Road Trip!

Brand: Skittledog

Pieces: 1000
Size:  49cm x 68.5cm

Product Code: -

Another (busy) weekend, another puzzle...

Today I have decided to put up this cool travel one which I purchased one day in Melbourne. I loved the mapped out design, and the references to North American scenery and landmarks. It reminded me so much of a Contiki tour I once took there, and was a big factor when it came to me purchasing this puzzle over others I saw there. 

I really enjoy doing map-style puzzles - I have such a fascination with geography and travel and love to see these kinds of puzzles come together...

Do you enjoy puzzles of a similar nature?

The Travel Series: Pisa

Brand: Hinkler Elevate

Pieces: 500
Size: 59.4cm x 42cm

Product Code: -

How chilly have these mornings been? How lovely would it be to go travelling at this time of year? 

At the moment, I know so many people that are travelling overseas, including two of my brothers (although they are nearing the end of their trip now). The last photo they sent to us was a picture of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, hence my puzzle choice for today's post. I was inspired!

This puzzle was one of a set of four travel-themed designs from Hinkler Elevate. Even though it is of a cheaper quality, the puzzle pieces were still quite good, and the colour gradient of the background made it easy to complete. I have already done the other three puzzles in this set and hope to put them up soon. 

In the meantime, I will be attending a speed puzzle competition with my husband tomorrow in Melbourne and am so looking forward to it! Hopefully I'll be able to complete it in the time allocated! Wish me luck :)

Places You Will Go

Brand: Buffalo

Pieces: 500
Size: 54cm x 38cm

Product Code: 3122

As you may be aware, I have been travelling a little bit for work recently- just interstate, but it means that I haven't been home to post puzzles up like I usually do. My workplace has recently released the next events dates for expressions of interest and I most likely will apply for all of them. Even though it's work, it's good to get out and experience different places! 

In another reference to travel, I currently have friends on a honeymoon in Western Australia, and their photos look amazing! One of my workmate's is currently on a tour in Europe and a good friend has just returned from Japan. What's more, two of my brothers will be travelling Europe next month (boy, that's come around quickly) so today's puzzle has a decidedly obvious travel theme. 

The above puzzle was quite fun to do. I did it in sections according to colour and pieced it together quite quickly. With vibrant colours and a beautiful illustrated design, this puzzle was a pleasure to put together. 

Do you have travel plans over the coming months? Where will you be heading off to? 

Ocean Liner

Brand: Blue Kazoo

Pieces: 1000
Size: 50.8cm x 76cm

Product Code: -

I'm back!

After a lovely week spent in Vanuatu with the family, I am back to cold and blustery Geelong. Although I have to say I'm not totally disappointed, because although it was a great holiday, it's also very nice to be back home. 

While we were there, two cruise ships pulled into Port Vila. These are huge days for the town, because it means a booming tourist day and lots of business, so I thought I would share this puzzle that I completed some time back from Blue Kazoo's Across The Continent: A Vintage Travel series. I have all three of the puzzles in this collection (the other two are a plane and a train) but this one is fitting considering the huge cruise boats that we saw. 

The quality was exceptional, although I'm disappointed because they have some new designs but are not currently shipping to Australia. Hopefully this will be rectified soon, but, until then, I'll just have to get the other designs completed.

Now I need to catch up on some post-holiday work... 

See you next week!

Wanderlust

Brand: Buffalo

Pieces: 1000
Size: 68cm x 50cm

Product Code: 12214

It seems like everyone is travelling or on holidays at the moment!

I have friends that are currently travelling Vietnam, Africa, Bali and Japan, and it's really making my travel bug come to the fore! But, even though I love to explore new places, sometimes I can't be bothered dealing with all the organisation involved in getting to that place. That's one of the reasons that I enjoy doing puzzles that focus on travel so much.

The above puzzle is from Buffalo, and it's one that I had been wanting to get for a long time, simply because of the colourful, pretty illustration. This puzzle was a pleasure to do, and I was able to complete it quite quickly by working in colour blocks. As I already mentioned, the design is so pretty, and I love that it covers a variety of different travel experiences. This is part of the Vivid Collection, and I'm keen to see if there are any more that might also interest me.

