Tag: Jigsaw Puzzles

Review: The Old Country Store

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Puzzle reviewsLeave a comment
This post is sponsored by Puzzle Warehouse.
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The Old Country Store by Art Poulin – MasterPieces (Town & Country) – 300 EZ Grip pieces

There’s so much to see at The Old Country Store, you’ll keep finding new items as you assemble this puzzle. Look at everything you used to be able to get in one store! Fixtures, furniture, fish bait, groceries, toys, etc – it was also the post office and barber shop – everything you need in one place. Including lumber and marriage licenses! 😮 It makes an excellent image for puzzling, lots of fun.

This puzzle by MasterPieces was very good quality. They have excellent large piece puzzles to choose from, including several series like Town & Country, Memory Lane, and Playful Paws to name a few. The larger pieces are great for seniors or children; the large pieces are easier for aging hands and eyes, and do not compromise the image quality. I like them just because they’ve got great images and sometimes it’s enjoyable to work with the larger pieces. Click here to see all the puzzles available from MasterPieces at Puzzle Warehouse.

The finished puzzle is 18 x 24 inches (approx. 46 x 61 cm). The pieces were undamaged and fully separated, and there was no puzzle dust in the bag. The puzzle is a random cut, so there were a good variety of piece shapes. They were a good thickness, sturdy, and fit together well. The image reproduction was very good, with lots of detail, and a slightly shiny finish. The box is smaller and square, with the name of the puzzle, piece count, manufacturer and a small complete image of the puzzle on all four sides.

This was an easy assembly for me, starting with the edges of course, then the words, buildings, etc. One section leads to another and before you can get up to warm up your coffee the whole thing is done! It was interesting to see all the things you could get at the country store, I’d love to be able to visit one, but those days have passed us by. We had a “general store” where I grew up, with everything from candy to clothing, but I’m sure it wasn’t nearly as diverse as the old country stores used to be. The big super stores of today have almost everything we need in one place, but definitely not the same feel.

The artwork by Art Poulin is detailed and beautiful. He specializes in Americana and his artwork has been turned into many gorgeous puzzles. You can tell he has a love for the simple things in life and his landscapes are charming and inviting. Click here to see all the puzzles currently available from Art Poulin at Puzzle Warehouse.

The Old Country Store was a fun assembly, with large easy to hold pieces that would be great for seniors or younger puzzle fans. If you’re a fan of Americana or folk art, you should definitely enjoy this puzzle. Recommended! 👍

 

I received this product at no charge in return for an honest review, all thoughts and opinions expressed are truthful and 100% my own.

 

 

 

Alice in Wonderland

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles4 Comments
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Alice in Wonderland – Potter Style – 500 pieces

New company for me, Potter Style. I love the artwork but the pieces – yikes. 😐

This puzzle comes in a “book box”, very nice packaging with the full image on the inside of the lid (not easy to set up and use for reference). If  the chipboard were a bit thicker it would be a very nice puzzle. As it is, the pieces are about the thinnest I’ve seen and they did not fit together well.

I’m not sure where we got this one, I think it was most likely purchased new. Mom LOVES interesting packages! I’d be interested to find another one in the thrift store perhaps to compare the quality – maybe I got a bad one that made it through quality control? You never know.

The artwork is very interesting though, and the finished puzzle is quite striking. Might be nice to glue and frame for a Lewis Carroll or Alice in Wonderland fan.

 

Star Wars

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles2 Comments
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Star Wars – Ravensburger (Silhouette) – 1098 pieces

This giant puzzle was a monster! 42 inches tall, so I had to work it sideways on my 3×4 foot board. My boys both love Star Wars, so this puzzle was for them. My oldest says he wants to hang it on his bedroom wall. I think rather than framing it, it would be more striking the way it is, so I’m going to have to learn how to attach it to foam board to make a wall hanging out of it. 🙂

Honestly I’m glad he wants to keep it, because it was a quite a challenge for me and I don’t know if I would want it taken apart – it gave me a run for my money! The darkness of the mask and around the edges is actually in shades of blue, purple, and black and it was sometimes very challenging to see which piece was the right color. I only have artificial lighting in my puzzle area so there was a glare issue. That being said, what a gorgeous puzzle! It’s beautiful and I’m proud of myself for sticking with it. The force was with me. 🙂

As usual, the Ravensburger quality was excellent – thick pieces, quality finish, nice variety of piece shapes. The fit for most of the puzzle was very good, but there were a lot of pieces just sitting next to each other (pet peeve! 😦 ), I am not a fan of that. Having whimsies makes it so that you’ve got to create a space around them, and that means not every piece connects. I know it’s part of the package when assembling with a puzzle with whimsies – so I deal with it. The edge pieces that just sit next to each other though, that is so frustrating!! I don’t know the difficulties of manufacturing and cutting a shaped puzzle, so perhaps there’s a reason for not all the edges connecting. But wouldn’t it be lovely if they could all click into one another? Just my opinion.

