Tag: Puzzle Warehouse

Review: Best Places in the World

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Puzzle reviewsLeave a comment
This post is sponsored by Puzzle Warehouse.
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Best Places in the World by Lewis T. Johnson – White Mountain – 1000 pieces

Collage puzzles make me so happy! 🙂 Best Places in the World went together quickly, but wasn’t so easy as to be boring. Just the right amount of challenge in my opinion.

The new White Mountain puzzles have just come out in the past couple of weeks, and so many of them are out of stock already! It’s easy to see why they’re so popular, images that are fun, nostalgic, bright, and many other adjectives my coffee-deprived brain can’t think of. More have been ordered I’m sure, and will be back in stock hopefully very soon. They are very good quality puzzles with an excellent catalog and the best collages around. Click here to see all the puzzles from White Mountain currently available at Puzzle Warehouse.

As usual for a White Mountain 1000 piece the finished puzzle is 24 x 30 inches (61 x 76 cm) so make sure you have a large enough work space. The pieces were undamaged and separated and there was little to no dust in the bag. The pieces were thick and sturdy, with a variety of piece shapes, and fit together well. The image reproduction was very nice with beautiful, bright colors and a slightly shiny finish. I did have a small issue with image lift occurring because I placed a piece incorrectly; when I lifted it out the image layer came up a bit. This only happened on a couple of pieces, and was mostly my fault for placing it in the wrong spot – but it’s worth mentioning.

This image is not one that I would normally purchase. While it is a collage, it doesn’t jump out as something that I would HAVE to have. Of course, as usual, I was completely wrong in my assumption and I had an awesome time assembling it. It was hard for me to walk away from it, I didn’t want to stop! You would think I would learn, but that doesn’t seem to be the case; on the plus side, that means I get to be surprised a lot by how much fun these puzzles are. 😉

Lewis T. Johnson is the artist, and his artwork has been made into many a gorgeous puzzle. He does beautiful collages and much more. Click the link to see all the puzzles from this artist available now at Puzzle Warehouse. Sea Turtle World looks like a fun challenge, and check out all the travel themed collages he’s done – they look like great fun!

Best Places in the World is a beautiful collage that makes for an excellent puzzle. If you’re a travel buff or know someone who is, this would make a great gift. Highly recommended! 👍👍

 

I received this product at no cost in return for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are truthful and 100% my own. 

 

 

 

Review: The Old Country Store

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Puzzle reviewsLeave a comment
This post is sponsored by Puzzle Warehouse.
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The Old Country Store by Art Poulin – MasterPieces (Town & Country) – 300 EZ Grip pieces

There’s so much to see at The Old Country Store, you’ll keep finding new items as you assemble this puzzle. Look at everything you used to be able to get in one store! Fixtures, furniture, fish bait, groceries, toys, etc – it was also the post office and barber shop – everything you need in one place. Including lumber and marriage licenses! 😮 It makes an excellent image for puzzling, lots of fun.

This puzzle by MasterPieces was very good quality. They have excellent large piece puzzles to choose from, including several series like Town & Country, Memory Lane, and Playful Paws to name a few. The larger pieces are great for seniors or children; the large pieces are easier for aging hands and eyes, and do not compromise the image quality. I like them just because they’ve got great images and sometimes it’s enjoyable to work with the larger pieces. Click here to see all the puzzles available from MasterPieces at Puzzle Warehouse.

The finished puzzle is 18 x 24 inches (approx. 46 x 61 cm). The pieces were undamaged and fully separated, and there was no puzzle dust in the bag. The puzzle is a random cut, so there were a good variety of piece shapes. They were a good thickness, sturdy, and fit together well. The image reproduction was very good, with lots of detail, and a slightly shiny finish. The box is smaller and square, with the name of the puzzle, piece count, manufacturer and a small complete image of the puzzle on all four sides.

This was an easy assembly for me, starting with the edges of course, then the words, buildings, etc. One section leads to another and before you can get up to warm up your coffee the whole thing is done! It was interesting to see all the things you could get at the country store, I’d love to be able to visit one, but those days have passed us by. We had a “general store” where I grew up, with everything from candy to clothing, but I’m sure it wasn’t nearly as diverse as the old country stores used to be. The big super stores of today have almost everything we need in one place, but definitely not the same feel.

