Beauties Of Chinese 56 Ethnic Groups

Brand: Taiwang

Pieces: 1000
Size:  50cm x 75cm

Product Code: TW-1000-009

It's Lunar New Year, and since I don't have any puzzle images of snakes (of which this is the year), I have decided instead to put up a puzzle that I completed several years ago and which has been sitting in my puzzle photo vault for all that time! I won this puzzle through a Facebook competition back then, and it was such a beautiful image to complete. 

There are a couple of puzzles I have in my collection that would be perfect for this Lunar New Year and I hope to complete them soon so that I can show them to you. In the meantime, take a look at the one above!

I hadn't done this brand before and have never seen it available in Australian stores (or even online for that matter) but the design is beautiful and I remember the quality being exceptional. 

Have you got any puzzles in your collection where you've never tried the brand before but the image drew you in and you're raring to complete them?

Queen Of Jade: Art by Nene Thomas

Brand: Sunsout
Pieces: 1000
Size: 48.26cm x 76.2cm
Product Code: 67683

I love the fantasy artworks of Nene Thomas- she is such a talented woman! Luckily, some of her designs are available as puzzles through Sunsout, which means that I am able to buy, piece together and enjoy her beautiful artwork!

I decided to put up the above puzzle because it has an Asian theme- which is quite relevant considering I will be heading off on a weeklong holiday to Japan in a few days! Because of my trip, I won't be able to post up a puzzle next week (for the first Saturday in who knows how long!), but I'll be sure to put one up when I get back after the following Monday. In the meantime, you can admire this beautiful design of the Queen of Jade...

As always, the quality of the puzzle was exceptional. This puzzle took me a little longer to do than expected, because of all the similar colours and the flowers (which were plentiful) but I think the end result makes it worth it! I have a few more puzzles in a similar style to this (also designed by Thomas) and I can't wait to do them.

I need to go organise my packing for my trip now so sayonara until next time. 

Hopefully I might be able to pick up a few puzzle purchases (from Japan) for my collection...

Playful Pandas

Brand: Cardinal
Pieces: 500
Size: 35.5cm x 27.9cm
Product Code: -

It's quite rare that I don't post this blog (and Instagram) on a Saturday morning, but sometimes circumstances call for a change. Tonight my husband and I are going to be attending the Evanescence concert in Melbourne (one of my favourite bands from my teenage years), and we'll be staying in the city overnight so I won't have any opportunity to post tomorrow morning. We'll also be staying in Melbourne until late tomorrow night- we wanted to experience 'White Night'- therefore my next opportunity would have been Sunday morning and that just feels too late! 

So I'm getting in a day early!

I have decided to post the above puzzle for two reasons- one, we'll be spending time at Melbourne Zoo on Saturday and I love to visit the pandas! And two, even though it's the Year Of The Dog for Chinese New Year, I didn't have any puzzles of dogs to put up so I figured I'd put up one of a distinctly Chinese animal instead! 

The above puzzle was quite easy to do, although some parts of the dragon (above the pandas) were a little bit challenging. The pandas themselves weren't too bad because the shading of their fur made it easier to differentiate each part and determine which panda was which. 

Funnily enough, when I finished this puzzle, there were two pieces left over, with nowhere left to put them! Usually with these cheaper brands, you find yourself missing pieces, so I suppose that was a pleasant surprise, even if I couldn't do anything with them. Maybe there's another Playful Pandas puzzle out there somewhere that's missing two pieces?! Oh well, at least it wasn't mine!

Orchids (Art by Nene Thomas)

Brand: SunsOut
Pieces: 1000
Size: 48.3cm x 76.2cm
Product Code:  67636

I love romantic fantasy art. 

Usually comprised of a beautiful woman in a stunning landscape, these artworks are often a sight to behold. 

While there are many talented artists, one in particular that I admire is Nene Thomas, who has released many of her artworks as prints, cross stitch charts, and lithographs (among other things). You can purchase some of her work at http://nenethomas.com/

In conjunction with SunsOut, Nene Thomas has gifted puzzlers with some of her work in jigsaw puzzle format, including the above design.

Orchids is a stunning (and somewhat challenging) puzzle which, as you can see, contains a lot of similar background colours. I have to admit that it took me quite a while to complete this one, over a space of several days. That said, the end result is absolutely beautiful. The colours are vibrant and the quality of the unusually- shaped pieces is excellent.

I will more than likely follow this puzzle up with some other puzzle collaborations by both Thomas and SunsOut.

Japanese Doll

Brand: Pintoo
Pieces: 160
Size: 11x11x27.4cm
Product Code:  S1010

Last year I put up an edited picture of a Pintoo 3D puzzle vase that I had completed- The Dragon And The Phoenix- A Good Omen. The image was made up of four pictures, each showcasing a different side of the vase. Having completed yet another one of Pintoo's pretty designs, I have decided to post the photos from this puzzle in a similar way. 

This puzzle, titled Japanese Doll, features images of Kokeshi dolls (which are traditional Japanese dolls and widely collected) in a bright manga style. The rim and base of the vase are bright pink to complement the cheerful colours in the design, and the vase comes with an accompanying black stand for display. This design is very girly, and would suit anybody who likes the bright and quirky side of Japanese popculture. 

The Dragon And The Phoenix- A Good Omen

Brand: Pintoo
Pieces: 160
Size: 11x11x27.4cm
Product Code: S1002

This is the first time I have ever attempted to do a 3D puzzle vase, despite having seen a few at my local puzzle store. 

The vibrant colours and design were quite appealing, and I couldn't help but buy it! I have taken photos of the various sides of the vase (as it has different images all the way around) so that you can see exactly what it looks like. 

Assembly-wise, the vase was quite easy to do- the back of each piece was numbered and had an arrow to indicate where each piece went next. The pieces are also made of a firm plastic, so there's no danger of accidentally snapping them. Each puzzle box comes with the black stand (for displaying purposes), a coloured base, a coloured rim (for the top of the vase to give it a neat finish) and a little container that is placed inside the base of the puzzle (for holding water if you want to actually use the finished piece as a vase). 

This is a cute and practical puzzle, and something a little bit different if you want a change from the standard 2D jigsaw puzzle.