Puzzles, Books and More!: March 2022

Monday, March 28, 2022

Puzzle #28 - Buffalo Games - Charles Wysocki - Cocoa Break at the Copperfields - 500 pieces

These always look so tiny after finishing up a White Mountain!! But I LOVE the oversized poster. Why don't all puzzle companies do that????

I had been wanting to do this one for awhile. I think because of the green barn. :) Cute and fun puzzle. Not hard but fun. Same issue as with previous Buffalo puzzles - some pieces fit in multiple locations and you just have to figure it out. I am not thrilled by that, but it wasn't as bad on this puzzle as it has been on others so it didn't annoy me as much. Hardest parts were the snowy evergreen and the big tree in background.

Finished on March 28, 2022

Puzzle #28 - Buffalo Games - Charles Wysocki - Cocoa Break at the Copperfields - 500 pieces

Saturday, March 26, 2022

Puzzle #27 - White Mountain - Sunset on the Canal - 1000 pieces

I love the size of White Mountain puzzles - huge! Fills my puzzle caddy - almost overfills it! But the pieces are such a nice size to work with and look at. They fit together pretty well, too. More of a regular cut of pieces - not irregular shapes.

This puzzle is very challenging, but overall fun to work on. Just tough! However I am plugging along. Pieces are large and sturdy and mostly move well together when I have to move groupings. I am now into the parts of the puzzle where the images will be more vague... and there is a lot of one general shade. But not frustrated yet. Just very, very challenged. I do wish the poster were larger (than the box top) but at least there is a poster. That is helpful. (Love Buffalo and MasterPieces posters the best!)

Finished on March 26, 2022

Puzzle #27 - White Mountain - Sunset on the Canal - 1000 pieces - another David MacLean :)

Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Puzzle #26 - Vermont Christmas Company - Village Square- 550 pieces

So after basically determining that Vermont Christmas Company puzzles are my favorite (except for missing a poster) this one has had multiple times where pieces fit together perfectly in the wrong place. Twice along the edge and then once in the puzzle, but along an edge which made me finally figure that section out... then go looking and sure enough, more edge pieces were wrong. But you couldn't tell from either the fit or the image. None of the fits are super tight... and the images were of sky or the stone bottom, so vague anyway. Perhaps with a larger poster I could discern there were real differences in the variation of the pieces - but naked eye, box, and such a close fit and look - there is no way. That is so frustrating. That is NOT what makes a puzzle FUN and challenging to me. :( Hmmm.... Also realizing the 1000 piece Vermont Christmas Company puzzles have irregular shapes which helps with unique fit (no mistaking where a piece actually fits). The 550 piece puzzles (like this one) are more identically cut so you can have pieces that fit multiple places.

Written upon completion of the puzzle...

It is truly funny to me how much easier 550 piece puzzles are (overall) than 1000 pieces. I have come so far in just a couple months of puzzling. I did this one in one day. I wrote more detail on the 'underway' caption describing my frustration with pieces that fit multiple places. But I do think it is because of the way they cut the 550 pieces versus the 1000 pieces. 1000 pieces are more random cut (which I don't like when Bits & Pieces does it, but do like when VCC does it). That means they don't fit two places. The 550 piece puzzles are more traditional (I think they call it ribbon?) cut - even though they say they aren't. That means that pieces can fit more than one place. And again, without a good poster to really see small details, it is nearly impossible to get it right. You just play around with it until all works out. That is not challenging, that is frustrating. However, Vermont Christmas Company puzzles are still about my favorite at this point, I think. I may prefer the 1000 piece puzzles from now on...

Love that David MacLean!

Finished on March 23, 2022

Puzzle #26 - Vermont Christmas Company - Village Square- 550 pieces - David MacLean

Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Puzzle #25 - Vermont Christmas Company - Irresistible Italy - 1000 pieces

I'm beginning to really think about taking photos of the progress - it is interesting to me to see which parts come together first and in what order.

I'm realizing the 1000 piece puzzles from Vermont Christmas Company have irregular shapes which helps with unique fit (no mistaking where a piece actually fits). But they are not as wonky as the Bits & Pieces random cut puzzles. Then the Vermont Christmas Company 550 piece puzzles are more identically cut which is nice, but you can have pieces that fit multiple places. That can be very frustrating. I am not completely sure which is my preference with this company... but I really do like these puzzles a lot.

I do love these puzzles from Vermont Christmas Company. They could be made nearly perfect if they would include a good poster of the image. As it is, the box is adequate, but not great. It is impossible to see some of the image clearly so you are left guessing on architectural or plant details. But the puzzles are well made, engaging, sturdy (for the most part) and high quality. The image looks good and mostly clear on the puzzle pieces. This was my first 1000 piece puzzle from them and it was enjoyable, tough, and fun. Just wish they would include a poster!! Fun puzzles.

I love working puzzles by David MacLean. Just about every puzzle company (that I buy) has David MacLean puzzles and I can spot them a mile away. They are the most relaxing and inviting and daydream-inducing images for me, by far. So very enjoyable.

Finished on March 22, 2022

Puzzle #25 - Vermont Christmas Company - Irresistible Italy - 1000 pieces - David MacLean

Sunday, March 13, 2022

Puzzle #24 - Buffalo Americana - Charles Wysocki - Yankee Wink Hollow - 500 pieces

Nice puzzle, good pieces overall. Love the large poster.

Had the same thing happen again... a whole row of about 7 pieces fit snugly and well in a place they didn't actually go. Finally figured it out when another piece in the row didn't add in right. Yes, it could be spotted if I really investigated every single piece I put down, but that is a bit much. Sorry that this happens so often. But I do still really like Buffalo quality. Just annoying.

