I’m Having the Best Time!

On November 7, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzling4 Comments

Sugar Magnolia whimsies — Having fun with whimsies!

Well, I was right, hubby did get me the most expensive puzzle from my wishlist as a birthday present. I’m assembling it now and it’s coming together slowly, but slow is ok with me – I’m having the best time!

I tried to be upset with him, but I apparently misplaced my distress when I opened the box. Whoops. It’s called Sugar Magnolia from Liberty Puzzles and it’s GORGEOUS….

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The artwork by Phil Lewis so beautiful and unusual – I love it! Though I don’t think I ever really would have bought it for myself. It’s one of those puzzles I put on my wishlist so I can look at it and sigh wistfully. (You know what I mean, right?) I’m so happy to have it, but I’m also upset with myself for not removing it from the list before I let hubby look at it. It makes no sense, does it? That’s me all over, nonsensical.

Nonsense aside, I am enjoying this puzzle so much! Mom came over to help me get started, and we had the best time spending several minutes just looking at the pieces. Then we poured them out onto a board and, oh my, there were so many! I’ve never had a wooden puzzle with this many pieces, there are almost 900. 😮

The pieces were all laid out, and then I put the box away. That’s part of the reason the assembly is going slowly – we’re not using the image. It makes the wooden puzzle experience last longer and gives me more time to look at and feel the pieces while I contemplate where they should go. I love being in the moment and focused only on the puzzle and it’s pieces. Heavenly!

I spent a bit of silly time setting up the picture above with a few of the whimsies. I have no explanation other than it made me smile. ☺ Adorable, aren’t they?

New Puzzle Day!

On November 1, 2018November 1, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw PuzzlingLeave a comment

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I’m so excited!!! Hubby says my birthday present from Liberty Puzzles will be arriving today! My puzzle dealer in the brown truck will be bringing me joy and happiness in a box. I can hardly wait!

What will it be? How many pieces? Why isn’t it here already?

It’s gonna be a good day today – I can feel it! Although, I think I may have gone over the limit for exclamation point usage in one post. Whatever! I’m so excited! New Liberty wooden puzzle today! 🤩

Assorted News

On October 26, 2018October 26, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzling5 Comments

Just a few little tidbits that I thought I’d pass along…

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One of My Jigsaw Journal’s readers and fellow puzzle blogger, Puzzle Momma, has recently gotten back to her GIANT of a puzzle, Life – The Great Challenge. This big boy is 24,000 pieces and she’s down to about her last 1000 pieces or so. She’s back working on it after about a year’s hiatus, and I for one am cheering her on. Go Penny! I can’t wait to see pictures of the entire puzzle, although I bet it’s 10 times more beautiful in person than in any pictures. Check out her blog Puzzle Momma to watch for updates. (When I was working on my big puzzle, knowing people were “watching” on the blog helped me to work on it every day – even if only a few pieces. So we’ll be watching! 😇)

Outset Media, which, among many other things designs and manufactures Cobble Hill puzzles, has mentioned My Jigsaw Journal in their latest news update on their website! In a post about puzzle bloggers they enjoy, my humble little blog was one of three mentioned! 😱 Check out their post for their thoughts on some awesome jigsaw puzzle blogs. (Yeah, I said my blog was awesome – because I couldn’t think of a good way to compliment the other two amazing bloggers without complimenting myself!)

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Lastly, and the one I’m most excited about, I pulled up my wishlist at Liberty Puzzles on my husband’s computer last night so he could choose a birthday present for me. If you knew me, you’d know that it’s completely out of character – I don’t really care for presents. I know that’s a ridiculously odd thing to say, but I am a ridiculously odd person! I’m not a fan of being the center of attention, and presents make me uncomfortable. Yup, I said that. Welcome to the weird world of me.

That said, I have a big birthday coming up, and for once I’ve decided to help him out. Since he was going to get me a present this year even though I always ask him not to, I thought it best to make sure it was something that I’d really like. He asked for suggestions, so I figured now was the time to go big or go home – wooden puzzles! You only turn half a century old once, right? 😎

So I’m excited to see what fantastic new Liberty Puzzle I’m getting (knowing hubby, it’ll be whichever puzzle on my wishlist was the most expensive). I’ll try not to think about that, and just be overjoyed that I have an awesome husband who always tries to make me happy and loves me madly even after 30 years of marriage. 💖

Birds (Alternate Solution)

On June 5, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles8 Comments

IMG_E4688 — Birds (Alternate Solution) by Jane Tattersfield – Liberty Puzzles – 509 pieces

How cool is this? This is Birds, the same puzzle I posted about yesterday, and it looks amazing! On the Liberty website it shows the alternate solution to the puzzle, and I was hoping when I received the box it would at least come with a picture of the second assembly to help me put it together. No such luck – but I got it done anyway. 😎

I had to study the picture online to get started, and once I figured out how it was going to work I didn’t need the picture as much (at least for the feathers). Parts of the puzzle stayed put, and the pieces that were pulled out to form the new shape were laid next to the edges; they are connected to each other, but not to the original shape of the puzzle. Once I found the pieces that were to be flipped backwards, it wasn’t too difficult to figure out where the feathered pieces were coming from and where they were going.

