This is the first video of yours that I watched. I "liked" it halfway through it. And I subscribed and turned on notifications when the video was done. The only thing left to say is that, IMO, you are NOT a "nut case" but instead a generous and talented expert sharing her passion and knowledge.
My wife and I just watched this video. She is becoming a serious puzzler and I’m so scared. But for real this was an awesome video and I hope puzzling gets more popular!!!
Great video! Instead of a puzzle board, I put a large inexpensive white board on a card table. The board is large enough to do larger (2000-3000 piece) puzzles I plan on doing and though it’s a little awkward the setup can be moved aside or tucked under a bed if I want to use that area for another purpose for a bit 🙂
Yes puzzling is my ME time. It helps me relax even though most all i know or family thinks its aggrevating. I have puzzled from early teens and during Covid .....it took a huge turn to POPULAR again.......as i had trouble ordering any. 🎉
For many years my mother and I used the shallow rectangular box tops to shoe boxes as our puzzle sorting trays. Set at a slight angle on top of each other they stack up very well. When we were done puzzling, those box tops went back into our closets on their respective shoe boxes. Today I use White Mountain's Puzzle Sorter (sturdy nesting cardboard boxes offering 6 trays). I like how they nest into the size of one puzzle box. I like the puzzle scoop with light that you showed in your video. That looks very handy.
That's a great idea. There really are so many ways you can repurpose something to use as puzzle trays. The puzzle scoop is certainly one of my most handiest tools though.
I also love the puzzle trays . I have a puzzle mat that has a cover and a couple of felted boards for sorting. I find this invaluable as I dont have alot of space and can put it right under the sofa .
I don't know if it's just me, but there is something so satisfying about being able to slide (hide) my puzzle table under the couch. I'm trying to find a taller table so that I'm not sat on the floor all the time, but I still haven't found the perfect one that'll do the same. I love space saving stuff.
You really have good ideas to make the whole puzzle experience fun, special and deep. So far, I never did all that, but I’ll sure think about it now. Thanks.
You're welcome! Feel free to let me know how it works out for you 😊 I can never puzzle without some kind of ambiance that fits the whole mood/experience lol.
@@thepuzzledmandy Now I’m thinking about dressing up in tradition clothes, or in black/yellow/red (belgian flag 😉😂) to finish my « wonderful world » puzzle. Lol. And we sang songs « on the theme » yesterday too. It is true that it helps a lot to relax and it raises up the amount of fun. Definetly a great idea !
Love your personality and ideas in this video! And very delighted I've discovered your TH-cam channel. Looking forward to catching up on your other puzzle videos. Thank you for sharing with us!
Must-haves? SNACKS on SNACKS on SNACKS! 😆I like to listen to audiobooks or a fave movie/TV in the background, especially if it's related to the puzzle image/theme. I live in a NY apartment, so I have two framed corkboards (one small and one large) for building my puzzles; I put one on the coffee table while I'm working. When not in use, I can easily slip under or behind the sofa. The frame keeps the puzzles from slipping off and getting lost. I like the feel of the soft cork. I use the large board for 1k piece White Mountain puzzles, 1,500 piece puzzles, and anything measuring more than the standard sizes.
Nothing better than tons of snacks to munch on during puzzle time! Gotta keep that energy going lol. Using corkboards sounds like a great idea. I for sure know how small NY apartments can be, so anything to save space is a must.
One item you might add to a list of puzzling essentials is a comfortable chair, especially if you're going at it for long periods of time. Those heavily padded office chairs, I think, work best, but if all you have is one of those hard metal folding chairs you can buy relatively inexpensive seat cushions and that might help too.
Love that table. Is it big enough for 2000 pieces. I do have the sorting trays. They are one of my most brilliant purchases. I got them during lockdown for £1. An absolute bargain.
Unfortunately, it can only fit up to a 1500 count. I'm really trying to find another table that's bigger. I agree with the sorting trays, they are super fantastic and handy. You got a great deal on yours!
I may have used kitchen spatulas to move puzzles around 😮😊and I also have a little mini battery operated vacuum that I love for all the puzzle dust on my board.
