It’s believed that the first jigsaw puzzle was created in the late 18th century, and it’s no mystery why they remain popular to this day. Many of us are drawn to jigsaw puzzles as an entertaining challenge, an escape from life’s stressors.
But what you may not know is that puzzles are good for your brain, too. In fact, they’re very good for your brain.
We know a lot more about puzzling today than we did in the late 18th century. The benefits of puzzling for your brain is a topic backed up by quite a bit of scientific research.
While you pored over your favourite puzzle, we’ve pored over the research papers. In this blog post, we’ll lay out some of what science says about the brain-boosting benefits of your favourite hobby. Spoiler alert: puzzles are better for you than you think.
Cognitive enhancement through puzzles
When we engage with puzzles, we're not simply fitting pieces together — a whole lot more is happening in our heads.
Puzzles are a workout for our brains. They reinforce neural connections that already exist and encourage the formation of new ones. These neural connections give us what’s called “cognitive flexibility” (Fissler et. al, 2018), a skill that enables us to approach problems from various angles and come up with innovative solutions.
A study by Tranter and Koutstaal (2008) sought to prove this theory. They found that when testing older adults who had spent a lot of time puzzling, “engagement in new and challenging pursuits can lead to much more flexible and adaptive thinking than might be expected based on the standard view of cognitive aging.” (p. 17).
In other words, older puzzlers were more likely to be adaptable than their non-puzzler counterparts. This shows that puzzles keep our brains sharp and nimble as we age, allowing us to handle tough situations with ease.
Puzzles are a fantastic tool for improving our problem-solving skills, but the benefits don’t end here! Next, we’ll get into how puzzles can improve our memory.
Memory improvement and puzzles
When completing a jigsaw puzzle, you are tapping into your memory. You have to remember how pieces fit together, and which pieces you've already tried. This skill, in turn, sharpens our memory, both short-term and long-term (Fissler et. al, 2018).
How does this benefit you? Regular puzzlers often find they remember things more clearly and quickly. This skill also ties in closely with our visual-spatial reasoning. Any time you've navigated through a city or packed a suitcase efficiently, you've used this skill.
Developing these skills not only helps tone our brains, but brings us the satisfaction of completion. Overall, puzzling helps enhance our brain health in a fun and engaging way.
In addition to the cognitive benefits we’ve discussed so far, puzzles can offer a great escape from life’s stressors. More on that next.
Stress reduction and mood enhancement
According to a recent Gallup poll, stress levels have been climbing. In fact, the world is more stressed now than ever before. To make bad news worse, chronic stress can increase cognitive aging and dementia in the long term.
But there’s good news here – puzzling is a scientifically proven stress reliever. No, really!
Puzzling can regulate distressing emotions, like stress, in two main ways (Fissler et. al, 2018). First, through what’s called “leisure-palliative coping”. This is a fancy way of saying that it demands your full attention, not giving your brain any space to dwell on stress.
Second, it does so by enhancing your mood through fun, flow, and mastery experience. Together, these two benefits help you feel relaxed and content well after you’ve packed the puzzle away.
The role of puzzles in anxiety and depression
To date, there aren’t any conclusive studies done on the direct impact of jigsaw puzzles on treating depression or anxiety disorders. However, there is evidence that engaging in activities you enjoy can be beneficial for those who suffer from these disorders.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and depression are usually characterized by a low level of “feel-good” hormones like dopamine. Completing a puzzle can activate the reward centre of your brain. This results in the release of dopamine (Bromberg-Martin et. al, 2010), which triggers feelings of happiness, relaxation, and satisfaction.
While more studies need to be done on this topic, there is lots of promising research on our next puzzling benefit: Puzzling and Alzheimer's prevention.
Puzzles and Alzheimer’s disease
Did you know that when you puzzle regularly, you’re investing in your long-term brain health? Those who puzzle often are likely to experience delayed/lessened symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia (Schultz et. al, 2015).
To dive into the science behind this exciting research, we’ll share two groundbreaking studies. We’ll have to get into some medical jargon here, but stick with us – it’s worth reading.
Research studies
In one study, beginning in 2001 and published in 2015, Schultz et. al studied a population of middle-aged adults at an increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease. The goal of this study was to see if puzzling affected cognitive decline. The findings are fascinating. Those who reported puzzling more had more grey matter in several critical brain regions affected by Alzheimer’s! Specifically, the hippocampus, posterior cingulate, anterior cingulate, and middle frontal gyrus.
The capacity within these structures is referred to as “cognitive reserve”. Those with higher cognitive reserve from puzzling can better withstand the neurological damage associated with ageing and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s Disease. This potentially delays the onset and severity of symptoms.