Snail Mail

Brand: Re-Marks

Pieces: 300
Size: 45.7cm x 61cm

Product Code: -

Well, it's a brand new year- we're already a week in!- yet everything feels very much the same for me. 

I'm still spending way too much on puzzles that I want to do, but probably won't have the chance to do! 

How good were some of the Boxing Day and End of Year sales? 

Once again, I bought way too many and now have over 300+ puzzles on my to-do list- all of which are currently sitting in my spare room which I was hoping to clear out sometime soon! 

I don't know how I'm going to get through them all (without the added pressure of completing ones that I'll no doubt continue to buy- I know I have a problem). Even if I complete one a day (unlikely), that's still gonna take me about a year to get through them... but hey, I'm willing to give it a shot! I'll just have to forgo other activities to get it done 😉

The puzzle I've chosen for today was one I completed a few years ago that features stamps from all around the world. I figured this one would be appropriate for the holidays, especially with all the travel that's taking place at the moment. This puzzle was bright and colourful, with lots of lovely stamp images. As someone who collects stamps, I enjoy looking at designs like this one. 

Do you collect anything other than 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?

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...

World Of Travel

Brand: Willow Creek

Pieces: 1000
Size: 68.6cm x 50.8cm

Product Code:  -

Yesterday was a momentous day for many Victorians, with the easing of covid restrictions! We can now go to most places without having to wear a mask, can hit the dancefloor, and capping restrictions have ended so we can go to places and not be restricted on how many people can be there! I'm not sure how long this will last for, and I really hope that lockdowns are a thing of the past, but we'll have to see what happens. This is all because we've reached a benchmark in vaccination rates. Yay! 

This easing also means that travel is now becoming more of an option, which is why I have posted the above puzzle, designed by Lewis T. Johnson. The design drew my attention with all it's cool 'stickers' of travel destinations around the world. This was the first puzzle I had done by Willow Creek and it was different to put together odd-shaped pieces, after doing so many puzzles recently that have uniform shapes. But I still enjoyed the challenge. Some of the pieces were a bit scratched up though, which I was disappointed about considering I bought it new. Oh well, nothing can be done about that!

I'm really looking forward to travelling again, even if it's just around Australia. Have you got a travel destination in mind for the coming months?

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?

Monopoly: Australian Community Relief Edition

Brand: Winning Moves

Pieces: 1000
Size: 53cm x 53cm
Product Code:  WM01148-EN3

The Monopoly board game has such a, well, monopoly I guess, over the gaming world. There are so many different versions- covering music, pop culture, and even cities.

Now they have a few variations in jigsaw puzzle format. 

I have the original Monopoly jigsaw puzzle, which I plan on doing soon but I also have the above one, which was released as a fundraiser for struggling Australian communities. In it, the towns names have been changed to some of those affected and in need of aid (although I'm not sure if it was because of fires, floods or some other disaster which has befallen the towns- I really should read what it says on the box!)

This puzzle was quite different, in that the piece shapes followed a certain format. They were longer and narrow, and followed a pattern as you assembled the pattern. That said, it was quite quick to complete, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

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.

The Tower Bridge Over Thames River

Brand: Trefl
Pieces: 1500
Size: 85cm x 58cm
Product Code: 26140

With the spread of Corona Virus worldwide, the travel industry is really feeling the strain. So many people are being forced to cancel their holidays for fear of the pandemic, especially with so much uncertainty about how long this will be going on for. We have booked  to visit the USA next month and hopefully that will still go ahead. A couple of my colleagues have booked for the UK in July and they're just as hopeful. But time will tell...

In the meantime, the only way that many people will be travelling is by staying at home and viewing pictures of the places that they want to visit! I suppose that's where jigsaw puzzles of travel scenes come in handy! 
The above puzzle features one of London's key landmarks, The Tower Bridge. Although I have never been there I would love to visit it one day. In the meantime, I will have to settle for the puzzle image.

This puzzle was from Trefl and was very good quality. I haven't done many from this brand before, as they are not readily available to me. However, I was very pleased with the ease of putting it together. Some parts of the sky were a little bit difficult due to similar blue shades, but I got there in the end! Overall, it was very satisfying to complete it!

