Pajama Mamas

Brand: Galison

Pieces: 1000
Size: 68.58cm x 50.8cm

Product Code: -

Current mood? See above. 

I have been feeling so physically exhausted lately- between working, early mornings, gym sessions and always being on the go, I don't feel as though I've been able to just rest properly. I have all the feels for the above design, where the mamas are just chilling, sharing a cup of coffee and having a natter in their pretty PJs.

This puzzle was fun to do, with several colour points to focus on, and lots of different patterns. The pieces fit together well and the overall quality was great (as is usually the case for Galison). I also loved the illustration style, which instantly drew my attention. 

I will be working interstate over the next two weekends, so, once again, I won't be posting any more puzzles until I'm back. 

I've got grand plans to put up some awesome new puzzle images on my return... 

Stay tuned xo

Women Of The World

Brand: Hinkler

Pieces: 500
Size: 61cm x 45.7cm

Product Code: -

Yesterday was International Women's Day, a day when women are celebrated for their contribution to society and all that jazz. Honestly, I don't know how I feel about the day- it feels a bit like a farce to me. I mean, I'm all for celebrating this sort of thing, but dedicating a day (when it should be celebrated every day) seems a bit strange to me.

Regardless, I have put up a puzzle today that features women, in keeping with the theme. This puzzle was just a cheap one to purchase but the overall quality wasn't too bad. The colours were vibrant, the image stood out to me (you know how I love a pretty illustration) and the fit was decent. 

On a different topic, how's the weather at your place? We're about to go through a long weekend heat-wave. It will be interesting to see how I go with the warm weather- hope you stay cool this weekend and I'll see you next week with something fresh!

DC Comics Bombshells

Brand: Aquarius

Pieces: 1000
Size: 51cm x 69cm

Product Code: 65-249

Happy New Year! 

Sorry about the belated post- what a great start to my posting for the year...

We had some fairly vicious storms last week and one of them fried our router so I had no internet last week and couldn't be bothered setting up my phone as a hotspot. But all is well now, so I'm posting my first puzzle picture for the year 2024 (albeit a week later than normal). 

How was your holiday season? Or are you still enjoying time off?  Did you get much puzzling done?

I unfortunately didn't get much done at all, which is a pity considering I have a competition coming up soon that I really need to practise for! I'll get into it as soon as I've put this up.

Today I've decided to put up a puzzle I completed a couple of years ago now (yes, I'm that far behind) because I feel like going with a girl power theme right now. This puzzle was fun to do, and I enjoyed seeing a different aspect to the DC Universe (which usually focuses more on the male superheroes and a select few women ones).

Anyway, finally got it up so hope you enjoy :)

 

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!

Play Girls

Brand: Sunsout

Pieces: 500
Size: 48.26cm x 48.26cm

Product Code: 71334

Can you believe this is the last weekend before December begins? 

From next week, I will be posting up Christmas-themed puzzles throughout the month (just in keeping with tradition, I guess). 

Today I have decided to put up a colourful, pretty puzzle I picked up during a Sunsout sale that Puzzle Warehouse held a few months ago. I was immediately drawn to this bright, fun design- I love illustrations like this! This was a square-shaped puzzle that was designed and illustrated by the talented Edwina Owens Elliott. There were also plenty of irregular shaped pieces so it kept the puzzling interesting. 

This weekend is also the Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping bonanza weekend- how have you fared? Did you snap up some amazing puzzle bargains? I have to say, my bank balance will be hurting once all the payments go through. It's such a trap! Haha! 

Look After Your (NBCF Limited Ed)

Brand: Mr Bob Puzzles

Pieces: 201
Size: 39cm x 39cm

Product Code: -

I think this is a good indicator of just how far behind I am when it comes to my puzzle posting lately! 

I bought this puzzle last October from Mr Bob Puzzle, as a percentage of the funds were being donated towards the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF). 

Now, a year on, I have decided to post up the image of the puzzle that I completed! I have so many puzzles that I have bought as soon as they've been released, only to complete them a ridiculous amount of time later- so sorry! 

But I have finally got this one up now, in time for this Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

The quality of this puzzle was absolutely perfect (as usual from this brand) and the image is a stark reminder that breast cancer can affect anyone, no matter your age, colour or even gender! 

This puzzle has a few whimsy pieces and, while the piece count was small, it was still a pleasure to complete.

She Series: Real Women Edition

Brand: Lucky Puzzles

Pieces: 1000
Size: 48.9cm x 67.6cm
Product Code: LP-1000-011

In a few days it will be International Women's Day and what better puzzle to put up than one celebrating some fabulous women from around the world who have made an impact!

I have quite a few puzzles which celebrate women but when I went to choose one to put up, I realised that I haven't done hardly any of them! They're still in their boxes ready to go, so I'll have to make an effort to get them done soon. The above puzzle was one of the few that I actually did have done so I decided to put it up to commemorate the day. The women in this puzzle are so influential in their fields, and although I don't recognise some of them, I do know who most of them are. That's the beauty of Google- because their names are underneath their pictures, I can check who they are and what they are best known for!

The puzzle itself was quite good to do. I had to import it from America.

