Innovakids, "Noah's Ark", 1000pcs

2017.12.25 - date completed
Innovakids (Germany)
"Noah's Ark", 2016 year
1000 pieces
Illustration: Roy Trower

NOTE: Product Features:

• Top-quality printing and materials
• Clean-cut edges for smoothly interlocking pieces
• Variety of shapes thanks to handcrafted cutting tools
• Bend-resistant pieces
• Made from eco-friendly cardbord

WHS Smith, "Calella", 500pcs

2017.12.14 - date completed
WHS Smith (UK)
"Calella" 2012 year
500 pieces
Illustration: Sam Park

NOTE: Sung Sam Park was born in 1949 in Seoul, Korea where he began painting at the age of twelve. His talent and teaching abilities were quickly recognized and by the age of thirteen, while still a junior high school student, Park was teaching painting at the local high school.  Park traveled to France after graduating from Jung Ang University. There he studied painting and lived with other young artists in Paris. While there, he evolved his vision of impressionism and hyper-realism. His artistic style today clearly reflects the inspiration of the French Impressionists. Sam Park went on to establish himself in several European galleries, and continues to exhibit in many of them today.  Sam Park came to the United States of America in 1994, where he lives on the coast of Southern California. He has exhibited in numerous galleries throughout the country and his works have become highly sought-after.

Calella is a seaside city on the Costa del Maresme, 58 km northeast of Barcelona, in Catalonia, Spain.The beach at Calella is a public beach popular in the summer months with locals and tourists. The beach is just over 2 km long and its southern stretch is quieter than the central and northern portions. The beach has been consistently awarded the European quality Blue Flag.

AA, "Grindleford, Derbyshire", 500pcs

2017.12.12 - date completed
AA (The Automobile Association, UK)
Villages Collection
"Grindleford, Derbyshire" 2008 year
500 pieces
Photo: Tom Mackie
https://www.tommackie.com/

NOTE: Climbing plants and hanging baskets add colour and fragrance to a row of old stone-build cottages at Grindleford, Derbyshire, in  the Peak District National Park.

The AA, (originally The Automobile Association) is a British motoring association founded in 1905, which currently provides car insurance, driving lessons, breakdown cover, loans, motoring advice, road maps and other services.
https://shop.theaa.com/

Falcon / Jumbo, "Forever Friends", 500pcs

2017.12.10 - date completed
Falcon / Jumbo  (UK / Netherlands)
"Forever Friends"
500 pieces
http://foreverfriends.co.uk/

NOTE: If you need a squashy shoulder to lean on or ear to listen, the loveable Forever Friends Bears are always there for you! With the warmest of hearts, the biggest of hugs and the snuggliest of smile... who can resist their cuteness? Over a quarter of a century has passed since the famous Forever Friends Bears were first drawn. In that tine one thing's never changed - our dedication to helping you express love and friendship.

Jumbo Quality:

• Wide variety of images
• Seamless look
• Environmentally friendly, recycled cardboard
• Each piece has a unique fit and shape.

Craftmanship counts... Quality has been an obsession at Jumbo for the last 160 years. Ever since we began creating puzzles, we have used the most exacting techniques to ensure we produce puzzles of the finest quality. It's a journey that starts when we first select our images. Not every beautiful picture makes for an entertaining puzzle. That's why we take such care over the choices we make. Then, we ensure that we use only the finest quality board, making sure that each piece will keep its optimum shapeand fit seamlessly together, time after time. Each piece is carefully cut in such a way that finished picture will look more like a poster than a puzzle. At Jumbo, puzzle making is more than a craft. It's a passion. Something we will continue to take pride in for years to come. We wish you hours of puzzle fun!

Eurographics, "Cupcakes Galore", 2000 pcs

2017.12.09 - date completed
Eurographics (USA)
"Cupcakes Galore"
2000 pieces

NOTE: Ingrid's Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1.1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 table spoons butter, softened
• 1.1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 175 degrees C. Line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Frost with your favorite frosting when cool.

