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White Dragon Puzzle- 500 piece jigsaw from Cobble Hill | Review

9:28 am By Canadian Puzzler Leave a Comment

White Dragon Jigsaw Puzzle Review

Overall puzzle rating: 7.5/10

Puzzle Company: Cobble Hill
Number of pieces: 500
Completed size: 26.625″ x 19.25″
Puzzle Artist: Ciruelo Cabral
Puzzle Pieces: 500 piece size. random cut, super high-quality

Notes: Gorgeous fantasy illustration of white dragon on a cliff by artist, Ciruelo. Includes high quality refences poster, suitable for framing.

The artwork of Ciruelo Cabral features a majestic white dragon against a backdrop of a mystical mountain landscape. White dragons symbolize transformation, death, and rebirth, often associated with moon gods or mother goddesses in various mythologies. In many cultures, dragons are revered as symbols of power, wisdom, and protection, while the color white signifies purity and spirituality. The juxtaposition of these elements creates a compelling narrative within the puzzle’s imagery, inviting contemplation and reflection as you piece together the puzzle.

The challenge level is intermediate, offering enough complexity to keep you engaged without feeling overwhelming. The variety of shapes and patterns in the puzzle pieces added an extra layer of enjoyment for me. As always, the poster is a huge plus; not having to keep track of the box while puzzling is great.

The color palette on this puzzle was not as vibrant as I normally like. If you enjoy fantastical art and dragons, this would be a great puzzle for you!

Filed Under: Cobble Hill Puzzles, Puzzles Tagged With: artist, Ciruelo Cabral, dragon, fantasy

“Easter Eggs” Puzzle Review by Cobble Hill – Easter Sugar Cookies

4:35 pm By Canadian Puzzler Leave a Comment

Easter Eggs cookie puzzle

Easter Eggs Jigsaw Puzzle Review

Overall puzzle rating: 7.5/10

Puzzle Company: Cobble Hill
Number of pieces: 1000
Completed size: 26.5x 19″
Puzzle Artist: Cobble Hill Creations (photograph)
Skill level: Medium- Intermediate
Puzzle Pieces: 1000 piece size. Random cut. Thicker than average. Linen-style paper

Notes: This Easter Egg puzzle is one of several in a series of brightly coloured seasonal themed iced sugar-cookies.
There is an Ugly Sweater, Day of the Dead “Sugar Skulls”, Halloween Cookies, Tropical Cookies and Chanukah puzzle in this sugar cookie them as well.

Highlights include: HD efference poster and their glare-free linen paper puzzle pieces. This what makes the a “jigsaw” cut above Ravensburger Puzzles ( in my opinion}.

The 1000-piece puzzle features dozens of egg-shaped sugar cookies. The cookies are artfully decorated with ribbons of royal icing, pastel pearls and cotton candy swirls. The occasion Easter bunny makes an egg-pearance .
I suggested intermediate puzzle skill level because of size.
The 1000 piece size can be intimidating for beginners or puzzlers who prefer larger pieces. The architectural-lines and colour variations of royal icing on the cookies make it easy to match up pieces.

This Spring colors combined with last lingering days of winter make for a sunny egg-sperience… hopping into Spring.
I did give a lower rating than it probably deserves, I prefer illustrations or images done by artists and not a big fan of photographs or digital images for my puzzles.

Easter eggs puzzle

Filed Under: Cobble Hill Puzzles, Puzzles Tagged With: 1000, bunnies. eggs, cookie puzzles, Easter

Deer and Pheasant Puzzle Review- Cobble Hill

12:28 pm By Canadian Puzzler Leave a Comment

deer and pheasant puzzle

Deer and Pheasant Puzzle

Puzzle Company: Cobble Hill
Number of pieces: 500
Completed size: 19.25″ x 26.625″
Puzzle Artist: Carl Brenders
Overall rating: 6.5/10

Puzzler Notes: Random-cut puzzle pieces. Includes a reference poster- the quality is excellent. No glare linen puzzle pieces.

The image lovely. A familiar theme of deer in the meadow. The blue sky in background makes for nice contrast, but I do prefer more colour in puzzles. The feather and fur is very hard to do in a puzzle.

Cobble Hill’s “Dear and Pheasant” puzzle presents a picturesque scene that transports puzzlers to the serene beauty of the wilderness. The artwork captures a tranquil moment in nature, where a majestic deer and a vibrant pheasant coexist harmoniously amidst a lush forest backdrop.

At the forefront of the image stands a magnificent buck, its proud antlers reaching towards the sky. The deer’s gaze is tranquil yet vigilant, reflecting its inherent connection to the wilderness. Its coat, painted in rich earth tones, blends seamlessly with the surrounding foliage, camouflaging it against the forest floor.

Beside the deer stands a colorful pheasant, its plumage ablaze with hues of iridescent greens, blues, and reds. The pheasant’s intricate feathers are meticulously rendered, showcasing the artist’s attention to detail.  The bird adds a dynamic element to the scene, contrasting against subdued earthtones of the forest.

