Quick Question: Is there a laminator big enough for puzzles? Asking for a friend/me ‘cause I’m hankering for the most honkin’, humongous laminator I can find. (The answer is yes, according to the internet. Laminating puzzles is a great way to make place mats and such. Oooh! I smell a bonus project! (which smells like burning plastic and Tuesdays, for some reason.))
After rolling from the table Easter Sunday—stuffed with marshmallow eggs, mimosas, and mashed potatoes (looks like the letter of the day was “m”)—I decided I needed a break that did not involve moving too much, so I pulled out a jigsaw puzzle I bought online from Ravensburger, a German company that specializes in well-crafted games and puzzles. The online store had lots of options, but I was drawn to a winged, long-legged delight of insects in a blend of fantastical colors. Also, the whole puzzle was circle-shaped, which is cool—and only about 500 pieces, which I thought would be a challenge, but not too much of a challenge.
The puzzle came together in no time, thanks to Nate and Alex. I won’t say how many puzzle pieces I contributed, but I spent a lot of time puzzled by the puzzle, which hindered my productivity. Also, the mimosas didn’t exactly make me speedy, either.
And now that it’s done, I want to preserve it. Nate and Alex have no idea why. I just think it’s the touch of color I didn’t know was missing in my living room. Also, I don’t want to spill anything on it—or knock it to the floor and have to start over. Nate and Alex would argue thusly: that’s the point. You’ve got to start over, enjoy putting the thing together again, reliving those memories, making new ones. My argument is this: If it’s not broken, don’t fix it. Would you break a perfectly good toilet because you’re bored? It’s like that, for me. Please don’t fix it. It might take even longer the second time around. Just find a new puzzle/problem. And a laminator. A really, really big laminator.
Your Turn: Do you enjoy putting together puzzles? Do you have a strategy? Do you like to preserve them or hang them up on the wall?
Fixin' Leaks and Leeks 
I enjoy putting puzzles together from time to time. I’ve never had a desire to hang them on the wall.
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Yeah, I don’t think I want to hang this one on the wall, but setting it on the table, lacquered/laminated, might be nice.
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That sounds like a good idea.
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It’s been very many years since I attempted a puzzle. Maybe all those years I had helping groups of 3 year olds put puzzles together put a damper on it for me! The one you have here is very pretty, I like those spinning critters in their pretty colours
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This one really caught my eye–I’ll probably look for more like it.
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I like doing the odd puzzle, usually when we’re on vacation. I’ve never preserved them, but my mother-in-law was a fanatic about them, preserved them and when she ran out of walls she hung them in the garage.
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Oh, my! That’s a lot of puzzles on the wall!
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I haven’t done any puzzles in a longtime but I used to like them. Never did hang them or preserve them, though. I know that VERY large laminators exist – large enough for a puzzle – because I’ve used them. You could try checking out Staples; they have some rather large ones for public use.
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Ah–good idea! I’ll have to check that out.
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I have a friend who enjoys large puzzles and when she finishes them lacquers them so she can hang them on a wall.
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It’s fascinating to see how people like to enjoy puzzles–some preserving them–others not so much.
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This one looks so pretty! Now I’ll have to get myself a puzzle to make, and maybe I’ll preserve it! I guess I should look for one of those works of art and kill two birds with one stone! 😉 Hope you’re doing well!
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It was a lot of fun to put this one together–and it did turn out pretty. I’m doing well! Hope all is well with you. 🙂
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Lovely puzzle! I don’t really have the patience for puzzles, although I did used to set them with my youngest granddaughter. I did all the outside, border pieces, and she filled in the entire inside:)
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Nate and Alex did all the border pieces–I filled in a little bit here and there. It was fun to have a family project.
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That’s certainly one of the nice things about setting puzzles. You can talk at the same time:)
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Love puzzles. No strategy except outside in. I donate them after I’m done to the senior center across the street from me, or the library.
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That’s such a good idea! We should do that with some of our older puzzles.
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We do at least two puzzles a week as a family. Ravensburger are the best as well as Cobble Hill!
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Two a week! Wow! I’ll have to check out Cobble Hill.
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My husband loves puzzles, and in the past he did such big and difficult ones that he hang to the wall. Now we are often busy in puzzling with our little grandchild with 50-60 pieces … Life as grandparents 😉
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The larger ones are such an accomplishment!
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It’s very pretty. I don’t blame you at all for wanting to preserve it. This–Also, the mimosas didn’t exactly make me speedy, either. Hehehe. 🙂
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That is a beautiful puzzle – a keeper.
I do jigsaw puzzles online – several a day sometimes.
Blessings
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Several a day! That’s wonderful!
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Gotta keep the brain cells working 🙂
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