Arrow Games, "The Pet Lamb" wooden, 35 pcs

2017.12.09 - date completed

Arrow Games, (UK)

My Pets

"The Pet Lamb"

Wooden Jig-Saw

35 Pieces

Fame Puzzles, "Derbyshire near Matlock", 1000pcs

12.11.2017 - date completed
Fame Puzzles (Netherlands)
"Derbyshire near Matlock"
1000 pieces

Waddingtons, "Polar Bear Family", 500pcs

2017.10.29 - date completed
"Waddingtons" (UK)
Wildlife
"Baby Harp Seal", 1989 year
De-Luxe 500 Puzzle
Illustration: Leonard Pearman

B.V. Leisure, "The Fishing Edition", 529 pcs

2017.10.28 - date completed
V.B. Leisure (UK)
World's Most Difficult Jigsaw Puzzle
"The Fishing Edition"
529 pieces
Illustration: Dave F Smith

NOTE: Only 529 pieces - seems like 4000. Why so difficult? This 529 piece puzzle is double sided, depicting the same artwork on both sides, rotated 90° with respect to each other. The puzzle is then die cut once from each side so top and bottom are identical!

What makes it so difficult? Most jigsaw puzzles have a picture on one side only, this puzzle has a picture on both sides, rotated ninety degrees from each other, and it's the same picture! That's very difficult, but it's only half the story! All other regular jigsaw puzzles have vertical interlocking lines all cut from the same side so that it is immediately obvious which is the top. This puzzle has the vertical interlocking lines cut from one side and equally spaced horizontal interlocking lines cut from the other side. It's impossible to distinguish one side from the other. Each piece must be compared on both sides for size, shape, and colour. Believe me, this is difficult!

B.V. Leisure, "Trying is the first step towards failure" Photomosaics, 1000pcs

2017.10.22 - date completed
V.B. Leisure (UK)
Photomosaics
The Simpsons
"Trying is the first step towards failure", 2005 year
1000 pieces
Illustration: Matt Groening

NOTE: Thousands of miniature scenes combined to make one awesome portrait!

Homer Simpson - despite lifelong belittlement by his father, Homer deeply loves and is intensely devoted to his wife and kids, when it occurs to him. Thus, Lisa feels left out, Bart acts out, and, as far as Homer is concerned, Maggie rarely even exist. As for Marge, Homer often sings her praises - between rounds of beer at Moe's Tavern. Now, if only he could remember the words to that praise-song. Homer is a man who, through punishing trial and error, has proven that even one's loftiest goals are attainable. Provided you set them low enough and assuming they include donuts. He is also well versed in the ins and outs of his job at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, having been fired and rehired repeatedly for the same position.

Welcome to Springfield, USA - the town that put the "fun" in dysfunctional! Whether enjoying the shotgun sociability of Moe's Tavern, a creamed corn-sicle at the Springfield Retirement Castle, the gene-altering radiance of the Springfield Nuclear Plant, or the warm perspiration of a Kwik-E-Mart heat-lamp dog, you'll always feel special in Springfield, where - compared to US - you're royalty!

Gibsons, "Summer Colours - Dianne Flynn", 1000pcs

2017.10.08 - date completed
Gibsons Puzzles (UK)
Heritage
"Summer Colours - Dianne Flynn"
1000 piece de luxe puzzle
Illustration: Dianne Flynn

NOTE: The Artist - Dianne Flynn.  Born in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, Dianne studied at Huddersfield School of Art and Batley School of art. From 1970-1973 she studied at Manchester School of Art and graduated with the Diploma in Art and Design. In 1974 she was awarded the Art Teacher's Certificate by Leeds Polytechnic Institute of Art Education.

She lived and painted in Languedoc during 1974 and in Tuscany during 1977 and 1978. Since 1976 she has been a full-time painter, and has lived in Normandy since 1989.

For several years she demonstrated and lectured throughout the country for George Rowney & Co., on the various techniques of oil, acrylic, watercolour and pastel. 

An accomplished portrait painter, her book "Portrait Drawing Techniques" was published by Batsford in 1979. She has also written a number of articles on portrait painting for the Artist magazine.

From 1982-1995 her paintings were sold exclusively by MacConnal-Mason of Duke Street, London SW1 and were exhibited in many places worldwide, including The European Fine Art Fair in Maastricht,  New York, San Francisco, Dallas, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Monaco.

Exhibited at: Huddersfield gallery, Ferens Art Gallery (Hull), The Royal Society of Portrait Painters, The Royal Overseas League (First Prize winner), The Pastel Society, Liberty's Art Gallery, Francis Iles Gallery (Rochester), Seen Gallery (London), The Art Centre (Bedford), Harrod's Picture Gallery, Galerie Joniskeit (Stuttgart), Michael Stewart Fine Art (Brighton), Magee Art Gallery (Belfast), Cooper Fine Arts (London), Polak Gallery (London), Gallery Chaye (Honfleur).

