Attic Treasures

Hi Puzzlers,

How many of you remember your Grandmothers’ attics! I was looking at our Attic Treasures puzzle and noticed it looked a lot like my Grandmother’s, or Memere as the French would say, and the memories came flooding back.

My sister and I would spend hours up in the attic, playing and pretending we were “old fashion people.” We’d feed the old dolls on the high chairs and made pretend phone calls while strutting around in the old dresses, hats and saddle shoes. It was a whole different world to us.

The smell of the attic and all those mothballs and cedar blocks could sometimes be overwhelming but we just cracked open a window and continued playing. In the heat of the summer the temperatures would make staying up there long almost impossible, so we would grab a few of the day’s treasures and be off to the back yard.

My Grandmother even had the same Electrolux vacuum. My sister and I would take turns pulling each other around on the back of the vacuum pretending it was a train. Next came the treasure hunt. How many of you remember the tin full of buttons-oh my, what a treasure chest that was!

One of my personal favorites was the trunk full of old uniforms, which we were never allowed to touch. We could only gaze with wonder and amazement that someone in our family had worn these impressive clothes.

So thanks to all the Grandmothers, Memeres, Mims, MaMos, Grammas, Ya Yas, and Nannies for saving those “Attic Treasures”. You’ve given us memories that will last a lifetime!

Puzzlers-we would love to hear a story about your attic treasures!

Happy Puzzling!

"Missing Pieces"

Hi Puzzlers,

Today’s topic is the notorious “Missing Piece.”

We got inspired to write about this when our office cat, Kramer, was caught red handed messing with our puzzle. Yes, that’s him. Don’t let the cute brute fool you-he is a trickster!

As we sorted through some of the many, many missing piece explanations we’ve received through the years, a pattern started to emerge. It appears several of our loving pets seem to share this prankster behavior. Continue reading the true stories of fellow puzzlers who have also been victims of these shenanigans!

“I wrote to you about a missing piece and you were exactly right! We found the missing piece yesterday out on the back porch. We’re blaming the cat.”

“Great News!” I found both of my missing pieces. One was actually under the felt of the puzzle roll-up system, which was under the puzzle itself. So how it got there is anybody’s guess. The other one is an even bigger mystery. It was under the paper covering the floor of my parrot’s cage. I’ve lived here long enough to know the house isn’t haunted. But I do have some suspicions about my dog and bird being in cahoots to cause some mischief! Seriously though, this is a strange one.”

“It showed up today. Right in the middle of the living room, which had been vacuumed more than once since its disappearance? I am highly suspicious that the cat had something to do with this mystery.”

“My little girl found the last piece on her Dad’s bathroom counter. I’m not sure if she brought it there or if our kitten did.”

Please note a missing puzzle piece is a relatively rare occurrence, considering the millions of puzzles that we sell. Very infrequently a piece is actually missing from the box but more likely, the piece has simply been misplaced somewhere in your home regardless of how experienced and careful you are with your puzzles.

We ask customers to allow a few days, keeping an eye out as they go about their day-to-day routine. Nine times out of ten the piece will show up, and not necessarily in the same room where the puzzle is being constructed – or, sometimes, not even in the same house!

If you feel you’ve searched thoroughly and still cannot find your missing piece, give us a call at 1-800-548-8009 extension 19.

Happy Puzzling!

P.S. Kramer has yet to admit to any wrong doing!

Stable Mates

Hi Puzzlers,

I just got the list of our best selling puzzles for 2009 and one of them, Stable Mates, got me wondering about the Budweiser Clydesdales and their Dalmatian sidekicks. We all recognize them immediately when we see them, even if we don’t drink beer, but what’s the story behind one of the best marketing mascots of our times?

It all began in 1933 after the repeal of Prohibition when August A. Busch Jr. gave his father a hitch of Clydesdales pulling a red, white and gold beer wagon. Mr. Busch Sr. immediately recognized the horses as an advertising tool.

Mr. Busch had the horses sent by train to New York City. Once in New York, the Clydesdales then went to New Jersey Newark Airport to pick up two cases of Budweiser beer which were given to Alfred Smith, former governor of New York. Mr. Smith was instrumental in the repeal of Prohibition.

