Puzzle: Shell Game

Lovely puzzle – not trivial, but quite enjoyable with a variety of textures and shades of blue and purple. This is one of my son’s favourites – even before it was completed, he has asked that we put it up above his bed where it now resides.

Lots of ways to approach this puzzle: I have started with the large shell, assembling the smaller shells in parallel, and larger pieces of glass, followed by the dried seaweed on the right. After that, it was the matter of filling up every nook and cranny with little pieces of colour and pattern. Slow and indulgent, this puzzle requires a keen eye.

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Welcoming spring and fertility

It has been a lovely day this Friday before Easter. The weather has been unusually warm, with a light refreshing breeze, soft sunshine, and birds hesitantly picking at the sunflower seeds in the bird feeder under the watchful eye of our cat. I’ve spent some time replanting potted aloe and various other house greenery and collecting soil from the towers to start various seeds. The kids have been having lots of fun outside for the first time this spring, playing ball, creating Knight of the Realm stories, rescuing available neighbourhood ladybug princesses, and remembering how to shoot a bow.

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How to transition to better nutrition

Over the last few months, I have been asked several times to help with transitioning a family to a healthier lifestyle, especially as it relates to nutrition. Generally, the considerations of healthy choices for parents and young children, as well as budget and possible food sensitivities, shape the solution. Below are a few things that have worked for my family.

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Puzzle: Paint pigment in the sun in Kathmandu, Nepal

Paint pigment in the sun in Kathmandu, Nepal, med

Size: 1000 pieces
Dimensions: 46 cm x 63 cm
Producer: Ceaco, package of 2 puzzles, 2013, #3210-1
Photographer: bezikus
Original: photo

Puzzle: Together in the package with Untitled. How I wish the puzzle manufacturers clearly indicated the picture title and author. It’s so simple, yet some omit the titles whereas others indicate over 6 photographers for …

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Put things back where they belong

Many lists of rules for children or roommates include some variation of the rule “Put things back where they belong”. This is so basic that you might be thinking it not worth being mentioned. Yet so many adults leave clothes where they’ve taken them off and dishes where they’ve finished eating. Avoid frustration trying to find things when they are needed and tripping over them constantly when they are not. Put them back where they belong.

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Declutter your space

It is much easier to focus when multiple objects in your surroundings are not screaming for your attention. Naturally, it would be great to avoid creating the clutter in the first place. In reality, however, we also need to periodically rearrange our workspace to clear out the clutter, change up our environment, and at the same time prioritize the most pressing tasks. Re-organize and declutter your physical space to lower your stress, save time, and boost your productivity. Watch how your attitudes change as a result of a less chaotic environment. I share some decluttering tips and experiments.

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Puzzle: Arctic Night

Arctic Night, medSize: 100 pieces
Dimensions: 22.86cm x 17.78cm
Producer: Ceaco, Glow in the Dark series, 10-puzzle pack, 2013, No. 103013-21081-A
Puzzle: Simple puzzle, great for kids. My almost four-year old needed only a little help to complete it. Good place to start is the purple and yellow sky and its border with the mountains. Next can come the polar bear with the cub, the black of penguins and dolphins, and the water …

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Puzzle: Into the Wind by Sally Caldwell Fisher

Sally Caldwell Fisher - Into the Wind, med

Size: 234 pieces
Dimensions: 15.24 cm x 10.16 cm
Producer: TDC Puzzles, Item #7180
Artist: Sally Caldwell Fisher
Package: photo

Puzzle: “The World’s Smallest Jigsaw Puzzle. This puzzle has 234 of the smallest pieces ever to be die-cut. Tweezers are included to help you with this ultimate puzzle challenge. Good Luck!” [Puzzle box]

Similar to the Times …

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Puzzle: Times Square

Tony Shi - Times Square, med

Size: 234 pieces
Dimensions: 15.24 cm x 10.16 cm
Producer: TDC Puzzles, Item #7177
Photographer: Tony Shi
Original: photo
Package: photo