The Works / Puzzle World, "Butterflies" 3D, 1000pcs

2017.09.29 - date completed
"The Works / Puzzle World" (UK)
3D Lenticular
"Butterflies"
3D Moving Image
1000 Piece

NOTE: Lenticular printing is a technology in which lenticular lenses (a technology that is also used for 3D displays) are used to produce printed images with an illusion of depth, or the ability to change or move as the image is viewed from different angles.

Waddingtons, "Baby Harp Seal", 500pcs

2017.09.22 - date completed
"Waddingtons" (UK)
Wildlife
"Baby Harp Seal", 1989 year
De-Luxe 500 Puzzle
Illustration: Leonard Pearman

NOTE: The harp seal has a silvery-gray body. Its eyes are pure black. It has black harp or wishbone-shaped markings on the back. The baby harp seal pup has a yellow-white coat at birth, but after three days, the coat turns white and stays white for about 2–3 weeks.

Falcon / Jumbo, "I Love Paris", 1000pcs

2017 09.17 - date completed
Falcon / Jumbo  (UK / Netherlands)
Humour
"I Love Paris"
1000 pieces
Illustration: Graham Thompson

NOTE: Graham Thompson, loves to draw everyday things and the situation and scrapes we all find ourselves in from time to time. He first started drawing at the tender age of two and just found drawing a natural thing to do. Having left school to be a junior Stained Glass Window Designer. He then moved into advertising.
For 30 years he worked as an illustrator/storyboard artist with top London advertising agencies. These days he prefers to work at a less hectic pace and concentrates on drawings for puzzles, calendars and posters.

Falcon / Jumbo, "Buckingham Palace", 1000pcs

2017.09.16 - date completed
Falcon / Jumbo (UK / Netherlands)
Capital
"Buckingham Palace"
1000 pieces de luxe puzzle
Photo: Vic Guy
http://www.vkguy.co.uk/

NOTE: Buckingham Palace is the London residence and administrative headquarters of the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a focal point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and mourning.
Originally known as Buckingham House, the building at the core of today's palace was a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703 on a site that had been in private ownership for at least 150 years. It was acquired by King George III in 1761 as a private residence for Queen Charlotte and became known as The Queen's House. During the 19th century it was enlarged, principally by architects John Nash and Edward Blore, who constructed three wings around a central courtyard. Buckingham Palace became the London residence of the British monarch on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837.
The last major structural additions were made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including the East front, which contains the well-known balcony on which the royal family traditionally congregates to greet crowds. The palace chapel was destroyed by a German bomb during World War II; the Queen's Gallery was built on the site and opened to the public in 1962 to exhibit works of art from the Royal Collection.
The original early 19th-century interior designs, many of which survive, include widespread use of brightly coloured scagliola and blue and pink lapis, on the advice of Sir Charles Long. King Edward VII oversaw a partial redecoration in a Belle Époque cream and gold colour scheme. Many smaller reception rooms are furnished in the Chinese regency style with furniture and fittings brought from the Royal Pavilion at Brighton and from Carlton House. The palace has 775 rooms, and the garden is the largest private garden in London. The state rooms, used for official and state entertaining, are open to the public each year for most of August and September and on some days in winter and spring.

B.V. Leisure, "The Simpsons", 550pcs

2017.09.10 - date completed
B.V. Leisure (UK)
"The Simpsons" 1998 year
550 piece Double Sided Jigsaw Puzzle
Illustration: Matt Groening

NOTE: See if you spot your favourite Simpsons character - a complete guide is included in the box.

Matthew Abraham "Matt" Groening born February 15, 1954 is an American cartoonist, writer, producer, animator, and voice actor. He is the creator of the comic strip Life in Hell (1977–2012) and the television series The Simpsons (1989–present), Futurama (1999–2003, 2008–2013), and the upcoming Disenchantment (2018). The Simpsons has gone on to become the longest-running U.S. primetime-television series in history, as well as the longest-running animated series and sitcom.
Groening made his first professional cartoon sale of Life in Hell to the avant-garde Wet magazine in 1978. At its peak, the cartoon was carried in 250 weekly newspapers. Life in Hell caught the attention of James L. Brooks. In 1985, Brooks contacted Groening with the proposition of working in animation for the Fox variety show The Tracey Ullman Show. Originally, Brooks wanted Groening to adapt his Life in Hell characters for the show. Fearing the loss of ownership rights, Groening decided to create something new and came up with a cartoon family, the Simpson family, and named the members after his own parents and sisters—while Bart was an anagram of the word brat. The shorts would be spun off into their own series The Simpsons, which has since aired 618 episodes. In 1997, Groening and former Simpsons writer David X. Cohen developed Futurama, an animated series about life in the year 3000, which premiered in 1999, running for four years on Fox, then picked up by Comedy Central for additional seasons. Groening is currently developing a new series for Netflix titled Disenchantment, which is set to premiere in 2018.
Groening has won 12 Primetime Emmy Awards, ten for The Simpsons and two for Futurama as well as a British Comedy Award for "outstanding contribution to comedy" in 2004. In 2002, he won the National Cartoonist Society Reuben Award for his work on Life in Hell. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 14, 2012.