This was the first stop of many as the Clydesdales began their tour of New England and the Middle Atlantic States. One of the most notable stops was to the White House, where a case of Budweiser was delivered to President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

In the 1950s Budweiser added the Dalmatians to the team. Budweiser chose the Dalmatian because of their long history with beer wagons. In the early days of brewing Dalmatians where sent to protect the horses and the wagon while the driver was inside making the delivery. Back then the dogs would run behind the wagons! Now the Dalmatians can be found seated next to the driver. Puppies are usually paired with mature dogs to learn the ropes and acclimate to the horses. This builds a strong bond between dog and horse. The dogs even sleep with the horses in the stables! They definitely look like best friends!

Happy Puzzling!

Meet Artist James Mellet

Hi Puzzlers,

We would like you to meet artist James Mellett. Jim's artistic talent is behind some of our most popular puzzles. He has been working with White Mountain Puzzles for over a decade.

Jim is a Pittsburgh native and has been a freelance illustrator for almost 20 years, working out of his home studio. He has a BFA from Indiana University of PA (IUP) and an Associate Degree from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. Jim has completed 22 large montage illustrations for White Mountain Puzzles Inc. Some of his most popular titles are Television History, Hollywood, Ireland, The 60's, and Rock 'n' Roll.

He has exhibited at Society of Illustrators/LA, Illustration West 39th Annual Show, Kipp Gallery at IUP, Renaissance Gallery in Carnegie, PA; James Gallery, Create-A-Frame Handworks Gallery, and frequently at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh Gallery. Jim has also won awards for his sports art in the Beckett Magazine Annual Sports Art Gallery. Jim is a founding member of the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators (PSI), and he has been serving the PSI in the position of secretary since 1999. He lives in Mt. Lebanon, a Pittsburgh suburb, with wife Jan, and daughter Kathryn.Click on Jim to view all of his great jigsaw puzzle designs.

Let us know your favorite!

Happy Puzzling!

Happy New Year!

Hi Puzzlers,

We would like to wish you & your families a very Happy New Year!

To help you get it started we have discovered some "Superstitions/Traditions" that must be done in order to assure the New Year is off to a good start, assist in warding off evil spirits, and attract good luck.

Before January 1st you must stock the cupboards and pay all bills -- and this includes mailing them out. Every wallet must have lots of money in it! (Monopoly money doesn't count.) Put in as much as you can as this will set the tone for the coming year.

At the stroke of midnight you must kiss those who mean the most to you. Doing so helps ensure that love and family bonds will continue throughout the year. If you fail to smooch, you could be in for a year that lacks affection and feels lonely. Also at midnight, all doors must be opened to help the old year out. The New Year can't come in until then. Do not forget to make as much noise as possible to celebrate and welcome in the New Year, which also scares away evil spirits because they don't like loud noise and avoid it at all cost. Whew!!! That's a lot to do in 12 strokes.

On New Year's Day wear new clothes because you'll want more new clothes in the coming year. Pick one very small work-related project which can be done quickly and do it. Don't work all day, as to do so is very unlucky. Avoid doing laundry, sweeping floors and taking anything, including the trash, out of the house. If something needs to leave the house on New Year's Day, put it in the car overnight the day before!

The hog symbolizes prosperity so your New Year's Day meals should consist of anything hog-related. Why, you may ask? Hogs root forward, which is considered very lucky, while cows stand still and any poultry scratch backwards in the dirt. We want thing to keep moving forward in a positive way. Other lucky foods include cabbage, because it looks like paper money, and anything round such as peas, lentils, etc. that resemble coins. The Dutch favorite is the donut. Rice is also considered lucky.

So, with all that being said, here is my personal New Year's Day feast: Cabbage rolls stuffed with pork and topped with sweet tomato chutney served on a bed of sauerkraut with sides dishes of long grain brown rice and a mixture of black-eyed peas and lentils. And, you guessed it -- donuts for dessert! I'll let you all know how it turns out, and if you have any lucky New Year's Day traditions please share them with us!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy Holidays

Hi Puzzlers,

We would like to wish and your families a Happy Holiday.

During this festive time it seems that most families and cultures have their own holiday traditions. Some are based around activities and some around food and drinks. We found some of them to be very unusual and different and thought it would be fun to share a few of them with you. Maybe they will become your new holiday traditions.

Our first and favorite is the holiday puzzle, where family and friends gather around to help assemble it and share conversation. Don’t forget to mark the back of the puzzle with the year it was completed and have everyone who helped sign his or her name. It will be a cherished keepsake for years to come.

