having fun

3/5/15 Puzzle Pieces

A fun and healthy hobby I enjoy with my family is putting together puzzles 1000 plus pieces. In this post, I will share some simple tips to help you puzzle faster and easier. I created photo journals during the process on some of my favorite puzzles, from the beginning process to the end.

This is what you will need:

Chose a puzzle that you love
1 piece of large poster cardboard, any color
1 bottle of Elmer’s puzzle glue
1 sponge or large paint brush
1 frame, puzzle measurements
A big dose of determination

Let’s start with this puzzle photo of an Indian Chief in completion, to get you motivated. Isn’t it gorgeous?

3/5/15, Indian Chief, Headshot Puzzle

Here is a list of things to do to organize 1000 tiny puzzle pieces.

If you are newbie to larger puzzling, I would search for puzzles with many colors and objects to keep it easy and interesting. I get bored working with the same color.
Great lighting is mandatory or you will die, not really, but you will struggle visually with the pieces. I use 3 bright lamps, LED lamps and place around the puzzle.
Place the puzzle pieces on a flat uncluttered surface.
Make sure no pieces are left in the plastic wrap.
Stand the empty box up in your work area for visual reference.
Start by turning all the pieces right side up, separate by grouping of color initially.

Puzzle Pieces Grouped By Colors

Obviously, there will be many shades of every color, group light to dark within groups.

Now you are ready to work on the frame. All frame pieces will have a straight side, pull the frame pieces together and create the puzzle border. Below is a picture of the puzzle I am working on now. A border example is easier to see in this puzzle photo.

Puzzle Border

Easy, right? Now you are ready to start developing the puzzle. Here are photos of the Indian Chief puzzle in progress.

After you finish the puzzle, it’s time to slide a piece of large poster cardboard (available almost everywhere) under the puzzle to prepare for preserving. Be careful with this maneuver, you don’t want it crashing to the floor.
Now it’s time to cover the puzzle with puzzle glue. Elmer’s puzzle glue is the best. Usually one coat will secure the pieces into place, occasionally it takes two coats. Put the puzzle away and wait 24 hours for it to dry.
Hopefully you will want to frame your masterpiece. Frames for puzzles are not easy to find. I would recommend checking local craft stores, but you might have to buy online, especially if your puzzle is an odd shape or size. And be sure to save the puzzle box, it has the puzzle measurements on the side.

One thing I learned the hard way – check the floor each time you leave your puzzle area for any pieces that may have fallen off the table. My dogs have eaten several puzzle pieces over the past years. Luckily, my husband is crafty at making missing puzzle pieces. He constructs them out of cardboard boxes, and then matches the paint with the puzzle. Once we worked on a 2000 piece puzzle all summer, yes… it seemed like an eternity and 1,999 pieces later, a piece was gone. Panic attack, but lesson learned – don’t lose pieces.

I hope you find these tips helpful. Let me know if you have any questions. Do you enjoy puzzling? I would love to hear your tips and shortcuts or see photos of your masterpieces. After puzzling for years, I have accumulated a lot of puzzles, but my favorite one is the “Wizard of Oz”. It has bright colors, characters galore and Dorthy’s red sparkly shoes. Do you have a brand puzzle you favored?

This week I’m working on a sweet “cupcake puzzle”, how about you?

Happy trails,
Donna George

Follow me on my Facebook page, DonnaGeorgeBlogs.

Kure fishing pier

Beach piers are very popular destinations on the Carolina coast. Growing up in a fishing port town, piers are a natural part of the scenery, a gathering place. They are typically built where one coastal town ends and another town begins adding revenues for that particular townships. I remember building sand castles under the pier as a kid while keeping a watchful eye on the fisherman’s above me.

Finally, I became a fisherman on the pier. The moon was full and in perfect place casting a blue velvet hue on the ocean, making it hard to keep my hands on the fishing pole and not on my camera. The view was spectacular, almost magical. The moon created a misty glow across the ocean and the mist hovered around the shoreline.

over the top

Pier

sunset

waves

misty

Fog & Mist

flocks

Flocks of birds circle the shore and then fly back and forth the length of the pier. I think they were showing off and playing with everyone, trying to divert all the attention to them. They stayed close by all evening, performing formations and dancing along the horizon. And then I would see them flocked together almost completely still in midair like an audience watching a show.

fish cleaning station

finally a fish

The one thing I know about fishing is that it brings out the quirkiness in people. The group fishing next to us sang songs to the fish the whole time (here fishy fishy fish). Another guy whistled the whole time, as if the fish understood he was calling them to their defeat. Some of the fisherman were dead silent while others enjoyed fellowship with friends and conversation. Many people were there just to people watch and stare at the ocean.

My take away on pier fishing, the fish have us figured out. They know how to run the length of the pier and grab the bait and run, kind of like fish (drive-bys). Every time I reeled my rod up, my bait was gone and there was no fish. All in all, we caught one fish each. Great fun, but patience is a must.

Bottom line, I am happy just to be near the sea, as I am a fish out of sea….