Beach Buddies

Brand: Page Publications

Pieces: 1000
Size:  70cm x 50cm

Product Code: -

Welcome to a brand new year of puzzling adventures!

I hope you've had a wonderful and safe Christmas and New Year break, and managed to get a bit of puzzle assembly in...

I had the opportunity to post last Saturday (in that strange limbo between Christmas and New Year) but decided to take a break and do an actual puzzle instead. I got a nice little one done but I haven't yet had the chance to take a photo of it, so I am instead putting up this one from my backlog. 

I aim to take photos more regularly this year, simply so that I can get them up and clear my puzzle boards faster. 

Did you get any cool puzzles over the break? Either as presents or purchased by yourself during the sales?

I'd love to see them if you did!

Birthday Party Cakes

Brand: Eurographics

Pieces: 1000
Size:  48.89cm x 67.63cm

Product Code: 6000-5700

I had originally planned on putting up a puzzle that featured Aboriginal art this weekend, considering tomorrow is the beginning of NAIDOC Week (National Aboriginal And Islanders Day Observance Committee) but I realised that although I have completed the puzzle I wanted to post, I have not yet taken a photo of it!

I hope to remedy that soon and maybe have it done in time for next week, but that means that I had to find an alternative puzzle to post. 

Which brings me to the above puzzle - birthday cakes!

June is a busy month for birthdays in my family and so this is the perfect puzzle to represent that. It feels like we're eating some form of birthday cake every week throughout June and the start of July, in order to celebrate everyone's birthdays. 

The above puzzle was a fun one to do- very colourful and busy, with some beautiful and delicious-looking cake designs...

Which month is a busy birthday month in your life?

Squishmallows Squish Squad

Brand: Ravensburger

Pieces: 1000
Size:  70cm x 50cm

Product Code: 175536

Have you ever looked at a particular puzzle design, and thought, 'boy that's cute', but then put it back because you thought it might be too difficult to do? 

I have to admit, I had my reservations about the above puzzle, thinking exactly that when I saw it. But I'm glad I persevered and purchased it in the end, because once I got into it, this puzzle was quite enjoyable.

I love Squishmallows, and my daughter has quite a few of them at home, so I thought the above puzzle would be a fun one to do. Even though it is full of repetition (similar to the style of those 'impossible' puzzles), I thought I'd give it a shot. It was quite easy to flow through when you sorted the colours and made up each of the characters. Then it was simply a case of piecing together each of the completed Squishmallows to complete the puzzle in it's entirety. 

Have you ever done a puzzle like the one above?

Dreamworks Family On Tour

Brand: Ravensburger

Pieces: 1000
Size:  70cm x 50cm

Product Code: 139750

I'm finally starting to approach the end of my cross-stitching stint, which I think I mentioned in my previous posts, so that means there will soon be more, newer puzzle images on the way! In the meantime, here is one that I did a little while ago and that I absolutely loved. 

I've seen most of the films that these characters appear in, so it was a pleasure to do the puzzle and reminisce about where they come from. The quality was exceptional and I was so lucky to be able to find a copy of this puzzle on Facebook Marketplace at the time, because it can be quite difficult to come by.

Hope you have a great weekend and keep on puzzling!  

Mixtape Afternoon

Brand: Galison

Pieces: 500
Size: 50.8cm x 50.8cm

Product Code: -

Can you believe we're already approaching the end of February for another year?! The weekends have just been hectic and flying by so fast. Today will be a relatively quiet day but tomorrow my husband is competing in a small triathlon in the morning, and then we'll be attending the wedding of one of my closest friends in the afternoon! Talk about a busy day! There was also a puzzle competition scheduled for tomorrow in Melbourne somewhere which I obviously won't be going to with all that's happening so I'll have to leave it till another time. 

That said, today I've decided to put up a puzzle that I did a short time ago (some of my photos are years old so this is a very recent one). The illustration drew me in straight away and reminds me of old-school playlist creation (whereas now I'd just make a playlist using Spotify). I figured it was relevant because of all the music playlists that are going through my mind right now with the approaching events this weekend. 

The colours are vibrant, it was a quick one to do, and as I already alluded to, the illustration is fun and bright. 

Have you got a busy weekend planned or will you be setting some time aside to do puzzles? 