Or try the German tradition of hiding a “Pickle” ornament in the tree and whoever finds it gets an extra gift! In Romania, children clean their boots on December 6th and line them at the door in hopes that Santa’s cousin might bring them a gift.

One inventive family, in an attempt to bridge the gap between Hanukkah and Christmas, decorates their tree with spray painted bagels! Others put an “Elf on the Shelf”. The elf is put where the children can see it but not touch it and they are told that each night he goes back to Santa and tells if you were naughty or nice. The elf needs to be moved every night to a new location, so the kids will have to look for him each day thus adding to the fun.

On the adult based traditions try the traditional “Gag Gift”. You know, the soap on the rope and fruitcakes that get re-gifted every year! If that’s not your style, try predicting the future by writing your predictions down on paper and sealing them in an envelope till next year. Then open last year’s predictions and try to figure out who wrote them and see how accurate they were. Or for the more physically inclined try the “Tree Toss”. Once the holidays are over toss the tree out of the highest window in your home, then drag it to the curb. It’s said to relieve the winter blues in a flash.

Puzzlers - we would love to know what your holiday traditions are.

Happy Holidays!

All That Jazz

Hi Puzzlers,

Most everyone loves Jazz music, or as in the case of my daughter and me, you will grow to love the music once you are exposed to it. My father would always have some kind of Jazz music playing in the background and if one of his kids walked by he would grab their hand and whip us around as if dancing the Jitterbug.

Among my Dad’s favorites were Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Frank Sinatra and the “Rat Pack” (Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr.), Count Basie and Nat King Cole, just to mention a few. When ever I hear their music I am reminded of my father and the impact Jazz music has had on music since its inception.

Jazz, sometimes referred to as “America’s classical music”, began in the 1700s and played an important role in African American culture. Songs were used to tell a story, to pass the time, and soulful songs were used to express religious beliefs and hopes for freedom. These songs helped make up the foundation of jazz music.

In the 1800s African American composer Scott Joplin combined the musical traditions of many European immigrants with the rhythmic and melodic music of the black communities to form what is now call Ragtime.

During the 1900s New Orleans became a melting pot of musical traditions. Immigrants from all over the world began to combine musical styles such as blues, ragtime and marching band and it is this combination that created a new style of music called JAZZ.

As African Americans began to migrate north in the 1920’s, bringing with them the sounds of blues and jazz music, the popularity of the new music took hold on many young Americans. Listening to and dancing to this new music was seen as a rebellion against their parents. Young woman cut their hair and hem lines and became know as Flappers.

By the 1930s, the new jazz “Big Band Swing” was the most popular and it kept everyone dancing at the local dance halls. But as soon as WWII began in the 1940s it was difficult to find musicians to play in the dance halls as many had gone off to serve the country.

Television in the 1950s had slowly replaced dance halls as a form of entertainment. Television variety shows introduced a new form of music-“Rock N Roll”. Many performers such as Elvis Presley became overnight successes.

During the civil right movement of the 1960s many African American musicians broke free from companies holding the rights to their music and started controlling it themselves. Most successful were those from Motown Records.

From the 1970s to the present, jazz music has had many changes and continues to evolve into many different variations. A few years back I purchased a new CD by a group called Jamiroquai - as it turns out, it is considered to be one of the new jazz variations call Acid Jazz. It looks like my father’s influence is still with me. Thanks Dad!

What's your favorite jazz style or performer!

Happy Puzzling!

Artist Royce McClure

Hi Puzzlers,

We would like you to meet artist Royce McClure. Royce has been licensing his fabulous artwork to White Mountain Puzzles since 2005.

Royce B. McClure was born in Tokoroa, New Zealand in 1956. He has been a diving and tropical fish enthusiast since the age of 12. Royce has been painting full time since 1975. In 1977 he moved to Australia where he took up the airbrush and became a commercial illustrator. In 1981 he moved to Los Angeles and continued illustrating until returning to fine art in 1986.

In a field where it is sometimes hard to tell one artist's work from another, Royce's images stand alone with their bold abstract designs and unique color schemes.

Recently returning to New Zealand with his wife and four children, Royce now paints at his home-studio in the seaside town of Mt. Maunganui.

Notes on the Artists Technique:

Most of the images on the Royce Art site were painted with an airbrush. A few of them such as Family Reunion were brush painted in acrylic. Royce uses mostly Iwata HP-SB airbrushes: Three or four are plugged into a compressor at the same time sharing about 10 color cups!

