Wyoming Breezes

tiny puzzle pieces Last month a friend introduced me to some small and challenging puzzles from Craft Hub. The puzzles are laser cut from wood and the image is painted. She loaned me a couple of her puzzles - a rooster and a turtle, and I was hooked.  The pieces are tiny (dime in the middle for size comparison) and either hook together or snug up against each other. I loved the challenge of working on something so small.  finished puzzle  approximately 5 x 5 inches I ordered several puzzles and sent them to friends whom I thought would enjoy the challenge. The eagle was sent to my niece, and she liked it.  back of the puzzle Brenda even snapped a photo of the back of the puzzle, and you can easily see the fun animal-shaped pieces.  Because the company is based in either China or Singapore, it took nearly a month for my order to reach Wyoming. The company also sells larger puzzles, but I love the small ones.  Have you enjoyed a new challenge recently?

Pat C. and Kathleen B. add the final pieces to the puzzle January 2022 I invited some friends over on Saturday afternoon to assemble a puzzle, and the three of us visited and worked on the difficult puzzle all afternoon.  Pat and Kathleen also play Mexican Train Dominoes at my apartment and at the Eppson Center. In the three and a half years I’ve lived in Laramie, I’ve been fortunate to find individuals who enjoy many of the same activities that I do and to build friendships with them. 

puzzle progress December 2021 This is the second puzzle I’ve worked on since mid-afternoon on Christmas Eve day. It’s been snowing on and off since then — perfect puzzle weather. Marilyn gave me this puzzle (and several others) this summer.  puzzle completed in two days This one is a collage of vintage ice cream treats, many of which I’ve never seen or even tried, but a few favorites, too.  I’ve never heard of these ice cream cake rolls  Creamsicles are by far my favorite ice cream treats. What’s your favorite? 

I'm willing to bet most people have worked on at least one puzzle during the pandemic. I put so many together during December that I burnt myself out. I may tackle another one yet this winter, but not just yet.  I prefer to work on 1000 piece puzzles, and I don't particularly like to assemble puzzles of just a pretty scene. I want puzzles with a lot of variation, color, and visual interest.  What kind of puzzles do you prefer?

challenging metallic puzzle December 2020 One of my friends called on Saturday afternoon and mentioned she had a puzzle that she was unable to assemble and asked if I wanted to try. She brought it over on Sunday morning.  I have never worked on a metallic puzzle before, and it was indeed a challenge. I could only work on it in natural daylight because of the reflective pieces. It was difficult to see much without getting right up next to the pieces.  After assembling the border, I found an area that was distinct (the teal section in front of the elephant) and then the elephant outline. From there, I focused on the rest of the elephant which you can see by the unused pieces is mostly pink.  This puzzle provided me with a challenge even though it is only 500 pieces.  I discovered it was easier to work with natural light coming at an angle rather than overhead lighting that caused the pieces to shine and reflect the light.  It's a beautiful and unusual puzzle - one...

starting with a 500 piece puzzle April 2020 Wanting a different distraction, I selected a puzzle (500 pieces) from the shelf in the garage and got to work. I haven't worked on a jigsaw puzzle in months, yet this one came together very quickly. tackling a 1,000 piece puzzle April 2020 After the smaller puzzle was assembled, I worked on a 1,000 piece puzzle of various china cups and saucers. It was a challenging puzzle but fun, too.  I prefer puzzles with irregular pieces, and this puzzle's cut was ideal with small and large odd-shaped pieces. I have several new puzzles stashed in the garage, so between them, my knitting, and my sewing, I should be able to keep myself busy, challenged, and entertained for several more weeks. What kind of puzzles (jigsaw, word, number) do you like to tackle?

Christmas Puzzle Challenge Day 7 2019 I'm trying a "new to me" Christmas Countdown activity this year, and so far I've been having fun with it. Each day of December, I reach into the 500 piece puzzle box and grab 20 pieces (500 divided by 25 = 20 pieces each day). Since this is the first time I've worked on a puzzle this way, I decided a 1000 piece puzzle would be too large and frustrating.  The photo shows my progress as of December 7, 2019 when I had a total of 140 pieces. The goal of this activity is finish the puzzle by Christmas Day, adding 20 pieces each day. It's been a fun way to countdown to Christmas.

close up of a horse drawn sleigh Terry Redlin puzzle December 2018 Brenda and I assembled two puzzles last week. We both love the challenge of a good puzzle. The 1,000 piece Redlin puzzle was started on Saturday evening and finished on Sunday morning. The second puzzle (750 pieces) was more difficult: it included five extra pieces and did not have any straight edge pieces. Brenda and I worked on the puzzle in sections and eventually the sections were connected with each other.

puzzle in progress December 2017 My love for jigsaw puzzles started at an early age. Every winter, my Mom pulled out the card table and placed it in front of the drafty door in the living room. Covering the table were puzzles with colorful images from around the world. Sometimes, the puzzles had been assembled one, two, or three years earlier: some had pieces missing, but we still enjoyed working on them. Winter and puzzles go well together. I enjoy the challenge of puzzles, especially ones that purposefully provide a twist. Impossibles are puzzles that have no edge pieces, and they also include five extra puzzle pieces. Usually, I begin a puzzle by turning all the pieces face up and separate the straight-edged pieces to build the frame. With Impossibles by Bepuzzled, my strategy has to change, and I begin with color and build from there. Luckily the photo on the box of Roses Are Red . . . matched the puzzle (often times with Impossibles it doesn't) Roses are Red . . is t...

Brenda and Marilyn April 2016 The week I spent in Denver wasn't just about sewing: Brenda and I assembled a 1000 piece puzzle at her house, and at Marilyn's house, we finished the puzzle in the photo and started another 1000 piece puzzle. Working on jigsaw puzzles and quilting are similar activities, which is probably why Marilyn and I enjoy both.