Oberhofen Castle, Switzerland

Brand: Trefl
Pieces: 1500
Size: 85cm x 58cm
Product Code:  26102

Well, I'm happy to say that my recovery is going well and that I have only missed one week in my posting on this blog (and my Instagram). 

I got home from hospital last Sunday and while I could have put up a post, I decided to remain consistent and wait till Saturday to put something up (as I usually do).

In the last week, between resting and reading, I have had the opportunity to do several puzzles, which I will post over the coming weeks. Unfortunately, I am also running out of boards to do them on! I'll have to take photos and break up the puzzles as soon as I get the chance so that I can get started on the next one!

In the meantime, I have decided to post up the above puzzle. 

My husband and I have been trying to work out where we want to go on our next overseas holiday and we're trying to decide between the US and Europe. If we were to go to Europe, I would love to visit Oberhofen Castle in Switzerland. Doesn't it look amazing?!

This is the first puzzle by Trefl I have ever done. The quality was great, but the sky just about killed me! I had to use the process of elimination in the end to get it finished and the amount of time it took to do the sky almost outweighed the time taken to put the rest of the puzzle together! But the end result is wonderful and I'm pleased I persisted. I'll more than likely do some more puzzles from this brand over time, as they have some lovely scenic designs. 

Taj Mahal (Oriental Marocco)

Brand: Ravensburger
Pieces: 500
Size: 49cm x 36cm
Product Code:  145348

The Australian government has recently announced our federal elections will be happening on May 18, 2019, where we are to vote for the party that will represent Australia on the world stage. 

Similarly, elections are taking place in India- with the general election scheduled to take place in seven phases from April 11 to May 19. 

Now I'm not really a follower of politics and the like- I honestly couldn't care less unless it has a significant impact on my life and the ones I care about- but I thought I would take the opportunity to put up a picture of a puzzle that has links to India and the news! 

This puzzle was pretty quick to do, however I'm not sure if it's actually available anymore- it may be out of print because I haven't seen it for sale in a very long time. On the box, it was called Taj Mahal but online (at the time of purchase) I kept seeing it listed as Oriental Marocco (which is why I put that title in brackets next to it).

The quality was great, the colours were vibrant and the image (as you can see), is lovely. I'm not sure if I would ever want to visit India considering all the poverty, but I can't help but be enticed by the beauty of this world famous mausoleum. 

Broadway, NYC

Brand: Colorluxe
Pieces: 1500
Size: 58cm x 84cm
Product Code:  -

The winter months are fast approaching in Australia, and that means more and more people are travelling internationally to get away from the winter blues. Although I visited America several years ago on a Contiki tour, I never got the opportunity to visit New York City. 

This is one of the places I would love to see in real life one day. 

I love musicals and to visit Broadway and see a show or two would be a dream!

Instead, I will have to settle for imagery of the place through jigsaw puzzles! This puzzle from Colorluxe is 1500 pieces and captures the bustle of the busy Broadway streets. 

It wasn't very difficult to do, but I did get frustrated with the colour-sorting on the back. This is meant to make the puzzle easier for beginners by allowing them to sort the sections of the puzzle by colour and therefore helping them to work out where each piece goes. But I find the double-sided colour part tedious and annoying- I prefer to simply work from the image! 

Regardless, the puzzle turned out well and the pieces fit together nicely.

These are great and cheap puzzles if you want a slightly different design.

San Francisco Adventure

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

Two of my husband's cousins have recently traveled over to America for a holiday during the Christmas/ New Year break, and one of the first places they visited was San Francisco. I haven't been there myself but judging from the photos they have posted on Facebook and Instagram, it looks like an awesome place to go!

For now, the only way I'll be visiting the city is through images, so I thought I'd post up this puzzle which celebrates some of it's many tourist attractions. 

This puzzle was made up of tiny pieces (which I love) and was relatively quick to do, working in sections. The illustration is vibrant and colourful, which only adds to the appeal.

Hopefully one day I'll be able to visit this incredible city, but for now, I'll just have to enjoy San Francisco through puzzles and photos!