The pieces were irregularly shaped, which made it more challenging, and I had to leave the border for last cos it was difficult to do otherwise. Unfortunately, some of the pieces had scratches on the imagery, and some of the pieces weren't as clean-cut as I would have liked. But when the puzzle was assembled, these problems weren't as visibly noticeable. Otherwise, I love the artwork on this and was very happy with the overall design- a great memento of some great women through the ages!

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 Feminist

Brand: Mudpuppy

Pieces: 500
Size: 51cm x 51cm
Product Code:  -

It really feels like these weeks are just flying by. 

I don't know if this is the case for everyone or it's just because I have a new baby who seems to be growing up so quickly, but it feels like each day is over almost as soon as it begins. I guess that's what sleep deprivation can do to you!

During the week it was International Women's Day and I had every intention of putting up a puzzle that had strong women themes, but of course, I missed the boat! So I've decided to put this one up now, as a tribute to that. It was a toss up between this one and a women in science one, but I've decided to save that one for another day. 

This one, by Mudpuppy, is much more colourful and has cute illustrations of some of history's most influential women. I absolutely love the design and the quality was wonderful, much in the way you would expect from the Mudpuppy brand. 

Hopefully by the time the day rolls around next year, I will be more organised- there's an awesome couple of puzzles from Lucky Puzzles that I have ordered and expect to arrive in the next month or so that would be perfect for the next International Women's Day (if I can last that long without putting them up!)

Sisters Of Sun

Brand: Anatolian
Pieces: 1000
Size: 48cm x 66cm
Product Code: 3065

Tomorrow is International Women's Day, so I thought it would be fitting to put up this beautiful puzzle of three strong women. 

When I first saw this design, I thought it was so striking, but it was difficult to find. Anatolian is not as easy to purchase in Australia as some of the other puzzle companies, and there are only a few businesses I have been able to find that stock the brand. 

Luckily, one of the ones I do purchase from had this particular design in stock so I was able to get it. The colours are so rich and the design is so pretty. I've only done a few Anatolian puzzles but, like the others, the quality on this one was wonderful.

Wicked Women (Disney)

Brand: Ravensburger
Pieces: 1000
Size: 70cm x 50cm
Product Code:  192526

I have noticed lately that a lot of my fellow Instagrammers are doing Ravensburger's latest challenge- the 40,320 piece Disney puzzle. I haven't come across it yet in Australia, and to tell you the truth, although I love Disney, I'm not sure if I'm ready for a puzzle of that magnitude! The amount of space it would take would be enormous, not to mention the time! Maybe that's an option for when I reach retirement age (a good 40 or so years away!)

In the meantime, I am happy to do smaller jigsaw puzzles along the Disney theme, such as the one pictured above. Rather than focus on the princesses or classic characters this time, I decided to do a puzzle that celebrates some of the villains- in particular, the wicked women of some of the films.

This was a fun little puzzle to do. It was great to focus, for once, on characters that usually have a more unsavoury personality. In typical Ravensburger fashion, the quality of the pieces and design were perfect, and the puzzle was quick to do by sections. 

Favole series by Victoria Francés

Brand: Heye Puzzles
Pieces: 75
Size: 10.5cm x 29.7cm
Product Code:  Tree (29368), Portrait (29365), Curly (29363), Snowflake (29366), Shoulder (29364), Leaves (29367)

Until recently in Australia, the Halloween holidays were not a big deal. 

It was considered more of an international event, celebrated in America and some European countries. 

But over the last few years, more and more Australian retail stores have begun to seize the day- selling costumes, house decorations and other Halloween-themed paraphernalia. 

To embrace this theme, I decided to scour my collection to find a suitably spooky puzzle to do, but it turns out that my collection doesn't really extend to ghosts, witches and vampires at this point! 

Instead, I found these six mini vertical puzzles from Heye, which feature the gothic illustrations of Victoria Francés. Taken from her Favole collection, the women in these pictures are all gorgeously supernatural-looking, which I think lends to the spooky Halloween theme perfectly.

Curly

Leaves

Portrait

Shoulder

Snowflake

Tree

Each puzzle has 75 pieces, which means that they're relatively quick to do. While many of the colours are similar, it is easy enough to work out where each piece goes, and as I mentioned before, the illustrations are quite pretty, if not a little eerie. Victoria Francés, a Spanish artist, specializes in gothic romance illustrations, and these puzzles certainly fit the bill.

Mucha - The Precious Stones (Puzzle Screen)

The puzzle from one side

The other side of the design

Brand: Pintoo
Pieces: 462
Size: 45.3cm x 22.9cm
Product Code: Q1031

Every now and then, I like to stretch my boundaries when it comes to puzzle completion and do one that's a little bit different. Pintoo usually meet that criteria for me, with their range of 3D-style puzzles. I have already completed several of their designs,and this mini-screen that they have created fits the bill perfectly if you want to do a pretty design that isn't too challenging but still has that wow factor. 

Featuring artist Alphonse Mucha's beautiful illustrations, this screen is made up of the four women he has used to personify the precious stones of emerald, amethyst, ruby and topaz. Double sided, and made of a solid plastic, the pieces fit together perfectly to create eight different panels (two of each woman- the original artwork image and a close up). The panels are joined with hinged puzzle pieces and the entire puzzle sits within a plastic folding frame. 

A close-up of the hinged puzzle pieces

This is a different style of jigsaw puzzling and makes a great display piece.