Life at Willis Creek Ranch: Missing Piece

Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Puzzle #16 - Masterpieces - Inside Out Fields Department Store - 1000 pieces

So after that last one was a bust (Alan Giana Scenic Beauty by Spilsbury - Dream Landscape - I pulled this one out. I hope I haven't bitten off more than I can chew! It is 1000 pieces and the border was not easy! But I like the image and I want to see it through. I'll go back to a 500 piece puzzle after this for a breather. Or even a 300. I do like Master Pieces puzzles but this will be the first 1000 piece of them I have done. Those pieces are small! And some do fit together in ways that aren't true... so will have to watch that carefully.

I did persevere and finished it. It was enjoyable and definitely a challenge. I was disappointed to discover that there were 7 missing pieces (I thought...) However, I found out the next day, as I was putting the puzzle back in its box, that I was only missing 1 piece. The other pieces had gotten jostled and tucked underneath my puzzle caddy. So, it was really only missing 1 piece, not 7. Much better! :)

Overall, this one was mighty fun to work - so many things to look at in the puzzle. Each floor of the store had different shops and people and interesting elements. I think I would like to do more of the 'Inside Out' series of puzzles.

Finished on February 23, 2022

Puzzle #16 - MasterPieces Inside Out Field’s Department Store - 1000 piece puzzle

Sunday, February 6, 2022

Puzzle #12 - Masterpieces - Family Time Summer Carnival - 400 pieces

Another puzzle from MasterPieces - this time it was a Family Time Puzzle. It is such an interesting concept... it has 3 different sized pieces and is designed for family members to work on together, including younger children. A neat idea and I think it really could work. The larger pieces were all together on one side of the puzzle, middle sized pieces in the center connecting to the smaller sized pieces on the left side. So you could have family working together at different levels of difficulty. I like the idea. I hate the 'Making America Great' caption on the barn and didn't see it until I had already purchased it. :( ugh... But the puzzle was fun to put together. Sadness, however, as it was missing a piece. That explains why I never could find a piece with brown and green that fit there! :)

I also took photos to show how my puzzle caddy from Spilsbury works. It is the Jumbo size version and has easily handled every puzzle I have tried so far, and should accommodate any 1000 piece puzzles. While I don't usually have to close it up with an unfinished puzzle inside, it certainly would work well to preserve the work.

What I like most is the surface for putting the puzzle together (that is basically a piece of white poster board on the matting - it allows the pieces to move easily, and the background color helps with identifying colors in the puzzle. The two sides keep puzzle pieces from moving around too much because they are slightly sueded or textured. You can use those pieces in the back to cover the sides for folding OR you can sort pieces on them and even hold them in your hands as you work. They are large, but they balance nicely in your hands.