Tropical White Sand Beach, Thailand

Brand: Puzzlebug

Pieces: 500
Size:  46cm x 28cm

Product Code: -

Have you ever been to a jigsaw puzzle-specific second-hand sale?

Through Facebook, I have recently found the opportunity to take part in one that will be held in Melbourne in February and I am so excited! Even though it will be an early start and a relatively long drive, it will also be a great opportunity to sell some of my puzzles and meet like-minded puzzle enthusiasts. I'm really hoping I can clear some of my finished stash and make some much-needed room in my house haha. Depending on the success of the day, I would be more than happy to participate in other sales like it.

The above puzzle is one of the ones that I hope to sell (probably as a mini bundle cos I have a few and they were so cheap). I put it up today for its calm, beachy vibes and the relaxing atmosphere it evokes. The actual puzzle itself was OK to do, although the quality was as expected for the Puzzlebug brand. 

What puzzling adventures are you getting up to in this new year?

Sneaky Gulls

Brand: One But Many

Pieces: 1000
Size: 70cm x 50cm

Product Code: -

Last week I was in the good ol' city of Brisbane for work, so I wasn't able to post a photo up. I knew that I was heading there, and usually I'd give a heads up beforehand that no posts would be going up, but this time I just lost track of the time and didn't get around to it.

But that is OK, cos I have selected a puzzle for today and hopefully that will be satisfying enough for the time being. 

This one is from an Australian brand called One But Many, who have recently closed their doors, with the owner going on to new and different ventures. The puzzle was part of a range illustrated by Alice Achoo, and features a typical summers day at the beach. I loved the illustration when I first saw it and was impressed with the quality of the puzzle, even though it was quite pricey (as many independent puzzle manufacturers can be). 

Even though their online store and business is now closed, you still may be able to pick up this puzzle and others of the same brand second-hand. It's well-worth trying one at least once.

Everything Is Better With Ice Cream

Brand: SunsOut

Pieces: 500
Size: 45.72cm x 60.96cm

Product Code: 35935

It feels like summer is finally on it's way! Last weekend we had absolutely beautiful weather (although the rest of the week left a lot to be desired), daylight savings began (which means that it's lighter later) and yesterday, our favourite local ice cream shop reopened it's doors after a winter break! Sure, it's still spring now, but the warmer weather is a-coming! 

To celebrate, I have put up this puzzle of a few kids enjoying an ice cream from a very colourful ice cream truck. I love visiting these vans down by the beach- they really evoke the feeling of summer fun. It was especially wonderful during the lockdowns of the last few years when we had the trucks driving down suburban streets to do visits for birthdays and whatnot. They were such great moodlifters. 

The above puzzle is made up of irregular shaped pieces and the artwork was created by artist Tricia Reilly-Matthews. I think this is actually the second puzzle I have done/put up of an ice-cream truck related theme. Haha oh well, why not?!

La Buena Vida

Brand: Hardie Grant Books: A Piece Full Puzzle

Pieces: 1000
Size: 68.5cm x 48cm
Product Code: -

Today I felt like putting up a puzzle that was relaxing, and reminded me of summer days at the beach with good food and friends, so this was the obvious choice!

This illustration, by Ana Hard, ticks all the boxes for a wonderful scene. 

I don't have much time to write today, but just know that the quality was wonderful, the piece fit was perfect and the colours are vibrant. 

I've really enjoyed the puzzles I have done from this brand so far and will continue to do them as I find them!

The Whitsundays, QLD

Brand: Ken Duncan Images Of Australia (Crown & Andrews) -The World's Most Beautiful Jigsaw Puzzles
Pieces: 504
Size: 64cm x 24cm
Product Code: -

I wasn't sure which puzzle to put up this morning, so I decided on this tranquil scene of The Whitsundays in Queensland. I thought it would be a nice reminder that there is peace in the world (particularly following the news that Russia has declared war on Ukraine). 

This is a photo by Ken Duncan, a photographer whose puzzles I have featured quite a bit. I love his imagery of some of Australia's most beautiful landscapes. He is able to capture so much beauty through his lens- something pleasant to reflect on when times are dark. 

Despite all the different shades of blue, this puzzle was a pleasure to work, and I would love the opportunity to visit the place one day...

Bon Voyage

Brand: Educa

Pieces: 1000
Size: 48cm x 68cm
Product Code:  17103

As of last night, Melbourne was officially able to re-join the rest of Victoria with the end of Covid lockdown restrictions. This has come as a relief to so many, who will now be able to visit family and friends, get back to their businesses (although there are still restrictions surrounding this) and help to ease the strain on the tourism and hospitality sectors. It was even better timing considering that many people will be celebrating the Melbourne Cup long weekend, so they'll be able to travel to regional Victoria and get away from home for a few days.

To commemorate this moment, I have put up a photo of a puzzle I completed called Bon Voyage, featuring a kombi and bits of travel/ beach paraphernalia. This puzzle was fun to do and of fantastic quality. It was the first Educa one I had done in a while, so that made it even more of a joy to complete.

I would have loved to put up a puzzle celebrating all things spooky for Halloween but surprisingly, I had nothing in my collection! Might have to look into that for next year!

