Tag: Jigsaw Puzzling

Peacock and Pattern In Progress…

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzling2 Comments

Peacock and Pattern by Jane Tattersfield – Liberty Puzzles – 508 pieces

No, I haven’t made today alliteration day, I’ve decided to work on a gorgeous Liberty wooden puzzle to try to get out of this funk I find myself in. Peacock, pattern, progress – pure puzzle pleasure in perfect proportion! So far it seems to be helping, let’s hope it stays that way.

Another beautiful image by Jane Tattersfield, she was the artist on another Liberty puzzle I assembled and LOVED from over eight years ago – Birds. I knew the minute I saw this one that it would also be great fun, and so far it has been. I adore images that aren’t the usual puzzle go-to subjects; hot air balloons, kittens, landscapes, Coca-Cola Santa, etc. When they’re out of the ordinary that immediately makes me stop and take notice, and this one is perfect for me.

Normally with these puzzles you don’t start with the edges, but this image has a border that was easy to pick out and that’s where I began. It naturally flowed from there into the yellow patterns, and I’m still working on getting all of them in place – or at least close to it. When I was working on it yesterday I found myself ignoring everything (husband, children, laundry timers, bodily requirements like food, water, etc.) in pursuit of just… one… more… piece…

It’s a very good thing for your mental health to get into that meditative state where the puzzle is the only thing on your mind. What shape do I need? Do these colors match? Where should this one go? I’m praying a couple of days working on this stunning puzzle with it’s bright, glorious colors and amazingly shaped wooden pieces will continue to help improve my mental health and maybe help get me back to my usual puzzle nirvana.

I took my computer off the puzzle (yes, I put it right on top of whatever puzzle I’m assembling when I’m working on the blog) once I was done typing up this post, and really looked at it while sitting far back in my puzzling chair. The angle, the depth of the wooden pieces, it was/is absolutely gorgeous. I had to take another picture from that angle to show you, isn’t this a beautiful puzzle?!

Happy puzzling today my friends. Namaste. 🧩🙏

Dog Lovers In Progress…

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzling, Miscellaneous8 Comments

Dog Lovers by Anderson Design Group – MasterPieces – 1000 pieces

There hasn’t been too much work on this one, unfortunately. It’s been a rough week for me and I’m just hanging on and doing the best I can. Most of the week has been spent in bed, and yesterday wasn’t much different. I did make myself get in front of a puzzle though, because I knew I needed a puzzle to show you for today’s post. I’ll get my mojo back, I’m sure. I just need some rest.

This is post number 2000 here on My Jigsaw Journal. Can you believe it?!? Me neither! I should have gotten here a few years ago, but I’m known to take a break or two (sometimes for more than a year at a time). That’s alright, all good things happen in their own time, don’t they?

I wish I had something other than an in progress post for you today, but I don’t. There weren’t any plans to commemorate post 2000 and by the time I realized it there wasn’t time to plan much so I figured it would just be like any other day.

When you think about it though, the time it takes to write up that many blog posts – my goodness, I should be so proud of myself! (If you knew how many times I go back over them before posting to be sure there aren’t spelling or grammatical mistakes, you’d ask me if I was currently being medicated for my OCD *I’m not*)

Happy 2000th post to My Jigsaw Journal, and happy puzzling to us all! 🧩💚

Embroidery Table In Progress…

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

Embroidery Table by Andrew Farley – Milton Bradley (Big Ben) – 1000 pieces

I’m currently working on this gorgeous tableau of embroidery supplies, and all I can think about is how much mom would have loved this puzzle. I didn’t consciously plan it, but this is the puzzle I’m working on today – the seventh anniversary of her passing. How can it seem as if I just lost her yesterday and also that she’s been gone for way too long?

I found this beauty at the thrift store a month or so ago, and I’m hoping it’s complete because it really reminds me of my awesome momma; it was bagged inside the box, so there’s reason to think it may have all the pieces. The quality is fair, about the usual for a Milton Bradley puzzle, but the image reproduction is fabulous. The colors are bright and crisp, and everything looks as it should. Mom would have loved to have glued and framed this one for her craft room, of that I am sure.

It’s going really well, and I found myself getting out of bed last night when I couldn’t sleep just to sit in front of it and put a few pieces in – one of the clues that tells you how much fun the image is. There are only three trays of pieces left and I’ve gotten used to every single one. I know where things should go and I’m familiar with every shape and color so why can’t I just be left alone so I can sit in the puzzle room till it’s finished? I’m tired of taking breaks!

Most certainly this one will be finished today, I’m just not sure what to do with it once it’s finished. I could box it up and re-donate it to the local Goodwill. But I’m thinking I might want to host a giveaway with it in honor of my crafty momma who loved making things, assembling puzzles, and finding bargains at thrift stores – but I don’t even know if all the pieces are present and accounted for.

If it’s complete would anyone be interested in winning this gently used thrift store puzzle? It’s a gorgeous image and so far has been extremely entertaining to assemble.

We all miss you mom, more than words can express. 💔

Aristocats In Progress…

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzling2 Comments

Aristocats – Ravensburger – 1000 pieces

This one got started two days ago, but there was almost no work at all done on it yesterday. Most of this assembly was done on day one, although I did put in a lot of the piano yesterday evening. It was going pretty well that first day, and I was thoroughly enjoying myself; hopefully when I get back to it later on today (if a morning nap helps to revive me) it’ll be just as much fun.

Thursday I took my son out later in the afternoon/evening, and it really wore me out. I spent almost all day Friday in bed trying to recover – still trying to recover this morning, actually. I got out of bed to take this picture and type up a small blurb about it, and then I’m right back to bed again.

I’m hoping when I do get back to the board that it continues to be as enjoyable as that first day – this movie for me in particular holds very dear memories of my momma. I’m missing her, but thinking of those memories also makes me smile. 💗

Admont Abbey Library In Progress…

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzling4 Comments

Admont Abbey Library by William Carr – Ravensburger – 500 pieces

This puzzle is going together rather well, which is not anything like what I’d envisioned. I stayed away from this puzzle for quite a few years, it just looked so muted and as if it would be very difficult; but it hasn’t been that way at all. This poor thing has been shuffled around and around always not making the cut cause I was too scared to try it that day, or not in the mood, or whatever reason I told myself. Thank goodness I finally took the plunge because it’s been way more fun than it looks!

The pieces seem brighter than the image on the box, although it’s still quite muted in color. But it’s not nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. One small section leads to another and things are going much more smoothly than anticipated.

I’m having lots more fun than I’d even hoped for!