Pisces

Brand: Cobble Hill

Pieces: 500
Size:  67.6cm x 48.9cm

Product Code: 45022

Once again, I'm running behind in the posting of my zodiac puzzles, even though I have actually planned ahead and done some of them in advance. 

This time I've posted it two days after the new one has begun, so I suppose it's not so bad, but I'm going to have to work on my timings to get them up in the timeframe they're meant to be in!

So yeah, this one belongs to last month (considering today is the 22nd of March). I'll try and put the next one up within the next few weeks. 

Sorry I haven't got much to add today- just busy trying to sort out and complete puzzles so I can get them ready to sell at an upcoming event that will be held next month in the Melbourne suburb of Melton. A little closer to home than the previous one in Blackburn, but hopefully just as (if not more) successful for the de-stashing of some of my many puzzles.

Enjoy your weekend and I'll talk to you next week!

Fish School by Corinne Ferguson

Brand: Puzzle Collector Art (Lafayette Puzzle Factory)

Pieces: 1000
Size: 51cm x 68cm

Product Code: -

During these colder months, I know a lot of people who are travelling overseas to escape the winter chill. 

This time around, I'm lucky enough to be one of them- I will be travelling with my little family (and my husband's family) to beautiful Vanuatu next week! That means I won't be posting next Saturday as I usually do- you'll get a week off from me! 

Because I don't have any puzzle images of Vanuatu, I figured the next best option would be to put up a photo of a puzzle I did many years ago (and have not yet posted). 

It features a multitude of colourful tropical fish- some of which I hope to see when snorkelling. And if I don't see any like them? It won't matter cos I'll still be in Vanuatu! 

This puzzle was so colourful, and quite easy to do in colour/pattern blocks. 

Have a great week and I'll see you in a few!

Underwater Sanctuary

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

I've always loved images of dolphins, whales and other exotic and colourful marine life. 

There is just something so tranquil about these designs, with their aquamarine water- it almost feels as though you are part of this underwater landscape, frolicking with the creatures as they swim among the brightly coloured coral. Although I know that scenes like this one are fanciful and the reality is much different, I still enjoy doing puzzles like this one every now and then.

This Cardinal puzzle had very small pieces but they fit together really well to produce this well-designed image. The vibrant colours and busy scenery made it interesting to complete- there was always something different to look at as you put the pieces together. 

I've really grown to enjoy doing puzzles from this brand- they have a wide range of designs and the quality is usually really good. 

Dolphin World

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

It's quite rare, but occasionally you come across a brand new puzzle that has a fault or two in it. 

Sometimes the pieces aren't cut correctly or they're cut so finely that a knob piece has snapped off in the packaging. 

Sometimes (although rarely) there is an extra piece in the box that has no place in the actual puzzle (or is a duplicate of a piece that has already been placed).

But this is the kicker- the real and very frustrating problem that some puzzlers face- a missing piece!

Sometimes it is the fault of the puzzler, having dropped a piece. Sometimes the missing piece is the result of a wayward pet who has decided that they would like a tasty cardboard snack. But sometimes it IS the manufacturers fault and the piece is simply not in the box. 

This was the case for the above puzzle. I didn't bother contacting the manufacturer or the place that I purchased the puzzle- it was not worth the trouble for the price that I paid for it- but it was extremely frustrating. 

Luckily it isn't terribly noticeable in the overall scale- can you see where the piece is missing in my above photo? But my point is that it does occasionally happen, and it can be a very annoying deal, especially if the piece count is high and you've been working on completing the puzzle for some time. 

That said, despite the missing piece, I quite enjoyed the above puzzle and was happy with the design. If it was fully complete it would have been a treat to do!

Cool Cats A-Z

Brand: Mudpuppy
Pieces: 1000
Size: 69cm x 51cm
Product Code: 01/2018 M120617G

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not usually a cat fan. I much prefer dogs over their feline counterparts, but every now and then a cat will come along that I don't mind quite so much. It's so bizarre! All of my closest friends have cats and I can deal with that, but I don't think I'd ever want one of my own. 

That's why I was surprised that I was so drawn to this puzzle. For some reason, the design really stood out to me. I have since learnt that there is a dog alternative and I wouldn't mind sourcing that. But for now, here is a bit of information about the above puzzle that I completed from Mudpuppy. 

I hadn't done this brand before but I wasn't disappointed. It's a little difficult to tell from the photo but the background of this puzzle is pale pink. The cat illustrations are unique but pretty (I'm not sure who the illustrator is) and well spaced out. This puzzle also features the breed names, various cat-related paraphernalia and flowers. I enjoyed piecing this one together, especially with such good quality pieces and minimal dust. 

I'll have to try and find the dogs one so that I can complete the 'set'!

Reef Adventure

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

It's hard to believe that around this time last year, rather than being in cold, rainy weather, I was travelling around Fiji and Vanuatu for my wedding and honeymoon. 

The weather there was absolutely beautiful, the places we visited were amazing and the people we met were lovely. I had my first experience learning to Scuba Dive (granted, it was only in a hotel swimming pool, but at least I was able to learn the basics) and we got to snorkel some beautiful reefs, particularly near the amazing 'floating bar' Cloud 9, which was an experience in itself. 

To reminisce, I thought I would post up this photo of a puzzle I did recently. Although we weren't lucky enough to see any sea turtles, we did get to see some incredibly bright and beautiful tropical fish in their natural environment. This puzzle brought back memories of warm water, pretty coral and the aforementioned brightly-coloured fish. It was pretty quick to do, when working in colour blocks, and the design was (and is) fun and busy.

Perfect for brightening up a dull-weathered day and bringing back lovely memories, I reckon!

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!