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?

Retro Vibes

Brand: Gibsons

Pieces: 1000
Size: 68cm x 49cm

Product Code: G6609

Today I'm all about the Retro Vibes! I was really in need of a hit of nostalgia so I unearthed this puzzle that I completed a little while back, featuring my 90's childhood. 

This puzzle includes so much that I used to have in my life when I was younger, and when I first saw it, knew I had to have it in my collection. I also love the colour palette and style of the illustration. The pieces fit together well, and had an almost velvet feel to them. 

This puzzle brought back so many fond memories of toys, bands, fashion and ideals, and I'm so glad someone else had the same idea and was able to bring it to life through their artwork- and that Gibsons were kind enough to commission it and print it as a puzzle! 

Are there any puzzles you have bought/completed simply for the nostalgia hit it brought?

She Series: Pop Culture Edition

Brand: Lucky Puzzles

Pieces: 1000
Size: 48.9cm x 67.6cm

Product Code: LP-1000-002

I'm really short on time today so this will probably be one of my shortest posts. Today I'm going to be visiting the International Air Show at Avalon, but I couldn't find any puzzles that I have completed of a plane or aircraft (although I know I have at least one in my to-do pile).

So instead, I have put up this puzzle for International Women's Day which is to be held in a couple of days on March 8. The above puzzle was a pleasure to do and features many iconic and influential female characters from pop culture- movies, music and books. I enjoyed doing it, although the irregular shaped pieces made it a little challenging at some times. 

Hopefully I won't be so rushed next weekend and will be able to put up a more detailed post! Have a great weekend!

The Music Room

Brand: Ravensburger

Pieces: 500
Size: 49cm x 36cm

Product Code: 168361

From before birth, our daughter has been exposed to music and instruments. I thought this puzzle was especially fitting considering her love for the guitar, the drums, and singing songs. She has been attending library sessions where they sing nursery rhymes, and although she is quiet during the actual sessions (taking it all in), she loves to sing the songs once she is home. She is also a fan of Metallica, Slipknot, Twelve Foot Ninja, Korn and Disney (yes, an eclectic mix), thanks to some of the musical influences of the household! haha

The above puzzle was quite quick to do, being a 500 piece puzzle. It was also high quality as expected from the Ravensburger brand. 

Rock Shop

Brand: Eurographics

Pieces: 1000
Size: 48.89cm x 67.63cm

Product Code: 6000-5614

My baby has always been so fascinated with musical instruments. I think that's the influence of her dad right there, who has a whole wall of guitars, a keyboard, bongo drums and plenty of other instruments floating around. So today I have decided to put up this puzzle, which showcases the ultimate music store!

This puzzle was high quality although it differed a little from the illustration on the front of the box- the guitars in the windows were different in the actual puzzle, in comparison to what was shown on the box lid. Have you ever experienced that? It wasn't a massive change, but it was enough that I noticed it quickly! Still a pleasure to do though.

I'm a big fan of this brand, and have only had trouble with one puzzle from them (it wasn't cut well). Other than that, they have a wonderful range of designs and the quality is usually spot on! This puzzle design is no exception!

Moon Dance

Brand: Eeboo

Pieces: 500
Size: 58.5cm diameter

Product Code:  -

Today I thought I'd put up a shaped puzzle- well, a round one anyway...

I purchased this puzzle during a sale because I just couldn't resist the bright colours and the beautiful design. It has such a feeling of positivity and power through nature, song and mysticism. I don't care if that makes me sound a bit hippy, that's just the way I felt at the time!

This puzzle was a joy to do- the pieces were well-made and fit together nicely. As I already mentioned, the image was enticing and drew my attention as soon as I saw it. I haven't had any problems that I can think of from Eeboo- they're a fantastic brand that always deliver. 

This puzzle is no exception and I know I'll end up doing more of them in the near future. 

