Falling Back in Love with Puzzling
I’m going to be very honest with you, July was a very difficult month and I originally had a much different blog planned. I wanted to share how puzzles have really helped me when life was just hard. In July my husband and I went to Maine to visit family. I had packed a whole suitcase of just puzzles for while I was gone. It was a three week long trip and I was so excited. However, some unexpected health diagnosis had come up with one of our family members and our time was swallowed up by everything that was going on. I went through that whole trip only doing a couple travel puzzles when I had a spare moment. What struck me though, is that now that we are back in Washington, I’ve realized how much puzzling really helps with stress and I’ve rediscovered how many of us do puzzling to unwind, destress, and zone out. Here are some things I’ve rediscovered about puzzling since my first few weeks back.
- I Love Bright Images!
Bright and beautiful puzzles are so much fun to do. The coloring just makes me happy and I’m rediscovering my favorite style of puzzle which are ones with a lot of color. The first puzzle I did since I’ve been back is a possible discontinued Ravensburger but it was a fun gradient rainbow of flowers puzzle. It would have similar vibes as this puzzle by Galison called Rainbow Summer Flowers. I love a good gradient puzzle to destress. I don’t have to rely on a picture and it’s easy enough to sort out the pieces.
Rainbow Summer Flowers by Galison
- I Like to Slow Down
I did an absolutely gorgeous puzzle by Pomegranate called Flower Mandala. The artist is Justin Lovato. What a unique puzzle! I loved the coloring on this one and it took way less time than I was expecting. I’ve done a couple of their new round puzzles and they have very unique hexagon style pieces. I’m usually not one who enjoys a lot of grassy florals but this was very enjoyable.
The addition with the geometric pattern made the puzzle much more approachable. I loved how this puzzle really didn’t require a lot of concentration. There were very clear areas to sort by and once you went to the next row, it was clear which set of pieces to do next. It was a very relaxing puzzle to do and instead of zipping through it in just a couple hours I spent a few days going back to it and really took my time. This is very unlike me, so it was nice to slow down and really appreciate the process and the artwork. I LOVED this puzzle.
- My Collection Has Some Amazing Finds
I am someone who doesn’t like to have a lot of excess and that includes my puzzle collection. I like to keep it on my puzzle shelves and often will weed through and part with puzzles that no longer serve a purpose in my collection. So, I had this need when I came home to really downsize my collection. I got rid of over 100 puzzles!! Most I had done, some I just grew apart from. What is left on my shelves are some amazing puzzles that I’m excited about and it’s making me excited to do them. Some are new brands to me that I had never tried before like Very Good Puzzles. I also found some puzzles, behind puzzles that I forgot I owned. I remember being so excited about Magnolia’s Free Ship puzzle but then it got swept away by my collection. It was really exciting to rediscover puzzles already in my collection.
- Still a Smaller Piece Count Girly
I love all piece counts, and while I try to push myself and do more 1000 piece puzzles, my heart is still with those smaller piece counts. More Honey Please by Masterpieces, which is a super cute 300 piece puzzle really ignited my drive to puzzle more and have fun with images. While the puzzle isn’t challenging me in any way, there’s just something about doing a light hearted easy puzzle when you have a spare moment.
More Honey Please by Masterpieces
Over the past week I’ve really loved how much more inspired I am with my collection but also in the hobby. I’ve met a lot of puzzlers and I will say many have very similar reasons as to why they enjoy puzzles. Some do it for the image and others like to put the pieces together. Most people love doing it because it relaxes them. There is actual science behind how puzzles help reduce stress. “Puzzles distract our brain with patterns and images that trigger a hormone response and lower cortisol.” I’m sure you have gotten “in the zone” when you are hyper-focused and the world melts away. I went a month in a very high stress situation without the ability to puzzle to unwind. Once I got back into the swing of things, almost immediately I could release the tension that was in my body.
Anyways, I’ll have to do my original topic in my next blog. I hope you liked reading this one and are having a great summer!!
Emilee @thecasuapuzzler
I love doing puzzles with bright beautiful puzzles too.
Hope the family member is better. I am glad you had traveling puzzles and I am sure you left some puzzles for you family
I agree with you regarding what puzzling gives the puzzler. I also purge my collection as my tastes change. Look forward to your next blog.
I totally can relate to this post. My father in law passed away last week and we worked on puzzles while we were in his room and later at home between the hectic decision making that happens after a person passes. Puzzles are a great distraction. I'm sorry your family is goong thru a rough time. I hope it all works put well..... 😘
Sorry it has been such a tough month! At least it inspired a very good blog - kudos to you for finding time to write it along with everything else you had to do. Sending prayers for your family member.
I hope your family member is doing better now or on the road to recovery. Your blog and puzzle choices are delightful as always. The Pomegranate one is stunning. I'm relieved to hear it wasn't overly challenging to do. Love the Masterpieces one, too. It's refreshing to know other puzzlers also enjoy smaller piece counts.
I had a friend give me a puzzle as a “gag” gift this last spring. The joke was on my friend when I sat down and completed that difficult faint imaged 500 piece puzzle just to say I did it. But then while in the process of working on the puzzle I became absolutely infatuated with it. I would close my eyes and see pieces of the puzzle. I realized how much fun it is. But then I realized just how much of a stress reliever puzzling is and I now love the hobby. Like the author, things in life and busy times interfere with puzzling time but when you can get back to it it’s like being born again with the hobby. I have the sweetest gal give me some pointers on puzzling and shares puzzles wish me and it’s a hobby that I don’t plan on letting go of anytime soon. Awesome article!!