Are you getting out of lockdown this weekend? What are your plans?

Ellis Beach, Cairns, QLD

Brand: Ken Duncan Images Of Australia (Crown & Andrews)- The World's Most Beautiful Jigsaw Puzzles
Pieces: 504
Size: 64cm x 24cm
Product Code:  -

It's currently winter here in Australia and I never thought I'd say this but I'm really starting to miss the warmer weather!

Because of this, I thought I might put up the above image- how beautiful does this tropical puzzle look?! 

I've never been to Ellis Beach but I have been to Cairns, and I can remember how warm and sticky the weather was- so humid! Even if I'm not a huge fan of the weather, there's no denying how beautiful that sky looks.  

Ken Duncan always manages to capture the most beautiful images (hence the name of the puzzle brand he prints with I guess 😉)

Is there a place you're craving to go to at the moment?

Tropical Paradise

 

Brand: Ravensburger

Pieces: 500

Size: 36cm x 49cm
Product Code:  141876

This is an oldie but a goodie, and one that I had to dig out of my childhood puzzle collection. I have done this puzzle countless times over the years and it always guarantees a nostalgia hit. I put this one up today because I needed to remind myself of better times, when we were able to travel to places just like this one and enjoy beautiful sunshine and tropical climates. 

I don't really have much more to say than.

I hope you enjoy looking at this puzzle as much I enjoyed putting it together.

Portofino, Italy

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

I felt like putting up a travel scene today- a beautiful aerial shot of the coastal town of Portofino in Italy, 

I have never been here but I adore the colourful view of this place, with its brightly painted buildings alongside vibrant blue water. It has a nice summery feel in comparison to the cold greyness of home right now.

This puzzle had quite small pieces (which, as you probably remember, I absolutely love) and the colours were vibrant. The pieces fit well together too, which is always a bonus with these cheaper brands.

Surfin' USA

Brand: Ravensburger
Pieces: 1000
Size: 70cm x 50cm
Product Code: 195060

I decided to put this puzzle up for two reasons. 

Number one is that it is the last week of summer 😞
Generally, I'm not a huge fan of summer cos I don't really like hot weather, but the end of summer also means daylight savings will end soon and our longer daylight hours at night will end. This means no more night walks and much darker mornings. So sad. End of summer also means end of 'holiday season'. Sure, I know that the holidays ended ages ago but I always think of holidays when I think of summer and this just hits it home.

Number two is that we have just booked our flights to the USA. In April, we will be travelling around parts of America on a three week holiday! Aaron's never been and although I did a Contiki Tour over seven years ago, I don't really remember a lot. It will hopefully be a fantastic experience and we're really looking forward to it!

Now that I've outlined the reasons for choosing this puzzle, I can talk about the actual puzzle! This one was quite easy to do when sorted by colour, even though there were a lot of blues and greens. The quality was fantastic as always and the pieces fit together well. I really like these collage design puzzles- they show a lot yet are 'neat and organised' in the way they are designed. 

I'll have to see if I can find some more USA themed puzzles in the lead-up to our trip!

Summer Doggy Days

Brand: Puzzlebug
Pieces: 100
Size: 22cm x 28cm
Product Code: -

I'm not sure what the weather is like where you are, but at the moment, we're going through a bit of a heat wave! Over the last few days, we've had temperatures reaching over 40 degrees celcius! Wayyyyy too hot for me! Luckily I've been inside most of the time at work (with air conditioning)  but I've still felt the heat.

I thought I'd put up a 'summery' picture today because of this. This was one of the cheap Puzzlebug puzzles that I came across one day at Kmart. These puzzles usually have images different to those you would normally find,and I thought the above design was relevant to this post. Quick, easy, and relatively good quality for the price, these puzzles are alright for a bit of cheap fun. 

Jenny Sanders: Famous Sandman

Brand: Blue Opal
Pieces: 1000
Size: 70cm x 50cm
Product Code: BL01907

Over the last few years I have put up quite a few of Jenny Sanders' designs, which have been produced by Australian company Blue Opal. Her illustrations of classic Australian cars are always wonderful, and the sense of nostalgia you get from piecing them together is second to none. 

Above is a puzzle which features the iconic Sandman, set in a beach scene. This puzzle was a pleasure to do, with vibrant colours and an appealing design. 

I still have several more puzzles from this series in my collection, and I hope to eventually get through them all soon. Which will be next?! 

Colorful Beach Huts, Maldives

Brand: Puzzlebug
Pieces: 500
Size: 46cm x 28cm
Product Code: -

Once again, we're facing a freezing cold day here in Victoria, Australia. I guess that's to be expected when it's mid-winter but it's still not terribly pleasant!

To try and make the day seem less dreary I have put up a picture of a tropical paradise- a scene from the Maldives. How lovely would it be to rest on the deckchairs in the sunshine and listen to the ocean waves lap against the shore? 

This puzzle design was attractive to me because of the bright colours and clear image, however the quality of the pieces wasn't as good as I have experienced in the past- they didn't seem to fit together as well as they have in previous times. That said, I don't usually expect superior quality from this 'budget' brand anyway, so any good one in previous times has always been a bonus. 

