Thoughts of an introverted bookworm and avid jigsaw puzzler
The Sun Shines on Dreamland is a 300-piece puzzle from RoseArt, and the artist is Peggy Collins. I picked this puzzle up at a thrift store recently after a friend mentioned that she was interested in trying a stained glass puzzle. I liked the image and thought 300 pieces seemed doable. Since it was a used puzzle, I decided to go ahead and put it together myself before passing it onto her.Â
I really enjoyed doing this one. It was a bit challenging but in a good way. And it’s just so pretty!Â
Books & Baked Goods is a 1000-piece puzzle from Reverie, and the artist is Sandra Tews. I was able to get my hands on this lovely puzzle when it came up on eBay for a reasonable price, and I’m so glad I picked it up. It was a joy to put together, and the quality was fantastic, as always is the case with Reverie.Â
I started the puzzle by myself but then a friend was over and we did the rest of it together. It was a really good puzzle to do with someone else as there were a lot of distinct sections to work on. We started in opposite corners with me on the pond and her on the flowering tree. From there we just pulled out whatever section interested us most.Â
I also love this image so much. The idea of a shop that combines books with baked goods is lovely; I would visit there in a heartbeat!Â
Cozy Reading Room is a 500-piece puzzle from RoseArt, and the artist is Rafaela Mascaro. Another inviting reading spot, also with a cat companion. This one is from the RoseArt Vertical Visions series that has the cube-style boxes. The quality was decent and there were no false fits like I had with some of the other images from this series.
Reading Nook is a 350-piece puzzle from RoseArt, and the artist is Olivia Gibbs. As you can see from the picture, this is a round puzzle with random cut pieces. The pieces were fairly large and chunky, and I really like the image. This looks like such a cozy little spot to curl up with a book!
Une Journée Cosy is a 1000-piece puzzle from Pieces & Peace, and the artist is Sonia Cavallini. This is my third puzzle from this French brand, and I still have three more in my stash!Â
I love the quality of these puzzles, especially the smooth matte finish. The fit is crumbly, so sections don’t move around easily, but there are no false fits (probably my biggest pet peeve when it comes to puzzles).
I also adore the artwork. The idea of a cozy day spent reading in bed with your pets relaxing all around you is so inviting. Also, there are so many fun colors and patterns in the image that make it a joy to build.Â
Reflection Cat is a 1000-piece puzzle from Buhoet. My first response when given this puzzle as a Christmas gift from a friend was “No way am I ever doing that one!” But when I saw that someone on Instagram was hosting a big cat puzzle along, I decided to take another look at it.Â
When I opened the puzzle, I found that it had letters printed on the back which would allow me to sort it into sections A-H. Once I had the pieces sorted, I started the first section. I was still finding it pretty difficult with all the dark brown to black pieces, so I ended up laying all the pieces out so the letters on the back were oriented in the same direction. That cut down considerably on the choices for how pieces would fit together, and I finally started making progress.Â
I worked on this over several days and felt a sense of accomplishment with each section I finished. The puzzle pieces were actually made out of plywood, which was surprising to me. The fit was so tight that I could easily move large sections and even carry the entire finished puzzle around with no problem. There were a couple of false fits but not enough to become frustrating.Â
The finished product is a striking image and I am really glad I did it. I love the idea of these little cats seeing themselves as big and ferocious.
Harvest Feast is a 500-piece puzzle from Galison, and the artist is Kathryn Seibert. I know it’s not quite fall here yet, but I needed a puzzle with a ladder for a Facebook challenge, and this one just called out to me. This is my second time doing it and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Tiger of the North is a 1000-piece puzzle from Aurora Puzzles, and the artist is Dawn Gerety. Aurora Puzzles is a woman-owned, Alaska-based company that features original art from Alaskan artists. They have some stunning designs and great quality puzzles.
I got this one secondhand and was pleased with how well it had held up. The walrus was super fun to do because of the bold colors and patterns. All of the orange did take some time but it was still enjoyable because of the gradient and the unique piece shapes.
They have recently brought out a 500-piece version of this puzzle which I’m sure will be very popular. I am tempted to get it myself!
Rainbow Marbles is a 750-piece puzzle from Ceaco, and the artist is Lars Stewart. I have done a few from this series and find them really enjoyable. I like being able to put a puzzle together one section/color at a time, and I just find the end result so pleasing to look at.
Italia Food Truck is a 500-piece puzzle from Ceaco, and the artist is Stephanie Peterson Jones. This is one of my all-time favorite series of puzzles, and this was another great entry to that series. I love all of the fun details she puts into her artwork and how she includes her dog in each image as well.
Buffalo Games purchased Ceaco a few years ago and some of the newer Ceaco puzzles have the Buffalo piece cut instead of the traditional Ceaco rounded cut. This is one of those. I don’t mind the Ceaco cut, but I think I like the Buffalo just a bit better.
