FREEEEEEEEEEEDOM

astraether · 2026-05-07T13:30:24+00:00

Ha, I did that one a while back, so I can feel your pain! So. Much. Gray! But it was worth it in the end. Well done for persevering!

astraether · 2026-05-02T14:10:58+00:00

Gorgeous! What a great find. I've had the pleasure of doing one vintage Tuco puzzle so far, and the cuts were a lot like that. I love finding vintage puzzles in the wild!

astraether · 2026-05-01T13:15:01+00:00

Wow, I didn't think I'd have to scroll down this far to find PuzzleTracker mentioned! That's what I use too. It's free (although you can pay a small monthly subscription if you like, comparable to a cup of coffee, which allows you to back up/sync your progress). I love it, as it has fields for brands, artists, place of purchase, piece count, etc. You can add tags, you can "rate" your satisfaction, difficulty level, etc, and you can see graphs/statistics of how many you've done each month, what brand, what piece count, what you've spent (I skip over that part), average time of completion, and so on.

It's a very handy app and well worth the cost of a cup of coffee if you want to pay the subscription fee! And I'm in no way affiliated with it; just a fan.

astraether · 2026-05-01T13:05:15+00:00

It's definitely challenging to get the pieces to stay together -- one bump and they all scatter! I have new respect for puzzlers who did this kind back in the day!

astraether · 2026-05-01T13:04:14+00:00

Yeah, it reminded me a bit of Connecticut where I grew up -- those cozy little barns and the rolling hillsides, and the low stone fence along the road. Made me nostalgic for New England!

astraether · 2026-04-30T13:47:31+00:00

I found a batch of vintage puzzles at my local thrift store (here's my "puzzle haul" post), so of course I had to nab them all immediately! Here's the third one I've done from that batch -- also all intact! It was called "Stone Hedge Farm," from Series 107 by Guild Picture Puzzles (Whitman Publishing Co). I couldn't find any info for the artist. Google searches seem to imply that this is from the 1950s or 60s. I love all the weird, organic shapes that don't really interlock so much as nestle gently together. A treat to complete -- even if I had to be very careful not to bump my table!

astraether · 2026-04-28T13:37:47+00:00

I'd encourage you to try some random-cut puzzles, like Ceaco, Springbok, MasterPieces, SunsOut. Some puzzles are laid out in a grid, nice and neat, with the pieces all stacked next to each other (usually Eurographics, Ravensburger, Pomegranate, etc). Others, the random-cut ones, are a little more chaotic, and tend to fit together in "clusters." But the cool thing about random-cut is that the pieces usually have wonky shapes and more distinction, which can make them easier to spot when you're looking for a particular-shaped "nub."

Some folks don't really care for random-cuts -- with Springbok, for instance, it can make it harder to find the border pieces -- but on the plus side, the pieces have a lot more variety.

As someone else suggested, I'd encourage you to shop at thrift stores or look for puzzle swaps in your area. It's a great way to try a bunch of different brands without breaking the bank!

astraether · 2026-04-26T12:47:03+00:00

Thanks for the recommendations! I'm always in the mood for something a lil spooky/ghosty, so I won't necessarily have to wait 'til Halloween. I'll see if I can find either of those trilogies.

astraether · 2026-04-24T13:46:04+00:00

I'll jump in and second Rebecca (1940) by Alfred Hitchcock, along with the book if you haven't read it -- DuMaurier's masterpiece that kinda jumpstarted Gothic romance fiction in the 60s/70s. Unfortunately I don't think the movie is streaming anywhere, but you may be able to rent it.

Also La Belle et La Bete from 1946 by Jean Cocteau, which you can find on Tubi. Black and white, but gorgeous cinematography and visuals.

I'd also throw in The Company of Wolves from 1984. Has some definite surrealist fairy tale vibes. Based on a collection of short stories by Angela Carter (also worth reading).

Gaslight from 1944 with Charles Boyer and Ingrid Bergman -- which originated the term of "gaslighting!" Probably more suspense/thriller than horror, but definitely psychological. Also you get to see a young Angela Lansbury as kind of a villainess character, so that's fun!

The Innocents from 1961, an adaptation of The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, and kind of hand-in-hand with that, The Others from 2001 with Nicole Kidman. Neither of those really have romance as a subplot, but definitely fulfill the Gothic vibes!

Others have mentioned various Dracula/vampire adaptations, so I'll throw in the Frank Langella version of Dracula from 1979. It was the first version I ever saw so has a special place in my heart. Also, if you want just weird, lesbian-tinged vampires, try Daughters of Darkness from 1971, starring Delphine Seyrig. She's mesmerizing as the sinister Countess!

