The curse of a puzzle checker...

It's that time of year again - the final push for puzzles to be ready for fundraising fetes and sales. I am currently ploughing my way through a selection of children and adult puzzles (2 big boxes) and every time I see an end I am quickly topped up by committee members and local groups. However, how lucky I am to have a constant stream of free puzzles to do! One happy lady - but thank goodness it is the summer holidays! 

Pippin - myphotopuzzle.co.uk (500 pieces)

Having recently adopted a cat I was delighted to receive this thoughtful end of year gift from my teaching assistants at school. Also knowing how much personalised puzzles can cost I was also slightly abashed at their generosity. It was a lovely puzzle and a good cut with very little dust left at the end. Not one I will be selling on though! 

Time taken: 2 hours 

Bringing home the sheep - Falcon (500 pieces)

I have been given a box of puzzles from a friend and so have begun checking them ready to sell on. With my normal puzzle table out of commission for a variety of reasons I needed one which would fit on my coffee table and this little beauty fitted the bill. I enjoy 500 piece puzzle, but just don't do them very often - partly because people tend to buy me 1000 piece ones. Anyway, the picture was lovely, the cut good and it made for a couple of hours fun. 

Time taken: 2 hours 

BCD Weekend

The weather was gorgeous and the theme was maps for the lovely meet up in Clevedon. I was lucky enough to tackle two puzzles by the same cutter. Both were trickier than expected, but made for a lovely visual end. Hard to report the time taken as I was working with friends and chatting as we went. 

   

June Apology

Just a quick apology for not posting in June. The month just seemed to get away from me. I was completing jigsaws and even went to a BCD meet up, just didn't manage to post. I am in the process of completing an incredibly difficult line cut jigsaw which is taking much, much longer than I could have ever anticipated. The problem is that I am not very good at giving up, and having spent this long already I want to keep going - however at an average of 3 pieces of night, it's going to be a long process. 

Santa's Christmas Party - Ravensburger (1000 pieces)

It is a long standing family tradition that we get my dad the latest Christmas puzzle from either Ravensburger or Gibson for Christmas. Once he has completed them they get passed round the family. This year he has had a back log of puzzles (as have I) which is why it took so long for it to arrive. However, that isn't to say it wasn't a lovely puzzle - great quality, beautiful picture and lots of little details to keep me busy. Started with Santa and Mrs Christmas, then put the rest of the people and animals in place before ending with the background. 

Time taken: afternoon 

Boston Waterfront - Mount Washington Puzzles (1000 pieces)

The last in the collection of my American Christmas presents and it didn't disappoint. Fireworks and lettering were quickly put in place, followed by the water and a lot of seagulls. I wondered whether the actual buildings and roads would be tricky, but once some of the main buildings were in place the rest of the puzzle quickly took shape. For added interest there were little signs all over the place. A lovely puzzle and I'm sad it was the last one from this brand...for now...

Time taken: afternoon/evening