Little Artist

Brand: Mudpuppy

Pieces: 500
Size: 51cm x 51cm

Product Code:  -

How is your new year going? I know a lot of people who are currently isolating because they have either tested positive to Covid-19 or because they are close contacts to positive cases. It's such a disappointing start to the year, but hopefully things will improve and everyone will be safe and healthy once more.

In the meantime, besides working (we're very short-staffed at the moment), I have been participating in my third ever World Puzzle Days (WPD) event. This is a fantastic 3-month-long event where you try and complete as many puzzles as you are able. It's fun and was free to join this year, and since I thoroughly enjoyed doing it the last few years, I thought I'd have another go! I don't know if it will continue next year, because the organiser does a lot of it himself and it's a lot of work (he deserves a break!) but if it is running, I will definitely continue!

The puzzle I have posted today isn't one that I have done for the WPD but I thought I would put it up anyway cos it's so darn cute! I did this one last year and it features bright and beautiful illustrations of some famous artists over time. The quality was wonderful, as expected, and it was very easy to complete. Enjoy!

Speakeasy

Brand: Anatolian

Pieces: 1000
Size: 48cm x 66cm
Product Code:  1058

I'm a bit late off the mark posting today, but I got there in the end! 

Today's puzzle is one that stood out to me as soon as I saw the design- I was captivated by the colours, cool illustration and the general appeal of the image. How interesting is this design?!

I thought I'd put this one up today as a celebration of all things music- so many artists have announced shows that are coming to Australia, and so many tickets have been released- I can't wait for live music to start back up again!

The above puzzle was wonderful quality and I really enjoyed putting it together- I have yet to find an Anatolian puzzle I dislike :)

Blame It On The Juice

Brand: Hardie Grant Books: A Piece Full Puzzle

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

Have you seen the Rocksaws jigsaw puzzles that feature the designs of album covers by the likes of Queen, AC/DC and other influential artists? 

There are so many of those available now, by that particular brand and by others that have copied them. I haven't yet done any (although I'm definitely interested), but I have done some other music-related puzzles, such as the one above. 

When I saw the above puzzle, designed by Georgia Perry, I was drawn towards the design, despite only having heard one of Lizzo's songs. The colours were vibrant and the illustration style stood out for me. It was actually quite a fun puzzle to do.

I might have to listen to some more of her music, and see why she was important enough to get an entire puzzle designed about her! 😂

I might also have to increase my puzzle to-do pile and get some of the music album cover ones! The only thing is, choosing which one! There are so many cool album covers and bands that are available, yet some of the designs look quite difficult to do (because of all the solid colours in the designs). I'll have to think about it...

Broadway Musicals

Brand: Re-Marks

Pieces: 1000
Size: 33cm x 99cm
Product Code:  -

I'm so excited! I'm not sure if I've mentioned it before, but I'm a big fan of musicals- I've seen so many over the years in Melbourne and would love to visit Broadway or The West End at some point in my life. I don't have a preference for any particular musical- I've seen everything from Wicked to Annie, and from We Will Rock You to The Lion King. 

Yesterday I got an email about the Frozen presale starting tomorrow (which will be showing in Melbourne this winter) and got super excited. I loved the film and am really looking forward to seeing a musical adaptation on the stage. I don't know how we'll work it with new baby here, but I'm sure we can arrange something- I have plenty of people willing to offer their babysitting services! 

In the meantime, I have decided to put up this puzzle featuring the posters for some very well known Broadway Musicals. I've seen quite a few of these (although there are also some I've never heard of before). 

I was a little bit disappointed with the quality of this puzzle however, despite the awesome design. The pieces were cut atrociously- I think the blades must have been blunt, and because of this, I really struggled to put the pieces together. But despite this, I still enjoyed doing it- I've done a few Re-Marks puzzles and that was the only bad one I've had so maybe I was just unlucky. Oh well...

Are you a musicals fan? How many of the above have you seen?

