Pretty Paris

Pretty Paris
Pretty Paris by Howard Robinson – Ravensburger – 300 pieces

Ravensburger 300 piece puzzles are wonderful, and this one is such a pretty picture that it was hard not to love it. 💖

Howard Robinson is becoming a favorite artist for puzzles. I love the pet selfies and other animal images he does, and he also makes some beautiful cottage pictures as well as the gorgeous street scene above. Look at the detail…

Pretty Paris 1

I enjoyed this puzzle so much that looking at the pictures three weeks after I’ve already assembled it makes me want to put it together again!

Lighthouse

Lighthouse
Lighthouse – Ravensburger 3D – 216 pieces

Mom found this 3D puzzle at the thrift store, unfortunately it was missing not only 7 pieces it was also missing the top of the lighthouse with the lights in it. It was kind of a bummer all around, but those are the chances we take. 😉

The tube shape was difficult to work with, I found it much more difficult than working with an orb shape…

Lighthouse 2

Once I got one side connected properly it would pop out the opposite side, so very annoying! I much prefer regular jigsaw puzzles laid flat on the board.

Lighthouse 1

Seven missing pieces on the top section – I think they must be wherever the very top of the lighthouse is. 😦

Lighthouse box

This is what it should look like when completed. I think I really would have enjoyed seeing the lights. Bummer.

Vintage Bicycle

Vintage Bicycle
Vintage Bicycle – Ravensburger – 300 pieces

Normally photographic puzzles aren’t my thing, but this had such beautiful image reproduction and great quality – I couldn’t help but love it!

Ravensburger 300 piece puzzles are awesome quality, there’s something about the large pieces that helps you appreciate even more the fantastic chipboard and finish; I adore them. ❤

Buying them retail can be a bit pricey, so pretty much every one I’ve owned or assembled has been from a thrift store. It’s no big deal to pay $1.99 for one when you know that they’re six times as expensive purchased new. I do love a bargain.

I’m so grateful there are so many 300 piece puzzles out there to choose from for those of us with physical issues that make it difficult to sit for long periods or handle smaller pieces. Thankfully I live in Florida, the land of retirees, so there are plenty of 300 piece puzzles in the thrift stores around here for me find and enjoy. 🙂

Review: Mary’s General Store

Mary's General Store
Mary’s General Store by Joseph Burgess – Ravensburger – 300 pieces

Ravensburger’s 300 piece puzzles make me very happy; their wonderful, thick pieces were a joy to hold in my hand, and the beautiful image made for an entertaining assembly with just the right amount of difficulty.

The all around quality of Ravensburger puzzles has (almost) never disappointed me. There’s the odd manufacturing snafu that happens, but I try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. On the whole, they’re one of the best puzzle brands around in my opinion. The pieces are thick, have a good variety of shapes, and fit together well. The image reproduction is crisp and clean with beautiful colors and a finish that isn’t too shiny and feels good in your hands.

I’ve assembled a few puzzles by this artist, and it seems he’s always able to convey a certain warmth and feeling into the artwork even when the images are vastly different. This image has a small town homey feeling to it, it seems very welcoming to me; plus it was lovely to put together.

It looks as though this puzzle is no longer in production, but if you come across one at a thrift store or yard sale, it’s highly recommended – loved it!

Details:

  • Title:                  Mary’s General Store
  • Artist:                Joseph Burgess
  • Brand:               Ravensburger
  • Piece count:     300 pieces
  • Size:                  Approx. 27 x 20 in. (69 x 51 cm)
  • Purchased:      Used

Quality:

  • Board:               Excellent
  • Cutting:             Excellent
  • Image:               Excellent
  • Box:                   Very good, quite large for a 300 piece puzzle
  • Fit:                     Very good
  • Puzzle Dust:     Small amount
  • Piece cut:          Grid cut
  • Piece shapes:   Very good variety
  • Finish:               Slightly shiny finish, lays flat

Overall Rating:      Excellent, highly recommended

 

The House Party

The House Party
The House Party (Best of British) by Geoff Tristam – Ravensburger – 500 pieces

I’m having such a good time with these puzzles I got from the marketplace, I’m so happy we went out of our way to get them! This one was complete even though it isn’t in this picture; I found the missing piece after I had already put it away – of course. I’ve always loved Geoff Tristam’s comic style and humor, add that to the wonderful Ravensburger quality and you’ve got a great puzzle that was a joy to assemble.

The House Party 1

This joke makes me smile, it reminds me of my dad saying he couldn’t wait till the “horse’s ovaries” were served. When I was young it made no sense because I had no idea how the words were spelled, I thought dad was just trying to gross us out again. 😉

The House Party 2

Another ridiculous joke that makes me smile. American pies are way different than British ones – obviously. We normally have pies for dessert, their pies are usually the main course, made from meats, vegetables, etc. But when they say “game pie” in this puzzle they obviously didn’t mean venison – it was backgammon!

There’s something about the smaller piece count Ravensburger puzzles, they seem to be even better quality than the larger piece counts – even though they’re made from the same stuff. Perhaps it’s that the pieces are bigger and there is more area to feel the quality of the chipboard and the finish. They’re just fantastic puzzles in my book, and I’m always happy to find a Ravensburger to assemble.