Shopping Trip

I had to leave the house yesterday, and found myself at the bookstore looking at jigsaw puzzles, I even ended up buying a few – who woulda thunk it???

Before leaving home I was sorting my next puzzle, but now that I’ve got these new ones the one I was preparing to assemble seems so boring! Plus, if I get Frankenstein and the horror books done quickly they can be posted this month for Halloween.🎃

Interestingly, after my jaunt to the store I now have a shopping tip for you, if you shop in person. The World of Frankenstein is a Laurence King brand puzzle, and if I were you and wanted good quality I would only purchase this brand if you can be sure where it was manufactured.

In the store today there were plenty of puzzles by this brand, including The World of Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Agatha Christie, etc. – but they were all manufactured in China. The World of Frankenstein was one of only two images by this brand in the store today that was manufactured in the Netherlands. There is a big difference in quality between the two, and after seeing the difference in person and talking with a fellow puzzle blogger in Europe about this brand I wouldn’t purchase a Laurence King puzzle if it was made in China. If you’re spending your hard-earned puzzle budget on a new LK puzzle, please be certain where it was manufactured.

I’ve never recommended a brand specifically depending on where it was made, but there’s a first time for everything. So, if you find a Laurence King puzzle that was manufactured in the Netherlands I highly recommend them. I just completed one of their puzzles and it was excellent quality (I adored it!). If you find the same brand but it was made in China, be wary. Just a friendly suggestion of course. 😊

Anyway, now that these three puzzles are sitting on my board, my fickle menopausal brain (currently being slowly boiled from the inside by hot flashes) has decided that I’m going to assemble the horror books collage. I haven’t started it yet, but I’m very much looking forward to it!

Happy puzzling today my friends!

Africa Map In Progress…

Africa Map by Liv Wan – Artifact – 441 pieces

I’m REALLY enjoying this assembly, though it’s taking much longer than usual for a puzzle with this number of pieces. It doesn’t matter though, the enjoyment is the point – not speed or comparing myself to how long it “should” take.

This image isn’t one I would normally go for, but it was another puzzle I bought for 50% off earlier in the year when Artifact was having a sale. Honestly, I felt like buying just one puzzle for $18, Medicine Teepee, didn’t really warrant the free shipping that was offered. I know, if they offer free shipping I can buy however many or few puzzles I want; truth be told I wanted some cool wooden puzzles and getting only one at half price just wasn’t enough for me. The PADS took over and I make no apologies.

So I bought this one, and even though it isn’t an image I would normally go for, nor the piece shape I prefer in wooden puzzles, I’m loving it. 💕

When I work a wooden puzzle I do not look at the box image, it makes the puzzle last longer. Slowing down and having to pay attention to each shape, each color, each texture makes for more immersive puzzling – for lack of a better word. I become completely engrossed in how things fit together and the time spent puzzling is so relaxing and enjoyable.

If I were more familiar with the geography of Africa I might be quicker at putting this together, as the interior of the continent is crammed full of images from the many countries; food, people, destinations, animals, buildings, etc. Hopefully though, I’m learning and absorbing the geography as I go. (I did know where Madagascar was, so that little island wasn’t difficult to place!)

I’m having a great time puzzling today, how about you?

Grin & Bones In Progress…

Grin & Bones – MicroPuzzles – 150 pieces

And here I thought I had all my Halloween puzzles done and ready to publish – NOPE! Saturday I received my monthly subscription box from MicroPuzzles and it had two more spooky holiday puzzles for me. Normally the MicroPuzzles aren’t completed at my big puzzle board, but there are exceptions to every rule.

There are already enough puzzles in the queue for the entire month of October, so now things are going to have to be moved around a bit to make sure these puzzles are published before Halloween. It isn’t too much of a big deal, but usually I post about my puzzles in the order they are completed. But like I said, there are exceptions to every rule. 😉

The first of the two new puzzles is already finished, and this one has just begun. There wasn’t much puzzling done yesterday because I hurt my shoulder just moving around in bed (getting old ain’t for sissies), so I wasn’t at my puzzle board for very long.

I will get this little guy finished today though, it’s too cute to sit here for very long, and at only 150 pieces it won’t be that difficult. Hope you’re having as much fun with your current puzzle as I’m having with mine. To all members of the puzzle posse everywhere – happy puzzling! 🧩

Quilt Farm In Progress…

Quilt Farm by Eduard – Buffalo – 1000 pieces

This is one of the Country Life images from Buffalo, and as usual it’s an entertaining and well-made puzzle. There was zero progress made yesterday, but today I’m feeling as though there will be some good progress made. It seems like a good day for puzzling, doesn’t it?

My next section to tackle is the quilts; both the ones in the back of the truck and the ones set up on display behind it. It may take a while, but it’ll be so beautiful and colorful once it’s done!

Most of the fruits and vegetables are already done, as are the house, barn, and both trucks. The most difficult part seems as if it will be the grass/driveway in the middle of the picture. It shouldn’t be too terrible though, I’m actually looking forward to it. 😎

Nothing In Progress…Yet

Even though there’s nothing on the board yet, hopefully there will be later today. Yesterday was spent writing up posts instead of sorting my next puzzle, even though the next one has been picked out. At the very least it will be sorted today (with some good luck) so that assembly can begin tomorrow.

Working on a good puzzle? Do tell!