The artwork by Art Poulin is detailed and beautiful. He specializes in Americana and his artwork has been turned into many gorgeous puzzles. You can tell he has a love for the simple things in life and his landscapes are charming and inviting. Click here to see all the puzzles currently available from Art Poulin at Puzzle Warehouse.

The Old Country Store was a fun assembly, with large easy to hold pieces that would be great for seniors or younger puzzle fans. If you’re a fan of Americana or folk art, you should definitely enjoy this puzzle. Recommended! 👍

 

I received this product at no charge in return for an honest review, all thoughts and opinions expressed are truthful and 100% my own.

 

 

 

Review: Great Minds Set of 5 Brainteasers

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Game Reviews1 Comment
This post is sponsored by Puzzle Warehouse.
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Great Minds Set of 5 Puzzle Compendium (Brainteasers) – Professor Puzzle

Entertainingly frustrating is what I would call these puzzles, but apparently the name is Great Minds Set of 5. The stubborn side of me refuses to give up and keeps on trying, the other side wants me to just type in the web address to get the solutions and get it over with! Which side will win? I don’t have an answer yet, I’m still arguing with myself.  😉

I think I prefer my plain ‘ole jigsaw puzzles, but these were/are a fun distraction. I’m not the best at logic puzzles sometimes, and at other times my mind is clicking and they don’t offer much of a challenge. I’m click-less at the moment, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to give up.

I’ve never seen brainteasers like these before, named after “great minds”. There is a short bio of each of the men on the back of the box, along with the challenge that each puzzle presents. All of the puzzles require that you separate the pieces and then reassemble them. Sounds easy, but it’s definitely not. They also have an edition with puzzles named after 5 women with great minds.

I enjoyed learning about each of the people the puzzles were named after; some I knew and some I didn’t. I have 3 of the puzzles figured out, but if I’m being honest I’m afraid to take apart Stephenson’s Railway Sleepers (far right). I’m doubting my ability to put all that back together! Also, I know my husband would just pick it up and put them back together in about a minute, and that might not be so great for our marriage! 😉

I think these would be great for a teacher to have in their classroom, or for anyone who enjoys logic and brainteaser puzzles really. They make you stop, look, and think before you go charging ahead – we all need a little practice at that if you ask me! Like I said in the beginning, entertainingly frustrating – but it’s the entertaining part that’s most important. Give these a try and give your brain cells a workout; or click the link above to see all the different brainteasers available at Puzzle Warehouse. I’m all for brain exercising, so thumbs up for these puzzles! 👍

 

I received this product at no charge in return for an honest review, all thoughts and opinions expressed are truthful and 100% my own. 

 

Review: Country Kitchen

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Puzzle reviews2 Comments
This post is sponsored by Puzzle Warehouse.
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Country Kitchen by Janet Kruskamp – White Mountain – 1000 pieces

Country Kitchen was a moderately challenging but beautiful puzzle that made me wish I still lived in the country! The stove looks just like one my great grandmother used to use, and the canning pot on the stove looks exactly like one my mother used to have when she canned tomatoes, peaches, and many other tasty treats for the family. I didn’t always appreciate the work that went into feeding us, and the taste of home grown and preserved foods, but I sure do miss them now! Obviously, this puzzle is making me feel a bit nostalgic. 🙂

White Mountain doesn’t just have an excellent catalog of collages, they also have beautiful artwork, photography, landscapes, maps and educational puzzles as well as a new line of children and family puzzles. Their quality is very good with larger, thick pieces that fit together well and excellent image reproduction. Click the link above to see all the puzzles from White Mountain currently available from Puzzle Warehouse.