Another study by Valenzuela et. al (2008), tested the impacts of mentally stimulating activities on the brain. Specifically, they wanted to know if activities like puzzling had an impact on the Hippocampus. Hippocampal degeneration is one of the first indicators of Alzheimer’s disease. Based on their 3-year study, healthy adults who engaged often with mentally stimulating activities showed significantly less hippocampal degeneration.
What does this mean? Although there is more research needed, the results are promising. Scientists are cautiously optimistic that age-related cognitive decline can be slowed or even partially restored if people engage in mentally stimulating activities regularly – like puzzling!
Finally, make it social! You may be someone who prefers the camaraderie of tackling a puzzle with others, and that’s A-OK.
Conclusion
So there you have it! The benefits of puzzling are backed by research and science. As if you needed another excuse to treat yourself to a new puzzle!
Ready to challenge your brain and take advantage of all the benefits of puzzling outlined in this blog? Dive into our collection of wooden jigsaw puzzles to start your journey.
References
Bromberg-Martin, E. S., Matsumoto, M., & Hikosaka, O. (2010). Dopamine in motivational control: Rewarding, aversive, and alerting. Neuron, 68(5), 815-834. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2010.11.022
Fissler, P., Küster, O. C., Laptinskaya, D., Loy, L. S., von Arnim, C. A. F., & Kolassa, I.-T. (2018). Jigsaw puzzling taps multiple cognitive abilities and is a potential protective factor for cognitive aging. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2018.00299
McDonough, I. M., Haber, S., Bischof, G. N., & Park, D. C. (2015). Cognitive engagement, fMRI, intervention, learning, semantic processing. Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, 33(6), 865-882. https://doi.org/10.3233/RNN-150533
Schultz, S. A., Larson, J., Oh, J., Koscik, R., Dowling, M. N., Gallagher, C. L., Carlsson, C. M., Rowley, H. A., Bendlin, B. B., Asthana, S., Hermann, B. P., Johnson, S. C., Sager, M., LaRue, A., & Okonkwo, O. C. (2015). Participation in cognitively-stimulating activities is associated with brain structure and cognitive function in preclinical Alzheimer’s disease. Brain Imaging and Behavior, 9(6), 729–736. https://ahs.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=111244201&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Thompson, G., & Foth, D. (2005). Cognitive-training programs for older adults: What are they and can they enhance mental fitness? Educational Gerontology, 31(8), 603-626. https://doi.org/10.1080/03601270591003364
Tranter, L. J., & Koutstaal, W. (2007). Age and flexible thinking: An experimental demonstration of the beneficial effects of increased cognitively stimulating activity on fluid intelligence in healthy older adults. Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition, 0(0), 0–0. https://doi.org/10.1080/13825580701322163
Valenzuela, M. J., Sachdev, P., Wen, W., Chen, X., & Brodaty, H. (2008). Lifespan mental activity predicts diminished rate of hippocampal atrophy. PLOS ONE, 3(7), e2598. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0002598
]]>In the world of jigsaw puzzles, a delightful interplay of shapes and colours exists, with each piece contributing to the completion of the final image. Jigsaw puzzles are a metaphor for relationships—where separate pieces combine to create a unified masterpiece. At StumpCraft, we recognize and celebrate these parallels, understanding that puzzles and relationships require patience and collaboration to achieve harmony.
Just as each puzzle piece has its own unique traits and edges, individuals bring their distinct personalities, experiences, and perspectives into relationships. In the routines and rhythm of daily life, it's easy to overlook the importance of nurturing these connections.
We were inspired by Esther Perel’s idea of adult play dates - a playful twist on traditional date nights that invites couples to infuse their romantic outings with creativity and spontaneity. At first glance, the idea of turning date night into a play date might seem unconventional. After all, aren't date nights supposed to be about candlelit dinners and romantic strolls?
While those classic elements certainly have their charm, Infusing date nights with play opens the door to creativity, laughter, and adventure—essential ingredients for fostering intimacy and joy in relationships. Tackling a challenging wood jigsaw puzzle together, for instance, invites couples to explore their playful sides and enjoy the magic of shared experiences. Through these activities, partners can rediscover the excitement and passion that initially drew them to each other.
Moreover, playfulness is a powerful tool for communication and connection within relationships. By letting down their guard and engaging in lighthearted activities, couples create a safe space for honest expression and vulnerability. Collaborative endeavours further deepen bonds, strengthen trust, and enhance mutual understanding, while the laughter and joy shared during play date nights are a potent antidote for stress and tension.
Infuse your next Date Night with play and discover the joy of shared experiences with a StumpCraft wood jigsaw puzzle. Browse our catalogue today and embark on a journey of creativity, laughter, and love.
Here a are a few puzzles to get your romantic play date going:
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By adding adult puzzles as an activity that encourages critical thinking, teamwork, and mindful connection, you can strengthen existing bonds and build brand new relationships with others. In this blog post, we’ll explore how puzzles encourage you to find deeper and more meaningful connections.