JR Puzzles, "British Isles", 500pcs

2017.09.10 - date completed
JR Puzzles (UK)
Picture map puzzle of the
"British Isles" 
500pcs.
Illustration: Robert Salmon

NOTE: Created by the JR Jigsaw company (who appeared to be quite prolific during the 90’s with regards to releasing jigsaws), you could potentially write off this geographical puzzle of the British Isles as just being another generic, ten-a-penny map. But, scratch beneath the surface, and there is a level of detail, activity and, dare I say, fun, to be had. Robert Salmon is the artist behind this. If this name means absolutely nothing to you, then the feeling is mutual. During my brief trawl online, I’ve not been able to find out anything substantial about him; barring the fact that he drew similar puzzles for different continents (one of which, Europe, we also had whilst growing up), all of which share the same art style and somewhat kooky level of detail. Whoever – and wherever – he is will likely remain a mystery (though if any intrepid reader can provide me with further information, I would be eternally grateful).
The jigsaw, as a whole, has a whole lot going on within it. As well as highlighting all of the major counties and regions in the British Isles (Funducational!), there is a menagerie of different characters inhabiting the different regions, countries and oceans: a man and woman playing water volleyball in Cornwall; a man tree-climbing in Cumbria; fishermen gawping at seals just off the Shetlands; even a fleet of Viking vessels, intent on plundering the North Sea’s oil platforms (in my imagination, certainly…). There is certainly a lot here to capture the imagination of the young and old alike, and I have fond memories of the times when we would dig the puzzle out and discover something new happening each time as we constructed it.
There is something quintessentially innocent about the entire puzzle’s design, that also belies some potential stereotyping of each part of the British Islands. For example, the North-West features a footballer and a Satellite Dish. Now, the footballer is most definitely a direct allusion to Manchester United but the second…does the North-West of England have a higher number of Sky TV subscribers compared to the rest of the country? There are also some accurate representations, such as the oil platforms in the North Sea, Big Ben down in London and York Minster. You could certainly use the jigsaw for a skewered, yet partially effective, learning tool for geography.

Dino, "The Slavic Girl with Her Father", 500pcs

2017.09.09 - date completed
Dino Toys (Czech Republic)
Saudek Collection
"The Slavic Girl with Her Father"
500pcs
Photo: Jan Saudek - The Slavic Girl with Her Father, 1998
http://www.saudek.com

Gibsons, "The Great Exhibition 1851 - Louis Haghe", 1000pcs

2017.07.29 - date completed
Gibsons Games (UK)
Heritage
"The Great Exhibition 1851 - Louis Haghe" 1994 year
1000 piece de luxe puzzle
Illustration: Luis Haghe

NOTE: The Great Exhibition of 1851 was the first truly international exhibition. Half of the exhibitors came from Britain and the British Empire, the remainder being drawn from all parts of the world.
The Exhibition was "carried out by its own private means; was self-supporting and independent of taxes and employment of slaves" and it made a profit of £186,000!
The Exhibition had its critics. Originally to be built of bricks and mortar some thought that the erection of such a large structure would be a scar on the landscape. The building would cover 19 acres in Hyde Park, "nearly the only spot where Londoners can get a breath of fresh air". However, the opponents of the scheme were finally beaten and work in earnest began.
It was a design by Joseph Paxton which was finally adopted, although his drawings reached the Executive Committee only days before their final plans were due to be published. The materials, which Paxton has used previously to such good effect, where not bricks and mortar but iron and glass. This revolutionary design meant that the building could be dismantled at the close of Exhibition rather than remain a permanent feature. His building, soon to be dubbed by "Punch" magazine as "The Crystal Palace" was slightly modified so as to accommodate three giant Elm trees which stood right across the site. These can be seen in Haghe's painting.
The first column were in place by early September 1850, the first ribs of the great transept were hauled up on the 4th December and by the end of January 1851 the main structure was complete.
First exhibits started to arrive on the 12th February 1851 and on the 1st May the Great Exhibition was opened by Queen Victoria in the presence of over 25,000 members of the public.
The Exhibition stayed open to the public until the 11th October 1851. The Crystal Palace was dismantled and moved to a new site on Sydenham Hill in South London where it was re-erected in a modified form. It opened in 1854 and became a famous resort for festivals, shows and large functions. In 1936 the building was completely destroyed by fire.

