Thursday, January 22, 2015

Winter Pastime

You all know how much I love to work jigsaw puzzles.  It's just a natural thing for me to do after the stress of December, the dreary sunless days, and long nights between supper and bedtime.  The Farmer gave me two puzzles this year for Christmas gifts.

I worked the most difficult one first, 1000 pieces, QUILT MONTAGE.  I don't have time from farm chores, etc. to sit and work full time, so it took me about a week and a half to finish this one.  When I started it I wasn't sure it was workable, but by taking it one section at a time it was.

The second one, 500 pieces, FARM LIFE, was much easier to work because the pieces were larger, and well, not as "busy" as the first one. And, by the way, a window screen is a perfect thing to put the pieces together on; it holds everything in place and keeps pieces from falling onto the floor.

So now my desire to work a puzzle for the winter has been satisfied and I'll take up the crochet hook, needle and embroidery thread and make something to show for my time.

Mary, at www.visitswithmary.blogspot.com, posted a fantastic poem about puzzles today; check it out!

Charlotte




33 comments:

  1. Oh Charlotte, those are beautiful! You have so much more in the way of patience than I do. However, I used to make afghans and have forgotten now how to do it. A friend of mine whom I haven't seen in l7 years is moving back here in a few months, and she's promised to get me going again. Actually, also I did some knitting but I like crochet better. :)

    xoxo

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    1. I just find it's very relaxing for me to work the puzzles.
      I've started a baby afghan (crochet) and tonight I think I unraveled more than I advanced :)

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    2. By the way, could I have permission to read your blog?

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  2. I really like both puzzles but I think the Farm Life is my favorite. I haven't worked a puzzle in a while, you have put me in the mood!

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    1. Wonderful! If you're getting snow there in TX maybe it would be a good time to bring out a puzzle.

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  3. Those look like fun puzzles. Your farmer has good taste in picking out puzzles.

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    1. Yes, he finds nice ones, but he won't help me work them at all.

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  4. Hi mama Charlotte! :) It's Kelsey! Both puzzles you received are so cute! Although, I admit... the quilt one looks like it would take me forever to complete! I'm personally impressed that it only took you a week & a half along with farm work.

    I'm a huge puzzle lover, too. When I was little, mom would buy me lots of these long 700-piece puzzles that featured puppies and kittens on them. Recently I went to Wal-mart, and found out they still sell them! It made me feel so nostalgic... So I had to buy a cat one. hahaha

    Love you!

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    1. Hi, Sweetheart! I'm glad you bought a puzzle for yourself and that you enjoy putting them together; I don't know too many people who like to work them. So happy you stopped by ~ take care!

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  5. You have a couple really pretty ones there. They'd make dandy wall hangings. I'm like you, I like putting puzzles together in the winter time. :)

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    1. E.C., I've had lots of people ask me if I plan to glue the pieces of the puzzle together to hang on the wall. I always tell them "No", but the quilt picture would be pretty in the sewing room.

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  6. Oh my goodness, those are so beautiful. That's what my husband and I have been doing , mostly him... I love doing them but haven't been able to much this year. Hugs, xo

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    1. Susie, I'm so sorry you don't feel well enough to do activities you love. The month of January seems to always be a bad month for me and the puzzles help me.

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  7. There is something so satisfying about putting together a puzzle. I got a quilt themed one before Christmas at a thrift store for about 50 cents. I do hope it has all of it's pieces!

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    1. Yes, I agree! I grew up in a family which worked puzzles in the winter. I slipped pieces off the table and chewed them up :) Of course I was a small child then. I do hope all the pieces are in your puzzle!

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  8. Your puzzles turned out so nice. They have such pretty color. They must help in brightening up the month of January. The first one looked so difficult; but must of gave you a happy feeling when it was all done. The second one is perfect since you live on a farm.

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  9. How do you put together a puzzle? One piece at a time! You must have been picking up and putting down at least a hundred pieces each day. Quilt Montage would be a beauty hanging in your sewing room. I am a little late getting here; went to Visits With Mary first to read her poem on puzzles and kind of got lost there. There's a lot in the poem to think about for sure...picking and choosing the pieces that will complete our life's puzzle.

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  10. Charlotte, I am ashamed to admit
    I can't sit still long enough.
    Would rather dust, go over floors
    tidy drawers, write and sometimes read
    but not long enough at one time.
    Tell me
    my special eggs from a friend
    why is the yolk so bright a color
    instead of those from the grocery :)
    Take care..

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    1. Ernestine, I think the color of the yolks has something to do with the type of feed the hens eat. We usually think a diet of corn makes them a brighter yellow. I can't have laying hens because of the broilers; it's a disease precaution thing.

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  11. I had no idea about using a window screen!! Both puzzles look fun!

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  12. We put puzzles together in the winter, well mostly me. It is relaxing and something different to do, especially when you can't go outside. The screen is an excellent idea!!!

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  13. Beautiful puzzles. They would look very nice framed. We did that with some puzzles out kids made. Great winter pastime! Just back from New York so I hope to do a tiny post soon.

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  14. Jigsaw puzzles are fun to do. When I was a kid, that was a family activity that we did every New Year's Day. The quilt one looks quite hard. Congratulations on finishing both of them!

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  15. Your puzzles are very pretty, Charlotte. I like to do puzzles, too, especially in the winter.

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  16. I would like to set up a puzzle on the table in the living room. The light is not very good in that room, though -- not like your nice, bright room with the south windows!

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  17. Both jigsaw puzzles are very pretty. I like the Quilt Montage very much and the Farm Life puzzle is nice, too. I used to do puzzles, too. You can pass a lot of time working puzzles. Glad you enjoy this hobby.

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  18. Hello greetings and good wishes.

    Working on jigsaw puzzles is a wonderful way of passing time but it is also useful to improve our power of concentration and alertness. I work on jigsaw puzzle sometime when i am free but most of the time I give up because it taxes my mind.

    Best wishes

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  19. Jigsaw puzzles are wonderful to work! You did well to get them done so quickly! Do you glue them and then hang them or do you put them back in the box?

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    1. Kathleen, I put them back into the box. My grandfather used to glue puzzles, but I like to have them to loan out to someone or maybe work them again sometime.

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  20. I don't like to do puzzles but just told my husband the other day we should do one together. Would be a nice winter project. Do you work a lot of them? Nancy

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  21. I remember decopauging a puzzle or two that I'd completed when I was raising the boys and hanging it on the wall as a decoration! :)

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  22. I remember decopauging a puzzle or two that I'd completed when I was raising the boys and hanging it on the wall as a decoration! :)

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  23. Those are beautiful! My mom used to love working puzzles - and so do I every now and then.

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