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Autumn at Saruiwa Puzzle | Adult Puzzle Reviews

11:57 am By Canadian Puzzler

Autumn at saruiwa

I like Japanese art, particularly watercolour. One of my favourite Japanese watercolour artists is Kawase Hasui (1883–1957). I especially love his subtle earth-tone colour palette and gorgeous gradients. Kawase Hasui helped to create the shin-hanga art style of the mid-century.

Is Autumn at Saruiwa the best autumn puzzle?

Pomegranate Puzzles have a beautiful buttery soft feel to their puzzle pieces. Their puzzles pieces have a wonderful feel and that makes for a pleasant puzzle experience. The puzzle pieces are cut in a grid pattern and have a good solid fit. The quality of the inks used is outstanding. The puzzle pieces are highly pigmented and the colours are vibrant and saturated.

This puzzle is a stunning piece of art. The stunning oranges, greens and ochres inks used made this a delightful autumn/ fall puzzle! I rate this fall-themed puzzle at a solid 7.5/10.
It was a medium-difficult level mainly because of the grid shape. If you are good with colours, then the gradients will be easy for you!

What do you think makes the best fall puzzle?

Let me know in the comment section here or on my Small Thoughts Puzzle CHannel

Autumn at Saruiwa Puzzle

Purchase Autumn at Saruiwa Puzzle in USA
Purchase Autumn at Saruiwa Puzzlein Canada

Filed Under: Autumn & Fall Puzzles, Puzzle Reviews Tagged With: autumn, Hasui Kawase, Japanese, Pomegranate Puzzles, review, watercolour

Bits and Pieces “Two Beach Belles and a Flirt” Puzzle Review

4:39 pm By Canadian Puzzler

I just posted my video review of “Two Beach Belles and a Flirt” puzzle from Bits and Pieces; available in 500 and 1000 pieces. The lovely Illustration was done by American folk artist Mary Ann Vessey.

I think this is Bits and Piece’s answer to Charles Wysocki, one of the most popular “folk art” puzzle artists. If you like him or and of the Dowdle puzzles, who will LOVE this puzzle and the artwork. I like this artist. She used oils to do her paintings and the patina of the oils gives it a beautifully textured look, with oil you will get variations in the colour you don’t see in digital designs. I hope to do more of her puzzle designs and will keep an eye out for her work.

Bits and Pieces “Two Beach Belles and a Flirt” Puzzle Review

This was typical Bits and Pieces quality, very sturdy and thick puzzle pieces. There was some puzzle dust, which I always find with this puzzle brand- am I the only one? I consistently seem to get puzzle dust that multiplies as a do the puzzle!  The pieces fit very well together which gives a good snug fit. I do like the “chubby” feel of Bits and Pieces, and they do make for a satisfying puzzle SNAP!

Have you done a Bits and Pieces puzzle yet? What do you think of the artwork on this puzzle? I love it!

What do you think is the best Summer puzzle?

Buy online:
USA: HERE
Canada: HERE

Watch Youtube Puzzle Review now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB0gAHcZXGQ

Filed Under: Bits and Pieces Puzzles, Puzzle Reviews, Puzzles Tagged With: Bits and Pieces Puzzles, charles wysocki, folkart, landscape, Mary Ann Vessey, review, Spring, summer

Bits and Pieces Puzzle “Inside Gnome Garden” | 750 piece Puzzle Review

3:34 pm By Canadian Puzzler

I really enjoyed doing this bursting with Spring, Bits and Pieces’ “Inside Gnome Garden” puzzle

Bits and Pieces are well known for their “shaped” puzzles. Because of its unique shaped design, this puzzle was interesting and different from the standard square shape of most puzzles on the market. The ” Inside Garden Gnome” puzzle is shaped like a gnome! It has a border around it so not TOO challenging! I also liked the size, 750 pieces. It is not a common puzzle size, but I thought it was just right for me. A 1000 piece puzzle can be a big commitment and daunting! Inside Garden Gnome is full of little surp[ises to find while puzzling.
Bits and Pieces puzzle pieces are random cut as opposed to the standard grid. The negatives I can say about this Bits and Pieces puzzle are I did find a bit of puzzle dust and the pieces can be glossy. I also found the image themselves to be inconsistent, some were illustrations and others were digitized. The puzzle pieces fit very tightly- very few false fits. The quality of Bits and Pieces is very good overall.

