If you’re not the biggest fan of winter (like me) take heart because we are on the downhill slide now. There is one thing I love about wintertime: the cold temps give me a guilt-free excuse to stay inside and spend more time doing puzzles.
Recently I was thinking about how much I love working a beautiful puzzle and I wondered why I enjoy them so much. It must be because I find the process so peaceful and relaxing, even when it’s a challenging puzzle. It’s hard to stress out when you’re working on a puzzle while playing a favorite book or Hallmark movie in the background. The tough part is forcing myself to stop and go to bed. Working on a beautiful puzzle is a bit like reading a really good book that you don’t want to put down.
Normally I prefer working 1,000-piece puzzles since they take longer to complete, but lately, I have come across some beautiful 500-pc puzzles that had images so pretty, I could not pass them by. There’s one particular puzzle design/style that I’ve become completely obsessed over, so obsessed that after working one puzzle, I bought all the others in the series! More on those puzzles in just a second, first let me share a few puzzles that I think you’ll love as we finish out winter.
I completed this one a few weeks back. The lantern is huge and just stunning in this puzzle, as is the lovely Cardinal pair. Sometimes it can be hard to take a puzzle this pretty off my puzzle board after it’s complete. I left it there for several days, but I had other puzzles I was itching to start, so it was time to put it away to do another winter day. (You’ll find this puzzle available here: Winter Cardinals.)
This was the next puzzle I completed. Love this winter scene with so many beautiful birds! The sled, the lantern the holly—there are so many things to love! This one is only 300 pieces and the pieces are extra large. It was a lot of fun to complete! You’ll find this beautiful puzzle available here: Winter Puzzle for the Bird Lover.
I have always wanted to travel to a country where I could view the Northern Lights. The colors in this 500-piece puzzle were so pretty with the Northern Lights in the background. This was a fun, fun puzzle to do and came together quickly. You’ll find it available here: Northern Lights and Cozy Kitties.
Puzzle Obsession! So about this new puzzle obsession, when I first saw the puzzle below, I passed it by. I usually prefer bright, colorful puzzles, but I couldn’t get over this gorgeous fall image with so many wonderful forest animals. There are 10 animals throughout the image, including the yellow lab. There’s the lab, a mouse, a woodpecker, a raccoon, an owl, a deer, a bunny, a squirrel, a fox, and a critter that I think may be a weasel. Do you see him there toward the bottom right below the fox? Is that a weasel? 
After completing that puzzle, I was hooked! My favorite puzzles are always those where the image looks real, like a photograph come to life. Well, it turns out this puzzle was based on a painting—no wonder it looks so real! The artist captured the animals so true to life! If you love this beautiful forest puzzle, you’ll find it available here: Puzzle with Forest Animals.
After completing the puzzle with all the forest animals, I was so hoping there would be more available like that one, and there were! I purchased every puzzle that I could find in this series. Two of the puzzles arrived today and two more will be arriving tomorrow. I love this winter scene, again with so many wonderful animals and birds! The animals all look so real—beautiful! This one should arrive tomorrow and I’m looking forward to putting it together soon. You’ll find this beautiful winter scene puzzle available here: Winter Snow with Forest Animals.
These next two puzzles are water scenes and they both arrived today. I can’t wait to work on one, will be tough to choose which one to do first! By the way, I think these puzzles are designed around the various seasons. This one below probably represents spring since I think those are daffodils growing along the bank. Do you see the beaver sitting on the bank surrounded by the daffodils? There are two more swimming in the water, including the one we see alongside the dog. I love the eagles soaring overhead! You can see why I’m so obsessed with these puzzles! They are all just so beautiful—literally works of art! (Puzzle is available here: Yellow Lab with River Animals.)
Another beautiful river scene—I’m guessing this one represents summertime. I love how we can see the fish, the frogs, and the turtles swimming underwater. Love the ducks, the cattails, and the Chocolate Lab, too! These puzzles are so detailed which makes them extra fun to do! (This puzzle is available here: River Scene with Cattails.)
I just ordered this one today. I love how these puzzles include so many wonderful animals! Do you see the mama deer with her baby, the bear climbing the tree, the squirrel, the crane, the turtle, the frog, the House Finch, the cute skunk family, and the fox? I bet I’m missing something! I love looking for the animals in these beautiful puzzles! You’ll find this puzzle available here: Chocolate Lab with Forest Animals.
Hope you enjoyed this post sharing some of my favorite puzzles! I am quickly becoming a fan of the 500-piece puzzle. I’m so glad I gave these a try or I would have missed out on all of these! Pssst: If you need a puzzle board, you’ll find my favorite one on sale here: Adjustable Tilt Puzzle Board.
I purchased a puzzle two years ago…haven’t done it yet! I have zero patience…that might have something to do with it…lol. We see the Northern Lights…gorgeous to see!
Oh, I would love to see them!
Susan, maybe a crazy or obvious question, but what do you do with the puzzles once completed? The ones you’ve shared are so beautiful it would be hard to “dismantle” them once done.