Lately Royce is using the computer more and more not to completely paint images but to quickly modify or reprocess an image for an alternative use. The advantage of using the computer over an airbrush is its speed and versatility. It is also easier to fix mistakes so requires less concentration. It is, however, harder on the artist's eyes and doesn't result in an actual physical original piece of art. Because of this, Royce's future work will mostly remain airbrush art with computer modifications as needed.

Thanks for the amazing artwork, Royce!

Happy Puzzling!

Internet Shopping Safety Tips

Hi Puzzlers,

“Black Friday” officially started the Christmas and Holiday shopping season and “Cyber Monday” unofficially kicked off the beginning of the online Holiday shopping season. For many this can be a very stressful time and ordering online can be scary. In an effort to assist our puzzlers, we have researched the best safety tips the Internet has to offer. We were pleased to find lots articles of advice on “How to Holiday Shop Online Safely”. Below is a list of the most popular tips.

1. Protect your PC- Make sure your personal computer has recent updates installed for Spam filters, anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and a secure firewall.

2. Trusted Websites – Shoppers should know whom they are dealing with. Confirm the online seller’s physical address and phone number. Anyone can set up an online store under any name. Do not respond to the pop-up asking for personal or financial information. Real companies would not ask for this type of information via emails and pop-ups (phising). Check for security seals, such as a lock icon and the http (URL) has an “s” in it. The https:// stands for secure.

3. Pay by credit or charge card - By using a credit or charge card you are protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act. This law gives you the right to dispute charges and temporarily withhold payment while the credit card company investigates your claims. Never use your debit card, as you have no rights protecting you from fraud or theft.

4. Refund Policies and Delivery Dates – Make sure you know if you can return the item for a full refund and who pays the shipping for the return. Is the refund for a store credit or cash refund? Know when you should expect delivery of your item.

5. Print & Save – Keep documentation of your order. If confirmation was sent by email, keep the email and save any and all correspondence with the retailer.

6. Wear comfortable slippers, get a comfortable chair and pour a nice cup of tea, you could be at your computer for hours!


Puzzler we would love to hear about your great shopping tips.

Happy Puzzling!

Meet Artist Terry Redlin

Hi Puzzlers,

We would like you meet artist Terry Redlin. Few artists can rival the standards of excellence achieved by Master Artist Terry Redlin over the past 30 years. He is truly one of the country's most widely collected painters of wildlife and Americana images and we are please to have several exclusive licenses of his artwork.

For eight consecutive years, 1991 through 1998, Redlin has been named America's Most Popular Artist in annual gallery surveys conducted by U.S. ART magazine. His induction into U.S. ART's Hall of Fame in 1992 followed the magazine's poll of 900 galleries nationwide which, that year, placed five of Redlin's limited editions in the top 11 in popularity.

Over the life of the poll, 30 prints have been included in that list. His use of earthy colors, nostalgic themes, blazing sunsets and cozy sunsets are just a few of the many reasons for Terry's immense popularity.

Happy Puzzling!

A Salute To Veterans

Hi Puzzlers,

Today’s post is being dedicated to all the men and woman who are serving or have served in our Armed Forces.

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, an armistice, or temporary suspension of fighting, was declared between the Allied Nations and Germany during World War I. This “armistice” took effect until the peace treaty, the infamous Treaty of Versailles, was signed some six months later on June 28, 1919.

On November 11, 1919 President Woodrow Wilson proclaim the first Armistice Day, and in 1938, Congress voted Armistice Day a federal holiday, “dedicated to the cause of world peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations.”

Unfortunately 1939 ushered in World War II (1941–1945 American involvement) with a mobilization of 16 million people, and soon after the Korean War (1950 – 1953) with a mobilization of 5.7 million people.

On June 1,1954, after lobbying efforts by veterans' service organizations, Congress amended the 1938 act and changed Armistice Day to Veterans Day. Since then, November 11th has become a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

In 1971 Congress tried to change the date of observance to the fourth Monday of October to ensure a three-day weekend for employees and to encourage consumerism - OOPS - “tourism and travel.” But it soon became apparent that many Americans held the actual date with historical and patriotic meaning and in 1978 Veteran’s Day was returned to its original day, November 11th.

In our small office here in Jackson NH we have several immediate family members whom have served or continue to serve our country and we would like to honor them today.