Teamwork makes the dream work
When you pore over an artfully crafted wood jigsaw puzzle with a friend or family member, collaboration becomes key. Each individual brings a unique perspective and problem-solving approach. By discussing strategies, like the classic technique of colour & shape sorting, or diving deep into the subtle hints within the texture of each piece, teams develop a rhythm. This joint effort in piecing together a masterpiece fosters communication, patience, and mutual respect.
Put down the phone
In a world dominated by screens and virtual interactions, puzzles offer a tactile and shared experience. They encourage face-to-face engagement, where the joys of discovering that perfectly fitting piece are magnified when shared with another person. When you’re working hard on a problem together, and you’re having fun, your phone isn’t as tempting, and you and your puzzle mate can have more of each other’s undivided attention.
Put yourself in someone else’s shoes
In one of our last blog posts, we mentioned a tip about switching perspectives to solve a puzzle. This is an advantage when it comes to solving puzzles with others! Different people may spot patterns or solutions that can otherwise be overlooked. Embracing this diversity in thought helps you finish the puzzle and makes the experience more fulfilling.
Celebrate the achievement together
There's great satisfaction in stepping back with your puzzle mate and admiring a completed StumpCraft wood jigsaw puzzle, knowing you've accomplished it together. These shared achievements, whether between family members as a holiday activity or friends during a cozy evening in, create stories and memories that linger.
So whether you are considering turning to puzzles to strengthen existing bonds with others around you or to build a new community of puzzle enthusiasts, you’re tapping into one of puzzle-building’s greatest rewards: connection.
As the holiday season approaches, and we gather with our loved ones to celebrate, why not start the puzzling tradition? Immerse yourself in the holiday spirit with one of our holiday-themed puzzles.
]]>Highbanks Society is a Calgary-based non-profit and registered charity that provides individual family accommodation and integrated support services for young mothers (16-24 years of age) and their children. Over 500 teen mothers give birth in Calgary every year. Many of these teen mothers face isolation, poverty, low rates of education, and underemployment. The young women who reach out to Highbanks for help are typically on the verge of homelessness, too often as a result of leaving stressful, abusive homes and relationships.
Highbanks aids these young women and children with affordable housing, case management, food security, budgeting, education enrollment, parenting support, and daily living skills. Highbanks’ program platform is designed to shift young vulnerable mothers into a resilient life approach with a commitment to education, supportive beliefs, behaviours, and coping skills.
A key component of Highbanks’ program is subsidized housing for young families. They manage five self-contained apartments on-site at their building in West Hillhurst, and up to ten apartments off-site through various housing partners. Highbanks furnishes these apartments and provides items required for setting up a comfortable, stable home that the mothers can take pride in. These items become the property of their residents as a way of setting up a stable foothold for these families as they gradually transition to independence.
The Highbanks Society celebrated its 20th anniversary in October at the "Harmony For Hope" fundraising event. As a fundraising partner, we were invited to attend and were blessed with a remarkable evening filled with music, art and moving stories. Renowned musician Codie Prevost graced the stage alongside live painter and Toronto artist Julie Amlin. The evening provided us with an opportunity not only to gain a deeper understanding of Highbanks and their mission but also to connect with their dedicated team and several alumni who shared personal stories about the positive impact Highbanks continues to have on their lives.
Giving Week has consistently held a significant place in our generosity program. It is a time when we pause and turn away from the flashy deals and promotions of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Instead, we turn our attention to making a difference and giving back to our community.
#GivingTuesday is a day dedicated to spreading love, kindness, and support to those who need it most. And what better way to celebrate than by joining hands to uplift and empower vulnerable women and children in our community?
We encourage you to donate directly to the Highbanks Society!
Until November 30th, we're amplifying our own donations to our generosity partners by doubling our donation (from $5 to $10) for each purchase of Queen Bee and A Different Glory. To sweeten the deal, we’ll also double the puzzle points you get for every purchase you make. And if you’re so inclined to donate the puzzle points you’ve accumulated to date, you have the opportunity to donate your extra puzzle points which we will match threefold!
Thanks for your generous support!
]]>Few things in life are as rewarding as putting that perfectly-fitted final jigsaw piece in place. After hours of pouring over your luxurious wood jigsaw puzzle, you can finally take a step back and enjoy the masterpiece you’ve assembled. Your completed work, with its intricate art and vibrant colours, is so much more than a hobby. Puzzling is an art form, a mental exercise, and a skill to be honed. Here are a few expert tips and tricks to solve a StumpCraft wooden jigsaw puzzle.
