My dorkiest endeavor yet
Puzzles.
The extreme dorkiness began in NYC a few weekends ago, when I got it in my head that it would be fun to do a puzzle. Gina and Steve agreed with me (or humored me) so on the last day there, we searched for a puzzle, found one, and spent about five hours that evening working on it. It was relaxing and a fun thing to do with friends (and they finished it a few days after I left).
My brother and his wife were visiting this weekend, and they gave me a puzzle and puzzle mat*, and I did not go to bed Sunday night until that puzzle was DONE**.
My brother’s wife and I started the puzzle Saturday morning, I roped Erin and Lauren in to working on it Saturday night, and I worked on it with my brother, his wife, Steven and even Data, on Sunday.
Those trees were a b*tch. Just sayin’.
Apparently I have an odd puzzle piece organization method? I organize by border, then by type of piece- things that look similar go together. Makes sense in my head!
Now that this puzzle is done, you would think that the dorkiness is through (in the puzzle arena, anyway), but no, Gina and Steve sent us TWO more puzzles to work on when they visit in August.
A beautiful one:
And a purely evil one that may or may not have elicited a text to them calling them curse words:
Really guys, really?!
Ha ha.
I am not sure why I am finding doing puzzles so relaxing right now. But it really is. It helps me wind down. And it’s kind of addicting. I feel like every time I pass it I have to work on it. Good thing I finished that one before the work week started!
When was the last time you put together a puzzle? Do you find it relaxing?
Growing up, I remember doing puzzles at my Grandma’s cabin whenever the weather was too bad to go outside. She had this awesome puzzle that was a sectional cut through a mansion, and you could see all the rooms and what was going on in them. Only instead of people, there were pigs dressed up and acting like people in the room! I would like to do that puzzle again. It was a fun one!
*In case I ever need to actually use my dining room table to eat food***, I can roll that puzzle up.
**And done while listening to the Olympics. I know way more about Women’s Gymnastics than I should.
***Very unlikely.
Themocracy
I love them! I’ve been looking for a good CHicago one, too. The Vegas one we put together a few months ago was fun… but rough!
You inspired me by being so open about your puzzle love!
I can see how that’d be relaxing! We just got Audrey her first “puzzle” this past weekend- I foresee a lot of puzzles in our future 🙂
My dad and I used to do puzzles in the basement together. I would even sit down there by myself while he was busy or at work so I could make more progress than him (competitive much?). We used to do the 1000 piece puzzles and it would take us a while to do most of them. My mom and brother were never into them but my dad and I had fun.
Someone got me a Lost themed puzzles a bunch of years ago and I remember Joey and I putting it together. It was extra challenging because it didn’t have the full picture on the front of the box!! It said it has ‘spoilers’ from the show in it so they didn’t post the full picture!
I have worked on puzzles with people before where they hid pieces so they cut put the last piece in! LOL. It does bring the competitive side out of some people 🙂
Wow, I can’t remember the last time I worked on a puzzle like that. I’m not sure where you would even get one! Do drugstores still sell them, or Target? It does seem like it would be really relaxing.
My brother and sister-in-law got this one at Target! I might have to look next time I am there for fun 🙂
Oh Kim… This is why I’m so glad I found your blog. I LOVED puzzles when I was growing up. I did them all. the. time. As I’m studying for a big exam in my life right now, I think it would be a bad idea to join in this craze, but I might ask for some for xmas this year (the exam is over December 1). I organize puzzle pieces the same way as you–it makes sense! That Waldo one looks like fun. My biggest problem was always what do I do with the puzzle when it is complete? Put it away? But it took x hours to complete! Definitely a problem…
For what exam are you studying?
Yes! Ask for some! I am not sure what to do with this one, now that it is finished. I think I should do another puzzle on top. Additional challenge?
I used to do puzzles all the time. I haven’t done any recently but I know we went through a kick a couple years ago as well. I organize pieces in the same way. I figured everyone did!
It was kind of relaxing to work on the puzzle! I always get so internally excited when I find pieces that go together but I also know it’s not a big deal if I can’t find the right piece. It will show up eventually.
Like a lot of people, we did puzzles as kids but I hadn’t worked on one in a while.
Hahaha, really. We took mercy on you with that Waldo puzzle, trust me. Trrrrrrrrrrust me. I can’t wait to sit around and do those puzzles with you guys very, very, very soon!
Me either! Looking forward to it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂
I love puzzles. I haven’t done one in ages, but they’re so perfect for my ADD. 🙂
My bff frequently has a puzzle in progress at her place. We will be hanging out, and end up being drawn to the puzzle. We once spent like 5 hours drinking and trying to put it together. At a certain point we became counter-productive though, haha
Really? I’m the only person in this entire world that doesn’t like puzzles? Or find them relaxing? I want to throw the little pieces that don’t fit out of the window. One by one. After I shred them to even smaller pieces.
Ha ha ha! Puzzle time with you sounds entertaining 🙂
Love puzzles!
You think Waldo is bad? You can get puzzles that are one solid color!
I was looking up challenging puzzles and saw double sided ones too! Yikes. How do you even do those? I am no where near that level!
Ha! I loved them as a kid and we had a Beverly Hillbillies one at my grandparents house I swear we’d do every freaking time we were over. We could set a timer and whip together that sucker. I still get puzzles for my dad. They are relaxing. And I organize pieces exactly the same way you do. : )
I love doing puzzles, that hard part is finding the table space that I’m willing to give up for well over a week (I take a long time to finish puzzles because I work on it a little bit here and there).
I seriously LOVE puzzles. Max hates them and doesn’t let me constantly have the kitchen table covered in them. how rude right?
I had a lot of fun working on that puzzle with you and Erin!
Have you looked into whether you could frame the puzzle? I feel like I’ve heard of that before, but can’t remember where…
Ahhhh. I love puzzles, and just a few weeks ago I did that same Chicago panoramic one that you have! I love it, and I am trying to find a frame for it so I can hang it on my wall! 🙂
[…] before we headed to Lake Forest for the actual VdM ride on Sunday morning. Working on a puzzle was a great way to distract from the nerves of what could be a very interesting & potentially […]
I LOVE puzzles! Growing up, as a family Christmas present, there was always a new puzzle under our tree. I remember the year it was a giant group picture of a ton of people wearing those Charlie Chaplin glasses with the mustache attached. SO HARD. But I couldn’t stop doing it! We still do puzzles around here, especially in the wintertime.
I used to love puzzles, but then they invented the Internet. Maybe I should give one a try again, I think I have a few in the basement…
YES! I love a good puzzle! I haven’t done one in like a year but I find it so ridiculously relaxing. I’m such a fidgety/high-energy person that even when I’m relaxing I need to be doing something with my hands. I totally need to get a new puzzle to work on!
My daughter lives puzzles. I can not stand them. We have one started in a table and it is a puzzle of cats. So difficult! You should come over sometime and help us! It has been dormant for weeks because I am so frustrated with it!
Maybe Data and I should both come over to help. Muah ha ha. Or Meow ha ha? LOL.
Lives=loves
I love doing puzzles! I wish I could do it more consistently because I always enjoy it. Harrison and I did one of world flags a few months ago. Surprisingly, I have not seen any puzzles in Korea, but I think the children are too busy going to 8000 private academies every day.
I also really like doing puzzles at the beach, though usually a few pieces are missing.
Those are some intense puzzles! Way to go on getting them done! I never did many puzzles growing up as a child because I never had the patience nor the strategic ideas (things like organizing puzzle pieces by type of piece never came to mind).
Love love LOVE the picture of Data sitting by the puzzle – it’s as if he’s saying, “I want to help out, too!!!” =D