Aside from the connecting pieces issue, this puzzle was a challenge – but worth it. It’s a stunning puzzle that my sons love, and one of them gets to keep it in his room. And apparently I’m going to learn something new, how to mount it on foam board! 🙂

Review: Country Kitchen

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Puzzle reviews2 Comments
This post is sponsored by Puzzle Warehouse.
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Country Kitchen by Janet Kruskamp – White Mountain – 1000 pieces

Country Kitchen was a moderately challenging but beautiful puzzle that made me wish I still lived in the country! The stove looks just like one my great grandmother used to use, and the canning pot on the stove looks exactly like one my mother used to have when she canned tomatoes, peaches, and many other tasty treats for the family. I didn’t always appreciate the work that went into feeding us, and the taste of home grown and preserved foods, but I sure do miss them now! Obviously, this puzzle is making me feel a bit nostalgic. 🙂

White Mountain doesn’t just have an excellent catalog of collages, they also have beautiful artwork, photography, landscapes, maps and educational puzzles as well as a new line of children and family puzzles. Their quality is very good with larger, thick pieces that fit together well and excellent image reproduction. Click the link above to see all the puzzles from White Mountain currently available from Puzzle Warehouse.

White Mountain 1000 piece puzzles are larger than most at 24 x 30 inches (61 x 76 cm), so be sure you have a large enough work space before you begin. There was some puzzle dust in the bag but not too much, and the pieces were all separated. There were a few slightly bent pieces but they weren’t so damaged that you couldn’t use them; a quick little bend in the other direction and they were fine. The pieces were thick and sturdy and fit together well. The image reproduction seemed a little muted and fuzzy at first but that was just the artwork style (and my aging eyes). The box is about the average size for a 1000 piece puzzle with the name of the title, artist, manufacturer, and piece count on all 4 sides. 2 sides have a smaller complete image of the puzzle, and 2 sides have a small partial image, making it suitable for shelving either vertically or horizontally.

This assembly was moderately challenging for me because of the art style. The image of the puzzle looks as if it would be easier, but the brush strokes and soft lines made it a bit more difficult for me. That’s a good thing in my mind though, I like a bit of a challenge – it exercises the brain cells. The curtains were the easiest to pick out, along with the stove, sky, and flowers. After those were complete it seemed to get a little easier and went together more quickly for me. It was an extremely enjoyable assembly, and I look forward to working more puzzles by Janet Kruskamp – I like her style! Check out the other puzzles from this artist by clicking the link above, The Blossom Shoppe is gorgeous!

The new puzzles from White Mountain have sold extremely quickly, so if Country Kitchen is sold out at the moment you can always leave your email and sign up to be notified when it’s back in stock. If this image speaks to you I would definitely recommend it. It’s beautiful, nostalgic, and a little challenging – an excellent combination! 👍👍

 

I received this product at no charge in return for an honest review, all thoughts and opinions expressed are truthful and 100% my own.

Roadside Attractions

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw PuzzlesLeave a comment
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Roadside Attractions by Gil Elvgren – Cobble Hill – 1000 pieces

Gorgeous puzzle from Cobble Hill, excellent quality too – this one is getting glued and framed for my hubby, who loves old pinup girls. What an awesome wife I am! 😉

Cobble Hill makes excellent puzzles, their quality is very good. The linen on the pieces gives you a nice feel, and even the boxes feel luxurious. The fit is good, about average I’d say – neither too loose or too tight. The random cut makes for an interesting assembly, and they have a wonderfully varied catalog. I love their collages, and the new color series they’ve put out looks fun – but challenging!

The little ladies on the sides went together quite quickly, and were fun to put together. The lovely lady in the middle and her car took a bit more time, but still an entertaining assembly. There’s another pinup collage by the same artist called Seaside Attractions from Cobble Hill, looks like just as much fun as this one! I don’t know that I’ll get it for my husband, I seem to be running out of wall space. 😮