Does anyone still [Archive] - Simple Living Forums

MamaM

1-22-13, 9:24am

Float On

1-22-13, 9:45am

I recently ordered a couple 1000 piece puzzles on Amazon for the boys. I thought W and his girlfriend would enjoy a Dr Who puzzle and they are always looking for cheap date ideas. We keep a table set up in the gathering room (upstairs bonus room) and they've enjoyed two hot chocolate and puzzle dates so far and still have hundreds of pieces to go yet. I got one with all sorts of owls for A because he enjoys birds and he and I are working on that one together.
Since you are trying to go off-line, do you have a Hobby Lobby? I remember seeing puzzles at the one that is a 45 min. drive from me. Our Wal-mart SuperCenter carry them, but I haven't looked lately to see if they have decent 1000 piece ones.

Mrs-M

1-22-13, 9:51am

Oh, I LOVE doing Jigsaw Puzzles! So do so many others I know.

Check it out, MamaM.

http://www.puzzlesforsale.com/

http://www.wholesalepuzzles.com/

http://www.puzzlewarehouse.com/

http://www.puzzlehouse.com/

http://www.bitsandpiecescanada.ca/puzzle-sale/c/59/

I realize you're trying to do the right thing, by staying away from excess spending, etc, but sometimes you just have to take the plunge.

Specialty toy stores, is another place to find great jigsaws, as is thrift/secondhand stores.

MamaM

1-22-13, 9:54am

Thanks y'all...I will check them out for sure. : )

Sad Eyed Lady

1-22-13, 9:54am

Also I happen to see them in thrift stores quite often.

SteveinMN

1-22-13, 10:29am

Also I happen to see them in thrift stores quite often.
I do, too, but I never trust that all 1000 pieces are there -- unless the box is sealed.

sweetana3

1-22-13, 11:23am

Timely topic. I just bought one at Hobby Lobby using a 40% off coupon since the puzzle was all about yarn and knitting. Then I found two sealed puzzles with great pictures and 1000 pieces at our local thrift for $4 and 3 each. Woohoo, three presents for Mom for Xmas and Valentines Day.

We all enjoy doing the puzzles on the card table in her patio window since it is sunny and warm. We cannot do them at our house because our cats steal the pieces and chew them up or throw them on the floor.

JaneV2.0

1-22-13, 11:38am

I have to say, I've bought several jigsaw puzzles at thrift stores with nary a missing piece.

Larger cities might even have a store devoted to puzzles; I know Seattle used to have one.

We don't have Hobby Lobbys here, as far as I know, but I really don't like the politics behind them, so I'd have to pass on that idea.

decemberlov

1-22-13, 11:48am

We LOVE doing puzzles at our house. Probably one of my favorite things to do as a family. I like to find neat and different puzzles I have quite a few fun ones - one with all corner pieces, one with all the Simpsons characters ever, and A glow in the dark one that we are starting next.

This is the last one we did:

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a91/decemberlov/art_nouveau_goddess_postcard_zps552c59e5.jpg

I ended up gluing this one to frame and hang just because it took soooooo long!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a91/decemberlov/Beatles_pz_pr_web_zps9c4d4107.jpg

I find most of mine at craft stores and Big Lots if you have one near you.

KayLR

1-22-13, 11:51am

I see 1000-pc puzzles all the time at different dept. stores (and thrifts as mentioned above). I wonder if we here in the frozen north have an abundance of them available because almost everyone I know up here does them all winter long.

razz

1-22-13, 12:10pm

I have several friends who don't know each other so I collect puzzles from each to pass between them just as we do magazines and books. Put the word out that you enjoy puzzles and see what response you get from family and friends to exchanging them.
Also, our local library has quite few that are donated and loaned out like books. That is where the puzzles that my friends exchange when they have made the rounds.

JaneV2.0

1-22-13, 12:37pm

OK, now I really want to bring out that puzzle I've been saving up. If only I had a flat surface...:D

Mrs-M

1-22-13, 12:44pm

Originally posted by JaneV2.0.
If only I had a flat surface...What you REALLY mean is, a flat surface you can reserve (indefinitely) for the soul-purpose of jigsaw puzzle solving! :)

I remember as kids we'd start a jigsaw puzzle, only to find out that mom needed the table for company, etc, then we'd be left trying to slide the puzzle off the table-top (in one piece) so we could transport it to some other area in the home to complete. PITA!

decemberlov

1-22-13, 12:52pm

What you REALLY mean is, a flat surface you can reserve (indefinitely) for the soul-purpose of jigsaw puzzle solving! :)

I remember as kids we'd start a jigsaw puzzle, only to find out that mom needed the table for company, etc, then we'd be left trying to slide the puzzle off the table-top (in one piece) so we could transport it to some other area in the home to complete. PITA!

Oh that really is the worst Mrs. M :laff:

Now that we have a booth in the kitchen and also a dining room table we don't have to deal with this anymore! I do have to say this was one of the reasons I was so excited about buying this house: having an extra table for homework for the kids and puzzles! And not having to deal with clearing the table for dinner every night!

They also make these nifty little mats for puzzles now! http://www.amazon.com/Ravensburger-Stow-Go-Puzzle-Accessories/dp/B0006G2P0G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358877103&sr=8-1&keywords=jigsaw+puzzle+roll+up

CathyA

1-22-13, 1:09pm

I love jigsaw puzzles, and hate them too. haha........especially if a big part of them is almost all the same color (with just slight variations).
What I like about them is that my brain goes into a different place.......where I am more in touch with shapes and subtle color differences.
They have them in stores like Walmart.
And if you have a cat........watch out! They like to play with them too. ;)
Float On.........I think its really neat that you did that for your son and his girlfriend. Really neat idea!