I loved putting together all the flowers and keeping an eye out for the adorable little animals in this Spring-y puzzle. I hope you enjoy this jigsaw puzzle as much as I did! What do you think makes a puzzle the best spring puzzle?

Bits and Pieces “Inside Gnome Garden” Puzzle

You can read more about puzzle brands, like Bits and Pieces, and what makes a good puzzle on my recent post, Puzzle Brand Compared: What are the best puzzle brands?
Thank you for visiting!

Filed Under: Puzzle Reviews Tagged With: 750, Bits and Pieces, garden, gnome, Spring

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

“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

Puzzle Review: Sleeping Beauty by Andrea Kurti | “Classic Tales” Series

4:16 pm By Canadian Puzzler Leave a Comment

kurti andrea Sleeping Beauty puzzle

Puzzle Review: Sleeping Beauty by Andrea Kurti

Piece Count: 1000
Difficulty Level: Medium to Hard
Overall Puzzle Rating: 8.5
Grid Cut
Image: 10/10
Finished size of Sleeping Beauty 18½” x 26¾” or 47cm x 68cm

Sleeping Beauty by Andrea Puzzle. I love the “Classic Tales” series by Andrea. This one is “Sleeping Beauty” and indeed she is! The artist is Kurti Andrea, @kurti.andrea on Instagram. I love this artist and this whole series from the Romanian company D-Toys. Combined with the magic of fairy tales and puzzles, this divine! I enjoyed the whole experience, the image is the most important of the puzzle for me. The gorgeous artwork on this puzzle was a delight!

Fairy Tale Puzzle Sleeping Beauty by Andrea Kurti

This puzzle has a linen finish and the pieces are very similar to Ravensburger quality and similar if not small er size puzzle pieces. I have sausage-like fingers so I do prefer to do 500 piece puzzles or White Mountain puzzles. There was minimal glare when doing the puzzle. It is a standard grid jigsaw-type puzzle cut. The puzzle pieces fit well together.
One of my favourite colour palettes is cool blues with warm oranges. hank you for your beautiful work Andrea Kurti!

The other puzzles available in this storybook-themed series include Arabian Nights, Snow White, and The Frog Princess. They are all lovely puzzles and works of art in themselves.

You can but this puzzle on Amazon in Canada here
I have grabbed from my local puzzle place when I saw in stock, I see that they can be hard to find.

Compare D-Toys Puzzle Brand to Brands like eeBoo, Ravensburger and more on Puzzle Brand Comparison Chart Page.

Filed Under: Puzzle Reviews, Puzzles Tagged With: Andrea, artist, charles wysocki, D-Toys, fairy tales, Kurti, review, Sleeping beauty

Puzzle Tip: Use a Puzzle Sorter!

6:28 pm By Canadian Puzzler Leave a Comment

Puzzle Sorting for Saner Puzzling

If you want to step up your puzzle game, try a puzzle sorter! Most serious puzzlers use some sort of sorting system for their puzzle pieces, particularly if doing puzzles with 500 pieces or more.
Move beyond using the flimsy, taped-together cardboard bottom of your puzzle box.

You no longer have to use the puzzle lid for your pieces- there are alternatives!

puzzle sorter review

If you have a friend or relative that does puzzles and you have no clue what kind of puzzle to get them, then get them something like this.

Solve your puzzle related aches and pain right now with a puzzle sorter!

It can be anything from cookie sheets, plastic trays, aluminum pie tins, or paper plates. YOU can also buy various puzzle sorting systems. Most of major brands, like Cobble Hill, Ravensburger and Eurographics offer their own version of this puzzle sorting accessory. The “Sort and Go” is made by Ravensburger.

I like anything that is lightweight, holding or moving anything over long stretches will hurt my arm or shoulder. A lot of my puzzle buddies like this one, the Sort and Go, by Ravensburger because it has a lid, which is apparently VITAL if you have a cat, usually an uninvited guest to the puzzle party. It also should stack. This is to make sure you can put away-plus less likely to get tipped or slid off your puzzle table. I was using pie plates and knocked lightly and the whole pile of puzzle pieces filled plates thing went flying across the room.