Tip #1: Ignore the Edges
Solving a wood jigsaw puzzle will often require that you set aside your existing puzzle solving strategies and ignore the borders. You will discover that we often hide edge pieces and corners and we include many straight lines within the puzzle as well.
Tip #2: Colour & Shape Sorting
This is a fairly standard puzzling technique, either used to sort pieces by colors or by shape. You can use this technique extensively, constantly refining as you work through a puzzle. Beyond colour sorting, you may also be able to separate pieces by "texture" (bubbles, leaves, hair, text, etc.) or painting brush stroke style.
Tip #3: Switch your Perspective
Puzzling requires both the ability to hone in on fine details (like the pattern of leaves on your puzzle piece) and the ability to understand the bigger picture (like tackling broader patterns or colour schemes). Being able to see the puzzle as a whole can help if you’re stuck in one small section, and paying close attention to detail can help you zero in on subtle clues.
Tip #4: Work in Sections
Instead of trying to solve the entire puzzle at once, break the puzzle down into smaller, more manageable sections. Working with one area at a time helps your brain process information in bite-sized chunks rather than an overwhelming jumble of puzzle pieces. Dividing the puzzle into smaller sections also helps give you built-in breaks so you can take a quick breather and come back to the puzzle with fresh eyes.
Tip #5: Don’t Use the Reference Image
Your mileage may vary on this one but in general, we suggest that you do not overly rely on the reference image when solving. The image can get in the way as you end up often searching the reference image for quite some time trying to find where the piece goes within the frame, rather than using techniques like colour sorting to find the pieces that go together. This is often the habit that is hardest to break.
By using the tips outlined in this blog post, you can hone your jigsaw puzzle skills and overcome any puzzle challenge. After all, puzzling should de-stress you! For even more tips to solving you can visit our FAQs for more tips.
Happy puzzling!
]]>If you’re feeling stressed out these days, you’re not alone. As the adage goes: adulting is hard! We all have a lot on our minds, and our human condition naturally inclines us to pay attention to stressors. News and social media feeds tend to double down on these biases. So it should come as no surprise that we feel more anxious today than in the past few decades, as revealed in this recent Gallup poll.
Puzzles have proven to be incredibly popular in the last few years, in large part because they provide a map leading away from the gloom, distractions and stress in our lives.
Proof in the Puzzling
You might be thinking, "Puzzles as stress relief? Come on! Really?"
Recent research has found that solving puzzles helps with stress in two main ways. First, puzzles provide a leisure-based coping mechanism for regulating distressing emotions. In other words, puzzles enable a timeout or a “breather” away from stress. These personal timeouts allow us to focus our minds on one task, letting all other worries fall to the wayside. When you’re completely absorbed in a puzzle, you’ve escaped at least momentarily from your never-ending to-do list. In that moment, it’s just you and the puzzle. The worries of the world can wait and take a back seat!
The second way puzzles can help with stress is by giving you access to your own innate dopamine resources. As an immersive creative activity, puzzles can provide predictable mood enhancement by delivering dopamine to your brain in a healthy & legal way! StumpCraft puzzles are especially good at delivering on this promise by getting you into a state of flow with novel, fun, whimsical pieces. Every piece you place reinforces and keeps you in that flow state, ultimately leading to a feeling of mastery when the final piece is placed.
Unplug, Unwind, and Recharge
With so many technological distractions competing for our attention, it can often be liberating to regularly prioritize some personal quiet time. We believe that a weekly or daily puzzle ritual can be that little encouraging nudge to slow down, unplug, and relax.
When I puzzle, I typically do it away from my phone. At a minimum, I’ll have my notifications silenced. I’ll have a nice cup of tea or coffee to sip on, and then a favourite album or audiobook playing quietly in the background. Then it’s just me and the puzzle. I enjoy sorting through the various shapes and colours, picking out interesting shapes, rotating pieces in my hand, and listening to the wooden pieces ‘click’ into place.
Part of the fun is discovering what works best for you: time of day, favourite puzzling spots, lighting a candle, puzzling with others or alone. Playful experimentation with each of these elements of your personal puzzle time is also what puzzling is encouraging you to do. Puzzling is all about looking at the pieces in order to make them fit into a larger, more beautiful whole. It’s a visual and tactile reminder of the beauty in connections, and your capacity to fit things together in their proper place.
Zen at your Fingertips
Puzzles can also act as a form of meditation. While meditation apps and teachers typically encourage you to focus on the breath, puzzles provide an alternate physical "object" to focus your attention on. Each puzzle piece is like one breath, or one moment in time. Deep states of relaxation can be unlocked by picking up a piece, examining it, appreciating it and then letting it go to focus on another. As with meditation, puzzles remind us of the art of noticing.
While research is still preliminary, early signs suggest that puzzling and meditation share in a variety of cognitive benefits, including reduced stress levels and better mental clarity, both of which help protect against cognitive decline and dementia in the long term.