Instagram Post 400!

Hi,

Today marks a milestone on Instagram for Jigsawpuzzlelove. 

I have finally reached the 400 posts mark!

Admittedly, I could have reached this a lot sooner if I posted more regularly than once a week (Saturday morning, usually, with only a few exceptions) but this blog was only ever intended to be a small, every-now-and-then thing, so it's already a lot bigger than I originally planned. It's been going for quite a few years now, and I've put up over 400 puzzles in that time frame. That's such a lot! Haha

I plan on continuing this (because, why not?!) but today I'm not going to be putting up any puzzles. I made a reel of all the puzzles I have put up on Instagram with this account, and that can be found on the Instagram page- a little commemoration of sorts. 

Now I'm going to leave this for the day and try and get one more practice run in, before leaving for Malvern Town Hall - where I will be competing in my first ever Vic State Jigsaw Puzzle Competition! 

I'm so excited but also extremely nervous. I hope I can get a good time! 

Wish me luck!

xo

Jumpin' Jive!

Brand: Ravensburger

Pieces: 500
Size: 49cm x 36cm

Product Code: 171248

We're on a nostalgia run again today! Yes I know that this kind of nostalgia is a bit ahead of my time- I have never been to a 50s-style jazz and blues jive dancing night (and am nowhere near old enough unless it's for a special retro night), but I love the idea and imagery behind it!

The quality of this puzzle was wonderful and I managed to complete it quite quickly. It's also very cute- as soon as I saw it I could just imagine the scene in front of me. I think it would be lively and fun to be involved in something like this, even if you're not familiar with any of the dances.

When was the last time you went dancing? Do puzzle images ever inspire you to try something new or revisit past interests?

Disney Colour Palette

Brand: Ravensburger

Pieces: 100XXL
Size: 49cm x 36cm

Product Code: 133321

I was in the mood for some Disney today, so what better puzzle than a bright and colourful one that features a multitude of characters?! 

As you've probably realised, I don't discriminate when it comes to piece counts in jigsaw puzzles- I'm happy to do smaller count or larger count, as long as I like the image. This was one of the smaller count ones that I came across that is likely aimed at young children, but I couldn't resist the design. It's bright, fun, and cute- all winners in my book!

Not only that, but it was super quick to do and had extremely large pieces so it would be perfect for young children just getting into puzzling. 

Do you prefer puzzles that have a smaller amount of pieces or would you rather stick with regular 500/1000 piece count puzzles?

Travel Stamp Fun

Brand: Harlington

Pieces: 1000
Size: 69cm x 50cm

Product Code: -

Next up is a puzzle that I was lucky enough to win in an Instagram competition for Harlington Puzzles a little while back. 

I absolutely love this design and was so happy that this was the one they chose to send to me! 

It's so fitting at the moment, with so many people travelling around the world again. Since I won't be leaving my home for any adventures any time soon, it seemed like a good puzzle choice to pass the time away. The design is so vibrant and colourful and I love the selections for each of the location stamps!

On a side note, have you seen how many puzzle sales are on right now?! This is really an exercise of my self-control- I have waaayyyyy too many puzzles that I haven't yet done to consider buying any new ones, but there's just so many that I want to get! Aarrghh! The struggles of a collector! In fact, I think it's safe to say that at the moment, I'm more interested in buying puzzles than doing them- I'll have to change that attitude pretty soon if I want to have anywhere to store them without running out of space!

Are you as out of control in the buying stakes as I am?

Lego Minifigure Puzzle

Brand: Chronicle Books

Pieces: 1000
Size: 63.5cm x 50.8cm
Product Code:  -

I am a huge fan of Lego. 

I love the different things that you can make with it and all the detail involved to make realistic creations. My husband also enjoys building with the blocks, and has made a Lamborghini and space station, among other kits. 

We even went to a Brickworld exhibition (pre-covid times) to see all the amazing displays!

That's why, when I saw that you could get puzzles of Lego, I jumped at the chance. 

I did this puzzle ages ago but am only posting it up now. I was collecting the minifigures for a while, and recognise some of these guys from my collection. This puzzle was fun to do, and the quality was alright for a company that usually deals in books rather than puzzles. 

If you know any Lego fans, this would be a great gift for them, besides buying them the actual bricks. There are also a few other Lego puzzles available that feature the coloured bricks (Paint Pot etc), if minifigures aren't their thing.