Facts and figures: The main building was 1,848 feet long by 408 broad. However, on the north side an extension was added being 936 feet long by 48 feet broad, this making the maximum breadth of the Crystal Palace 456 feet. The Crystal Palace was therefore over three times the length of St. Paul's Cathedral.
There were 3 entrances,17 exits and 10 double staircases to the galleries.
Materials used in the building of Crystal Palace included 293,655 panes of glass, 4,500 tonnes of iron, 600,000 cubic feet of timber and 24 miles of guttering.
There were 13,937 exhibitors including 6.556 from outside the British Isles and Empire.
From the 1st May to the 11th October there were 6,039,135 visitors to the Exhibition. The largest attendance in a single day was on the 7th October when 109,915 visitors were recorded.

Louis Haghe (17 March 1806, Tournai, Belgium – 9 March 1885, Surrey) was a lithographer and watercolour artist.
His father and grandfather had practised as architects. Training in his teens in watercolour painting, he found work in the relatively new art of lithography when the first press was set up in Tournai. He visited England to find work, and settled there permanently in 1823.
Together with William Day (1797–1845), around 1830 he formed the partnership Day & Haghe, which became the most famous early Victorian firm of lithographic printing in London.
Day and Haghe created and printed lithographs dealing with a wide range of subjects, such as hunting scenes, architecture, topographical views and genre depictions. They pioneered the new techniques for chromolithography as well as hand-tinted lithographs. After William's death in 1845, the firm became known as 'Day & Son'. They were pioneers in developing the medium of the lithograph printed in colours.
In 1838, Day and Haghe were appointed 'Lithographers to the Queen'. Possibly his most ambitious project was providing 250 images for David Roberts' The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt & Nubia printed between 1842–9. Roberts praised his skill and artistry, although John Ruskin called it 'forced'.
From the mid-1850s Haghe concentrated more on his watercolours, and gained a reputation for his architectural scenes of northern Europe, with his pictures bought and displayed by the Victoria and Albert Museum. He also painted in oils, which were exhibited at the British Institution. He became president of the New Society of Painters in Water Colours from 1873 to 1884.
Haghe's artistic works were achieved in spite of a deformity in his right hand since birth. He died at Stockwell Road on 9 March 1885 and was buried at West Norwood Cemetery.
His younger brother Charles Haghe (-1888) (also known as Charles Hague) was employed as an assistant at Day and Haghe, and remained there after Louis left.

Innovakids, "Unterwasserwelt", 1000pcs

2017.07.23 - date completed
Innovakids (Germany)
"Unterwasserwelt"
1000 pcs
Illustration: David Penfound
http://www.davidpenfound.com/

HOP, "Golden Oldies", 1000pcs

2017.07.15 - date completed
The House of Puzzles (UK)
The Saltburn Collection
"Golden Oldies" 2011 year
1000 pcs
Illustration: Keith Stapleton

NOTE: From Concorde to black cabs, tramcars to Transits, some forms of transport will always be legends.

King, "Alpenhaus Gegen Goll-Massiv, Deutschland", 1500pcs

2017.07.07 - date completed
King (Netherlands)
"Alpenhaus Gegen Goll-Massiv, Deutschland" 2004 year
1500 pcs

Whitman, "The Royal Scot", 1000pcs

    

    

2017.06.24 - date completed
Whitman (UK)
The World of Steam
"The Royal Scot"
1000 piece jigsaw puzzle
Illustration: Hodge

NOTE: The World of Steam series titled Royal Scot. The express ran between Euston and Glasgow Central on the West Coast main line in direct competition with the 'Flying Scotsman' express, the East Coast main line equivalent. 'Princess Coronation' class 4-6-2 of (Sir) William Stanier, No.46248 City of Leeds, is pictured in Hodges' artwork at speed probably in the Cumbrian Fells. The livery is that of the London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) and the illustration is based on the era 1956-68, within the British Railways era. The locomotive entered service in 1946 and was withdrawn in 1964 therefore the picture era is 1956-1964.