In a world where stress and anxiety levels are rising, StumpCraft invites you to take a puzzle pause from the chaos of the world and to make something beautiful one piece at a time. If you’re looking for a fun, mindful relaxation activity at home, and browse our full catalogue of puzzles. Your mind and nervous system will thank you.
]]>It may come as no surprise that puzzling with others has been proven to give you a range of benefits, including improved memory, better problem-solving skills, improved mood, and even deepened relationships. But are you puzzled to hear it also is an excellent family bonding activity?
View our latest blog post to find out more about how building puzzles together could be the best thing for your family.
]]>It may come as no surprise that completing puzzles has been proven to offer a range of benefits, but what benefits and why?
Our wood puzzles showcase fine art from Canadian artists; The puzzles are unique in that they require critical thinking and problem-solving skills. In addition, the social skills and family connections that can be built by working through a challenge like a puzzle can’t be overstated. Puzzles are even a great team building exercise for the workplace!
So what makes completing puzzles together the perfectly peaceful family bonding activity?
Here are a few reasons why building puzzles together can bring your family closer:
Striking that perfect balance between challenging and fun for all ages, puzzles are a perfect family activity. But we all have that one uber-competitive family member who takes games night far too seriously. The benefit of puzzles: they’re a team activity! There are no winners or losers. You are all collectively working towards the same goal: completion. Every piece placed is a micro-win!
Since completing a puzzle is a collaborative activity, you and your family will get to practice working through challenges together by talking things out.
You and your family will get a chance to navigate through; asking for pieces that are across the table, holding pieces in a stable position while another person places an adjacent piece, and sharing space at a table such that several people can participate and help as best they can (elbows in, instead of elbows out).
The conflict resolution skills developed while building puzzles will last well past the last puzzle piece falling into place!
We’ve all been there: it’s a holiday, there is no school or work, and unless there’s food being eaten, everyone goes off to their own part of the house to enjoy their solitude. Puzzles are the perfect icebreaker to get everyone together and enjoy some quality time! Break out a holiday puzzle (like the Christmas-themed puzzle Happy Holidays by artist Kim Smith) and enjoy the added festivity and quality time with your loved ones. After all, isn’t that what holidays are truly about?
Have you ever tried to talk to a kid whose nose is buried in their device? You’d have better luck talking to a puzzle piece. These days, it’s nearly impossible to get kids to glance away from their devices. So finding an activity that not only gets them to put their device away, but also benefits their development? It sounds too good to be true, but this is one life hack that shouldn’t be puzzling.
So the next time you’re looking for fun activities to do with kids, the perfect glamping (or check our mini puzzles for on-the-go in your camper vans) activity, or even the perfect gift for families, look no further than a puzzle. After all, the memories, togetherness, and laughter that comes from quality time with those you love is priceless. Start creating unforgettable moments by viewing our collection of wooden jigsaw puzzles here.
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Visiting our store offers you more than just a chance to see our puzzles. You'll also get a sneak peek at the many whimsies and whimwhams hidden within each puzzle. Our wooden puzzle selection caters to a wide range of interests and preferences. If you're up for a challenge, the grand Queen Bee by Kari Lehr puzzle might be perfect for you. Its intricate design and numerous pieces will keep you engrossed for hours. On the other hand, if you're looking for a smaller, more whimsical puzzle, Reilly Fitzgerald's mini puzzles are a delightful choice. These charming puzzles feature stunning maritime landscapes and are great for quick, satisfying puzzling sessions. We also have our full catalog of wooden jigsaw puzzles available, so there is something suited for everyone, no matter the skill level. Every StumpCraft jigsaw puzzle is meticulously crafted on-site, right in the heart of our store.
Whether you're a seasoned puzzler or just starting your puzzle journey, our Calgary store is the perfect destination for all your puzzle needs. We invite you to come and visit us at 6115 3 St SE Bay D2 in beautiful Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Our doors are open from Monday to Friday, from 9 am to 4 pm. Stop by and immerse yourself in the world of StumpCraft, and let your imagination run wild!
]]>We’ve heard from a number of puzzlers who have packed one of our mini puzzle tins to have on the ready on their work desk. Whenever they need to reset from their intensive flatscreen digital computer work, they spend a few minutes solving one of our tactile analog puzzles. They can boost their mood and reset their mental capacity by manipulating 3D physical objects, pattern-matching pieces to fit neighbouring clumps, and splitting attention between the puzzle parts and the whole. These healthy breaks and small “wins” are critical to fueling motivation and positive outcomes. You might also consider the benefits of taking regular mouse-and-keyboard breaks to prevent the onset of carpal tunnel…
But it’s not all about personal productivity - there are also plenty of social benefits for your team.