Wow, kitchen spatulas are an excellent idea😆 I didn’t think of that. And they come in many sizes! And now you got me looking into mini vacuums to clean my board up 🤣
I don't go in for a great deal in the accessories department. I use large catering trays for my pieces and foam core board to do the jigsaw on. I would love to have music on but I am deaf and to hear anything worthwhile I would have to have the volume at ridiculously high levels. That would probably annoy the neighbours no end! 😮
Yes catering trays work great too! I’m trying to find a good sized foam board to complete my much bigger puzzles on. My puzzle table is a few inches too small for them. Can’t have neighbors bugging you during your puzzle time!
that puzzle scoop is interesting and new to me! I have an amazing cookie/baking spatula I use to move my puzzle pieces. i also use old cookie sheets as sorting trays when I need extras TFS
Hey, whatever works is great, and using a spatula and cookie sheets is a great idea! I wouldn't have thought of using those for puzzling, I'd just want to bake cookies 😂
Late to the game as i just found this post but I save chocolate boxes from Christmas for sorting they are small but you can use the top and bottom or cover them when you need to
Cool idea. I've been using rinsed and dried clean cookie tins from Christmas butter cookies, because they also have lids. I like the pizzazz of fun and functional accessories. I found a magnifying glass, but no light, for only $4 at Harbor Freight.
Hello Mandy, oh my goodness you so get puzzling. This video explains in very good detail the whole reason behind puzzles. Making an image to form a beautiful artwork that you have chosen requires a serene individual environment, with this, it’s possible to forget the woes and stresses of life. Mandy, thanks so much for sharing this passion. As always, happy puzzling from Melbourne Australia. M😎🇦🇺
Oh thank you! It's been wonderful knowing that others are as passionate as I am with puzzle time. Every puzzler should take the time to really make it a special and personal moment. You have to make that mental escape happen!
I loved the video. Very funny. I was highly amused all the way through. I have a „dust buster“, hand held small hoover for cleaning my table in between puzzles „ must I have it„ definitely not but, I wouldn’t be without it anymore 😅
So glad you enjoyed it and happy to keep you smiling! Now I have to admit, I would of never thought of having a small hoover to pick up dust between puzzles, such a great idea! Now I need to look for one :D
I use sorting trays, but I prefer just plain ol’ rectangular ones so pieces don’t “hide” in the nooks and crannies of shaped ones. And I find they’re easier to grab on straight sides. But otherwise, 👌🏼
That's a really good point. I do love my puzzle piece shaped trays, but pieces do tend to get lost in them at times or I can't really fit much in them. It would really make more sense to just use rectangular ones as they would hold more pieces and provide more sorting space.
@@thepuzzledmandy We each have our own little quirks. Nothing is right or wrong 😉. But also I like the fact that your puzzle trays also fit together like puzzle pieces!
I didnt even knew something like that puzzle scoop exsisted! 😮 I need it! Both the light and the magnifyer look very usefull. I use similar puzzle trays and they are very convenient, easy to use, and my cat prefers to walk around them which is nice. (Although he sometimes knockes the whole tray of the table🤨)
Hooooly cow, I love the idea of that magnifying sheet + mini flashlight. I think I'd use that for more than puzzling, since my old eyes are getting creaky :) (update: omg, I never knew my phone has a magnifying glass built in! I mean... it's just the camera zoom, but wow that is so handy.)
Yes, the puzzle scoop is fantastic, and is really handy for more challenging puzzles with small details. I used it so much on one of my last puzzles that the batteries went flat LOL. Yes, the camera zoom makes an excellent magnifier!
Nice video! I thought of making a "What I need video". I have complete different things on my list 😅 I made a Ceaco Puzzle this week and I thought about the scoop all the time. I'm to clumsy to move piece-islands from a to b with that producer 😄😄
Cool idea for a video! I'd be curious to see what you'd need lol. I can be pretty clumsy with moving bits around as well, so that scoop is starting to really come in handy.
Great tips, I like the ideas. I already have the Ravensburger puzzle trays. Do you think listening to an audio book while you work on a puzzle is a good idea? Would that take away from enjoying puzzling?
