Puzzle: Como Park Conservatory, St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.A.

Como Park Conservatory, St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.A., med

Size: 1000 pieces
Dimensions: 51.12cm x 66.52cm
Producer
: MB Puzzles, Big Ben?

Note: I no longer have the box, so if you have any additional information on this puzzle (such as the producer), please let me know.

Puzzle: The puzzle is relatively easy to complete, and the pieces fit together well. The regions that can be approached first are the paths on each side of the water and between the flower beds, the water, the glass wall in the background and the glass walls. The larger flowers can follow, leaving the rest of the flower beds to fall into place. Good lighting is a bonus for this puzzle.

Puzzle: Afternoon Tea

Afternoon tea, med
Size
: 500 pieces
Dimensions: 48.5 cm x 35.5 cm
Producer: Sure-Lox, The Canadian Group, Mother’s Cupboard series

Puzzle: A Mother’s Cupboard series puzzle (there is another Blue by You one), small and simple to assemble. It’s easiest to start with the shelf, since it splits the picture into two regions. The brighter pink and blue cups, as well as the hanging cups handles can be assembled next. Since the puzzle is small and the pieces fit together well, the rest should be easy enough to complete.

Puzzle: Blue by You

Blue by You, med
Size
: 500 pieces
Dimensions: 48.5 cm x 35.5 cm
Producer: Sure-Lox, The Canadian Group, Mother’s Cupboard series

Puzzle: A Mother’s Cupboard series puzzle (there is another Afternoon Tea one), small and simple to assemble. The good regions to approach first are the basket, the wooden box, the flowers, and the horizontal shelf. After that the rest of the pieces are quite similar and might take a little time to place.

Puzzle: Aspen Fantasy

Aspen Fantasy, med

Size: 750 pieces
Dimensions: 48.1cm x 64.8cm
Producer: RoseArt, Borders series

Puzzle: Another puzzle from the Borders series (in addition to the Mountain River one), it is a bit more complex. The aspen trees can be completed first, followed by the larger flowers and the rest of the pieces, but it’s not trivial since many regions look similar. Good lighting is a bonus, and the result is a vibrant forest scene.

Puzzle: Mountain River

Mountain Waterfall, med

Size: 750 pieces
Dimensions: 48.1cm x 64.8cm
Producer: RoseArt, Borders series

Notes: I’m missing the box for this puzzle and am unable to find the real name of it. If you have that information, could you please let me know?

Puzzle: A beautiful puzzle from the Borders series (there is also the Aspen Fantasy one), unfortunately due to being quite old in my collection, it is missing a corner. Flowers in the bottom right, the river, the larger rocks, and the sky are good places to start the assembly. The mountains and the fields in the background can follow, leaving the trees framing the picture. Not a trivial puzzle due to variety of piece shapes and small detail, but very pleasant on the eye.

Puzzle: Flowers in Bavaria, Germany

Flowers in Bavaria, Germany, med

Size: 1000 pieces
Dimensions: 45.4 cm x 67.31 cm
Producer: Wrebbit, Perfalock series, #50653-05

Puzzle: A very pleasant puzzle for the eye, it can lighten up your mood if you like flowers. Since many of the bouquets are distinct in colour, it’s relatively easy to start with any of them and continue bouquet by bouquet. The white pole and the paper pieces with prices can serve as guides as well.

Puzzle: Rural Countryside by John Zaccheo

John Zaccheo - Rural Countryside, med

Size: 1000 pieces
Dimensions: 45.4 cm x 67.31 cm
Producer: Wrebbit, Perfalock series, # 20076, 2005

Note: I do not have the box anymore, and thus not sure who the artist is. If you have that information, please let me know.

Puzzle: A pleasant and easy puzzle to complete. The good regions to start are the sky (lots of horizontal guides there), the mountains, the tall red and yellow trees, the bridge, the river, the buildings, the birch trees, the cart with the hay, and the fence along the road. From that point on, the remaining pieces should fall into place easily.

Puzzle: Night Stroll by Sung Kim

Sung Kim - Night Stroll, med

Size: 1000 pieces
Dimensions: 45.4 cm x 67.31 cm
Producer: Wrebbit, Perfalock series
Artist:
Sung Kim
Painting: original

Puzzle: A romantic view, this foam puzzle is very serene and a pleasure to assemble. This is another painting by Sung Kim, in addition to the 1000-piece one of Overlook Cafe. Le consulat building, the domes in the background, the sky, and the pavement borders are good places to start. The smaller areas of colour: the people, the street signs, the street lamps, the building windows, and the chairs can be filled in, leaving the house walls and the pavements to be completed last.