Puzzles as a team-building practice can help coworkers connect (which is a puzzle in itself). Puzzles are natural conversation-starters and having one set up in a common area can be a good way to break the ice and catalyze the exchange of ideas between different departments and people who don’t normally work together. The non-structured, drop-in nature is also very appealing to people who might normally shy away from participating in something that requires more of a commitment. This is perhaps most beneficial to teams with a high number of introverts. Introverts who would normally stick to their own sequestered space, are often willing to visit the break room and converse with a colleague over a puzzle.
These benefits arise whether solving small puzzles as a group in a single session, or with larger puzzles solved sequentially over several days. Wildly different puzzle-solving methods can also be observed among a group, highlighting that there may be more than one way to tackle a gnarly work task. Practicing creative problem-solving, patience, and team celebrations can pave the path to other solutions and team wins beyond the break room.
Here's a great example of puzzles in the lunch room within the medical research work environment.
(Steiner JF. The Jigsaw Puzzle in the Lunchroom. Perm J. 2016;20(2):96-97. doi:10.7812/TPP/15-210)
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What’s planned for 2023 you might ask?
We have 3 new designs in the works, and several others waiting patiently in the wings. The art for our three next releases can be previewed in our Coming Soon listings. If you wish to be alerted as soon as we release them, we recommend signing up for our notification emails.
Beyond the new puzzles you’ve come to expect from us, we’re also keen to explore other collaborations with local artists and businesses. More on this as ideas and details emerge…
And finally, we are going to give custom puzzles a try once again! By popular request, we are currently registering interest via this online form. Once we have a sufficient amount of interest (~30 puzzles), we will initiate our first batch for custom printing. Our initial offering will be in our square format small boxes with a standard yet recognizably “StumpCraft” cut. We expect to do customs from March until August (at which point, we’re simply too busy to accommodate additional custom orders).
Wishing you health, resilience, and joy with a sprinkling of wonder in 2023!
]]>We'd love to amplify the good that this organization can do by spreading the word and raising funds towards their mental health programs. Together we can help even more people heal from past wounds, and become more resilient.
You can make additional donations through their partnership with the Alpine Club of Canada. Let us know if you do!
SIGNATURES FALL INTO CHRISTMAS
Medicine Hat
Friday Oct 14 to Sunday Oct 16
SIGNATURES CIRCLE CRAFT
Vancouver
Wednesday Nov 9 to Sunday Nov 13
ART MARKET
Calgary
Booth 915
Thursday Nov 17 to Sunday Nov 20
SPRUCE MEADOWS INTERNATIONAL CHRISTMAS MARKET
Calgary
Riding Hall - Booth 61
Friday Nov 25 - Sunday Nov 27 &
Friday Dec 2 - Sunday Dec 4
SIGNATURES ORIGINALS CHRISTMAS CRAFT SALE
Ottawa
Booth 715
Wednesday Dec 7 to Sunday Dec 11
MARKET COLLECTIVE HOLIDAY EDITION
Calgary
Friday Dec 16 to Sunday Dec 18
The nomination period will end on May 31st at 10pm Mountain Time. No purchase required and the steps above are the “skill testing” component of the draw.
We'll draw a nominee from your tagged comments and reach out to you to obtain shipping info. If the winner is unwilling to supply shipping information for shipment tracking purposes, a new name will be drawn. Winner will be announced on our social channels and blog once shipment details have been confirmed.
This giveaway is open to 🇺🇸 and 🇨🇦 participants over the age of 18 only (due to shipping costs and carbon footprint considerations). This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administrated by, or associated with, Meta / Instagram / Facebook.
On the StumpCraft website, you will see our Rewards widget in the bottom left corner of the page.
When you click on the Rewards widget it will open a dialogue box that looks like this:
If you do not already have an account Click on the 'Sign UP' button and the following sign-up window will open (if you have an account you can sign in):
You can create an account using your email and a new password. Once you have added your new account information click on the 'CREATE' button. You will now see the following message:
From here you will need to open your email and verify your new account.
Now that you are a Puzzle Points collector you can view your account balance at any time by logging in and clicking on the widget. You will see your points displayed in the bottom left corner. With as few as 30 points you can start redeeming for a discount on your new StumpCraft purchases.
Remember, in order to earn or use your points you must be logged in to your account.
We are pleased to bring you Dream Journal by Rafi & Tutti, the dynamic duo behind Extra Crunchy.
]]>Launch day on a new puzzle is always exciting! We are pleased to bring you Dream Journal by Rafi & Tutti, the dynamic duo behind Extra Crunchy.