I’m not sure why certain pieces were turned backwards, but I do see that the pieces near the owl’s head form the eyes and beak of the bird. It does make for any interesting image, doesn’t it? The flipped pieces also helped me find the right pieces to pull and where they were going. You’ve got to hand it to the designer of this puzzle, it’s a pretty remarkable composition. To design the pieces to make a perfect square when assembled one way, and to make a shaped bird in flight when assembled another – not to mention all the whimsies. Astounding!

Birds by Jane Tattersfield – Liberty Puzzles – 509 pieces

Birds (Alternate Solution) by Jane Tattersfield – Liberty Puzzles – 509 pieces

The bottom of the bird was more difficult than the feathers and took a little more time and thought. But with the picture as my guide and a bit of determination I was able to get it all put together. I was pretty proud of myself when I finished the regular assembly, but that was nothing compared to how excited I was when I finished the shaped assembly!

Liberty Puzzles are my favorite of all the wooden puzzle companies that I’ve tried. Their craftsmanship is exceptional, they have more whimsies than any other company, and the intricacy of their cuts is absolutely without equal. The pieces feel great in your hand, and there’s nothing like hearing them plunk into place when you’ve found the right spot. They’re not cheap, but I think they’re fairly priced (much more reasonably than many wooden puzzle companies) and completely worth it.

I bought myself this puzzle as a gift, and I’m looking forward to having another excuse to buy myself a present. Father’s Day is coming up this month, perhaps I need to get myself something. Without us moms there wouldn’t be fathers, right? 😇

Birds

On June 4, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles10 Comments

Stunning, gorgeous, beautiful, colorful, intricate – there are endless adjective possibilities to describe this puzzle, but I’m going with amazingly awesome! This was by far the most entertaining puzzle that I’ve assembled this year.

Liberty Puzzles are excellent quality, and they’re my favorite of all the wooden puzzle companies that I’ve tried. They have more whimsies than other companies, and the cut is extremely detailed and intricate; the pieces are works of art within the artwork! The puzzles are made from 1/4″ plywood and are a joy to handle and assemble. I’m pretty particular about the puzzles I choose to purchase new, but I would literally do ANY puzzle, ANY image from Liberty – every puzzle they have is exceptionally well made, and the cut of the pieces would make any image an entertaining assembly.

As you can see the whimsy pieces are extremely detailed, they’re all hand-drawn and beautifully made. The image is reproduced with amazing color and expertly adhered to the wood. These puzzles are made to be assembled and enjoyed over and over again.

It’s definitely an extravagance to spend so much on one puzzle, but I’ve decided that I’m worth it – they make me very happy. Most of the puzzles I assemble are the regular cardboard variety, but I allow myself to splurge on a wooden puzzle now and then; I also like to give them as gifts. Mother’s Day and my 30th wedding anniversary were a day apart this year, so I decided to get myself this puzzle as a reward for having and raising 3 children, and putting up with their father for 30 years. 😉

The colors of the birds are so beautiful, and they all work together to make a gorgeous puzzle. Even up close the colors and patterns make it difficult to see the piece shapes, so it isn’t one of those wooden puzzles where the outlines of the pieces overshadow the image. That’s part of the reason I chose this puzzle, the colorful image hides the lines that are more prominent in wooden puzzles, especially with lighter colors. I don’t consider it a flaw; it doesn’t diminish my enjoyment of the assembly, it’s just the nature of a laser cut wooden puzzle.

The edge pieces definitely weren’t easy to pick out; I found some of them, but not all. I did my best to assemble some of the edge and then decided to just start working the puzzle. I started with the yellow bird, it’s the lightest and the pieces were the easiest to find. The bright green bird at the top was next, and then the two birds with speckled coloring. The big blue owl was next, and from then it was filling in and assembling each of the smaller birds and flowers. It’s not an easy puzzle by any means, but I enjoyed the challenge of it.

The best part of this puzzle (besides it’s beauty) is that there is an alternate solution, one that is even more challenging that the traditional assembly. Once I finished assembly number one I was looking forward to attempting the second solution, but came down with a virus and spent the next four days in bed with no puzzling going on at all. Yesterday I was finally recovered enough to get back to it and I conquered the second assembly. Stay tuned, tomorrow’s post will feature this same puzzle looking very, very different!