White Mountain 1000 piece puzzles are larger than most at 24 x 30 inches (61 x 76 cm), so be sure you have a large enough work space before you begin. There was some puzzle dust in the bag but not too much, and the pieces were all separated. There were a few slightly bent pieces but they weren’t so damaged that you couldn’t use them; a quick little bend in the other direction and they were fine. The pieces were thick and sturdy and fit together well. The image reproduction seemed a little muted and fuzzy at first but that was just the artwork style (and my aging eyes). The box is about the average size for a 1000 piece puzzle with the name of the title, artist, manufacturer, and piece count on all 4 sides. 2 sides have a smaller complete image of the puzzle, and 2 sides have a small partial image, making it suitable for shelving either vertically or horizontally.

This assembly was moderately challenging for me because of the art style. The image of the puzzle looks as if it would be easier, but the brush strokes and soft lines made it a bit more difficult for me. That’s a good thing in my mind though, I like a bit of a challenge – it exercises the brain cells. The curtains were the easiest to pick out, along with the stove, sky, and flowers. After those were complete it seemed to get a little easier and went together more quickly for me. It was an extremely enjoyable assembly, and I look forward to working more puzzles by Janet Kruskamp – I like her style! Check out the other puzzles from this artist by clicking the link above, The Blossom Shoppe is gorgeous!

The new puzzles from White Mountain have sold extremely quickly, so if Country Kitchen is sold out at the moment you can always leave your email and sign up to be notified when it’s back in stock. If this image speaks to you I would definitely recommend it. It’s beautiful, nostalgic, and a little challenging – an excellent combination! 👍👍

 

I received this product at no charge in return for an honest review, all thoughts and opinions expressed are truthful and 100% my own.

Review: Mini Find It – Easter

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Game ReviewsLeave a comment
This post is sponsored by Puzzle Warehouse.

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Mini Find It – Easter is a game where you do what the name says, find it! In the game among all those beads are many items to be found. There is a list on the top to tell you what’s hidden inside and all you have to do is find it. Easy? Theoretically! Everything isn’t easy to find, but you’ll have a great time looking.

I don’t know what it says about me (in my late 40’s) and my mom (in her early 70’s), but we are having the best time with these kid’s games! Perhaps it says that we’re technically adults, but we also like to let our inner child out to play – A LOT. 😎

For this game, though, I didn’t just rely on two little old ladies and what they thought – I wanted to see what a child in this digital age thought and whether or not a non-electronic toy could hold his attention. Levi is 10 years old and a family friend, so I wanted his thoughts on this game and whether or not today’s tech savvy kids would enjoy it. He was excited to help out, and was so great I’ve hired him to be my product tester – luckily homemade baked goods are all the payment he requires. 😉

Levi had the game for a little over a week, and even took it on a weekend getaway with family. Here is his review…

He thought it was fun, but more fun to play with someone than by yourself. He also enjoyed that it wasn’t easy to find everything and that it provided lots of hours of play time. The objects were hidden very well, and you really had to work at moving the game around to try to find everything. He thinks the objects were very small and could be a tad bigger, but that overall he really enjoyed the game and thought it was good for just about everyone to play. (Well reviewed Levi! Let me know if I’m baking cookies or brownies for you. 😘)

Identity Games manufactures this game, and they make several versions. The Easter game I reviewed is a mini version; probably about 6 or 7 inches high. The regular Find It games look to be about twice as tall but perhaps a little thinner. They have many versions to choose from  – discover America, pirates, glitz & glamour, dinosaurs, even one called “Ew, Gross!” I wonder what they’ve hidden in that one! The regular editions come with playing cards and ways to play sheet. Click here to see all the Identity Games available at Puzzle Warehouse.

Like Levi, mom and I enjoyed this game very much. It’s perfect for car rides, in the waiting room at the doctor’s office, waiting at a restaurant, or just in the living room at home. Almost all ages can play, so the whole family can get involved in the search. It isn’t so easy that you find everything quickly and become bored – you know the items are there if you could just get the beads to fall the way you want them to! (They rarely do, you gotta work at it! 😉 )

Find It, any of the versions, would make a great gift, especially for someone who needs to unplug from everything for a while. It’s good for visual acuity, attention span, and just plain old fun! I personally would love to see exactly what they’ve hidden in the “Ew, Gross” Find It. I’m giving this game 3 thumbs up, one for each generation that had a great time playing it! 👍👍👍

 

I received this product at no charge in return for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are truthful and 100% my own (or those of my product tester)