MamaM

1-22-13, 1:14pm

Puzzles for me instantly transport me back to days spent at a small cabin with our neighbors. They were very interesting folks- into nature and building cool things for the sake of learning and just because it was fun. Puzzles really put me back in touch with my 10 year old tomboy,carefree SIMPLE self. Happy, happy, happY!!!!!

IshbelRobertson

1-22-13, 2:30pm

It's a Christmas tradition in our house to have a jigsaw puzzle on the go. My Granny started it, my Mum contined and now me. I suspect my daughter will do the same!

treehugger

1-22-13, 3:17pm

Love puzzles! My mom and I always do one when I visit her. We just did a lovely one of the Grand Canyon over the weekend. They are pretty expensive, new, but my mom gets a lot at thrift stores (yes, there is a possibility of missing pieces, so you have to be OK with that, but that's actually pretty rare), and she trades them with her friends. So, there is always a new one for us to do together. My mom has room for a table that is dedicated for puzzles.

I don't do one at home often (I don't find them as fun alone), but when I do, I do it on the dining room table and then put a vinyl tablecloth over that when it's time to eat. Works perfectly for a dual purpose surface.

Kara

decemberlov

1-22-13, 3:19pm

I don't do one at home often (I don't find them as fun alone), but when I do, I do it on the dining room table and then put a vinyl tablecloth over that when it's time to eat. Works perfectly for a dual purpose surface.

Kara

That's a very good idea!!

IshbelRobertson

1-22-13, 4:27pm

OK, now I really want to bring out that puzzle I've been saving up. If only I had a flat surface...:D
Jane
I have a version of this puzzle mat.
http://www.jigsawpuzzlesdirect.co.uk/prodpage.asp?prodid=6479

Gardenarian

1-22-13, 7:38pm

Target has jigsaw puzzles, lots. I like the ravensburger ones.

herisf

1-22-13, 8:01pm

My favorite jigsaw puzzles are the "wasgij" line - where the cover is *not* the actual puzzle. The puzzle is from the viewpoint of one of the characters in the cover art! These are really fun to do. I get mine used from eBay or new from my local puzzle/game store.

The other jigsaws I like are the "Impossibles" series. Difficult to do, but so satisfying when you're done. But for sheer fun, go for the wasgij puzzles, they're a blast.

treehugger

1-22-13, 8:55pm

Speaking of puzzles, can your dog do puzzles? This is my Enzo on Sunday, at my mom's house in Tahoe.

http://www.simplelivingforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1123&d=1358905937

MamaM

1-22-13, 9:20pm

No my dog would eat them..but that sure is cute!!

pony mom

1-22-13, 9:40pm

I love puzzles and just recently completed a 1000 pc. one that drove me crazy. The box art didn't show the edges or one corner, so I had no idea what I was putting together.

My parents just bought me this for Christmas: http://www.bitsandpieces.com/the-bits-and-pieces-puzzle-center-1000/p/43603/ It would have been a surprise but my mom was upset that it's made of cardboard and wanted to return it. It's great for storing the puzzle, but you can't just pick it up and carry it vertically as advertised---the puzzle pieces slide around. I just stored mine flat under furniture. I don't have a large table for doing puzzles so this worked on a blanket chest in front of my loveseat.

Anyone else keep track on how long it takes to do a puzzle? A few of mine have been put together a few times and I try to do them faster. I cheat and separate the edge pieces in a separate bag when I take them apart. Now I'm finding that a magnifying glass is awfully handy.

Wildflower

1-23-13, 6:26am

Enzo is so cute! :)

Puzzles are bigtime entertainment here during the winter months. I've found some good ones at Hobby Lobby and on Amazon.

cdttmm

1-23-13, 7:18am

Count me in as another puzzle lover! You might also find puzzles on Freecycle and/or CraigsList.

peggy

1-23-13, 8:58am

I love puzzles but my time is limited and I don't want to work on one for weeks so I stick with 500-750 piece ones. The larger pieces are easier to see for these 50+ eyes. LOL
I don't care for the ones where it all looks that same (a box of chocolates or a field of daisies) I do like the Grandma Moses type pictures or village scenes. I actually found several nice ones at the dollar store, but they usually only have kiddie ones.

Mrs-M

1-23-13, 2:31pm

Originally Posted by Mrs-M.
What you REALLY mean is, a flat surface you can reserve (indefinitely) for the soul-purpose of jigsaw puzzle solving!

I remember as kids we'd start a jigsaw puzzle, only to find out that mom needed the table for company, etc, then we'd be left trying to slide the puzzle off the table-top (in one piece) so we could transport it to some other area in the home to complete. PITA!

Originally posted by Decemberlov.
Oh that really is the worst Mrs. MIt was, but kids are so resilient, aren't they. :)

Mrs-M

1-23-13, 2:32pm

OMG, Treehugger... he's a total sweetie pie!

Sparrow

1-23-13, 8:54pm

MamaM, I thought I saw from another thread that you live in Texas. If you live in the Austin area, there is a fabulous store with a good selection of puzzles - Great Hall Games.

treehugger

1-23-13, 9:14pm

Thanks, MamaM, Wildflower, and Mrs. M. We sure do love him!

herisf, I have heard of the wasgij puzzles but never done one. I will check them out!

Kara

MamaM

1-23-13, 10:12pm

Sparrow--I am 40 miles away...may have to take my son on a road trip. Thanks!!!!!

Tussiemussies

1-28-13, 8:27pm

do puzzles? I am wondering because my son asked for a 1000 piece for his birthday. I am having a heck of a time finding them in the stores. I am trying to avoid online shopping this year, part of my resolutions. Help???

They have puzzle catalogues out there. Splilsbury is one I am familiar with. 1000 piece puzzle is a big project depending upon how old your son is...