Love Letter

On July 25, 2017 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw PuzzlesLeave a comment

I finally got to try an Anatolian (Perre Group) puzzle! I saw a puzzle at Puzzle Warehouse that I really wanted to try but it was discontinued and there was only 1 left. I didn’t want to take the chance that someone else would buy it, so I ordered it and added this puzzle to the purchase so I could get free shipping. I took the opportunity to order from a company I hadn’t tried before, and here we are!

The pieces were thick and feel good in your hand, and fit together quite well. I’d heard that Anatolian puzzles have a very loose fit, but that wasn’t the case, not with this puzzle at least. I’d say the fit is about average, not too loose and not too tight. The pieces were quite shiny, which was a bit difficult as there were a lot of dark areas in this puzzle. At one point I noticed that the paper I line my trays with was reflecting light and making it worse, so I took the pieces off the trays and put them on the board – big difference! It was much easier after that; I’ll have to remember that trick if it happens again. 🙂

The piece shape seems a bit obvious in this picture, but it didn’t seem as bad in person. I’m trying to get better at taking pictures for the blog, but obviously I’ve got a way to go. I do the best I can. Apologies. 😐

I enjoyed this puzzle very much and wouldn’t hesitate to order another from this manufacturer. I love that they include a stand for the box top, I always enjoy getting extras and this is one that comes in very handy! Also they have a missing piece service and will send you a replacement – most companies don’t have that. They’ve got quite a few puzzles that are gorgeous and look like fun to assemble. I’ve only done one puzzle, but what I’ve seen so far is very good. Can’t wait to try more. 😎

Garden Bridge

On July 23, 2017 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Thrift Store PuzzlesLeave a comment

Pretty puzzle from Masterpieces, sadly missing a piece. Oh well, at least we saved someone else from having to buy an incomplete puzzle. 🙂

Mom and I had started a whole different puzzle this day, and after about 100 pieces we gave up. The other puzzle was an awesome image, but unbelievably tedious and un-fun. We tried to like it, then we remembered that doing puzzles is supposed to be fun and why in the world were we doing a puzzle we weren’t enjoying?? Sometimes we think that we have to finish a puzzle, just because we bought it. Nope. If it ain’t fun, it ain’t worth it! We spent our money to learn a lesson. That day’s lesson? Sometimes the coolest pictures make the worst puzzles!

So, we gave up on that one and decided to try this uncomplicated, beautiful puzzle with only 300 pieces. It was MUCH nicer to work.

The large pieces were nice and thick and fit together well – we both enjoy a large piece puzzle every now and then. The quality was good and the picture was lovely and we both enjoyed the assembly. It’s nice to work an easier puzzle once in a while, it makes you feel like a puzzle master. Look how fast I completed this entire puzzle! 😉

The scene by Alan Giana is beautiful and serene and it makes me think of summertime in the north. Blooming flowers and butterflies, birds and a small stream – lovely and calm. Extremely nice puzzle that was unfortunately missing a piece. Darn.

Fishing with Friends

On July 22, 2017July 22, 2017 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw PuzzlesLeave a comment

Beautiful puzzle that I don’t believe Jumbo is manufacturing anymore, I got the last one at Puzzle Warehouse. It’s really lovely, but I wouldn’t want to do another one.

Jumbo is right up there with Ravensburger in my opinion, excellent quality puzzles and a great catalog. Their fit is exceptional and I love the way the pieces feel in my hands. In my mind these two companies are tied for first place.

This puzzle, however, was a bit tedious. Not counting the border, 99% of the pieces were ballerinas (2 prong/2 hole) and many pieces could be placed where they didn’t belong. With so much sameness in the sky and water it was pretty difficult and time consuming working those areas.

On the positive side, the puzzle comes with a chart of the pieces because you’re supposed to assemble the entire puzzle and then remove the pieces indicated on the chart to give you the decorative edge you see above. It was extremely helpful in finding the correct pieces to assemble the border. You’re supposed to start with the large piece in the center of the puzzle and work outward from there. I don’t always do as I’m told, so I assembled the edge and the chart was very helpful. 😎

Glue was also included. A packet of powder that you mix with water and then apply. I followed the directions and the glue was very thick, almost a gel-like consistency. I tried to apply it the way I normally do, but it didn’t work very well. I think perhaps it would have been easier to apply with a brush. I’ll have to try it with a paintbrush if there’s a next time with powdered glue.

