Puzzles, Books and More!

Monday, October 10, 2022

Puzzle #68 - Ravensburger - Quaint Cafe - 1000 pieces

I forgot that Ravensburger are only 27x20 inches. I really get spoiled on the 24x30 puzzles! (Vermont Christmas Company, White Mountain, Springbok). This looks like it could be somewhat tough - lots of things the same basic colors. But it looks fun, too. Only got a bit done so far, but will work on it over the next week. Not much puzzle dust, really.

Been working on this slowly this week. Enjoyable puzzle. Challenging. I do like Ravensburger images, though. They make you want to solve the puzzle. The darks are dark but not impossible. Probably could have made myself finish it last night but it was WAY too late and the light is awful. I need to be able to see better to get that final part done, for sure. That is the only downside to a Ravensburger puzzle... I really hate not having a poster. It is just so hard to see details on the box lid. I am trying out Mama's sunlamp to see if that might help. It sort of does, but it also throws a weird glare in some ways. However, overall, I think I will be glad of that light this winter. Will finish this puzzle today before Bible study. Then on to the next one! :) Paired with 2021 Hampton Water Languedoc Rose - very tasty! :)

I'm now at the end with just the chairs and tables left and I'm going to have to try to hammer it out. I just cannot make out the lines. Part of it is lack of detail on the box and part of it, I fear, is my brain. I just can't see those curves and lines on these chairs. I have a really hard time getting other visual clues off these - although am making some progress trying to match up the bricks/ground behind and underneath. Whew!!

pieces sorted by shape - always my last resort

Finished it! Last part was pretty hard! Still an enjoyable puzzle. Was sorry to be missing a piece, but it is possible Mav took off with it. I was missing 2 pieces but found one under my desk. So the other may have a similar fate and I just can't find it Oh well. Artist on this puzzle is Jason Taylor, per the box. Very nice and enjoyable puzzle.

Paired with 2021 Hampton Water Languedoc Rose - very tasty! :)

4 to 4.5 stars

Finished October 10, 2022

Puzzle #68 - Ravensburger - Quaint Cafe - 1000 pieces

Monday, October 3, 2022

Puzzle #67 - Vermont Christmas Company - Al Fresco Italy - 1000 pieces

REALLY enjoying this puzzle! challenging for sure but not in a bad way. Did have some places (more than once) where pieces went where they didn't actually go. Why it didn't bother me, I don't know. I guess because it was solved easily enough. Plus, the image is lovely. Easy parts I did first and all the rest is proving to be a real challenge. But again, not a bad one (at least so far). Image by David Maclean. He definitely helps things. :) Basically no puzzle dust at all.

SUCH a fun puzzle! The mountains, sky and trees were by far the trickiest part - trees the most. But not frustrating. Just challenging. Really enjoyed putting this together. No puzzle dust at all with Vermont Christmas Company puzzles. They are a loose fit so it is hard to move pieces that are put together. But that is really no big deal. Ribbon cut. Satisfying puzzle experience!

Paired with Kendall Jackson 2020 Vintner's Reserve Pinot Gris

Quite good - maybe a tinge smoky? 4 stars

Finished October 3, 2022

Puzzle #67 - Vermont Christmas Company - Al Fresco Italy - 1000 pieces

Saturday, October 1, 2022

Puzzle #66 - Vermont Christmas Company - Canal Living - 550 pieces

First Vermont Christmas Company puzzle in awhile! I got burned on that crazy London Promenade one and just didn't even want to try anymore. But this one is going well. Very enjoyable. Reminds me how much I loved these puzzles back in the beginning. I'm glad. :) And I have always loved a David Maclean puzzle. Vermont Christmas Company has a bunch! Downsides are that pieces can fit more than one location. Upside is larger pieces in the 550 piece size so easier to determine where something goes. Took me a bit to figure out that top line but finally readjusted a couple pieces and it fit together. This is a darker image which could be a bit trickier, but again, at 550 pieces it isn't frustrating. So happy to be enjoying a Vermont Christmas Company puzzle again!

by David Maclean - Very fun puzzle. the mountains ended up being the hardest (and last) part - even after all the trees. But not hard really. It is all relative. :) 550 piece puzzles can be just challenging enough, but still a breeze. No frustration!! This was darker overall and I do remember that Vermont Christmas Company images aren't as crisp on the pieces, but in this size, none of that matters. Really fun puzzle. Probably going to do another VCC - maybe even one of their larger 1000 piece ones. (I HAVE learned a lot of what to look for in puzzles, even within the same company! Larger pieces are always better in my book!!!) NO puzzle dust.

Finished October 1, 2022

Puzzle #66 - Vermont Christmas Company - Canal Living - 550 pieces

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Puzzle #65 - Cobble Hill - Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady Autumn - 1000 pieces

This puzzle was by Edith Wharton - taken from the actual Country Diary of an Edwardan Lady. I feel about it kind of like about the books. I wanted them, I wanted to read them and then do the nature study and be so enthralled and enlightened... and instead, it was truly not my cup of tea. Puzzle is very well made - solid pieces, good image on pieces, basically no puzzle dust. But good grief I was ready to be done. While I love being outside and seeing birds and trees and flowers - I am not an expert (who am I kidding... I am barely a novice) and apparently, I like it that way quite a lot. :D This is a beautiful puzzle... for someone else. I'll see if any in the family would like this one and the unopened other 3 in the set (Winter, Spring, Summer). I'm going to do a scenic one next... you know, wine, view... that kind of thing. :) Right up my alley! :)