Unlocking Efficiency and Enjoyment: The Advantages of Using a Puzzle Sorter

Starting onto a new jigsaw puzzle journey can be both exhilarating and daunting. Assembling hundreds or even thousands of tiny pieces to form a coherent image requires patience, focus, and strategic planning. In the your efforts to quest to conquer the puzzle, one invaluable tool stands out: the puzzle sorter.
Whether you buy ready made one or fashion your own, this simple must have puzzle accessory will make your puzzling experience better and more enjoyable.

Organization: One of the primary benefits of using a puzzle sorter is its ability to streamline the sorting process. By categorizing pieces based on color, pattern, or edge type, puzzlers can effectively organize their workspace and easily locate pieces when needed. This systematic approach minimizes clutter and confusion.

Time-saving: With a puzzle sorter at hand, puzzlers can significantly reduce the time spent searching for specific pieces. By pre-sorting pieces into distinct groups puzzlers can quickly identify and retrieve the pieces required for a particular section of the puzzle easily and fast.

Reduced frustration: Sorting through a jumble of puzzle pieces can be a frustrating experience, especially when pieces appear similar or blend into one another. A puzzle sorter helps alleviate this frustration by providing a systematic approach to piece identification. By categorizing pieces based on shared characteristics, such as color or pattern, puzzlers can more easily distinguish between them and avoid confusion.

Tip: You can use pie plates or stacking trays from dollar store

Improved focus: The act of sorting puzzle pieces can also have a calming effect on the mind, helping to enhance focus and concentration. As puzzlers immerse themselves in the task of sorting, they engage in a meditative process that promotes mindfulness and mental clarity. This improved focus not only enhances the puzzling experience but also provides a welcome respite from the stresses of daily life.

Enhanced collaboration: For those who enjoy puzzling as a social activity, a puzzle sorter can facilitate collaboration and teamwork. By sorting pieces into designated categories, multiple puzzlers can work together more efficiently, assigning different sections of the puzzle to each participant based on their sorting preferences. This collaborative approach fosters camaraderie and encourages shared achievement as individuals work towards a common goal.

Versatility: Puzzle sorters come in various shapes and sizes, making them suitable for a wide range of puzzle sizes and complexities. Whether tackling a small, 500-piece puzzle or a large, 3000-piece masterpiece, there is a puzzle sorter available to meet every need. Additionally, puzzle sorters can be easily customized and adapted to accommodate individual sorting preferences, ensuring a personalized and tailored puzzling experience.

Whether you’re a seasoned puzzler or a novice enthusiast, incorporating a puzzle sorter into your toolkit is one thing you can do to instantly help make puzzling more fun!

Filed Under: Puzzle Accessories, Puzzle Reviews, Ravensburger Puzzles Tagged With: accessory, February, January, Mothers Day, Puzzle Accessories, puzzle tip, Ravensburger, review, tip

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

Cozy Birdhouse by White Mountain Puzzles- 550 piece jigsaw puzzle

10:49 pm By Canadian Puzzler Leave a Comment

White Mountain Puzzles: Cozy Birdhouse | Christmas Puzzle

Indeed it is! I love the images on most White Mountain Puzzles, and this is one of my favorites! Its not too Christmas-y but super cozy and vibrant image of cardinals in the snow. What makes it look like holidays is the little wreath on the birdhouse. So charming! The pieces are slightly larger than most, as are all White Mountain puzzle pieces.

Have you done this puzzle? What did you think of it? I give it an 8/10!

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Filed Under: Christmas Puzzles, Puzzle Reviews, White Mountain Puzzles, Winter and Christmas Puzzles Tagged With: birds, winter

Pond Life White Mountain Puzzle

10:41 pm By Canadian Puzzler Leave a Comment

This is the best puzzle. Ever. I don’t think I will find a puzzle as much as I love this one. It one I actually glued and hang on a wall in my “puzzle room”. The colours are rich and vibrant. The images are interesting. This would be a great puzzle for families or to use if you are a family that is homeschooling.

Filed Under: Puzzle Reviews, Puzzles, White Mountain Puzzles Tagged With: animals, August, childrens puzzle, cottage, family puzzle, May, summer

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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.
I did this outdoors and enjoyed very much! 
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🧩Artist :Mary Ann Vessey
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