If you enjoy listening to audiobooks, go for it! Whatever makes you relax. I personally would struggle to follow along with what’s happening in the audiobook while puzzling, which is why I usually have music just playing in the background. Give it a try and see how it feels 😁
I have fun just trying to decide what I'm going to do to set the mood for my puzzle time. Sometimes, the scent can transport you even more and quicker into the image 😁
This is the first video of yours that I watched. I "liked" it halfway through it. And I subscribed and turned on notifications when the video was done. The only thing left to say is that, IMO, you are NOT a "nut case" but instead a generous and talented expert sharing her passion and knowledge.
Thank you so much, I greatly appreciate that 🤗🤗🤗
My wife and I just watched this video. She is becoming a serious puzzler and I’m so scared.
But for real this was an awesome video and I hope puzzling gets more popular!!!
Thank you so much, so happy you enjoyed the video🤗 and be afraid…be very afraid…her puzzle collection may suddenly double in size overnight🤣
@@thepuzzledmandy well… She found the 60,000 piece dowdle puzzle for 50% off at a warehouse sale… so quite literally you called it
I love that you take puzzling so seriously- makes me feel less alone! 😄
😆I also love to hear that I’m not alone!
😂😂😂😂 now I feel less alone
Great video! Instead of a puzzle board, I put a large inexpensive white board on a card table. The board is large enough to do larger (2000-3000 piece) puzzles I plan on doing and though it’s a little awkward the setup can be moved aside or tucked under a bed if I want to use that area for another purpose for a bit 🙂
Good idea! I’m still trying to figure out what to do for my much larger puzzles because they will not fit on my puzzle table.
Yes puzzling is my ME time. It helps me relax even though most all i know or family thinks its aggrevating. I have puzzled from early teens and during Covid .....it took a huge turn to POPULAR again.......as i had trouble ordering any. 🎉
Covid surely gave a lot of people free time to puzzle. Not surprising people went crazy ordering them lol.
For many years my mother and I used the shallow rectangular box tops to shoe boxes as our puzzle sorting trays. Set at a slight angle on top of each other they stack up very well. When we were done puzzling, those box tops went back into our closets on their respective shoe boxes. Today I use White Mountain's Puzzle Sorter (sturdy nesting cardboard boxes offering 6 trays). I like how they nest into the size of one puzzle box. I like the puzzle scoop with light that you showed in your video. That looks very handy.
That's a great idea. There really are so many ways you can repurpose something to use as puzzle trays. The puzzle scoop is certainly one of my most handiest tools though.
what a great creative idea
Thank you! 😊
I have both the puzzle scoop and the sorting trays.
Nice! Do you tend to use them often?
@@thepuzzledmandy Yes I do
I also love the puzzle trays . I have a puzzle mat that has a cover and a couple of felted boards for sorting. I find this invaluable as I dont have alot of space and can put it right under the sofa .
I don't know if it's just me, but there is something so satisfying about being able to slide (hide) my puzzle table under the couch. I'm trying to find a taller table so that I'm not sat on the floor all the time, but I still haven't found the perfect one that'll do the same. I love space saving stuff.
You really have good ideas to make the whole puzzle experience fun, special and deep. So far, I never did all that, but I’ll sure think about it now. Thanks.
You're welcome! Feel free to let me know how it works out for you 😊 I can never puzzle without some kind of ambiance that fits the whole mood/experience lol.
@@thepuzzledmandy Now I’m thinking about dressing up in tradition clothes, or in black/yellow/red (belgian flag 😉😂) to finish my « wonderful world » puzzle. Lol. And we sang songs « on the theme » yesterday too. It is true that it helps a lot to relax and it raises up the amount of fun. Definetly a great idea !
Love your personality and ideas in this video! And very delighted I've discovered your TH-cam channel. Looking forward to catching up on your other puzzle videos. Thank you for sharing with us!
Thanks so much and welcome😊!! Hope you enjoy my other videos!
Terrific video. Agree about the ambience importance and enjoy your humor. Subscribed.
Welcome aboard and thank you! :D
I very much enjoyed you in this video lol
LOL thank you!