It is hard to take them apart sometimes, especially when they are are beautiful as the ones in this post. These would be so pretty to save and hang all together on a wall, representing the various seasons. I think that would make a beautiful display, especially for someone who love dogs.
I usually keep the puzzles I’ve done unless I didn’t enjoy it, but that’s pretty rare since I’m so choosy about the ones I do. Every now and then I’ll get the urge to do one again…kind of like when you reread a book you’ve enjoyed in the past.
Maybe you could hang your favorite completed puzzles in your game/TV room? It sounds like they would make a great gallery wall. I’m sure your grandsons would love it too!
Susan, I love puzzles, too! For me, it’s almost like meditation. I don’t think about anything except finding that next piece. Also, I like the fact that I can take a “mess” and organize it. I have tons of puzzles that my husband refers to as my “puzzle library” because I loan them out to my family. There is a constant rotation of puzzles in and puzzles out! I started my obsession in the 80’s when I was pregnant with my daughter. I still have the puzzles from back then and am surprised to see that some of them are worth some money! Have fun with your beautiful new puzzles!
That’s a great way to describe it, Ellen! It really is so relaxing. Yes! I always joke that doing a 1,000-piece puzzle is like experiencing a 1,000 little wins. It feels so good to place each piece where it goes.
I have a friend who loves doing puzzles as much as I do, but unfortunately, she lives way far away. I wish we lived close enough to share puzzles.
Morning Susan, Regarding your: “Winter Puzzle for the Bird Lover” I Love that one (& I love birds!!) Plus, I have a story. At the top of our driveway across from the garage there’s a space in front of our woods that needed something, some color, some yard decor. Yrs. ago I asked Mike/husb. to build a V-shaped section of a rustic pole fence like puzzle has. Then put some landscape timbers to connect in front for plantings. We have put wildflowers & bulbs in there. I painted 4 old rural mailboxes (like your puzzle) in bright colors: turquoise, yellow, orange & purple which are evenly spread out and mounted on the V-fence top rail. Beside the end ones I have a large birdhouse, then a bright red well handle pump (from my late in-law’s farm) which I love. And last yr. Mike planted 2 purple clematis centered on the fence to grow up & spread out on the fence (which won’t happen till summer). I also have my in-law’s old large milk can from their farm I should clean up and put out there for a potted plant like I did at our old house. I love vignettes of antique pieces! I always read about your homes & decor, as I love houses, architecture, furniture, antique anything, but mostly I love seeing decorating ideas, & you are kind to share yours with us. To me it’s entertainment, because it delights me, (like a happy movie does)!! I’m probably ordering the birds & mailboxes puzzle for me; it is wonderful! Thank you, Susan, Terry/Missouri
Terry, your vignette with the fence, mailboxes, and garden sounds beautiful! What a great way to reuse all those, including the well pump handle! I love seeing displays like that when I’m driving. I know it must brighten the day of everyone who passes by your home! It would for sure put a smile on my face and make me want to stop and take a picture! 🙂
Beautiful puzzles, thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Catherine!
XXX
My mom just happened to complete the birds and mailboxes puzzle yesterday. She is 100.5 years old and lives with me, so I got it for her in the 300 piece, which is the best size for her. It was so pretty and the colors are so vivid! The computer screen does not do it justice. I’m going to purchase a few others of that brand for her!
Wow, that is wonderful, Debra! I hope I’m still around and doing puzzles at that age! You mom sounds amazing! Please give her a big hug for me! ♥
Thanks Susan! There aren’t too many things she can do these days, but she works on a puzzle for a few hours after lunch every day. I try to find the large size 300 and occasionally 500 pieces for her. She still loves doing them! I bought that puzzle board that you have for her a few years ago!
Love the cardinal puzzles ! Before I retired as a middle school librarian I always had a 500 – 1000 piece puzzle out on a table in the library for students to work on during study hall or after school. They loved it, and we would use puzzle preserver – or laminate to keep them and then hang them up in the library. The students loved it….only problem was in middle school sometimes a piece of two went “missing”…but usually turned up!
That’s one of best things about puzzles—they are great fun, no matter the age. We should have done that when I was working as a media parapro in my son’s elementary school. I wish I had thought to put a puzzle out for the children to enjoy.
Like you, I do puzzles in the (Michigan) winters. I’m working on a 1000 pc Girl with Pearl. She’s framed in a black background. Right now I’m asking myself why I chose this, but I’m determined to finish it. I donate all my puzzles when I’m done unless it’s something I reallllly like. I verify the pieces, dump them back into the box and tape it shut and put it in a donate box.
I love doing puzzles although I have to watch the time. I start working on one and the next time I look up it’s three hours later!! But I find them very relaxing. I know you get most of yours on Amazon but I found a great selection at our local Walmart. In fact they had several of the puzzles you highlighted in your post.
Yup, the first puzzle I shared in this post is from Walmart…that’s where I purchased it. That’s the first puzzle I’ve ever purchased online from them. It came pretty quickly, although not quite as fast as ordering from Amazon.