How To Turn A 1000 Piece Puzzle Into A Masterpiece

August 14, 2015August 15, 2015 / Donna George / 34 Comments

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

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The Road Less Traveled

August 2, 2015August 2, 2015 / Donna George / 3 Comments

Thinking you might be off the beaten path, lost, or wasting time?

Take the road less traveled

Don’t turn around, keep going. Chances are, you may be feeling uncomfortable, confused or anxious about taking the scenic route when you knew the old way was a sure thing. Sit tight – these feelings are temporary and will pass.

“Life is a journey, not a destination”

Only travelers who have an appetite for adventure will benefit from the this kind of road. Others you might pass on this route are probably dreamers and risk takers. They are not in a hurry nor fearful of what lies ahead. Their radios are blaring and the windows are rolled down. The patrons of these roads are not deceived by the familiar patterns of life that disguises itself as a false sense of security robbing them from the true panoramic view. Instead, these roads less traveled are pathways of opportunity to be embraced, dreams to be realized, and spirits to be awakened.

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things”.

The popular, busy, heavy traveled road is frequented by the most. I wouldn’t call it a “happy trail” since most of the drivers are rushing and multi-tasking. How could it have expectations of an interesting journey when it’s referred to as the “beaten path”. Even when overhead flashing lights are blinking for caution and attention, the need to keep up with the pack is the only unction realized. So we stay with the pack, bumper to bumper, fearful of losing our place or God forbid – someone jumps in ahead of us. These drivers are all about following the traffic and conforming to the mundane meaningless trips. Sometimes even ignoring the rules, trapped in the comfort zones and blocked in on every side. Ignoring the danger signs all around them and insensitive to all the open exits available.

Highways choices

Occasionally it’s the detours that force us to the roads less traveled. Other times, it’s the crossroads that changes up the familiar route and provides a much larger view. A view that stirs up a tapestry of images that awakens the soul. Suddenly, in sight is “hope street” that leads to “dream avenue” and merges with “freedom lane”. The views are intoxicating and the everyday mundane becomes a distant memory blinded by a blue sky so big it conjures up heavenly thoughts. Simple scenes like horses grazing in a field become images burned in our memories. Oceans and rivers absorb our beings with curiosity of where they begin and end. The smell of the salty sea absorbs our senses and releases memories of past vacations and childhood days of building sand castles.

Scenic lavender field

It really doesn’t matter what road you are traveling. What really matters is if you are inspired by your daily view. Are you having fun? At the end of the day when you reflect back on your day – did it contribute to your life or take away. Consider these thoughts;

Be open to take an occasional side road
Be mindful of crossroads
Be aware of the intersections

Use road at own risk

The road less traveled takes courage to explore and – know this – most travelers never return to the mundane highways, but instead, become addicted to the lure of the journey on the road less traveled,

Happy trails

Scenic Route plate blue (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I Believe In Miracles, Do You?

July 26, 2015July 26, 2015 / Donna George / 9 Comments

thegoodvibe.Co

Do you believe in Miracles? Wikipedia describes a miracle as an event not explicable by natural or scientific laws. Such an event may be attributed to a supernatural being, God or Gods, a miracle worker, a saint, or a religious leader. Does this define a miracle for you?

For starters, The Hebrew word for miracle is Nes.

The term “Miracle” is often loosely used in our language. We hear of miracle drugs, miracle weight-loss, miracle products and on and on the phononem grows. I would define a miracle as a welcoming, highly extraordinary event that is believed to be caused by the power of divine intervention (God), into human affairs. This would be an outstanding example of something mysterious, with favor from God.

Most people believe miracles are answers to prayers.

Miracles

There are miracles that go unrecognized, thought of as ordinary life events.

Possible or Impossible?

Miracle ahead

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. Albert Einstein

I choose to encounter miracles, to wait for them, expect them and embrace them. How about you? What kinds of miracles have you experienced? What kinds are you hoping for?