In the background, towering trees stretch , their branches adorned with lush green leaves. Shafts of golden sunlight filter through the foliage, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor below. The tranquil atmosphere is further enhanced by the stream, its crystal-clear waters reflecting the natural splendor that surrounds it.

Overall, the image on Cobble Hill’s “Dear and Pheasant” puzzle encapsulates the timeless beauty of the wilderness, inviting puzzlers to immerse themselves in the tranquility of nature’s embrace. With its exquisite detail and captivating scenery, this puzzle promises a rewarding and immersive puzzling experience for nature lovers and puzzle lovers alike.

The image is by Belgian artist Carl Brenders (b.1937) is an internationally recognized wildlife painter known for his exceptionally faithful and powerful rendition of nature.
His paintings, typically created on illustration board, are executed in a mixed-media combination of watercolor and gouache.
In 2002 at the prestigious Birds in Art Exhibition organized by the Woodson Art Museum in Wausau, WI, he was honored with Master Artist status.
In 1998 he was inducted into the U.S. Art Hall of Fame.

deer_pheasant_CH

Filed Under: Cobble Hill Puzzles, Puzzle Artists & Illustrators Profile, Puzzles Tagged With: artist, birds, carl brenders, deer, winter

Den Dreams by Cobble Hill- a Bear-y cute Jigsaw Puzzle

3:17 pm By Canadian Puzzler Leave a Comment

Bear in den jigsaw puzzle image

Dreams of Spring for both Bear and puzzler alike1 with Den Dreams puzzle

Puzzle Company: Cobble Hill
Number of pieces: 500
Completed size: 19.25″ x 26.625″
Puzzle Artist: Greg Alexander
Overall rating: 7.5/10

Notes: Image is done in watercolours, with rich, intensely pigmented colours.
Cobble Hill puzzle feature glare-reducing linen paper.
The artist, Greg Alexander, from Wisconsin is a well known nature artist. His art is painting is hyper realistic.

Puzzler Notes: Interesting random cut puzzle pieces. Includes a reference poster- the quality is excellent.

The image nice, but lots of similar grasses and fur make it challenging. This is on the difficult side and would not start out with this or give as a gift to beginner puzzler or if you hate fur, like me.
this is good for someone who likes bears.

Filed Under: Cobble Hill Puzzles Tagged With: 500 pieces, bears, Cobble Hill, February, Greg Alexander, January, nature, puzzle artist, Spring, winter

Cobble Hill Four Seasons 2000 piece puzzle | Puzzle Review

2:02 pm By Canadian Puzzler

Four Seasons Puzzle

Welcome new and old puzzle buddies. You can view my full video review of Cobble Hill Four Seasons puzzle on my Small Thoughts channel. Thank you for taking the time to watch!

This jigsaw puzzle, Four Seasons by Cobble Hill is gorgeous! At 2,000 pieces, this puzzle is a lot to tackle and difficulty would be on the challenging side for most puzzlers. This is the kind of puzzle you could leave out on a table for people to do at their leisure or a rainy weekend at the cottage. It features the Fours Seasons and is divided into 4 sections, one for each season. Cobble Hill quality is fantastic. The pigments used for inks images are beautiful and as always, Cobble Hill comes with a high-resolution poster. I highly recommend Cobble Hill Four Seasons! Have you done this puzzle? Have you ever done a larger-sized puzzle like this before?

You can read more about puzzle brands, like Cobble Hill, and what makes a good puzzle, on my recent post, Puzzle Brand Compared: What are the best puzzle brands?

Filed Under: Autumn & Fall Puzzles, Cobble Hill Puzzles, Puzzle Reviews Tagged With: autumn, Cobble Hill, fall, February, January, seasons, Spring, summer, winter

Apple Pie Kitchen by Cobble Hill | 500 piece Puzzle Review

2:32 pm By Canadian Puzzler

Apple Pie Kitchen by Cobble Hill

I finished my Apple Pie Kitchen by Cobble Hill puzzle over a rainy week in April and it lifted my dampened spirits! This is a 500 piece puzzle, typically most puzzlers would finish a 500 piece puzzle in about two hours. I take SLIGHTLY longer than most puzzlers and this took closer to 4 hours to do.
I loved the 1930’s style farmhouse kitchen and the bright warm colour palette used by the artist. There were many cute objects to look at while doing and the drawings on this puzzle are charming! I loved all the pattern prints in the puzzle, like the little girl’s calico dress and the plaid kitchen curtains.

Sellers of Apple Pie Kitchen ( USA)
Cobble Hill Puzzles

Makes Great Summer Puzzle!

Have you done this puzzle before? How long does it take you to finish a 500 piece puzzle?

Filed Under: Autumn & Fall Puzzles, Cobble Hill Puzzles, Puzzles Tagged With: apples, autumn, Cobble Hill, country, fall, flowers, puzzle storage, Spring, summer

Spring Puzzle Collection Video

10:08 am By Canadian Puzzler

NEW PUZZLE VIDEO

Check out my new video just uploaded to Youtube; I posted a video of some of my Spring puzzle collection and what would make great puzzles to do over the Spring months.
In this puzzle video: My latest spring puzzle haul! Some new puzzles from my favourites brands Cobble Hill and Pomegranate!

