Tag: Thrift Store Puzzle

Garden Study In Progress…

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzling2 Comments

Garden Study of the Vickers Children by John Singer Sargent – Laurel Ink – 500 pieces

I finished sorting and started assembling this thrift store purchase yesterday, and made very good progress if I do say so myself. Fine Art puzzle images can be notoriously difficult to assemble, and this one is no different – but for some reason this one seems more enjoyable than others I’ve done.

The only pieces that are left now are shades and shapes of green, so they have all been sorted by shape and then we’re off to the races. Wish me luck!

Tranquil Waters In Progress…

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzling2 Comments

Tranquil Waters – Tuco – 408 pieces

I made a fantastic find at the thrift store this week – this amazing Tuco puzzle that was manufactured in 1958! I’ve never had the opportunity to work on one of these puzzles before, and I’m so amazingly thrilled to have found it.

The image isn’t anything like I would normally choose, but the very old box caught my eye. It doesn’t tell you a piece count, only that there are “approx. 425 to 990 Tuco king-size puzzle parts” and it also says it is a “100% Interlocking Picture Puzzle”; there was also the word complete handwritten on the front of the box. Well, I was intrigued. I’ve seen Tuco puzzles in other blogs or on resale sites but for the most part they were all puzzles whose pieces just push together and I usually just find that frustrating.

My mother and I developed a system for thrift store puzzle shopping – mostly for brands with quality that can be questionable. We always had a small pair of scissors or something sharp in our purses along with a small roll of clear tape. When a puzzle from a questionable brand was in a taped up box we could open it, check out the pieces to see if it was something we might want to assemble and tape it back up if necessary.

I still do this when shopping for puzzles at thrift stores and I opened this puzzle box to check out the pieces, to say I was stunned would be an understatement! The pieces are the thickest I’ve ever seen for a cardboard puzzle, they put Ravensburger and Pomegranate to shame…

That’s a piece from Ravensburger on the left, and a pre-pandemic Pomegranate on the right – the pieces of this Tuco puzzle are as thick or thicker than some wooden puzzles I’ve worked! (I think when I write up the post for this completed puzzle I’ll show pieces from premium cardboard brands along with wooden puzzle brands for comparison.)

Once I saw the thickness of the pieces, and that most of them had tabs that fit into other pieces there was NO WAY I wasn’t buying this puzzle. As an added bonus the color on the price tag was the “color of the week”, so it was half price, which means I paid $1.50 for this amazing find!

The image is mostly a dark landscape with lots of green and a pond or river in the foreground with even more green, but it doesn’t matter. It’s such an amazing puzzle to have found at the thrift store, and I am extremely excited to assemble it! 😍

Fireplace Cuddle

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Thrift Store Puzzles12 Comments

Fireplace Cuddle – Karmin – 100 pieces

Such a sweet image! Perfect for my first day back at the puzzle board. It went together super quickly, and honestly, as I was putting it together I told myself “Hey, you’re still pretty good at this”. It was my very own little internal pep talk, and at the very least it made me smile.

I’m pretty sure that Penny was the one who sent me this puzzle, but I can’t be 100% positive. The memory definitely isn’t what it used to be, that’s for certain. Although, being that this is an image of a Boston Terrier puppy, it is almost doubtless that Penny sent it to me – we both have a deep and abiding love for Boston’s. ❤🐶

It might have been better to save this little puzzle for after my surgery, but I also needed a smaller one to get myself back into the swing of things to start recovering my puzzle mojo. No worries, there are PLENTY of smaller cardboard and wooden puzzles that have found their way to my puzzle room in the past week.

The PADS is severe and I self-medicated with a few online and in-person shopping sprees. 😇

I told hubby that this month I was spending a chunk of my disability money on a bunch of puzzles for myself. Being the awesome man that he is, he said “It’s about time you spent some on yourself.”

💕I love that man.💕

Livingroom Rompers

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzles, Thrift Store Puzzles2 Comments

Livingroom Rompers (Paws Gone Wild) by Giordano – Ceaco – 550 pieces

I love the image, but there really was too much fur and darker areas for my taste. It’s a great “picture”, but the assembly wasn’t as much fun as the doggies look like they’re having. Oh well. 🤷‍♀️

It wasn’t the greatest quality, it had a spongy fit (that’s the best way I can think to describe it) that sometimes made it seem as though you didn’t place the piece correctly. But what else can you expect from a Ceaco? I have them on my naughty list and DO NOT EVER spend any of my precious puzzle budget on this brand; but this was a puzzle sent to me from my friend, so of course I was going to assemble it.

French Bulldogs are my dream dog, look at the adorable face – it’s way too cute! Both of my sons say that our next dog (still not ready for that yet) should be a Corgi but I’ve always wanted a Frenchie. I have a feeling the boys will probably get their way, but that’s ok. All dogs are awesome if you ask me. 😊💗

Perhaps I have a type? This little bulldog with a sweet pink bow is definitely my type, look at that bulldoggy face!

This knocked over coffee cup that says “Love My Doxies” really sets the scene. The puppies everywhere were cute and all, but it’s the mayhem that makes it for me – Puppy Pandemonium!

The Prodigal Puzzler Has Returned!

On By Stacey at myjigsawjournalIn Jigsaw Puzzling20 Comments

Fireplace Cuddle – 100 pieces – Karmin

Holy crap, she’s finally puzzling again! Alert the media! After another extended mental health break (and some very gentle and kind nagging from my bestest puzzle buddy) I’m finally back at the board and hoping to get back my puzzle mojo. It’s been quite a long while everyone – I hope some of you are still here.

I’m not going to apologize for taking time off (because we should NEVER be sorry for making sure we’re doing whatever we need to do to be mentally healthy), but I am sorry for not giving you all a heads up first that I’d be gone for a while. Can’t say that I’m feeling much better at all, but I suppose if that were the prerequisite for getting back into my favorite hobby than it would never happen. So it’s finally gotten through my thick and graying head that I should just get puzzling and try to reap the benefits that it has on my short-circuited and menopausal brain. Granny needs some dopamine!

To that end, there are a few small wooden puzzles on their way to my house (as a reward to myself for finally getting my a$$ back in front of my board), and I’m working on this cute little 100 piece image of some adorable Boston Terriers. Yep, I’m still a sucker for the puppy puzzles. ❤🐶

I pray that you all are well and happy and still enjoying your puzzles. How have you been? Working on something gorgeous? Frustrating? Fun?

I truly missed you all – my Puzzle Posse. I do hope your P.A.D.S. hasn’t been giving y’all too much trouble.😊