Thomas Mulkern-Army
Paul G Boucher- Army

Thomas Kingsbury -Army-Vietnam
Louis Verani -Navy-World War II
Gregory Love-Air Force
Mark Perkins-Air Force
Dean Bloomberg-Air Force
John Underwood-Air Force-World War II
Arthur Bloomberg-Air Force-World War II

John "Jack" Motherway-Air Force-World War II
Doug Hamilton-Marines-Desert Shield
Joseph Mulkern-Marines- Korean War

Salute!

Baseball World Series

Hi Puzzlers,

It’s World Series time again! This year's series is between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillie’s and so far it is one of the highest TV rated World Series of the decade. Some have said this is because the New York Yankee fans are the most dedicated fans, but any Boston Red Sox fan would say THEY are the most dedicated! And so the rivalry continues.

The 2009 World Series comes at a great time for New York fans with the opening of the new stadium on April 2, 2009. The new Yankee Stadium is located in the Bronx, which is the northernmost borough of New York City. This stadium replaces the old Yankee Stadium, built in 1923, and is located across the street at what was once known as the Macomb Dam Park.

During construction of the stadium, a construction worker and avid Boston Red Sox fan, buried a replica jersey of Red Sox player David Ortiz underneath the visitors' dugout with the hopes of placing a "hex" on the Yankees. After the worker was exposed by co-workers, he was forced to help uncover and remove the jersey. The worker has since claimed to have buried a 2004 American League Champion Series program/scorecard, but has not said where he placed it.

One of the new features of the Stadium are the seats. The new seats are 19–24 inches wide, up from the previous stadium's 18–22-inch wide seats, while there is 33–39 inches of leg room, up from 29.5 inches of leg room in the previous stadium. In order to do this, they eliminated 4000 seats! Several lower level seats are cushioned and all seats are equipped with cup holders. WOW! I think they were really thinking about the comfort of their fans when they designed this stadium! All major airlines please take note!

So whether you’re a New York Yankees fan or a collector you may want to check out our Collector’s Edition New York Stadium puzzle or our newest Yankees Stadium puzzle.

Enjoy the World Series and Happy Puzzling!

A Tribute To Man's Best Friend

Hi Puzzlers

Today we pay tribute to man’s best friend the dog. Dogs have been our pets for over 14,000 years. Dogs come in all shapes and sizes, the smallest being the Chihuahua, weighing in at 4 pounds. The tallest is the Irish Wolfhound, which is about 39 inches tall at the shoulder, and the heaviest goes to the St. Bernard, which can weigh in at about 200 pounds! Yikes! That’s a lot of dog food.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognizes 157 dog breeds, but other dog groups worldwide recognize about 800 breeds. Regardless of a dog size or shape, dogs all have the same anatomy with 321 bones and 42 permanent teeth.

The Labrador Retriever is the number one breed in the USA, Canada and the UK, followed by the Golden Retriever. These two breeds definitely hold a special place for artist Fred Swan and Terry Redlin as most of their artwork depicts the Golden and Labrador Retrievers somewhere in the scene.

Dogs, just like our other favorite pet the cat, do manipulate their human owners. Rather than using the high-pitch meow, our canine companions use the bark or they paw us to pet them. They use their puppy dog eyes- you know the look- they nip, whine and nudge us with their noses, turning us to mush in a moment!

Today we salute man’s best friend, who is always waiting by the door and happy to see us when we get home.

Happy Puzzling!

Meet Artist Lynn Morgan

Hi Puzzlers

We have so many talented artist designing puzzles for us we think it's interesting to know about them. For this weeks artist we are pleased to feature Lynn Morgan.

Award-winning artist Lynn Morgan paints with great enthusiasm. His versatility allows him to paint a wide variety of subjects. His art has earned him much acclaim among art collectors and galleries around the world. His inspirational paintings and traditional subjects such as landscapes, waterscapes, and still life images have been consistently popular among art buyers.

Using oil on canvas, he captures the mood of the painting, and not just the fine detail. Through the use of research, photos, observation and imagination, Lynn forms the basis for his paintings. Lynn says, "Being a visual artist, as well as a musician, has taught me to open my eyes and ears to God's world around me to do my part to bring joy to others through the gifts he has given me."

Happy Puzzling!

Life And Jigsaw Puzzles A Poem

Hi Puzzlers,

We wanted to share with you a poem we received a few years ago from one of you.

Life And Jigsaw Puzzles

If there are fifty pieces

A thousand or more.

The first plan of action

Is the organizing chore.