Miracle Expectancy

Happy trails,
Donna George

Reflection of My Soul : Unplugged

July 21, 2015 / Donna George / 1 Comment

This is my my dear friend and gifted poet, Himali Shah, Decoding Happiness Blog. Check out her blog after you read this post, I wouldn’t want you to miss anything! She is wonderful!
Enjoy
Donna

Decoding Happyness

As I wrote this quote last evening, my eyes were welled with unshed tears. Though I love quotes a lot, I never thought that something would ever, move me so deeply; that I’d write one myself one day. Perhaps, that’s the beauty of life. It presents you with bounteous surprises.

The things that stuck me to the core yesterday were :

1. It happens for a reason
2. Far or near, everyone you meet, becomes a part of you in some ways.

Let me share how these two things are beautifully intertwined. My friend Donna shared a post of a 1000 piece puzzle. It amazed me entirely as to how can a human mind solve such a massive and complex puzzle with such intricacies. Till date I had this question looming over my mind. (This bit of information might appear something out of the blue right now, but read till…

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America Mourns The Killing Of 4 Marines And A Sailor In Chattanooga

July 19, 2015July 19, 2015 / Donna George / 4 Comments

With heavy hearts, the world sees terror unleashed on America’s finest, ending the young lives of 4 Marines and a Sailor, tragically ambushed in Chattanooga while on active duty at a military recruiting center.

Fathers, Sons, Husbands, Marines, Soldiers, Patriots, Friends and Heroes…

American Soldiers

U S Marines

Carson Holmquist – Grantsburg, Wisconsin
David Wyatt – Russellville, Arkansas
Skip Wells – Marietta, Ga.
Thomas Sullivan – Springfield, Mass.

U S Sailor

Randal Smith – Paulding, Ohio

We honor our military and their families with the highest regard. Our prayers and thoughts are with you.

http://wate.com/2015/07/17/chattanooga-marines-shooting-abdulazeez-victim-killed/

In honor of Heroes,
Donna George

She’s A Wild Child

July 11, 2015July 11, 2015 / Donna George / 5 Comments

My new favorite summer song, Wild Child, by Kenny Chesney. It’s perfect… Enjoy!

What’s not love about this song, video, beach, jeep, horses, and the ocean… Need I say more? Do you have a favorite?

Happy trails
Donna George

25 Reminders: The Best Things In Life Are… Free?

July 10, 2015July 10, 2015 / Donna George / 18 Comments

Do you believe the best things in life are free? Up for a few reminders??

Contrary to what you might think, the happiest people in the world are not the millionaires, billionaires and Trumps of the world. It’s the ordinary, average people, like you and I, who are the happiest. Finding joy in the small things life has to offer, and finding happiness in the day-to-day simple living. A concept that is becoming non-existent in our culture as the stress of distracting noise becomes louder and louder inside our heads, and the quest to be entertained by the newest tech gadgets grows. I was there, totally caught up in all, for a long time. The thought of being stuck on a flight with a dead battery on my iPad was next to tragic. I craved the constant stimulus from devices never realizing it, until one day, my life became simpler. With simplicity comes clarity, and I learned a few things about myself that I had forgotten long ago.

There is no denying the relevance of money and the influence it has on our lives. It’s an important part of our survival, and brings many comforts. After all we need things, we want things and we want them now, for heaven’s sake! Only in retrospect, can I personally judge, this pleasure dependence on money, with the unnecessary things it can buy. How many red leather pairs of pumps can make a closet complete? How many purses in shades of pink was enough? There was always one more I thought I had to have…

Well, enough of my confessions, let’s get to the free stuff, the best stuff… And here are 25 reminders on my list:

1. The people in your life you love, and love you back.

2. Friends, especially close ones.
3. Laughter, belly laughs.
4. Animals that bring joy into your life.

5. Hugs, all kinds and sizes.
6. Prayers
7. Kind people.
8. Beach days

Ocean

9. Snow Days
10. Every new day is a gift.
11. A hot shower.
12. Clean Sheets on the bed.

13. A good night’s sleep.

14. Reading!!!

15. Listening to Music
16. Star gazing and enjoying the great outdoors.
17. Teaching yourself something new.
18. A clean house.
19. Smiling :)).

download
20. Honesty.
21. Having people in your life who encourages you.
22. Believing in yourself.
23. Wildflowers.