Must-haves? SNACKS on SNACKS on SNACKS! 😆I like to listen to audiobooks or a fave movie/TV in the background, especially if it's related to the puzzle image/theme. I live in a NY apartment, so I have two framed corkboards (one small and one large) for building my puzzles; I put one on the coffee table while I'm working. When not in use, I can easily slip under or behind the sofa. The frame keeps the puzzles from slipping off and getting lost. I like the feel of the soft cork. I use the large board for 1k piece White Mountain puzzles, 1,500 piece puzzles, and anything measuring more than the standard sizes.
Nothing better than tons of snacks to munch on during puzzle time! Gotta keep that energy going lol. Using corkboards sounds like a great idea. I for sure know how small NY apartments can be, so anything to save space is a must.
One item you might add to a list of puzzling essentials is a comfortable chair, especially if you're going at it for long periods of time. Those heavily padded office chairs, I think, work best, but if all you have is one of those hard metal folding chairs you can buy relatively inexpensive seat cushions and that might help too.
That's a good one to add for when I do another video like this, thank you! I always puzzled on the floor, so I didn't think about a chair LOL.
A must have that I use is glue sticks. Older puzzle pieces sometimes need a little glue to reconnect the printed paper with cardboard.
That's a great tip. I try to keep a glue stick close by whenever I can, but my child keeps using them up 😅
I listen to a book on CD when I puzzle. Though sometimes I'm so engaged by the puzzle that I don't hear it.
I used to listen to podcasts while I puzzled, but yea I would never remember what I listened to Lolol.
You are so cool! Just starting puzzling, but I am having so much fun that I already ordered my table. Thanks
Love that table. Is it big enough for 2000 pieces.
I do have the sorting trays. They are one of my most brilliant purchases. I got them during lockdown for £1. An absolute bargain.
Unfortunately, it can only fit up to a 1500 count. I'm really trying to find another table that's bigger. I agree with the sorting trays, they are super fantastic and handy. You got a great deal on yours!
I may have used kitchen spatulas to move puzzles around 😮😊and I also have a little mini battery operated vacuum that I love for all the puzzle dust on my board.
Wow, kitchen spatulas are an excellent idea😆 I didn’t think of that. And they come in many sizes! And now you got me looking into mini vacuums to clean my board up 🤣
I love to hear you talk!! Enjoy your puzzles
Thank you lol!
I don't go in for a great deal in the accessories department. I use large catering trays for my pieces and foam core board to do the jigsaw on. I would love to have music on but I am deaf and to hear anything worthwhile I would have to have the volume at ridiculously high levels. That would probably annoy the neighbours no end! 😮
Yes catering trays work great too! I’m trying to find a good sized foam board to complete my much bigger puzzles on. My puzzle table is a few inches too small for them.
Can’t have neighbors bugging you during your puzzle time!
that puzzle scoop is interesting and new to me! I have an amazing cookie/baking spatula I use to move my puzzle pieces. i also use old cookie sheets as sorting trays when I need extras TFS
Hey, whatever works is great, and using a spatula and cookie sheets is a great idea! I wouldn't have thought of using those for puzzling, I'd just want to bake cookies 😂
I am new to the puzzle community and loved your video and sense of humor! Thank you for making me laugh and for the great tips.
Thank you so much 🤗🤗🤗And you are very welcome!
I'm gonna definitely look into that magnifying glass w/the led light! I'm over here using the light from my cell phone 😶. TFS!!!
The cell phone light works great too, but the magnifying tool is a very handy and quick gadget.
Has no one used cookie sheets with sides. A buck at the dollar store
Cookie sheets would work great too! I didn’t think of that.
Yes. Thats what I use.
Late to the game as i just found this post but I save chocolate boxes from Christmas for sorting they are small but you can use the top and bottom or cover them when you need to
That's a great idea! Especially since you have lids for them.
Cool idea. I've been using rinsed and dried clean cookie tins from Christmas butter cookies, because they also have lids. I like the pizzazz of fun and functional accessories. I found a magnifying glass, but no light, for only $4 at Harbor Freight.
I need to work on getting indirect light in my puzzling lair. Glare gives me a headache.
Glare is a big issue in my room, the lighting is terrible. I'm in the process of working it out though and hopefully it'll help.