Eleanor's Room

Brand: New York Puzzle Company (Dream World by Emily Winfield Martin)
Pieces: 1000
Size: 48.9cm x 67.6cm
Product Code: NPZEM1927

As soon as I saw this puzzle, I knew I had to have it!
Besides the cat in the image, I could completely relate to the prospect of sitting on a lounge chair, reading a book and listening to music- a fantastic way to spend the day in my opinion!
I really love the images of Emily Winfield Martin- her work is just so whimsical and pretty, and this illustration is no exception. She has produced a wide range of images for New York Puzzle Company, with a broad range of counts- from 48 to 1000 pieces (as far as I know). I'll have to see what other designs I can unearth!
The quality of these puzzles is great- the colours are vibrant, the pieces generally fit well together and are unusually cut to add a bit of a difference to the mix.

Pets Rock Music

Brand: MB Puzzle (Crown)
Pieces: 1000
Size: 45.7cm x 60.9cm
Product Code: -

This is the last of the puzzles that I have from this series, so I thought I'd put it up today. 

Although I can't say I'm a huge fan of the designs, I can appreciate the time spent to recreate each music icon using dogs and cats as the canvases. It is really quite clever, especially with how recognisable the animals are as the person/ band they're meant to be representing. 

Once again, the quality for these puzzles was quite good, and the ease of  putting the puzzle together was simple, when you separated the pieces according to each section/ block of the design. 

This is a cheap yet well-made brand, with a variety of designs, and I'm sure I'll be purchasing more in the future.

Bourbon Street Parade

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

Well it's back to Saturday morning posting, at least for the foreseeable future. 

Last week was quite intense in terms of busyness. Like I mentioned, we went to see a band on Friday night, then the next day was spent at the Melbourne Zoo, although I didn't see any pandas because they no longer have them there :( , and the Vic Market. Despite our best efforts, we didn't end up staying for 'White Night' - we were too exhausted and would have had to wait at least 5 hours for it to get dark enough for the event. Maybe next year?! 

This weekend is also going to be quite busy- Geelong's multicultural festival Pako Festa is on today (which is why I have posted the above picture). I thought that the carnival vibes of the Bourbon Street Parade coincided nicely with our local event. We'll also be going to Melbourne this Sunday to visit relatives and see Robbie Williams live in concert- so many shows coming up! 

But back to the puzzle...

This Cardinal branded puzzle was quite a joy to do. The colours are vibrant and the pieces are small and fit together perfectly. I love busy and eye-catching designs like this because there's always something different to look at and it makes the piecing together of the puzzle interesting. 

Another successful design from this brand :)

Sound Of Soul Strings

Brand: SunsOut
Pieces: 500
Size: 45.72cm x 60.96cm
Product Code:  39366

I have a wide taste in music, which ranges in scope from Disney songs and Broadway show tunes to punk rock and heavy metal tracks. 

I'm willing to listen to anything, and appreciate most music. 

If you have a listen to my iPod, in fact, you would find such an eclectic variation, you wouldn't believe that all the music on it belongs to just one person. You might hear Muse playing at first, then Slipknot, then the Captain Planet theme song, then Celine Dion! Who knows what will play after you press 'shuffle'!

Because of this diverse appreciation for music, it means that I have seen many fantastic bands/artists and have many more that I wish to see throughout the coming years (provided they come to tour Australia). 
As it is, I have just bought tickets to see Robbie Williams when he comes to Australia next year, will be seeing Muse in December, and hope to buy tickets to see The Foo Fighters and Pink when they are released. A couple of weeks ago I saw Stone Sour- an awesome show- and I'd love to see Metallica again if they plan another tour soon. 

The puzzle I have posted today is musically-themed, although, once again, it is a different kind of genre to all of the popular music-type artists I have mentioned above. Focusing more on a classical aspect, this puzzle by SunsOut features a string instrument (I'm unable to decide whether it's a cello or a violin) and a keyboard on a vibrant background. Musical notes float around the almost tribal design, making the images stand out. The pieces in this puzzle are made from a thick recycled cardboard (of high quality), and come in a variety of strange and unusual shapes, as is the norm for this brand. 

This was a relatively easy puzzle to do, when working in sections of colour and pattern, and is perfect for any lover of music.