Ceaco – 577 pieces

Yesterday I got a text from my puzzle pal Penny, that said “Stop the presses! Stacey has a very Christmasy/Santie Claus puzzle on her board??? Am I in the Twilight Zone?” No ma’am, it isn’t the Twilight Zone and you’re not having a stroke, I am working on my Christmas puzzles right now!

I’ve got one going in the bathroom, and this one on my board; and there are a couple of them finished already too! (You can see them on the November page if you don’t believe me – but I really did do them 😎)

This puzzle is a special edition Ceaco puzzle with a red velvet backing and whimsy pieces. Mom got it at the thrift store (she was the thrift store ninja), and it still has the sticker on it – she paid 99 cents for it! Unfortunately even though I just got started it is obvious it won’t be complete…

This lovely piece was in the box. It has obviously been chewed up by a pet; the velvet backing is gone, and the front of the piece looks like this. Sigh. Maybe it’s just me, but I think I’d rather a person just tossed this piece in the trash and didn’t put it in the box to be donated. It would be better to get to the end and realize there’s a missing piece than to find this while you’re laying out pieces and know for sure this puzzle won’t be complete. That’s just my opinion of course, but that’s how I feel.

Anyway, I won’t get much work done on this today as I’m off to deliver a birthday cake to a friend and probably spend a little time visiting. When I get back I’ll most likely be wiped out and spend the rest of the day in bed. So, I’ve got an hour or so this morning to puzzle, and then I’m off.

Happy puzzling today my friends!

Candy Calaveras

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles12 Comments

Candy Calaveras by Randy Wollenmann – Wentworth – 40 pieces

This amazingly detailed and gorgeous image made for a bit of difficult puzzling, even at only 40 pieces. But it’s so beautiful and my love for the decorative skulls (calaveras) and my appreciation for the holiday Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) made it even more fun, even with the tougher assembly.

The skulls are very cool, and the cactus is ok – but a taco and a chili? I’m not so sure about those two.

I enjoyed putting this little puzzle together; the bright colors and busyness of the image made it a little challenging, but having whimsy pieces makes it a bit easier. The odd shapes and the pieces that fit around them are always a good place to start if you’re having trouble with the image itself. Once you get a few pieces put together it becomes easier and before you know it you’ve got a completed puzzle. 🧩💚

The Day of the Dead is a two day Mexican holiday for remembering and praying for friends and family members who have died. I’m not of Mexican heritage, but I’ve always loved the meaning of the holiday and especially the traditional decorative skulls. The candy form, called sugar skulls (calaveras de azúcar) represent loved ones who have passed on and are used as an offering – they’re typically placed on an altar or a gravestone – to the spirit of the dead.

To me the skulls are beautiful, and what they represent is even more so. A day to remember the loved ones you’ve lost, what a wonderful holiday. To me, saying “Happy Day of the Dead” just seems wrong, so I’ll just send you good wishes today, and hope that the memories of your loved ones bring you happiness.💕

Grin & Bones

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles10 Comments

Grin & Bones – MicroPuzzles – 150 pieces

This is such an adorable Halloween puzzle, it was much harder than it looks! Still, it’s bright and colorful and was highly entertaining to assemble.

I’ve never had an issue with MicroPuzzles quality before, but this puzzle had a printing issue. Things happen, no manufacturing process is ever perfect so I don’t find it to be that distressing at all. I’ve emailed the company and have alerted them to the problem in the hopes that they can resolve whatever issue caused this. They offered their apologies and a replacement puzzle, but I don’t need a replacement, and asked that they not send me one as that wasn’t why I contacted them.

You can see below the dark substance/color across part of the lower portion of the image (across the porch of the house)…

I’ve had similar issues like this with other puzzle brands, and though I’m not sure what causes it – it really didn’t detract at all from my enjoyment of the assembly. I’m not one of those people who immediately wants a refund or a replacement. If that is something that you do, I’m not disparaging that at all – you’re well within your rights to ask for those things if you wish – I’m just saying that it isn’t normally what I do.

If I assembled the puzzle and enjoyed myself, that’s enough for me. I have so many puzzles already here, and almost never assemble cardboard puzzles more than once. If I received another copy of this puzzle I wouldn’t even assemble it, it would be wasted on me.

I let the company know about the problem; they were apologetic and offered a replacement and told me they would look into the issue – which is all I wanted. If I can help in some small way to make sure others get good quality puzzles then I’m a happy puzzler. 😎

MicroPuzzles has always provided me quality mini puzzles that I enjoy assembling, and my opinion of the brand and their puzzles hasn’t changed. I love them!

Happy Socktober

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles12 Comments

Happy Socktober – MicroPuzzles – 150 pieces

How fun is this image? So fun! After exhausting my supply of Halloween puzzles I was thrilled to get this month’s subscription box from MicroPuzzles with two more puzzles for my favorite holiday; plus the gift in this month’s box was a perfect compliment to to this puzzle…

Puzzle socks for Socktober! They don’t quite match the colors of the socks on the witch in the middle of the image, but they’re close enough. I don’t normally wear socks here in sweaty, sunny Florida, but how can I part with these? I love everything puzzle related, even these socks that I will wear only rarely.

Even though there was a different micro puzzle in progress in the master bathroom, I had to jump in and immediately get going on this one. As I’m typing up this post the date is October 1, but by the time you’re reading this it will be very close to the end of the month. There are puzzle posts already typed up and scheduled for most of October already, so there’s no waiting on these two holiday puzzles – they need to be assembled quickly in order to be sure they’re ready for posting before Halloween.

Although this is a brightly colored image, it isn’t an easy one to assemble. The two sets of striped socks on either side were much easier to find and assemble than the puzzle socks in the middle, so obviously that’s where I started. The middle bit with the darker background and the socks with four different colored puzzle pieces made for a much more challenging assembly.

Still I absolutely loved it, and was so excited to have some more Halloween puzzles to put together. The quality that MicroPuzzles has makes for fun puzzles that I usually enjoy very much. This one was no different in the quality department, but the image made me so happy that it made for even more entertaining puzzling than usual. I had the best time.💟

Happy Socktober my friends!