Do you have a spring-themed puzzle you like to do each year?
What do you think is the “best” puzzle brand?

INSTAGRAM: @smaller_thoughts

Cobble Hill Hummingbird Magic
USA: https://amzn.to/3kP3pB9
Canada: https://amzn.to/2WL7j5U

Cobble Hill Totem in the Mist:
USA: https://amzn.to/3jEA0ds
Canada: https://amzn.to/3ByJ2iv

Cobble Hill “Apple Pie Kitchen”
USA: https://amzn.to/3BF4pyr
Canada: https://amzn.to/3DI8wMc

Ravensburger Escape Puzzle: Forbidden Basement
USA: https://amzn.to/3DRHVfV
Canada: https://amzn.to/3BCJoEJ

Cobble Hill Grandma’s Quilts:
USA: https://amzn.to/3teP4lh
Canada: https://amzn.to/3BDNDQk

Cobble Hill “Popular Backyard Wild Birds of North America”
USA: https://amzn.to/38y3aF0
Canada: https://amzn.to/2WIe6h6

White Mountain Puzzle brand: Birds of the Backyard
USA: https://amzn.to/3kLSzMp
Canada: https://amzn.to/3BAdQzk

Pomegranate Puzzles Pat Scott “Attraction”:
USA: https://amzn.to/3t7sICk
Canada: https://amzn.to/3mXboyF

Pomegranate Puzzles Charley Harper “Tree of Life”
USA: https://amzn.to/3dQeBdu
Canada: https://amzn.to/3gVP3Oe

Filed Under: Cobble Hill Puzzles, Puzzles Tagged With: Cobble Hill, collection, Pomegranate Puzzles, Spring, youtube

“Spring Cleaning” by Cobble Hill- 500 piece jigsaw puzzle Review

3:09 pm By Canadian Puzzler Leave a Comment

cobble hill spring cleaning bunny puzzle 500

Puzzle Company: Cobble Hill
Number of pieces: 500
Completed size: 19.25″ x 26.625″
Puzzle Artist: Nancy Wernersbach
Overall rating: 9.5/10

This just might be the perfect Spring puzzle!

Spring Cleaning  500- piece Spring themed is loaded with Spring mages and lilac scented scenes!  I can almost smell the freshly-washed laundry that swing in the wind. So many precious scenes by the fabulous puzzle illustrator, Nancy Wernersbach. There is plenty to look at doing the puzzle without feeling overwhelmed. Golden retriever naps on the porch, bright quilt airs out in the year, a garden bursting with fresh blooms! The artist always uses a bight cherry pallet that pairs perfectly with her puzzles.
The difficulty level is easy and this Spring puzzle is a delight to do!

All Cobble Hill puzzles are matte finished with a linen-look weave to puzzle surface.
image of spring cleaning puzzle

Filed Under: Cobble Hill Puzzles, Puzzle Reviews Tagged With: artists, bunnies, Easter, Nancy Wernersbach, Spring, summer

Easter Bunnies by Cobble Hill Puzzle Review

10:49 am By Canadian Puzzler Leave a Comment

Easter Puzzle Cobble Hill

Easter Bunnies by Cobble Hill Puzzle Review

Overall puzzle rating: 8.5/10

Puzzle Company: Cobble Hill
Number of pieces: 500
Completed size: 26.5x 19″
Puzzle Artist: Unknown
Skill level: Medium- Intermediate
Puzzle Pieces: the larger “500 piece “size. Random cut. Thicker than average. Linen-style paper
Easter Bunnies Puzzle

Super cute little baby Bunnies in a colourful Spring garden!

The Easter Bunnies puzzle by Cobble Hill is a delightful 500-piece puzzle that captures the essence of springtime charm. Featuring three adorable baby bunnies playing in the garden. Bright Spring flowers fill the puzzle image. T jigsaw his puzzle is a celebration of the season’s renewal and joy.

Each piece is intricately designed and randomly cut, providing a satisfying challenge for puzzlers of all skill levels. Crafted with thicker-than-average linen-style paper, the puzzle pieces fit snugly together, giving a satisfying SNAP .

Also included gorgeous HD poster. I don’t know what more companies don’t include a poster. It is so much easier to hold when doing the puzzle. Doing this puzzle This was a great way to Spring into Easter!

Completed Easter Bunny Puzzle

Easter Puzzle Cobble Hill

Filed Under: Cobble Hill Puzzles, Puzzle Reviews, Puzzles Tagged With: bunnies, Cobble Hill, Easter, flowers

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Another nice #folkart #illustration by #puzzlearti Another nice #folkart #illustration by #puzzleartist #maryannvessey, who is one of my favourite (of many!) #puzzle #illustrators.
This had some nice summer vignettes.
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