Puzzle: Tulips lining lake Geneva

Tulips lining lake Geneva, med

Size: 500 pieces
Dimensions: 46 cm x 34.5 cm
Producer: Wrebbit, Perfalock series, 2006, #50404-03
Photographer:
Richard Klune

Puzzle: One of the first foam puzzles I have assembled, it is colourful and simple to put together. The bright flowers have distinct colours, the left bottom corner pavement and the flower bed ledge can be completed easily, followed by the water and the evergreen bush in the bottom right. The border between the buildings and the sky provides a horizontal guide, allowing for easy completion of both regions.

Notes: Lake Geneva or Lake Léman is a lake in Switzerland and France. It is one of the largest lakes in Western Europe. [Wiki]

Puzzle: Notre-Dame Basilica, Montreal

Notre-Dame Basilica, Montreal, med
Size
: 500 pieces
Dimensions: 48.5 cm x 35.5 cm
Producer: Sure-Lox, The Canadian Group

Puzzle: A beautiful puzzle, a close-up view of the Basilica, with a larger view available in a 1000-piece puzzle I have assembled. The support beams at the top, and the spiky frame in the bottom are good places to start. The golden figures, the red/orange and purple columns, and the blue background areas can follow. The rest should fall into place easily – the puzzle is small and pieces fit well together.

Notes:

Puzzle: Mediterranean Garden, California

Mediterranean Garden, California, med
Size
: 500 pieces
Dimensions: 48.5 cm x 35.5 cm
Producer: Sure-Lox, The Canadian Group

Puzzle: One of the earlier additions to my collection, this puzzle has a bit of glue damage. The easiest places to start are the window with the white flowers under it, the steps, the walls of the house, the purple flowers, the solar light, and the horse. The large flower bushes, and the darker area in the bottom left can follow. A very pleasant puzzle to do.

Puzzle: Hong Kong Harbour, China

Hong Kong Harbour, China, med
Size
: 500 pieces
Dimensions: 48.5 cm x 35.5 cm
Producer: Sure-Lox, The Canadian Group

Puzzle: Somewhat damaged by bad puzzle glue and long storage, this is one of the first puzzles I have assembled. Not trivial due to a large number of similarly-coloured regions. Areas of distinct colour are easiest to approach first (such as the blue, red, and white lights). The two skyscrapers to the right of the centre, and the lights along the waterfront are good regions to follow. From that point on, the black of the water is equally complex as the black of the skyscrapers with the yellow and green windows, but due to the small size of the puzzle and the Sure-Lox pieces fitting together well, it is not very complex to complete.

Notes: Victoria Harbour (or Hong Kong Harbour) is a natural landform harbour situated between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong. The harbour’s deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on the South China Sea were instrumental in Hong Kong’s establishment as a British colony and its subsequent development as a trading centre. Victoria Harbour is home to most of the port facilities of Hong Kong, making Hong Kong amongst the world’s busiest. An average of 220,000 ships visit the harbour each year, including both ocean going vessels and river vessels, for both goods and passengers. [Wiki]

Puzzle: Tower Bridge, London, England

Tower Bridge, London, England, med
Size
: 500 pieces
Dimensions: 48.5 cm x 35.5 cm
Producer: Sure-Lox, The Canadian Group

Puzzle: One of the first puzzles I have assembled, it has some glue damage from storage. The good regions to start are the water, the bright lights, and the railing on the bridge, followed by the borders between the bridge and the sky. The bridge top and towers, as well as the sky framed by the bridge can follow, leaving the remaining black of the sky to be filled in. Good lighting is a plus for the last part.

Notes: Tower Bridge (built 1886–1894) is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London which crosses the River Thames. It is close to the Tower of London, from which it takes its name, and has become an iconic symbol of London.

The bridge consists of two towers tied together at the upper level by means of two horizontal walkways, designed to withstand the horizontal forces exerted by the suspended sections of the bridge on the landward sides of the towers. The vertical component of the forces in the suspended sections and the vertical reactions of the two walkways are carried by the two robust towers. The bascule pivots and operating machinery are housed in the base of each tower. [Wiki]

Puzzle: Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany, med
Size
: 500 pieces
Dimensions: 48.5 cm x 35.5 cm
Producer: Sure-Lox, The Canadian Group

Puzzle: Another puzzle of the Neuschwanstein Castle, in addition to the 500-piece, the Ravensburger 500-piece, the 1000-piece, and another 500-piece puzzles I’ve assembled previously. Not the greatest view, as the castle takes up only a third of the picture, and the uniform black of the forest and blue of the mountains comprise most of it. Other than that (and a little glue damage, due to this puzzle being quite old in my collection), it’s not too boring to assemble. The sky and the mountains can be tackled first, followed by the castle itself, and the trees might present a bit more of a challenge, albeit offset by the small size of the puzzle.