At least the finished picture is pretty. 

Lockey's Oyster Shed

Brand: Blue Opal Deluxe
Pieces: 1000
Size: 69cm x 49cm
Product Code:   BL01707

This weekend is the Portarlington Mussel Festival, which is held in Portarlington (obviously), a suburb on the Bellarine Peninsula not too far from my own. Tourists and locals alike- who have a taste for these edible molluscs- flock to take part in this celebration and enjoy the local produce. I for one have never really been a fan of mussels, but good on them for enjoying something different. 

In saying that, I have decided to put up a puzzle featuring Jenny Sanders' artwork Lockey's Oyster Shed. I know mussels and oysters are entirely different, but it was the closest comparison I could find! Renowned for her paintings of classic Australian cars, there aren't actually any oysters featured in this picture (just the location name), but I thought the summery vibes given out by the image were more than adequate. 

As with all of the puzzles featuring her work, this was a pleasure to do. The colours are vibrant and the quality of the pieces wonderful. I'm determined to work my way through all of the designs in this series, and any others that pop up over time...

Jenny Sanders: 'Yellow Sandman'

Brand: Blue Opal Deluxe
Pieces: 1000
Size: 69cm x 49cm
Product Code:  BL01865

After a two week 'experiment', the results are in! Licenced and popular franchise puzzle versus generic animal design. I have to say, I am quite surprised. I'm not sure if it's because of the designs I chose, or because of the audience I have on Instagram but I wasn't really expecting the results that came in.

After one week on Instagram, my Wonderous Safari  puzzle had 58 likes, and I had 2 people start following me (this may have been a higher number earlier but some people may have unsubscribed before I took down my figures). 

After one week on Instagram, my Justice League Of America puzzle had 55 likes, and I had 4 people start following me. Again, the numbers may have changed as some people unsubscribed but this is where it stands at time of writing. 

So it's a pretty close call. The first puzzle definitely had momentum at the beginning but the DC one had a gradual growth in numbers over the week...

Very interesting.

Well, now that that's over, onto today's puzzle!

I have decided to put up a photo of something a little different today- a Blue Opal Deluxe design by Australian artist Jenny Sanders, called 'Yellow Sandman'. This iconic old Australian car is part of a series Sanders has done that features artworks of classic cars (mostly Holdens). 

The pieces fit well together and the colours are quite bright (obviously depending on the design). I particularly like the beach scene behind the image of the car, as it brings back fond memories of warmer days!

This was a great puzzle to do, and something that many classic car fans will appreciate. 

Beachfront: Art by Lori Schory

Brand: SunsOut
Pieces: 1000
Size: 32.875inches x 26.5inches
Product Code:  96018

I have to admit, I haven't done very many shaped jigsaw puzzles. 

Perhaps it's because they aren't as readily available as your standard rectangular puzzle. 

In the past, I have completed a round puzzle (Wonderful World Of Disney 1) , but even as I was doing it, it didn't feel as though it was shaped, due to the straight edges of the border. 

That's why doing the above puzzle was such a profoundly different experience. 

The fish shape of Beachfront actually made the completion of this puzzle feel different. Not only do you have to work out the shape of the fish, but you have to find where the rest of the design correlates to that outline. Putting  together the jagged fins on its upper and lower body was a little bit challenging, as they came in several pieces and sometimes you weren't sure exactly how long each part was meant to be.  But this was a very welcome challenge- it's not every day that I have the opportunity to put together a puzzle like this! 

The design, which is bright and full of detail, was fun to put together. This puzzle also has uniquely-shaped pieces (including the occasional fish-shaped piece!) which only made the 'shaped' experience feel more complete. 

I haven't done many SunsOut puzzles because they're not as common in Australia as they would be overseas, but I will be making more of an effort to seek them out in the future! 

Happy Holiday

Brand: Ravensburger
Pieces: 1500
Size: 80 x 60cm
Product Code:  163076

With the approach of the Christmas season comes yet another 'event' that many people look forward to- the start of the holidays! 

While some of us only get a few days off between Christmas and New Year, for many, it is just the rejuvenation that one needs to keep going until their allocated annual leave or holiday time. 

If you're lucky enough to have planned your holiday time for this period, then you can enjoy some blissful time away from the hectic struggles of the workplace (or school, if you're studying), and relax away your days. If not, then it is easy enough to enjoy the few days you have and look forward to a longer rest a little further in the future. 

Regardless of your situation, there's no doubt that any holiday is a good holiday, which is why I thought this puzzle- Happy Holiday- would be quite appropriate. The imagery in this puzzle brings to mind sunny beach holidays and relaxing ocean views (probably quite hard to imagine if you live in the Northern Hemisphere at this time of year!), and evokes memories of salt, sun and sand. 

This puzzle, despite its size, was quite quick to do, especially when done in sections. You would think that some of the sections would be difficult (with like colours in many of the sand and sky images) but the varying shades made this less of a challenge than you'd expect.

The design is vibrant, fun and inspiring (especially if you're planning an upcoming beach holiday!)

I hope you enjoy your holidays- beachside or otherwise!