The puzzle is gorgeous, and I’m glad I did it. But I also was a little let down by the assembly and probably wouldn’t order another one unless the image was amazing. But since they’re no longer being produced I doubt I’ll come across another any time soon. Still, the deco border makes the puzzle stand out, and it’s really quite beautiful!

Holiday Treats

On July 21, 2017 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Thrift Store PuzzlesLeave a comment

A nice collage from the thrift store, it was a bit of a challenge but we powered through only to find there were 3 missing pieces. Sigh. Oh well, those are the chances we take with thrift store puzzles – if we get a $20 puzzle for 69 cents then we have to expect that sometimes it won’t always be complete. It was still fun to do! 🙂

Another chilly puzzle for Christmas in July. It took us a while, but mom and I finally got this one finished last week. It was moderately difficult, but quite fun to assemble with a friend.

The cut was random which mom doesn’t really care for, I don’t mind it so much but I do prefer a grid cut most of the time. With the randomness sometimes you think you know what shape piece you’re looking for and it turns out you weren’t even close! It’s nice to change things up once in a while though, I think it makes my brain work differently – it takes me a bit to make the change in how I’m perceiving the pieces and how they fit together. It’s excellent exercise for the brain cells!

The pieces felt thick and sturdy and fit together well, the image reproduction was lovely and made me hungry for Christmas cookies! The finish was quite shiny, but the puzzle wasn’t dark so it didn’t present a problem.

All things considered a good quality puzzle that mom and I had fun assembling together, even with the 3 missing pieces. Merry Christmas in July!

Review: Paris Opera House

On July 20, 2017July 31, 2017 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Puzzle reviews1 Comment

This post is sponsored by Puzzle Warehouse.

Paris Opera House – Masterpieces (Masters of Photography) – 500 pieces

An absolutely beautiful puzzle that I was scared of, to be honest. It looked like it was going to be too difficult to be fun – of course I was wrong. As usual. 🙂

This gorgeous puzzle is part of the Masterpieces Space Savers collection – 500 piece puzzles in smaller boxes for a smaller price. I had it in my mind that because the box is smaller and has a flip up top that the puzzle wouldn’t be very good quality, I mean how good can a puzzle that costs $5.99 be? As it turns out, pretty darn good. 🙂 Click the link above to see all the Space Savers available at Puzzle Warehouse.

The pieces were a good thickness and fit together very well; I never thought a piece went where it didn’t belong. The image reproduction as you can see is excellent and the finished image is flat and seamless. The piece shape isn’t obvious partially because the image itself is quite busy and also because of the fit. The only issue I had with this puzzle is that the finish is a bit shiny which can cause glare, and you may have to be careful when working under lights.

This is the second Space Saver that I’ve done and I’m very impressed with the quality. I definitely recommend them – they’re the perfect size to throw in your suitcase when you’re off for a weekend away. Don’t want the kids to sit and stare at their phones or the television? Pack a puzzle! It’s pretty hard to walk past a partially assembled puzzle, you can see exactly where that piece should go and you’ll just sit for a few minutes and work on it too. It’s a great activity for one person or the whole family.

Photography puzzles aren’t usually what I like to assemble, or at least I used to think so. Looking at all of the photography puzzles available at Puzzle Warehouse there are so many I would love to do! They have puzzles of just about everything – pets, food, landmarks, nature, architecture, people, landscapes and so much more. My poor wallet, this wishlist is getting out of hand!

I’m really enjoying these reviews because I’m assembling puzzles I normally wouldn’t have chosen for myself and enjoying them immensely! I know what I like as far as puzzles go, but just because the picture isn’t something that jumps out at me doesn’t mean I won’t enjoy it. Because honestly, so far, there hasn’t been one puzzle that I haven’t enjoyed. 🙂

I enjoyed this one even though I was scared of it! Unfortunately this puzzle is no longer available at Puzzle Warehouse but there are plenty of puzzles from Masterpieces to choose from; or click the links above to look at the Space Savers collection and the photography puzzles available. Masterpieces space saver puzzles are definitely recommended. 👍