Funny thing.. there was one extra piece in the puzzle. And I feel pretty certain that this is a duplicate. I remember placing it once. But couldn't spot it to take a photo of with the extra.

Finished on March 13, 2022

Puzzle #24 - Buffalo Americana - Charles Wysocki - Yankee Wink Hollow - 500 pieces

Puzzle #23 - Spilsbury - The Creole Queen - 300 pieces

Even though this is a 300 piece puzzle, it was as difficult as a 500 piece regular puzzle because of the bizarre cutting and shapes of pieces, and the fact it is pretty much all the same colors in this puzzle.

Did not finish last night, but was working to finish this morning. Even at this late point I still did not have the whole frame completed. Spilsbury puzzle shapes drive me nuts. They work against my brain!

It is a pretty puzzle when completed. That is why I wanted to work it. Glad to have a 300 piece puzzle that wasn't so simple. But have not really changed my mind on Spilsbury or Bits & Pieces puzzles... not the greatest fan of them. Will get the ones completed I have bought and that will be the end of it.

Finished on March 13, 2022

Puzzle #23 - Spilsbury - The Creole Queen - 300 pieces - by Joshua Ben King

Saturday, March 12, 2022

Puzzle #22 - Buffalo Games Americana - Country Store - 500 pieces

Puzzle #22 underway - looks so small compared to the last one!

This was certainly an easier puzzle than the last one! I wanted a 'palate cleanser' :D Very nice puzzle overall. Smaller pieces, but fairly clear. LOVE the oversize poster to hold. Funny how a 500 piece feels so simple now. But very relaxing.

Finished on March 12, 2022

Puzzle #22 - Buffalo Games Americana - Country Store - 500 pieces

Friday, March 11, 2022

Puzzle #21 - White Mountain - Rare Book Store - 1000 pieces

I ordered several 1000 piece puzzles directly from White Mountain. Decided to try one. :)

I like having a poster, but sorry that this one is no bigger than the box (which is actually very good size). I do LOVE the larger puzzle pieces, however. The puzzle pieces for this 1000 piece puzzle are larger than pieces for a Buffalo 500 piece puzzle I was considering starting next. Yes, it fills my puzzle caddy completely, but I love the larger pieces.

Whew!! This was hard, too!! The quality is very good. Thick pieces that fit together well without confusion on fit. However, often the piece didn't 'look' like what I thought I was looking for for a particluar area. Jonathan even mentioned it when he put a few in. All the way through to the very end I was having to actively try to fit the pieces in - I never got to a point where I just knew. But a nice puzzle. Definitely a challenge. But fun. Love having a hand held poster, but would have liked it to be larger. Was just a smidge smaller than the picture on the box.

Finished on March 11, 2022

Puzzle #21 - White Mountain - Rare Book Store - 1000 pieces - Joelle McIntyre

Sunday, March 6, 2022

Puzzle #20 - Master Pieces Memory Lane - Bridge of Hope - 300 pieces

Yup, this was a super simple puzzle. Kind of a palate cleanser after that last one. I am realizing that I have grown so much since I started doing these, however, and this was no challenge whatsoever. It was enjoyable, but not as enjoyable as the easy ones were at the beginning. However, quality of the puzzle is top notch. Large poster, thick pieces that fit together well, nicely printed images. MasterPieces makes great puzzles!!

Finished on March 6, 2022

Puzzle #20 - Master Pieces Memory Lane - Bridge of Hope - 300 pieces - Alan Giana

Puzzle #19 - Eurographics - Cozy Cabin - 1000 pieces

I have to start this post off by pointing out that the puzzle box I received is very small - square. And that is the only image for the puzzle. That was my main problem throughout with this puzzle. The link I am sharing to find another copy of this puzzle is to a much larger box. I am finding that puzzles that are sold in the smaller boxes (by some distributors like Barnes and Noble or Spilsbury) may not be quite as high quality. So do take note that I am linking to what I believe to be a better version of this puzzle. It would have been enjoyable if I could have made out the puzzle image to use while solving.

Oh boy, this is going to be a hard one! (I felt this immediately...)

The pieces are small and there is only the picture on the (smallish) box. :( They do not stay together well at all. They fit, but they have no snugness, so you can undo sections by moving your arm over the area. :( The colors are way too similar. I love the picture and am not yet frustrated, but this is going to be the longest puzzle (time-wise) that I will have done, I think. At least for actual working hours. Eurographics 1000 piece puzzle - Cozy Cabin. Eurographics is not my favorite because of the loose pieces, I would say. Colors and print and thickness of pieces are fine. Although thickness and durability is not as good as other brands...

Well, it is coming along. Those pieces just won't stay together, though! However, they are pretty clearly printed. Wish I had a larger print/poster to go by instead of just the picture on the small box!

I had a problem that took forever to figure out. The horizontal line of the window sill on left was angling down too much. And then pieces that should fit together weren't - there was a space between them. I thought there was a problem with the puzzle or that I had missed a piece along the edge. Finally realized I had put a piece in that didn't go and after I corrected it the whole thing lined up and about 6 pieces finally fit together. But it was crazy hard to figure out. The piece FIT, but it didn't go there. This puzzle was full of 'tricks' like that which I don't particularly care for.

I enjoyed this puzzle, but not as much as others. It could have been near the top of my list if... there had been a larger poster or the box was larger. It was really hard (impossible in many cases) to see detail in the picture. So you ended up just trying pieces in spots without any discernment about the color, etc, because you couldn't make any of it out. Also, if the pieces had held together better... I fought that this whole time. The pieces would move apart at the slightest jiggle or brush of an arm. The issue of pieces going more than one spot is annoying, certainly, but not the worst trait of this puzzle. I think it was beautiful when put together but didn't even keep it like that long... just wanted to start another puzzle right away.