Hobbies: Quilting

Looking to pick up a new hobby? Quilting might be the one for you! It’s fun, creative, and relatively easy for beginners, and there’s a huge bonus: it’s a wonderful item to pass down in your family! Also, you can make quilts out of anything. I have a friend who has a quilt made out of a bunch of his souvenir old T-shirts from whatever places he traveled from when he was a little kid. He loves it!

Quilting’s history began in a time when there was a shortage of fabric and when electricity wasn’t around to keep people warm. Worn out items were recycled into quilts and made by women when they were taking a break from their heavier chores. Nowadays people quilt more as a way to express themselves than financial reasons, but what can beat recycling and turning something into a keepsake? Or what can beat a trip to the fabric store and picking and choosing what to match!

Now the hobby translates to much more than just blankets: placemats, wall hangings, cushion covers, diaper totes, cases for your eyeglasses–even make up bags! They can all be quilted. There’s quilting patterns for nearly everything.

Just like a puzzle, you’ll find yourself piecing together items, fitting them snugly together, and creating something new from scratch!

quilting puzzles, quilts, sewing

The Quilting Table by SunsOut. 500 pieces.

 

hobby puzzles, hobbies

Spools by SunsOut. 1000 pieces.

cat puzzles

Cat on a Quilt by SunsOut. 1000 pieces.

beach puzzles, travel puzzles

Beach Retreat by SunsOut. 500 pieces.

farm jigsaw puzzle

Autumn Farm by Willow Creek Press. 1000 pieces.

Autumn Quiltscape by SunsOut. 500 pieces.

Quilting the Land by SunsOut. 1000 pieces.

Patchwork Match by SunsOut. 500 pieces.

 

 

 

How to De-Stress and Be Happy

January’s nearly over, and for many of us, we may have quickly realized that while a new year feels fresh and new and time for some change, sometimes that just feels impossible. The burdens and stresses of 2012 didn’t just evaporate into thin air, but there is a chance that we can do something to change it in the new year.

Did you know that doing jigsaw puzzles helps encourage the happy hormone dopamine, which regulates mood and affects concentration? Not just puzzles, but simply focusing more on your hobbies and interests, can be rewarding and soothing in itself. The task of starting and completing a project, like jigsaw puzzles or other crafts and activities, can help keep your brain focused and motivated.

Here are 7 great tips to help you manage stress levels and have a happy new year:

  1. We all know that exercising regularly helps us combat stress. But sometimes it seems like finding the time or energy to exercise is a stress in itself. Start slow. Make baby steps. Ten minutes every other day—and then work up. Do exercises you like, instead of forcing yourself to do something you hate. Even just stretching is good for the brain.
  2. In the same vein, start making some conscious decisions to eat healthier. Water instead of soda. Pour less cereal than you can eat. Go for the fruit first when you want to snack.I find that the more healthy things I opt for, the more I start craving healthy things.
  3. Make time for your hobbies. Doing something that you want to do—and not attaching guilt to it—can be a nice way to relax. Sometimes I prolong bedtime by 20 minutes just to fit in some reading.
  4. Smile! We do naturally when we’re happy, but we can also start to trick our brains into tranquility the same way.
  5. Assess your issues. What’s making you feel stressed? What would you assign it on a scale from 1-10? Sometimes taking a step back and analyzing our issues makes us realize that we’re going to end up okay, that we’ve survived worse, and that we can accomplish what we need in order to relax.
  6. Write about it—releasing pent up feelings will help you let go of some of that tension, it’s private, and if you find there’s something you actually need to say to someone else that’s concerning your stress levels, you can do it in a more composed, thoughtful way now.
  7. Go for a walk, or stare outside at something beautiful and let your mind wander.

Check out this article from Reader’s Digest for even more tips to reduce stress.

Now, of course, here are some of our lovely puzzles that can put you in a tranquil state of mind.

Puzzle of a lighthouse on a rock cliff by the sea.

Dawn’s Early Light by Buffalo Games. 500 pieces.

An image of Hatley Park is on this puzzle and it features a red tree, a bridge, and a river.

Hatley Park by Springbok. 1000 pieces.

An image of a quaint lakeside town with mountains in the background.

Lakeside Afternoon by Buffalo Games. 500 pieces.

A giant field of poppy flowers.

Poppies – Sierra Club by Pomegranate. 1000 pieces.

This is a puzzle featuring an image of a bear being surrounded and embraced by hundreds of butterflies.

Robert Bissell – The Embrace by Pomegranate. 1000 pieces.

A lone fisherman rides in his boat against a blood orange sky.

The Fishermen by Clementoni. 1000 pieces.

A forest stream in fall is illuminated by the yellow and red leaves.

Forest Stream by Euro Graphics. 1000 pieces.

Hot air balloons illuminate the sky of a quaint town.

Balloon Glow by SunsOut. 6000 pieces.

Trees cover the path in this autumn fairytale.

Forever Autumn by Educa. 2000 pieces.

 

Holiday Puzzle Series #4: For the Coca-Cola Collector

Know a Coca-Cola collector? We have a great selection of puzzles for the Coca-Cola enthusiast, from playing cards to 3D can models. Here are a few of our wonderful Coca-Cola product puzzles, so crack open a bottle while you decide which one you like best, or what might make a great present for a friend this holiday season!

