Lifting the Lid: Department Store 1000 Piece Puzzle

Oh boy, this was daunting! I actually wasn’t sure how enjoyable this experience was going to turn out. I wasn’t giving up, but it seemed like work more than fun, and felt as if it would take weeks to put it together. I was wrong on both counts.

The “work” continued. I was never actually discouraged, but it still looked like it might take forever. Then, for reasons I can’t really explain, I suddenly said to myself “I’m having fun!”. And in the end, I spent no more time doing this puzzle than most of the other 1000 piece puzzles I’ve done. Certainly I was challenged, and yes, I felt accomplished putting in the last piece. Admittedly, I referenced the box top / poster . . . umm, a lot.

Puzzling — it is the most calming activity I have ever done. No matter how complicated a puzzle looks, the process stays the same. Getting lost in it, not thinking about anything else, taking a break and realizing how much I feel at peace - it’s amazing!

Puzzle quality - since this is my first Gibsons puzzle, I can’t make comparisons, but this one, dare I say, was perfect! Box pic and enclosed poster had excellent piece color match, The finish is matte. No puzzle dust, sealed plastic bag of sturdy pieces that were thicker than other brands, good variety of traditional shapes, none were stuck together or damaged in any way, none were missing. Piece fit was tight enough to pick up or move sections around. Okay, nothing’s perfect - the well made box, secured with 2 clear stickers, is overly big and did not show puzzle measurements. No stars off for that! If you are a new puzzler like me stay positive and enjoy the process. This is a great puzzle!