Hey Sup

Brand: Cra-Z-Art
Pieces: 100
Size: 33cm x 25cm
Product Code:  -

Hey Sup? 

Haha wanna know the reason for today's puzzle? It's AFL Grand Final day and the contesting teams are the Bulldogs (as above) and Melbourne. I haven't followed the footy in years but I thought I should put up something of relevance today and this was the only puzzle that really fit the bill. I honestly don't care who wins. Football is just one of those things that I've turned away from over time...

The above puzzle was part of a series (I think I've posted at least one other from it in the past) that was photographed by Keith Kimberlin. He has done many other dog and cat portraits, which were released as a 100 piece per puzzle collection- 6 in all. They're cute and good for something different. Quality was cheap as expected for the price and brand, but you get some cute stickers with the pack too!

Sometimes you just need to do a smaller piece puzzle for a quick fix...

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?

Flinders Street Station, VIC

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

Over the last few months there have been many people critical over the way the Victorian Government has handled the corona virus. The state of Victoria was in major lockdown, with the city of Melbourne hardest hit- I think I heard somewhere that Melbournians were facing some of the toughest lockdown restrictions in the world! 

But those months of restrictions and sacrifices are now over! Yay! Victoria has recorded over 28 days of virus free living! Those who complained can now see the proof that what was done to eradicate the virus was successful. Of course, it's not completely eradicated (it can always be reintroduced by travellers once all the state borders open and international travel begins properly again) but for now we're on a high!

We're in a much better position than the pain and horror that many overseas countries are facing right now- the USA and some countries in Europe are facing hundreds of thousands cases a day! Crazy! Hope they start to see some recovery soon...

To celebrate Victoria's success, I have put up a puzzle featuring Melbourne's iconic Flinders Street Station. It's such a beautiful and recognisable piece of architecture, which will be super busy again in no time as people freely begin to travel again. 

Kakadu Dreaming, NT

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

Well it's Anzac Day today, and in typical 'me' form, I have no offerings featuring soldiers, poppies or anything that can especially be linked to this commemorative day for all of the Australian and New Zealand soldiers who have defended our countries. 

Honestly, I don't even know if such puzzles exist, but I have tried to redeem myself by putting up a picture of an Australian nature scene, created by an Australian photographer, Ken Duncan.

I have never been to Kakadu, or the Northern Territory for that matter, but I think this is a wonderful scene of the area, and something that the soldiers would have fought to defend in our amazing country. 

I have done many puzzles from this brand and all have been high quality with beautiful imagery (hence the sub-branding on the puzzles I guess!)

They really open up your eyes to another side of Australia- the more natural and idyllic side that most people don't often see. This is as close as I'm likely to get to this part of Australia at this point so I love that we can enjoy nature through the puzzle photography. 

Millaa Millaa Falls, QLD

Brand: Ken Duncan Images Of Australia (Crown & Andrews)
Pieces: 748
Size: 31cm x 83cm
Product Code: -

Even though the current bushfires that are ravaging Australia are located mostly in New South Wales and Victoria. I thought I would put up an image of a puzzle where Queensland's nature is the focus. This place looks absolutely beautiful, and although I had never heard of it before I found the puzzle, I would love to visit this lush and tropical-looking paradise. 

Ken Duncan is such a fantastic Australian photographer and is able to capture natural scenes perfectly. I am so glad that he has a range of puzzles to his name, even if the boxes can be obscenely large for the size of the puzzle 😂. That said, the puzzles are usually of strong quality, with a nice fit and good colour. 

I will continue to purchase and do them as I see them in store.

Clifton Springs, Victoria, Australia

Brand: Schmidt
Pieces: 136
Size: 32.5cm x 13.5cm
Product Code: 59367

I just thought I'd quickly shoot this one off before I get ready for a quick interstate travel today! 

The above image is of a scene very close to my heart (both figuratively and literally)- this is the old Clifton Springs pier, which is seriously just a short walk away from my home! 

I decided to put this one up today to remind myself that even though it is run-down and falling apart, it is also a source of beauty for many photographers and locals (including the fish that swim and feed around the area!)- This is especially so at sunrise and sunset, as you can see in the design.

I was so surprised when I saw this puzzle available for purchase- usually photographic puzzles feature landmarks that are known and familiar to all, not random little suburban bays. That's why I had to purchase this one straight away as soon as I saw it.

A lovely and creative reminder of home :)

Desert Oaks, Uluru, NT

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

Happy Australia Day!

Today is January 26th, a national holiday where we celebrate the arrival of Britain's First Fleet on Australian shores in 1788. The day has been steeped in controversy over the last few years, with people wanting to change the date to one that is less 'offensive' to native Australians, some of whom call the day 'Invasion Day'. 

I'm really not fussed if the date is changed, as long as we still get to celebrate a public holiday!

