Thoughts of an introverted bookworm and avid jigsaw puzzler
Sunset Bay is a 1000-piece puzzle from Buffalo Games, and the artist is Charles Wysocki. I got this one at Community Aid one day when they had gotten a whole bin of puzzles. I think I got 4 or 5 Wysockis that day.
This is such a lovely image. I found the blue and gray color palette of the main buildings so soothing, and I especially like how the sky meets the water. The greens and browns got a bit tricky at times, but a bit of shape sorting and I was good to go.
Seasons in Kyoto is a 1000-piece puzzle from eeBoo, and the artist is Jennifer Potter. I really enjoy eeBoo puzzles and this was no exception! The pastel color palette is a bit different than what I normally gravitate to but I found it soothing and beautiful. I love the interesting buildings and the variety of flowers.
Puzzling is not only fun for me but also quiets my brain and gives me some respite from my anxious thoughts. I’m so glad to have found this hobby and to be part of the puzzling community.
The Chocolate is a 1000-piece puzzle from Magnolia, and the artist is Alice Celia. This was a delightful puzzle. It is beautifully illustrated with lots of different colors and textures to work on. The quality is really good as well, although I am always surprised how much puzzle dust there is when I take the puzzle apart!
Chickenology is a 1000-piece puzzle from Princeton Architectural Press, and the artist is Camilla Pintonato. I have been interested in this puzzle for a while and was really excited to pick it up at a puzzle swap last November.
After doing it, I have mixed feelings about this puzzle. I love the image and really enjoyed all the different colors and textures of the chickens. There was some element on almost all of the pieces, so there weren’t too many that were all green. Also, the border and the background behind the word “Chickenology” reminds me of graph paper, which was a nice touch.
What I didn’t love was how loose the fit was. I couldn’t pick up any joined pieces at all. I’m glad I got the chance to do this one, but I don’t think I will be keeping it to do again!
Cozy Living is a 1000-piece puzzle from Elena Essex, and the artist is Uta Krogmann. I absolutely loved this puzzle experience – I can’t say enough good things about it!
First of all, the image is beautiful. I love all the amazing colors and patterns that make up this scene. It has a lot going on, but it didn’t feel busy because there was always another pattern to work on.
Second, the puzzle quality is fantastic. The pieces have a nice feel and finish to them and the colors are so vibrant. They also fit together so well that I could easily pick up sections and move them around within the puzzle.
This is one of my favorite brands, and this puzzle proved just why that is. Highly recommend!
Coastal Harbour is a 1000-piece puzzle from Ravensburger, and the artist is Georgia Breeze. I did another of her puzzles last year called Garden Allotment and enjoyed it very much. There is something very charming about her artwork style.
This was a pleasure to put together. Ravensburger puzzles are such nice quality, with a matte finish to the pieces and a good thickness and fit. The image is broken up into sections, so after I did the buildings and boats that stood out the most, I worked on the sand and then the water and so on. A few of the buildings were very similar, so those took a bit more time, but overall I would say this not very difficult.
When I finished the puzzle in the wee hours of the morning, I was missing a piece. I tried to check around my puzzle board and under the couch but ended up having to go to bed without finding it. When I woke up and went out to the kitchen, I saw the missing puzzle piece upside down on the floor by the dining room table. I’m guessing it must have fallen off the puzzle board and gotten batted over there by the cat. I don’t really know what happened, but I am so glad I found it!
Mushrooms is a 1000-piece puzzle from Cavallini & Co. It was the oldest puzzle on my to do shelf, so I decided I should finally tackle it. This company has unique packaging with each puzzle in a decorative puzzle tube with a mini poster and a drawstring muslin bag for the pieces. It’s quite distinctive but a bit awkward on the shelf.
The quality of the puzzle itself was good with a couple of issues. I loved the smooth feel of the pieces, but one was bent and wouldn’t lay flat. Also, the image was coming loose from the knobs when I would try a piece and then have to pull them apart if they didn’t fit.
The first half of the puzzle was pretty easy as there are several distinctive sections of different colors. It did get challenging after that and when I got down to the pieces that were all or mostly cream, I had to sort by shape and then try each piece one by one to find the right spot.
I did enjoy the challenge, though, and the finished puzzle is very pleasant to look at.
Baby, It’s Cold Outside is a 1000-piece puzzle from New York Puzzle Company, and the artist is Ana Juan. I got this one several months ago and was holding onto it until wintertime. It is a random-cut puzzle, which have traditionally been my least favorite to do, but I found this one to be more enjoyable than I expected. I think I must be getting used to the random-cut style because I am considering getting more of them.
I just love this image with all of the adorable dogs dressed up for the cold. I love their outfits and their expressions/personalities. Which one is your favorite?
The Cambridge is a 1000-piece puzzle from Buffalo Games, and the artist is the much-loved Charles Wysocki. I love his images, and this was an especially good one because it had so many different buildings as well as some fun words and interesting boats.
I really enjoyed putting it together. I still have four more of his in the 1000-piece size to do when the mood strikes!
All Good Things Are Wild & Free is a 1000-piece puzzle from Flow/Workman Puzzles. Flow is a magazine and an international brand that celebrates mindfulness, creativity, and the simple pleasures in life. This illustration was done by Dutch artist Valesca van Waveren and was inspired by Henry David Thoreau’s words in Walking.
I really enjoyed this puzzle, and I did find it very relaxing to do. I love how there are little details scattered around the image so there aren’t large sections of just one color, and I like the little touches like the rounded corners. The finish of the pieces feels smooth and clean, just how I like them.
I got this one at a puzzle swap. There is another one called Everything Is Made Out of Magic that looks really pretty too that I might consider getting.
In So Many Words 