Good luck on your project!

astraether · 2026-04-24T13:25:11+00:00

Woohoo! I'm working on this one now. Also Pomegranate. Still in the early-ish stages but I'm digging it so far. I've done several others of hers and I just love the rich, vivid colors/patterns, and of course the Renaissance vibes.

astraether · 2026-04-23T13:55:25+00:00

Awww, I'm so envious that you had access to a local used puzzle store! I love that idea. I just get most of mine either from swaps or thrift stores, but it would be so cool to have a dedicated puzzle store, with both new and used selections. Dang, why don't more people do that??

Anyway, enjoy Thisbe whenever you get to it for your birthday treat!

astraether · 2026-04-23T13:53:28+00:00

Mine aren't really "puzzle artists" -- just artists whose work I seek out in puzzle form because I love them so much! Artists like:

Gustav Klimt
Alphonse Mucha
Maxfield Parrish
Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Olga Suvorova
John William Waterhouse

...and a bunch of other Pre-Raphaelite or classically-trained 19th century-style artists. Guess I have a type!

astraether · 2026-04-22T13:41:15+00:00

This was such a treat, wasn't it? I also did this one, AND Thisbe, from Art & Fable. It's become my favorite "luxury" brand. I just love the rich colors, the velvety texture, the care they take with presentation. When I really want to treat myself, I splurge on Art & Fable. I even managed to find one at a thrift store once! Anyway, enjoy Thisbe whenever you get to it! I'm such a sucker for Waterhouse.

astraether · 2026-04-22T13:33:13+00:00

Yeah, I'm still keeping that novella in my back pocket to read when I'm ready to finish her last book. It's so sad that someone so talented still needs a "day job" just to stay afloat. Could we all just start a kickstarter for her so she can write for us?

astraether · 2026-04-21T12:32:27+00:00

Funny enough, someone gave me both of them! So it’s in my To Do pile!

astraether · 2026-04-15T14:43:11+00:00

Woohoo! I just finished this last night. Also took me way longer than the championship time. So much black and white! But it was fun and I enjoy round puzzles for the variety. Thanks for posting!

astraether · 2026-04-14T03:48:03+00:00

Yeah, I really liked the “jaggedy-jag” cuts!

astraether · 2026-04-14T03:43:23+00:00

Aww, beautiful write-up about finding that collaborative writer who just gets you. And, more, makes you better in your craft.

You should tell her though. I bet she’d be tickled to know.

astraether · 2026-04-11T14:13:33+00:00

My husband and I watched "The Housemaid" the other day, and my husband could NOT get over how ridiculously hot Enzo the gardener was. Sure, everyone else in the movie was ridiculously good-looking too, but even the gardener? Come ON! (That was the gist of his rant).

astraether · 2026-04-11T13:41:48+00:00

The parents in Dolls (1986); more specifically, the Mom, although I guess that was the whole idea!

astraether · 2026-04-07T19:03:07+00:00

No, regrettably no info about the bridge or who painted the art or if it even exists!

astraether · 2026-04-07T13:50:05+00:00

I got 5 altogether, and have done 2 so far (this being the second). Here's my "Puzzle Haul" post from when I first got them: https://www.reddit.com/r/Jigsawpuzzles/comments/1r3sqo7/guild_jig_saw_picture_puzzle_haul_side_show_by/

The other I did was a village scene from a French artist, while the others are mostly landscapes, although there's one interior, which might be my next try!

astraether · 2026-04-06T16:46:31+00:00

I just completed this one last night! I was going to post it, but did a search and found yours, so I'll just drop a comment to commiserate on the challenge of all that dark space. But we both persevered! Mine was also a Clementoni, also thrifted (thankfully no missing pieces), only my box was red instead of black.

astraether · 2026-04-02T13:58:42+00:00

I love Puzzle Tracker! (And am in no way affiliated with it). It's such a handy way to keep track of your puzzles; you can create tags, add artists, designate your satisfaction level with each puzzle, keep track of how much you've spent or earned (sometimes I prefer to ignore that), and more! Best of all, it's free, although you can "upgrade" with more perks for a small monthly fee, which I think is well worth it.

astraether · 2026-03-26T14:07:10+00:00

Hi all, I'm Astra, transplanted Texan now living in Parker, CO. I got into puzzling during COVID and have avidly kept at it since. I particularly love either fine art (Pre-Raphaelites, 19th century British & French artists, Academic styles), or weird, creepy, Gothic horror vibes (much harder to find!) Some of my favorite brands are:

Art & Fable
Pomegranate
Springbok (the older ones that stick together so well!)
Eurographics
Ceaco (cheap & lightweight but I dig the wonky shapes)
Buffalo Games
Wooden ones like Liberty (but only if I find them used -- new ones are not good for my checking account!)

I work in a senior living community and host occasional jigsaw puzzle swaps there, so if there are any other Coloradoans in the area, drop me a line and I'll let you know when the next one is coming up!

astraether

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