Hello Mandy, oh my goodness you so get puzzling. This video explains in very good detail the whole reason behind puzzles. Making an image to form a beautiful artwork that you have chosen requires a serene individual environment, with this, it’s possible to forget the woes and stresses of life. Mandy, thanks so much for sharing this passion. As always, happy puzzling from Melbourne Australia. M😎🇦🇺
Oh thank you! It's been wonderful knowing that others are as passionate as I am with puzzle time. Every puzzler should take the time to really make it a special and personal moment. You have to make that mental escape happen!
I loved the video. Very funny. I was highly amused all the way through. I have a „dust buster“, hand held small hoover for cleaning my table in between puzzles „ must I have it„ definitely not but, I wouldn’t be without it anymore 😅
So glad you enjoyed it and happy to keep you smiling!
Now I have to admit, I would of never thought of having a small hoover to pick up dust between puzzles, such a great idea! Now I need to look for one :D
I use sorting trays, but I prefer just plain ol’ rectangular ones so pieces don’t “hide” in the nooks and crannies of shaped ones. And I find they’re easier to grab on straight sides. But otherwise, 👌🏼
That's a really good point. I do love my puzzle piece shaped trays, but pieces do tend to get lost in them at times or I can't really fit much in them. It would really make more sense to just use rectangular ones as they would hold more pieces and provide more sorting space.
@@thepuzzledmandy We each have our own little quirks. Nothing is right or wrong 😉. But also I like the fact that your puzzle trays also fit together like puzzle pieces!
You are my favorite TH-camr! 🧩
😊Thank you so much! Happy you're enjoying my channel!
I didnt even knew something like that puzzle scoop exsisted! 😮 I need it! Both the light and the magnifyer look very usefull.
I use similar puzzle trays and they are very convenient, easy to use, and my cat prefers to walk around them which is nice. (Although he sometimes knockes the whole tray of the table🤨)
Kitties are always up to no good. I always catch my cat nibbling on the corners of my table LOL. The scoop is a great buy and really not expensive.
Hooooly cow, I love the idea of that magnifying sheet + mini flashlight. I think I'd use that for more than puzzling, since my old eyes are getting creaky :) (update: omg, I never knew my phone has a magnifying glass built in! I mean... it's just the camera zoom, but wow that is so handy.)
Yes, the puzzle scoop is fantastic, and is really handy for more challenging puzzles with small details. I used it so much on one of my last puzzles that the batteries went flat LOL. Yes, the camera zoom makes an excellent magnifier!
Nice video! I thought of making a "What I need video". I have complete different things on my list 😅
I made a Ceaco Puzzle this week and I thought about the scoop all the time. I'm to clumsy
to move piece-islands from a to b with that producer 😄😄
Cool idea for a video! I'd be curious to see what you'd need lol. I can be pretty clumsy with moving bits around as well, so that scoop is starting to really come in handy.
Great tips, I like the ideas. I already have the Ravensburger puzzle trays. Do you think listening to an audio book while you work on a puzzle is a good idea? Would that take away from enjoying puzzling?
If you enjoy listening to audiobooks, go for it! Whatever makes you relax. I personally would struggle to follow along with what’s happening in the audiobook while puzzling, which is why I usually have music just playing in the background. Give it a try and see how it feels 😁
I love everything about this video ❤😊. I too light candles and wax melts while puzzling.
I have fun just trying to decide what I'm going to do to set the mood for my puzzle time. Sometimes, the scent can transport you even more and quicker into the image 😁
Good video!!
Happy you enjoyed it!
I sometimes use my phone camera as a magnifier. I may also tend to drink a little wine when I puzzle.
Using the phone for a magnifier is a great idea, I didn't think about that! Wine is never a bad thing to relax with LOL.
Just found you and subscribed. You are such a pleasure to watch!!
Oh thank you! And welcome to my channel! 🤩
I use cardboard as sorting trays, and when I was little I used books
Cardboard is a great idea and great way to recycle!
I just redid my space. I’m loving it!
What changes did you make?
Not gonna lie I can listen to you all day it’s like asmr lol
😅Thank you.
I'm such a fan 🎉 thanks you're awesome🧩💖
Thank you so much! Happy to hear you're enjoying my channel 😁