24. The 5 Senses, touch, smell, sound, sight, and taste
25. Hope (Hebrew 11:1) the hope of assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

I would enjoy reading your list. How do you describe the best of times?

Happy trails
Donna George

For The Love Of Country, Happy Birthday USA

July 4, 2015July 5, 2015 / Donna George / 9 Comments

For The Love Of Country, Happy Birthday USA… We love you!

American Flag

July 4th, 1776, the official birthday, and founding day of the United States Of America. A day of celebration!

Fireworks, Happy 4th Of July

A day that marching bands parade through main street and fireworks light up the night sky. Friends gather on the beaches, and families gather in backyards to grill hotdogs and burgers.

Patriotic Beach

American Flag, from sea to shining sea

But the day represents more than fun celebrations, it’s really about the commemoration of the great risks the Founders took to free the colonies. It’s about the signing of The Declaration Of Independence, the separation of the thirteen colonies from Great Britain. Who composed the Declaration? You guessed it right, I know, Thomas Jefferson. Where did the signing happen? Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A city that hosts so much rich culture, the Liberty Bell, The first Post Office, Independence Hall, The Presidents House, Franklin Square and on and on the list go. I worked in Philly over 10 years, I enjoyed the culture, The Museum Of History, The Bridges, especially the Ben Franklin and naturally my favorite spot was the Edgar Allan Poe House. Can you imagine how excited I was to see the house where Poe wrote “Raven”??

George Washington statement

America the beautiful

She is so beautiful, grandeur in appearance as she towers over the land and sea. The flag always makes me feel proud of the brave soldiers and families who sacrificed everything for the love of country. How precious are the military, they are Heros, America’s Grand Jewels. I wish we could dethrone Hollywood A-listers and give their fame and glory to our military. They are honorable, giving, and devoted to protecting our Country. Thank you….

4th-of-july military

Soldiers tags

Our freedom was a big cost. A price not to be taken for granted. Fly your flags, dress patriotic and sing your favorite Patriotic song. I sent you one, now you find one you like. Be safe and have a great 4th! Oh, and look for a soldier to thank.

Here are a few examples of Patriotic Famiies ideas:

Patriotic homeowners

Flag colored barn

Pledge

Fireworks and American flag

America, home of the brave, we love you. How do you spend the 4th of July? Make it memorable…

Happy trails
Donna George

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7 Shark Attacks This Summer On The North Carolina Coast

July 1, 2015July 1, 2015 / Donna George / 3 Comments

7 Shark Attacks This Summer On The North Carolina Coast, what the heck is happening??

It’s the 4th of July, the beaches are packed and the sharks are acting crazy. Another victim attacked and airlifted to the hospital today at Ocracoke Island, in the Outer Banks of N.C.

http://fox8.com/2015/07/01/another-shark-attack-reported-off-nc-coast-victim-transported-to-hospital/

Last week I posted about the recent shark attacks and included what the experts believe are causing the frenzy and I included safety tips for swimming in the ocean. You can find it by clicking here and victim updates here. The scientists and marine biologists are now adding to the list of probable causes of shark attacks to include warmer than usual temperatures causing the ocean water temperature to rise. The hot temps and the lack of fresh rain water has made the ocean water unusually warm, and non-diluted with high levels of salinity that sharks enjoy.

Added to the list of probable causes is the abundance of available shark food. Turtles and bait fish are motivating the sharks to come closer to shore to feed, which explains all the shark activity in the shallow water.

If you’re headed to the beach for vacation, enjoy the ocean, swim smart, stay alert and have a great time! Enjoy the 4th of July! If you’re not joining the masses at the beaches, how will you spend the holiday?

Happy trails
Donna George