Nayu's Jigsaw Puzzling #1

My snazzy jigsaw case outside...

This is going to be an open-ended series of posts, but used the parts so it could be identified (& I'll try to remember to include previous posts in future posts (that does make sense if you read it carefully!). 

While I was ill last week I didn't feel up for gaming a lot of the time, so dived into my jigsaw puzzles. I finally finished the super hard one I'd borrowed from family. 

If you enlarge this picture you may be able to see the different types of puzzle pieces which made it difficult.

This one was evil because as well as using the standard type of jigsaw pieces 

Like these

it used unusual shaped ones. 

Like these but with more radical shapes - some had no holes!

Because of that I found it took a lot longer because my brain had to process the different shapes, and I won't be doing another in a hurry, at least not until I've improved with 'normal' shaped jigsaws. I was rather frustrated by the end, and was determined to finish the monstrosity. I'm happy now back to normal pieces, which if you follow me on Twitter you may have seen me post updates as I made progress. In case you missed it here's the progress of my current 500 piece Country Companions puzzle: 

Super cute! I love the little ladybirds helping the hedgehogs and mice out.

I've loved Country Companions ever since I was little, there's something utterly charming about the hedgehogs and mice. Sadly years ago I threw out all the cross stitch pictures I'd done of them, but one day I'll make some more! (Tip: Keep an eye in sales for cross stitch kits which generally are expensive outside of sales...my favourite online store Sew & Sew (no it's not a promoted post: I genuinely predominantly use them for my embroidery needs) 

Current progress on 14th November 2017 - I'm over half way!

500 pieces and under jigsaw puzzles are easier for me to do in bed, the 1000 piece was impossible to do at my roughest. Just because there are fewer peices doesn't always mean that the puzzle will be easier - it took me ages to sort out the flower sections in my current puzzle. I got there, and managed most of the hedgehog pieces too! I'd love to hear what type of jigsaw puzzles you've tried! 

Over on Nayu's Reading Corner #8 Gaming mania

It's gaming time!!!

Find out about all the games I'm playing lately over on Nayu's Reading Corner!

Nayu's Craft Time #262 Postal Competition (That isn't an NCD competition)

Still dreaming of an American style post box!

Sorry if the title is misleading - this isn't a competition to do with the postal service! It's basically because yesterday I saw 1 postman with shorts on. I asked if he was cold and he said no, and that he can't lose against our other postman. I saw the other one today and yes, he was wearing shorts too! I guess if they are moving around a lot they will stay warm, and since they keep wrapped up with scarf and gloves they may not feel the cold so much, though I still feel a bit sorry for them, even though it's self-inflicted. 

I'm staying nice and toasty inside! The colder weather has begun in earnest, so lots of rest is happening while my body goes on strike. I managed to bake a super yummy vegetable dish yesterday: peas + sweetcorn + baked potato + broccoli + beansprouts + bechemal (white) sauce = winter warmer meal! I haven't got a picture yet - will add one in the next post, but it's delicious (included stock cube & grated mild chedder cheese), and I'm having it for lunch today! (I eat my main meal at lunch)

Too perfect to be my picture! Plus I didn't add herbs.

 Will post my recipe when I do get a picture, but you can put whatever veg you like in (& I guess add meat if you want). I simply Googled a white sauce recipe as I haven't made one for yonks, cut up the potato and broccoli super small, (not quite as small as the peas and sweetcorn), cooked everything in the microwave for speed (separately but only takes a few minutes unlike the many more minutes if I'd cooked it on the hob. My kind of cooking is super fast!), made the sauce then mixed it together! Simple! 

I've been busy working on jigsaw puzzles, something I'll discuss in the next post. Until then...

Currently unwell

Not mine but a randomly cute picture of cat plushies!

I'd hoped to post the recipe for my roasted veg & feta couscous salad by now, and scheduled a few other posts, but I've been unwell since yesterday (nothing specific, just my body being very stupid and annoying), so it will be a few more days until anything new gets put up. I'm resting lots with gaming, jigsaw puzzle when I feel up to it, reading and anime! I hope you're all getting something happy into your days and stay away from germs! 

I found this amusing!