Know any Coca-Cola history? The popular soft drink was was created in Atlanta, GA in 1886 by Dr. John Stith Pemberton, a local pharmacist. It was first sold for five cents a glass as a soda fountain drink. During the first year, sales averaged 9 Coca-Cola drinks per day. In 1998, the average was 606 million bottles per day worldwide.

A Gift for Santa (Cola-Cola) by Buffalo Games. $14.99. 1000 pieces. Finished size: 20” x 27”.

Polar Bears by Buffalo Games. $14.99. 1000 pieces. Finished size: 20” x 27”.

Coca-Cola by Buffalo Games. $14.99. 1000 pieces. Finished size: 27″ x 20″.

Thirsty Bears by Buffalo Games. $14.99. 1000 pieces. Finished size: 26.75” x 19.75”.

Reach for Refreshment by Buffalo Games. $14.99. 1000 pieces. Finished size: 26.75” x 19.75″.

The Collection by Springbok. $19.99. 1500 pieces. Finished size: 29” x 36”.

The Corner Store by Springbok. $16.99. 1000 pieces. Finished size: 24” x 30”.

Discount Jigsaw Puzzles – Why You Should Shop for Scratch and Dent Puzzles

It can be hard to pick out the perfect jigsaw puzzle. Since you are probably going to spend a lot of time working your puzzle – from clearing off a table in your kitchen or hobby room to putting that last piece in just the right spot to finish your masterpiece – you’ll want to make sure you pick just the right one. With so many choice to make, like the number of pieces, the puzzle image, the type of puzzle (ribbon cut or random cut pieces, panoramic or square, glow in the dark or 3D) and the brand, the last thing you should have to worry about is this: Am I paying too much for my puzzle? Cheap jigsaws are easy to find, but there is always quality to worry about. When you buy a puzzle, it should be something you want to keep forever, not just throw away when you’re finished! That’s why we have our Scratch and Dent section. Here, you can find a cheap puzzle that is still good as new on the inside – it might just have a ding on the outside of the box. These puzzles are from the same high-quality puzzles brands like Ravensburger, Springbok and Buffalo Games – but we sell them for less than retail prices. Let us explain.

Since we are a reseller, we get shipments every day from over 80 different brands. With hundreds of boxes coming off of trucks and into our warehouse, there are bound to be some damaged items. When we sell you a puzzle at full price – we always make sure it is only in perfect condition. If there is damage to the box at all, we mark it Scratch and Dent and give you a discount. In these cases, the bag of puzzles pieces inside is still intact and in perfect condition. Even though these puzzles are discounted, you won’t find missing pieces or damage to the actual jigsaw puzzle you are putting together. Take a look at the pictures below and you’ll see the best-case and worst-case scenarios for these discounted jigsaw puzzle boxes.

So, why not save a few extra bucks and buy the same high-quality puzzle for less? We have puzzles for adults and jigsaws for kids in this section, from 24 pieces up to some our largest puzzles like 3000 piece jigsaws. And since we get so many shipments every week, you’ll see new additions to this cheap puzzle selection almost every day.

Are you wondering what must be wrong with these cheap jigsaw puzzles? Let me give you an example to show you the puzzles themselves are in perfect condition!

This is an example of what the most minimal damage might be for a scratch and dent. Even if the box just has a slight tare like this, we will take a few dollars off the the full retail price and pass the savings onto you.

You'll see, the puzzle inside is just like new - still sealed in the bag with no loose pieces or any other damage. Just like new!

This is one of the worst types of Scratch and Dent Puzzles you will see - where the corner of the box might have been slightly crushed by a forklift of by other boxes.

Again, you'll find that the puzzle inside is just as good as new - with the pieces intact and the puzzle image still perfectly visible on the box!

So, next time you’re having trouble deciding if you should go for the expensive puzzle brands so that you can get the best quality jigsaw puzzle for your next project, try one of our great Scratch and Dent puzzles and save, without giving up on quality!

Happy 150th Birthday, Gustav Klimt

It was Gustav Klimt’s birthday on Sunday. The art nouveau icon was born on July 14, 1862 and died Feb. 6, 1918. Klimt’s work remains as some of the most expensive on the art market. In celebration of his birthday, Vienna’s museums offered an exhibit called “Klimt: Up Close and Personal” – where his artwork was given a new light – not just beautiful reproductions of his most famous golden work “The Kiss,” but also showing off the “worst of the worst” – some 100+ objects sent from around the world that Klimt’s work has been reproduced on – from toilet-seat covers, bejeweled eggs with rotating figured from “The Kiss” and Elvis music – to pictures of tattoos.

We think Gustav Klimt Jigsaw Puzzles are a much classier way to honor the intricate artwork of this great, late, artist. After all, only some of the highest quality puzzle brands have reproduced his work – Heye, Piatnik and Pomegranate to name a few of our favorites. Below, see some of the artwork that is available on jigsaw puzzles from Gustav Klimt. Puzzles are a great way to enjoy your favorite artwork time and time again because they can either be glued and framed to form a wonderful piece of wall decoration – or disassembled and put back together over the years.