Puzzle: “The World’s Smallest Jigsaw Puzzle. This puzzle has 234 of the smallest pieces ever to be die-cut. Tweezers are included to help you with this ultimate puzzle challenge. Good Luck!” [Puzzle box]

It being such a small puzzle …

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Puzzle: Unicorn Waterfall

Unicorn Waterfall, med

Size: 300 pieces
Dimensions: 27.94cm x 38.1cm
Producer: Ceaco, Glow in the Dark series, 10-puzzle pack, 2013, No. 103013-21081-A
Puzzle: Lovely vibrant colours. We did this puzzle with my almost four-year old, and he quite enjoyed it. Good places to start are the orange ground, the purple sky and yellow mountain top, the green bushes at the bottom, the lilac haze along the right side, and the dark purple tree. Next …

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Puzzle: Fairy Raindrops

Fairy Raindrops, med

Size: 300 pieces
Dimensions: 27.94cm x 38.1cm
Producer: Ceaco, Glow in the Dark series, 10-puzzle pack, 2013, No. 103013-21081-A
Puzzle: Great for kids with its vibrant colours and clear colour borders. My son loved assembling it with me. The rainbow background is the easiest place to start, followed by the exposed skin, face, hair and flowers, mushrooms on the right, daisies, and shiny raindrops at the bottom. The dress, long-stemmed plants, and …

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Resolutions? Try something new!

We get so bogged down in routine that on a rare occasion we surface for air (during holidays or a vacation), we often realize how monotone our life is. We work, we take care of children, we cook, clean, run errands, and manage to get out for an evening once in a blue moon. In all these chores and commitments, we often lose the sense of being alive. January is the month for the New Year resolutions. This year, resolve to try something new, often.

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Puzzle: Space Station 2 by Ciro Marchetti

Ciro Marchetti - Space Station 2, med

Size: 750 pieces
Dimensions: 67.95 cm x 48.1 cm
Producer: Mega Puzzles, Vibrant series, 2013, No. 50572ADN, A 23123 LP
Artist: Ciro Marchetti
Original:  Space Station

Puzzle: Lovely vibrant puzzle – a pleasure to do. Easy due to multiple cues – bright colours with distinct borders, multiple distinct colour regions, zodiac signs in a circle, different textures of wood and metal, bright red flags. …

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Stay zen this holiday season

Holidays tend to be overwhelming, as new responsibilities and chores seem to rapidly pile up on top of the everyday ones. Suddenly, we are expected to attend multiple events, create or purchase a variety of thoughtful gifts, bake delicious treats, decorate the house, and still manage to keep the kids alive, the work done, the house clean, the food made, and stay somehow looking vibrant, beautiful, and non-disheveled after all this. I share a few strategies that can help make this time less stressful and more enjoyable.

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Puzzle: Shangri-La Winter by Ciro Marchetti

Ciro Marchetti - Shangri-La Winter, med

Size: 1000 pieces
Dimensions: 51cm x 68cm
Producer:  LPF Ltd., Holographic puzzle
Artist: Ciro Marchetti has had a successful graphic design career that has spanned working in Europe, South America and the US. He is a five-time recipient of the distinguished Photoshop GURU award, and three time winner of the Worldwide Photoshop Competition presented by the National Association of Photoshop Professionals. The current content …

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Puzzle: Enchanted Encounter

Enchanted Encounter, med

Size: 300 pieces
Dimensions: 27.94cm x 38.1cm
Producer: Ceaco, Glow in the Dark series, 10-puzzle pack, 2013, No. 103013-21081-A
Puzzle: This puzzle was one of my son’s favourite, as it had a fairy, a wizard, a dragon, a horse, and a castle all in one. We assembled it together. Good places to start are the wizard’s robe, the blue of the sky, the castle, the sky border with the …

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