Puzzle: Carl’s Church, Vienna, Austria

Carl's Church, Vienna, Austria, med
Size
: 500 pieces
Dimensions: 48.5 cm x 35.5 cm
Producer: Sure-Lox, The Canadian Group

Puzzle: One of the earlier puzzles I have assembled, and it unfortunately has a bit of glue damage. A very simple puzzle to assemble: the water, the bright windows, the green dome, the dark arches, the brighter main tower and two pillars are all easy regions to start with. The sky with fireworks is a bit more tricky, but due to the small size of the puzzle and the Sure-Lox pieces fitting together well it does not present too much of a challenge.

Notes: Karlskirche (St. Charles’s Church) is a baroque church located on the south side of Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria. Widely considered the most outstanding baroque church in Vienna, as well as one of the city’s greatest buildings, Karlskirche is dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo, one of the great reformers of the sixteenth century. [Wiki]

Puzzle: Lakeside Retreat by John Powell

John Powell - Lakeside Retreat, med
Size
: 1000 pieces
Dimensions: 73 cm x 48.57 cm
Artist: John Powell has worked in the arts through out his life. Born in Hollywood, California, he began to paint at the age of 16. Over the past 35 years he has melded his life experiences into a signature style of painting. His paintings are precise and intricate, laced with lyrical realism and expressing his love for color, flowers, gardens, pottery and art from around the world, interesting fabrics and visions of his travels.

Painting: original
Producer
: The Canadian Group, Sure-Lox, 2013, #44724-1

Puzzle: Beautifully-complex puzzle with many colourful regions. There are many ways to approach it: some of the easier parts to assemble first are the turquoise flower pot, the blue box in the bottom right, the red cloth draped over the bench, the checkered rose tablecloth, the pears and their bowl, the large and smaller red vases, the yellow flowered tablecloth, the bottom left corner, the flowers in the vases, and the river in the background. There are many other smaller distinct regions that can then be positioned in place.

Puzzle: Winter Worship

Winter worship, med
Size
: 500 pieces
Dimensions: 48.5 cm x 35.5 cm
Producer: Sure-Lox, The Canadian Group

Puzzle: A simple puzzle to do due to its small size. The orange of the buildings, and the flowing green of the river are good places to start, and the bridge railing serves as a horizontal guide separating the picture into two regions. The borders of snow-laden trees, the building, and the sky makes the top easy to assemble, and the rest of the puzzle shapes itself around the bridge and the river. Festive and pleasant to the eye.

Notes: Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. The word is derived from the Old English weorþscipe, meaning worship, honour shown to an object, which has been etymologised as “worthiness or worth-ship”—to give, at its simplest, worth to something. [Wiki]

Puzzle: Nature mort in rose

Nature mort in rose, med

Size: 750 pieces
Dimensions: 46 cm x 60 cm
Producer: unknown

Notes: I’m missing the box for this puzzle and am unable to find the real name of it or the producer. If you have that information, could you please let me know?

Puzzle: An easy puzzle to do with pieces fitting well together. Distinct colour ranges on the yellow drawing, the rose curtain, the pillars, the blue of the window, the vertical guides of the candle and the books, as well as the horizontal guide of the table edge, split this puzzle into easy-to-manage regions. The pieces are large and the colours distinct enough to enjoy even in suboptimal lighting.

Puzzle: Santa Maria Della Salute, Venice, Italy

Santa Maria Della Salute, Venice, Italy, med
Size
: 750 pieces
Dimensions: 59.69 cm x 39.37 cm
Producer: Sure-Lox, The Canadian Group

Puzzle:  This puzzle is a bit challenging due to large areas of almost uniformed-coloured sky, and the tightly-fitting side-view of the buildings with many small details, but Sure-Lox pieces come to the rescue by fitting into place unambiguously. The domes of the church, its walls, and the border between the sky and the buildings are good places to start. The blue and white poles in the water, the lower building in the bottom left corner, the water, and the buildings in the bottom right are some of the easier regions to complete next. From that point on, the rest of the puzzle can be assembled.

Notes: Santa Maria della Salute, commonly known simply as the Salute, is a Roman Catholic church and minor basilica located in the Dorsoduro sestiere of the Italian city of Venice. It stands on a narrow finger of land between the Grand Canal and the Bacino di San Marco making the church visible when entering the Piazza San Marco from the water. The Salute is part of the parish of the Gesuati and is the most recent of the so-called plague-churches.

In 1630, Venice experienced an unusually devastating outbreak of the plague. As a votive offering for the city’s deliverance from the pestilence, the Republic of Venice vowed to build and dedicate a church to Our Lady of Health (or of Deliverance, Italian: Salute). The church was designed in the then fashionable baroque style by Baldassare Longhena, who studied under the architect Vincenzo Scamozzi. Construction began in 1631. Most of the objects of art housed in the church bear references to the Black Death. [Wiki]