Dan's Ice Cream Van

Brand: Eurographics

Pieces: 1000
Size: 48.89cm x 67.63cm

Product Code:  6000-5519

We're starting to get into the warmer weather now and that means more ice cream! Yay! I'm super excited because an empty shop near our home is getting converted into an ice cream store as we speak and should be trading from next week. It's gonna be dangerous for my wallet and waistband having a shop like that within walking distance but it will also be amazing! 

To celebrate, I've put up this puzzle that I did which was designed by Paul Normand. 

The artwork is so detailed, the colours really pop and the quality was wonderful (as expected from Eurographics). I really enjoyed piecing together this image, bringing on all the nostalgic feels. We actually have a van similar to this on the waterfront, and they have the same sort of vibe (including the same colours on their van-with a splash of yellow!)

Next week if I remember, I'll talk about all the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales- let's just focus on the sweet ice cream treats this week! 

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?

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.

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 :)

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?

Running Horse Buddies

Brand: Puzzlebug

Pieces: 100
Size: 22cm x 28cm
Product Code:  -

During the week it was the Geelong Cup Public Holiday. As a casual worker, I got the day off work but besides that, it just felt like any ordinary day. Usually I would see photos online of friends that had attended the races, or see people's sweepstakes for the event, but there wasn't anything this year because the Geelong Cup wasn't open to the public. I didn't even realise the race had run till that evening- there was hardly any fanfare around it this year!

But I have decided to put up a picture of a puzzle I did of running horses, just to give it a look in (especially since I got a day off for it). The above puzzle was only 100 pieces, and was through the Puzzlebug brand (which are very hard to find nowadays since they are no longer readily available at Kmart). The quality was cheap as you'd expect but the image quality was good. 

I have a few more of these smaller piece counts to do and then I'll be done with my collection unless something else pops up!

Banksia Bloom

Brand: Okay Lady

Pieces: 400
Size: 52cm x 52cm
Product Code:  -

I haven't had as much time as I would like to puzzle lately. This is despite having bought even more puzzles in the last few weeks! 

A combo of starting a new job and caring for my little one when I have been home has meant that I've put jigsaw puzzling assembly on the backburner. But since it's the weekend, I'm going to try and get at least one or two done. 

The above puzzle is the first one I have ever done from small Australian business Okay Lady. They have a range of pretty, colourful designs that I absolutely adore. The above design was not as challenging as I expected, and was quite quick to do, being only 400 pieces. I enjoyed the quality and have a few more to do in my collection. If you get the chance, you ought to check them out!