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?

Mario Kart: Funracer

Brand: Winning Moves

Pieces: 1000
Size: 68.3cm x 48cm
Product Code:  -

Hey all, welcome to a new year! Hope your New Year's festivities were safe and a whole lot of fun.. 

There are two reasons I have put up the above puzzle today.. 

One reason is because, being a new year which has followed an extremely unprecedented and shit year, this puzzle is kind of relevant. It's all about racing forward to cross the finish line and be a winner. Hopefully that's something that people can do this year.

The other reason is a more personal one. One of my best friends has a nine year old son who has been battling a debilitating muscle disease his whole life. In the last few days, his health has gone very downhill and though we are all trying to be optimistic, it isn't looking good :'( One of his favourite games/characters is Mario, so this one is for him. Hope he pulls through....

This puzzle is by Winning Moves and was a little challenging in some parts (the sky, ugh!) but it turned out well. The quality was great and the pieces fit together well. It's likely I'll do a few more puzzles by them in the future...

Star Wars: Holiday Yoda

Brand: Buffalo

Pieces: 300
Size: 54cm x 38cm
Product Code:  92500-2805

Following the finale last night of Disney Plus' second season of The Mandalorian, I had big plans to put up a picture of the Baby Yoda puzzle that accompanied the Mandalorian one I put up several weeks ago.

But then I realise that there are only 6 days to go until Christmas, and that since I only really post on Saturdays, it would be past Christmas when I put up my next post- unless I make an exception this time of course! 

So I thought in a slight compromise, I would put up the above puzzle- it features Yoda (the real one, not baby Grogu) and a nice Christmas-y theme. I'll just have to leave the other puzzle for a different time- maybe when series 3 is announced?

The above puzzle was quite fun to do and there is an accompanying Vader one in the series (which I have also done, but will hold off on posting for a while). 

I hope you have a merry and safe Christmas and I'll probably post at least once more before the year is out. 

Hopefully next year will be a lot better than this year has been!

Pokemon Bubble

Brand: Buffalo
Pieces: 500
Size: 54cm x 38cm
Product Code:  -

I went with a nostalgic puzzle last week by putting up one that I had owned since childhood. Well, I thought I'd continue in that vein with today's puzzle- although this is a different kind of nostalgia. This puzzle is relatively new- I bought it last year- but the content is the part that instils the nostalgia. 

I think I mentioned towards the beginning of this blog (quite a few years ago now) that I was a huge fan of the first Pokemon series. Well when I saw this puzzle, I knew I had to get it because although there are some of the newer characters in it, the majority featured are from the first series (and therefore recognisable to me!)

I love the colours and the vibrancy of the design- it really stands out and I thoroughly enjoyed doing it. I'm hoping that as Pokemon continues to grow, a wider variety of designs (in a higher piece count) will be released for puzzling fans. In the meantime, I'm happy to settle for cute ones like this :)  

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!

Fashion Fabulous Barbie

Brand: Buffalo
Pieces: 1000
Size: 68cm x 50cm
Product Code:  11660

It was hard to decide which puzzle to put up today. 

I wanted it to be something fun and pretty- cos it's my birthday!! 

It's also quite possibly the last puzzle I will be putting up for a while because I am scheduled for surgery this coming Monday and I'm not sure how my recovery will go (or whether I will be able to do many of the things I ordinarily do). Hopefully that isn't the case but you never know!

So.... Pressure's on!

Here's the choice- Fashion Fabulous Barbie...

Reminiscing to my childhood days, Barbie was one of my favourites- maybe because she looked the complete opposite to me, and was so stylish and pretty. When I discovered this puzzle I just had to buy it- it's not often that you see a favourite childhood toy immortalised in a puzzle design for ADULTS! All the Barbie designs I have seen before this (and since) have been aimed at children, with extremely low piece counts. 

This Buffalo puzzle was a joy to do- the pieces fit snugly, the design is bright and busy and the imagery is wonderful. 

So I think it's fitting that this is my birthday and 'sayonara for now' puzzle.

Hopefully my recovery will be smooth and I'll be able to continue on with this blog (and my instagram). Just know that as soon as I am able, I will get back to it!

Cheers!