The straight edge borders

Are easy to spot.

In LIFE we all need borders

And limits---a lot.

The picture on the box

Allows on to see.

The completed scene

The jigsaw symphony.

An over abundance of

Of a particular hue.

Means to much of a thing

Results in a boring view.

Forcing a piece

In a place not intended.

Is like allowing one's self

Be too greatly extended.

What if a piece

Of the puzzle is gone?

The beauty is still there

And LIFE moves on.

Poem By L.M. Erickson

Happy Puzzling!

What do you do with your finished puzzles?

Hi Puzzlers,

We were wondering what you do with your puzzles once they are complete.

In my family we apply contact paper to the back of the completed puzzle, flip it over, and decoupage the front with two coats of Mod Podge matte.

Next it's on to the hunt for wood for framing. Sometimes we get the wood at the local lumberyard, but most of the time we harvest the wood from the recycling centers as we are trying to be a green family.

With wood in hand we then make the frame to fit the puzzle, gluing and nailing the corners together. Now it's frame-painting time and we choose a color that goes with the puzzle-black is a favorite color! Pre-finished wood also works great and saves time.

We then glue the puzzle to the poster board. This can be tricky so I would recommend measuring the poster board and marking out the border of the puzzle. This will help ensure the puzzle is centered. We then staple the poster board to the back of the frame, using a heavy-duty staple gun.

Finally we have a framed puzzle! My daughter then sells them at local craft fairs to earn Holiday money. It's a fun way to extend the bonding that comes when a family puzzles together.

Happy Puzzling!

Artist Lori Schory

Hi Puzzlers

We would like you to meet artist Lori Schory. Lori was born in 1956 in Chicago, Illinois. Her father, an industrial designer, and her mother, an illustrator and portrait artist, introduced Lori at an early age to the many broad spectrum's the art world has to offer. Both her parents proved to be invaluable influences on her artistic growth.

In 1981, she received a Master's Degree in Drawing & Painting, with honors, from Northern Illinois University. Continuing her education she also took design courses at Chicago's American Academy of Art and greeting card design courses at NYU in New York City.

Lori continually builds upon her early exposure to the arts, her college education and her many years of diverse professional experience, in tackling every artistic assignment she encounters. Along the way, she has excelled in such unique and rewarding assignments as : Head Scenic Artist on the movie set for A Thousand Acres, a Touchstone Pictures Film; a participant in a juried Collaborative Art Initiative at the New York Feminist Art Institute, NYC; and she has been sole proprietor of Lori's Signs & Graphics for twenty years. Lori has mastered the ancient craft of hand-painting signs, lettering on glass and pictorial/mural painting. Mastering this craft allowed Lori to travel much of the southern United States, hand lettering and mural painting for Carlson Restaurants Worldwide. Sometimes these commercial influences can even be seen in her fine art, which is her primary focus today.

Currently, Lori has been licensing the use of her fine artwork to many types of manufactured goods like jigsaw puzzles. Lori has a keen sense of composition, color and design and greatly enjoys using her varied skills to create art for jigsaw puzzles. Her artwork draws upon the beauty found in nature and the humor of everyday living. Lori's first artwork for White Mountain Puzzles was in 2007 with her "Frogs Gone Wild". WMP intuitively sensed and appreciated the "funny bone" inherent in Lori's personality and artistic expressions. Together we have developed additional themes and compositions that playfully tease the eyes, amuse and humor the hearts of our puzzle fans. When Lori designs a puzzle for White Mountain Puzzles, she consciously pays extra-close attention to each and every minute detail. She strives to make each and every piece of the puzzle entertaining. This is especially evident in her photo collages, Country Fair, Yard Sale, and last but not least "Viva Las Vegas!"

Viva Las Vegas was inspired after Lori attended the 2009 International Licensing Show in Las Vegas. She was so delighted to meet some of us finally...in person, that she worked our photos into her most recent zany design. Look closely and you will see Cronan throwing the dice at the craps table, Kimberley flying on the big trapeze, Jill spinning the roulette wheel and Lisa as one of the Las Vegas's "ice girls"!

Watch out! If you see Lori in your area, she just might include YOU in her next puzzle design!

Happy Puzzling!

Health Benefits of Puzzling

Hi Puzzlers,

Did you know making puzzles is not only fun and entertaining, but also good for your health? Making puzzles has several health benefits associated with it and as more research is being done, the more benefits are being discovered. Benefits like reducing or slowing the onset of dementia, memory loss and Alzheimer's-some reports say as much as up to a third in reduction.