We're super excited to have had the opportunity to return to in-person Holiday craft markets. Last weekend we had an amazing time at Art Market, and this weekend was a special weekend up in Banff National Park. While we had initial hopes of heading to Vancouver, Edmonton and Ottawa this year, circumstances forced us to trim down to our most local shows. So if you are in the Calgary area, we have 2 more weekends lined up at the BMO Center at Stampede with Market Collective.
Local support is the backbone of any small business and these markets offer an unparalleled opportunity to discover your local artisans, crafters and innovators! Join us, tell a friend or even better - bring them along for a lovely day/evening out on the town.
Note that for the health, safety, comfort and peace of mind of all patrons, artisans, and market event staff, our market event organizers will all be following the COVID-19 safety rules as outlined by the Alberta Government’s Restrictions Exemption Program.
Check out the great lineup of artist & music for each weekend. Looking forward to seeing you there!
Running a small puzzle business is a ridiculously hard thing, especially at a point in time when there is more puzzle content in the world, some of which are knock-off copycats or of extremely low quality. Having a lower sale price than the competition is certainly a way of standing out, but ultimately that results in a race to the bottom where no-one wins. It's simply not possible or wise for a small company like ours to attempt to take on the promotions and features of the larger companies like Amazon. These behemoths have an insane advantage, and one they can use to slowly push out competition. The reality is that the margins on selling our puzzles are already pretty low as it is, notwithstanding working within the current economic challenges of covid-related hiring, selling and supply-chain related matters.
As a small business, we've been extremely consistent in our pricing throughout our short history of puzzle making. Our goal is to be as transparent as possible when it comes to costs, both in terms of our puzzle prices as well as our shipping fees. Quite often businesses will raise their prices shortly before a sale, to compare their "sale price" to this elevated standard price. Perhaps to our detriment, we've opted out of these typical marketing strategies and pricing bumps that are used to factor in "free shipping" or "flash discounting".
We strongly believe these strategies devalue our product (and wooden puzzles in general), while also setting up false expectations that we simply can't keep up long term. This is especially the case at this time of the year when we're at local holiday craft markets speaking to patrons in person. We don't want our patrons being held hostage to a flash 24-hr sale, or second guessing the timing of their purchases thinking there might be a sale around the corner. So for the time being, we'll aim to buck the trend and stick with our purposefully uncommon puzzle approach.
So what are we doing instead?
Ronald McDonald House Charities Alberta supports families seeking vital medical treatment for their seriously ill or injured child. Their warm, compassionate Houses provide a home-away-from-home for families who need to travel for medical reasons. When those families are experiencing one of life’s most difficult times – their Houses offer them the gift of togetherness. Should you wish to double down on your gift giving, you can also donate directly to Ronald McDonald House on #givingtuesday, and your donation will be doubled through other generous donors.
We hope you can get behind this idea, and help us bring many families together around a puzzle this Holiday Season!
Our PAR + StumpCraft teams are excited by the opportunity to offer new puzzles to our respective fans. We hope you will enjoy these new puzzles that combine the vintage PAR cutline style and imagery, along with the precision and print quality that StumpCraft fans have come to expect. Our plan over the final months of 2021 is to offer three limited-release PAR + StumpCraft puzzles featuring beautiful Saturday Evening Post covers from the 1940s and 50s.
Our first release is Card Sharks by Alex Ross.
Our second is Buzzer Beaten by Norman Rockwell.
Our third is Decisions, Decisions by Stevan Dohanos.
More details and full whimsy list (aka silhouette pieces for our PAR fans) can be found at our dedicated PAR + StumpCraft Deep Dive Blog.
We know the challenges that staff, employees and clients have navigated over the last 2 years at work, but also at home and within social circles. Many of us also have an earnest desire to thank staff, coworkers and clients for their sacrifice, support and contributions especially in a way that encourages much needed rest and quality time with family.
We strongly believe our puzzles provide a great opportunity to escape the outside world in a way that facilitates mental health and meaningful moments with the people we care the most about.
Choosing a corporate gift with wide appeal can be challenging. Our puzzles fill the generosity gap in two key ways:
If your company would like to discuss how to be a generosity hero by partnering with us, please contact cory@stumpcraft.com to explore the possibilities. We will assist you not only in selecting the perfect puzzles, but also the puzzles that fit your budget.
]]>By now many of you have already seen glimpses of our new wooden boxes. In a year full of chaotic twists and turns, we hope you enjoy the look and are pleasantly surprised by the upgrade. That said, we now belatedly realize that surprises (even the good ones) can be a bit unsettling and disorienting these days. So let's take the time to walk through our decision and take a closer look at our new boxes.