To me, Australia Day is a chance to catch up with friends, have a BBQ and relax. It's a chance to celebrate the things that make Australia great. It's a chance to enjoy a day away from work and just chill out on a hot summer's day.

The puzzle above was the most Australian I could find in my collection- I haven't had the opportunity to do much puzzling lately so I had to use an image from my backlog which I hadn't put up yet! What could be more iconic and Australian than Uluru!

The quality of the pieces was terrific, the image- taken by Ken Duncan- was of course, spot on, and the colours were vibrant. I've done plenty of his puzzles and will continue to do so. You just can't go wrong!

The Twelve Apostles, Vic

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

I'm lucky enough to live near one of Australia's popular natural tourist attractions- The Twelve Apostles. Located along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, this natural formation along the coast is slowly eroding away but still draws thousands of tourists every year who stop along the roadside to view the picturesque sight.

I have decided to put this puzzle up today in association with an event that is running at the moment- although admittedly there's a little bit of a stretch. As you head towards the Great Ocean Road, in Bellbrae, there is an amazing place called The Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery. 

Now, I've never been there but I have many friends and family members who vouch for the place and insist on me going there at some point. I absolutely want to but I need to find the time! Anyway, at the moment, they're holding a Hot Chocolate Festival and it sounds amazing. If you end up going along the Great Ocean Road to visit the Twelve Apostles and other landmarks, then you should definitely make a stop at the chocolaterie on the way!

Sooo, plug over- back to the puzzle! This puzzle is of a panoramic image taken by Ken Duncan- a renowned Australian photographer. The colours and quality of this puzzle were outstanding, and the image is a truly beautiful representation of Australia's natural wonders. 

I have a few other puzzles from this collection which I hope to do soon- the images are just so vibrant- making these into perfect reminders of travel memories, or enticing additions to a travel bucket list. 

Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, Southern Iceland

Brand: Heye Puzzle
Pieces: 1000
Size: 70cm x 50cm
Product Code: 29769

Today I thought I'd put up a scenic puzzle for a change- here is a lovely scene from Southern Iceland, brought to you in puzzle form from Heye Puzzles. Part of the Alexander Von Humboldt collection, this puzzle was given to me for Christmas from my brother-in-law. I think he expected me to take longer to do it than I actually did! Despite all the details in the rocks, sky, land and water, it only took me a few days (with large gaps of time in between) to complete. 

This image is absolutely stunning, and made me wish I could see it in person- if the photo looks this good, imagine how it would look in real life! The quality of the pieces was outstanding (as expected for Heye) and the colours are vibrant (as you can see from the photo taken).

Another top puzzle from this puzzle powerhouse!

Australia Day, Sydney Harbour, NSW

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

Yesterday, January 26, was Australia Day- a public holiday! 

It's meant to be a day when Australian's celebrate the anniversary of the First Fleet landing on Australian shores in 1788, thus paving the way for colonization of the country. 

But in recent years, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the day- particularly for indigenous Australians who have renamed the day 'Invasion Day' and want Australia Day celebrations to fall on a more inclusive day for everyone.

At the moment, things are still up in the air about the future of Australia Day, but until then, it will continue to be a day filled with Aussie flags, barbecues and a day off with family and friends (if you're lucky enough to get time off work). 

Above is a puzzle that I found by renowned Australian photographer Ken Duncan, featuring a scene on the Sydney Harbour from Australia Day in previous years past. This panoramic puzzle was quite easy to do, despite all the yachts and boats dotted throughout the picture, and the quality was wonderful. 

It's rare that I can find a puzzle that fits perfectly with a day's theme- so I was happy to find this one to put up from my collection! 

The Twelve Apostles, Vic

Brand: Ken Duncan Panographs (Crown & Andrews)
Pieces: 450
Size: 64cm x 24cm
Product Code: -

I'm lucky enough to live a short drive away from Australia's iconic Great Ocean Road- a scenic drive along Victoria's coastline. One of the highlights of this drive is The Twelve Apostles- if you make this trip, you'll see jutting limestone formations that rise out of the water along the shoreline of the Port Campbell National Park. While some of them have eroded in time (there are no longer twelve of them), these stacks still make a picturesque view and are often photographed by passing tourists and artists. 

One such photographer, Ken Duncan, is renowned for taking fantastic landscape images and this is one of his offerings, translated into jigsaw puzzle format. While there are only 450 pieces in this puzzle, it was still quite challenging, particularly with the similar colour tones. The colours seem to blend into one another, and I had to tackle it in sections- water in one, sand and rocks in another, and the sky and clouds together. The colours are so similar, especially in artificial light, that it could be difficult to place the pieces at times, but this only made the experience more interesting. 

This puzzle is a great way to capture the panoramic view of this world-famous natural attraction.