Mixed Flowers in an Earthenware Pot

On May 15, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles2 Comments

I spent about 4 days in bed last week; I wanted to work on puzzles so I got out a few of my micro puzzles from Wentworth so that I could assemble them on a cookie sheet while lying down. This was my first Renoir!

I don’t always enjoy working fine art puzzles, the brush strokes and indistinct shapes make assembly more difficult. Sometimes the challenge is just what I need, and sometimes I just don’t want to have to think so hard. Although when there are only 40 pieces my brain doesn’t have to work too strenuously for too long – thank goodness! 😉

I think there are probably still 10 or more of these Wentworth micro puzzles I have yet to assemble. They’re perfect for when I want to puzzle and don’t have much time, space, or energy to assemble a larger one. I’m so glad we found the micro puzzles, and am looking forward to putting together more of them.

I love working with wooden puzzles; even though the fit is loose and sometimes the piece shape is very evident I don’t really care. I just bought myself a present of a new Liberty puzzle and can’t wait for it to arrive. It doesn’t matter that it’s expensive, I don’t apologize for treating myself to something that makes me happy.

Secret Garden (Biddlestone Manor)

On March 22, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw PuzzlesLeave a comment

This was just a quick break in the middle of working another puzzle, it was definitely something I needed. I’ve been having trouble being able to puzzle lately, and I needed to get a puzzle done quickly and feel some great wooden pieces too. Thank goodness I have a bunch of these Wentworth micro puzzles around for times like this. 🙂

Secret Garden is a pretty difficult image, it’s only 40 pieces but it took me almost 20 minutes to get it assembled! At least I’m hoping it was because the image was challenging and not because of my recent puzzle problems.

It was a fun challenge though, and I absolutely love the times when I’m puzzling and the rest of the world seems to fade away and all that’s left is the pieces and how they fit together. When the only thing that registers is the patterns and colors, that’s when assembling a puzzle is the most fun for me. Times ceases to exist and I can be shocked at how much of it I’ve lost. Jigsaw puzzles are the best!

The image isn’t one I would normally choose, but when there are only 40 pieces I’m a little braver and a little less picky. I don’t think I’ll ever do Starry Night in a larger piece count, but I didn’t hesitate to get it in the micro size. Whatever the image, Wentworth micro puzzles have a deceptively challenging cut and are great fun to put together. This was exactly what I needed!

Starry Night

On March 10, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw PuzzlesLeave a comment

This 40 piece puzzle is probably the only way I’ll assemble Starry Night. In 1000 pieces or more it will most likely be too frustrating for me; I’ll take what I can get. Look everyone! I assembled Starry Night by Van Gogh! 😎

This time it wasn’t me in the hospital, but I brought along a few of Wentworth’s micro puzzles when I went to visit. You don’t really need a helper when there are only 40 pieces but when you’re laid up with nothing to do but watch tv, assembling a small but fun puzzle with a friend is a much better idea!

The whimsies in this puzzle confused us for a bit; the one in the lower right looks like a baby bottle to me, but I’m sure it’s not. The upper right-hand whimsy had us stumped until I figured out that it was a spilled bottle of ink or paint. The others were easy enough to recognize – a tube of paint, a picture frame, and a palette with paintbrush. Beautiful!

As usual, the quality was exceptional. Thick wooden pieces that feel great in your hand and give a satisfying “plunk” as they fall into place. As heavenly as a starry night!

The Thames at Westminster

On January 28, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles2 Comments

I like this image very much and as usual this micro puzzle was a fun assembly. Looking at this picture now, when the puzzle has already been put away, makes me want to take it out again and check the castle whimsy pieces; I wonder if you can line them up and make a bigger castle. Hmmm. 🏰

I’ve been having such a hard time getting back to my puzzling routine that was interrupted by a weeks “vacation” away from home. Side effects from medications and other issues have made it extremely difficult for me to sit at my puzzle table and puzzle for any length of time. I think because of my limitations at the moment I’m extremely picky about what puzzles I want to do; I want easy puzzles, like collages, where I can pick a small group of pieces and assemble them and feel like I’ve accomplished something. I have well over 100 puzzles here at the house, and hundreds more over at moms to choose from but none of them interest me right now. It doesn’t make much sense to me that with so many puzzles available I still can’t find one I want to do.

I’m planning to buy a new chair for puzzling very soon in the hopes that it will be a little more comfortable to sit for more than a minute; which means perhaps soon I’ll be back to my regular puzzles. Yesterday I went on a quick puzzle run with mom and my daughter; I got a couple of cool collages (and a few others) and I’m hoping they will help me get my puzzle juju back soon! 🛍

This is the last of the hospital puzzles – hooray! There are still about 10-15 micro puzzles left I haven’t assembled, but I can pepper them in here and there; there’s no need to do them all at once.

It was such a blessing to me to have puzzles to do to break up the boredom and take my mind off of everything stressful going on. The micro puzzles are small enough to do all at once, which is nice because for some reason laying in bed all day is exhausting; the larger puzzles I assembled took a day or two, but it didn’t matter – I loved them all. Wentworth Wooden Puzzles helped save my sanity. Thanks Wentworth! 💕

Kitchen Cats

On January 27, 2018 By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles3 Comments

This was my least favorite of the micro puzzle images so far. Unlike many little old lady puzzlers, I don’t have cats and am not a huge fan of cat puzzles either. Still, when I want to puzzle I’ll try just about any image; it’s a real stress reducer for me, and it really works!

Every whimsy in this puzzle was a silhouette of a cat, again not really my cup of tea but absolutely perfect for this puzzle. Otherwise the assembly was the same as most of the other micro puzzles I’ve done, more challenging than you think it will be and ultimately very fun. When I first saw the cut of the Wentworth puzzles I thought they looked too easy, and not challenging at all but they are sometimes quite devious with their cuts and every puzzle has the right amount of difficulty in my opinion.

Cute image, fun to assemble, small enough to take and put together just about anywhere. What’s not to love?