Children benefit from puzzling at an early age. Puzzling helps with developing spatial skills, eye-hand coordination/fine motor skills, memory development, and even helps get them ready for reading. Please remember to have age appropriate puzzles for your kids and assist in the completion, as it takes time to develop the necessary skills so they can complete the puzzle on their own.

Puzzling requires use of both sides of your brain simultaneously. The left brain, which is our analytical side, sorts and separates the pieces. The right side of the brain, where creativity happens, allows us to see or imagine the end result before it is finished. Using both sides of the brain at the same time causes neuron connections to be made linking the left and right side, and the more of these we have the better. These connections will lessen our chances of developing brain illnesses later in life.

Every puzzler knows that feeling of Ah! I did it! My puzzle is finished! Or, the feeling you get when you finally have found the piece you've been looking for. You know the one - it took 2 hours to find, the one you thought MUST be missing, the dog ate it - yeah that one. Well, those feeling are produced by a chemical called dopamine, which your body releases when you are successful at something. Runners thought they were the only ones getting it after a five-mile jog. Dopamine is a feel-good drug that can increase learning and memory. It's your body's way of saying good job.

We thought we were just having fun making our puzzles but, as science is showing, it's good for us too!

Happy Puzzling!

A Brief History Of Jigsaw Puzzles

Hi Puzzlers,

We thought it would be fun to share with you a brief history of the jigsaw puzzle. Below is a quick overview of what we discovered. Some things we knew, others truly amazed us.

Our journey begins in London in the 1760s when an engraver and mapmaker attached one of his maps to a sheet of wood and cut around the borders of each country with a fine-bladed saw. The "dissected map" was then used to teach geography to wealthy British children. Up until the 1820s, puzzles were mostly used for educational purposes and only available to the wealthy due to the cost of wood and the time it took to make one.

Then, in 1880, along came the treadle saw. The use of this tool is how the "jigsaw puzzle" name derived. This saw sped up the puzzle making process and, along with the introduction of cardboard, reduced the cost of manufacturing puzzles, making it affordable to the middle class.

Adult puzzle of this time were very difficult. The pieces did not interlock so, should you cough or sneeze, your pieces would move. There were no images to follow on the box, only a description, which was sometimes intentionally misleading to add to the difficulty. Puzzlers would not know what the real image was until the last piece was in place.

At the turn of the century the combination of using cardboard, die-cuts and interlocking pieces, which reduced the risk of spilling or losing pieces, created the jigsaw puzzle boom. The demand was so great that an American game manufacturer temporarily stopped making everything but puzzles.

During the Great Depression puzzle sales peaked. ...."It might seem odd at first glance that a non-necessity like a jigsaw puzzle would sell so well in the depression. But the appeal, then as now, was that one bought a good deal of entertainment for a small price. The weekly jigsaw puzzle could constitute a solitary or group activity, and would occupy one's time enjoyably for hours. And of course, a jigsaw puzzle was recyclable," in that one could break the puzzle up once one had completed it and then pass it on to another family member or friend. Another point to bear in mind is that jigsaw puzzle enthusiasts in the Depression discovered what many in our own time are rediscovering - that working on a jigsaw puzzle is a great way to reduce stress! ...Puzzles are still a lot of entertainment for a small price. And if they are addictive - and they are - they are a harmless addiction." - Daniel McAdam

Are you working on a puzzle right now and searching for your next one? Looks like you've caught the fever!

Happy Puzzling!

Cats

Hi Puzzlers

Like many of you we love cats. Today we would like to pay tribute to the cat. We recently found a new study which suggests that "Yes, your cat really is the boss. Household cats exercise control of their humans with a particular high-pitched, hard-to-ignore meow."

Our office cat, Kramer or Boo-Boo kitty as we like to call him, must have read this study. He has mastered every technique discussed and has put it into practice here at the office. Check out Kramer at our Flickr photo stream.

Picture our big brute of a kitty carrying on like a Vaudeville star until he gets his way. Hiking up the intensity of his cries, while clawing at the office doors to get in, demanding you to lavish him with attention, attention he wants only when he wants it. Which is usually while we are on the phone with one of our puzzlers. So next time you hear him cry remember this is all about him trying to control us.

So cheers to all of our lovable kitties that have mastered the art of control..........ing us!