In late 2020, under naive assumptions that the worst of the pandemic would be behind us, we decided to set an ambitious course to revamp our logo, brand and boxes. After landing on our new logo (thanks to the awesome team at Daughter Creative), our next step was to give our boxes a minor facelift to align with our brand colours. Around that time in late March, we first heard news about the Ever Given blocking the Suez Canal for six days. This set in motion massive disruptions in global shipments and supply chain which are still having impacts today. Since then, shipments from China have been slowed by covid lockdowns, typhoons, another Suez Canal blockage (fortunately short this time), and container shortages. In addition, the pandemic has caused a massive surge in consumer demand and freight prices have skyrocketed. Ports are jammed with containers awaiting inspection with a shortage of warehouse space to do so. The average sea container is sitting on the water for a month longer than usual due to backups. Any blip in the supply chain and you can simply lose your spot on a freighter.
With these forecasted issues in mind, this summer we decided to pivot and pursue a wooden box solution that we could use for the remainder of 2021 once we exhausted our existing cardboard box supply. While we continue to work on our cardboard box supply in parallel, we ultimately decided to pursue a beautiful white pine box designed and made by Ekan Concepts out of Huntsville, Ontario. Their FSC certified pine box features a sliding lid and dovetail joints. We absolutely love the look and feel of these boxes on our own puzzle shelves and we hope you will too! Note they are slightly larger than our cardboard boxes - we tried to keep the dimensions as close as possible!
Our labels and inserts have been redesigned from the ground up to provide more information and additional resources to enhance your puzzling experience. First up, we have the art title and artist prominently displayed in colour coordinated fashion. All the relevant information you might want to quickly glance at while browsing your collection is at your fingertips: release year, puzzle topic or theme explored, number of pieces, as well as the subjective challenge level of the puzzle itself. This difficulty rating is illustrated by a five point tree scale that represents the amount of "growth" you might experience by working through the challenge within the box.
Inside we've included a double-sided insert. For both large and small puzzles you'll find a spot to take a photo of your favourite whimsy pieces, as well as a checklist of whimsies you can find within the puzzle upon closer inspection. Inserts for both large and small also have a QR code to find additional resources on our website (this is currently in development, but you'll find links to images, artist interviews, designer diaries, etc.) and we've continued to provide a reference image for our larger puzzles. Finally, we're also including an old school library slip as a means of tracking your puzzle solving as well as potential loans to family and friends.
Our puzzles pack a punch, but also come packed with extra goodies now to make your puzzle solving and sharing experience that much better!
]]>This change takes effect August 1, 2021. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us by email at puzzled@stumpcraft.com - we’re here to answer any questions you may have.
If the timing makes sense for you, now is the best time to snag one of the StumpCraft puzzles off your wishlist!
In other news, at my own request I've instructed my team and family to lock me up in a comfy and undisclosed location to incentivize the completion of my next puzzle design, featuring Steve Coffey's "Morning". Reports from the self-imposed Fortress of Solitude suggest an end-of-August release date. Our goal is to cut and box enough puzzles to satisfy our Back-in-Stock notification list. If you haven't put yourself on the list, there's still time!
Lots more news coming in the weeks ahead - expect a flurry of activity as we come out of our summer holidays and start prepping for a full slate of fall & winter craft shows!
Spurred on by several conversations and emails with our fabulous Patrons, and an enthusiastic interview last night on CJSW Top Two Intervals with Ching Li, I've been prodded into sharing a little bit more about what's going on under the hood at StumpCraft.
First, I'd like to once again acknowledge the miracle of being among the few businesses that have managed to survive the tumult of the last year. Fear and uncertainty have been constant companions for many of us. My companions urged caution and patience while navigating the evolution of StumpCraft 1.0 from side hustle into full fledged business and passion project. Thanks to your collective rediscovery of time well spent and the magic of wooden jigsaw puzzles, StumpCraft managed to stay in business throughout 2020 and surpassed the lofty goals I'd set at the beginning of the year prior to the major covid-related disruptions.
Despite my wary self-talk companions, I could also sense an urge for StumpCraft to grow and become more throughout 2020. Part of this was the realization that I couldn't keep up with production and puzzle design without help. The first step was to find partners and fellow Crafters who could share in my vision and a love of wooden jigsaw puzzles. I'm happy to say I've found those partners in Cory, Rob, James, Krista & Steve. Over the coming weeks and months, I'll be inviting them to share their take on StumpCraft's evolution. You may have already interacted with them if you've purchased a puzzle in the last month or two. I kindly ask that you extend the patience you've afforded me to them, as we settle into new roles.
We'll be tagging blogposts related to the next stage in StumpCraft's evolution with "Journey to B". One of our big bold moves is to achieve B Corp compliance within the next 2 years. This means reaching a score of 80 on the B Impact Assessment. Cory and I are tag-teaming this with help from Decade Impact and their Getting to 80 online intensive workshop. We both feel honoured and inspired by our fellow cohort members: Routine, BReD, CORE Landscape, 3fold, SOLE/recork, Courtney Agencies.
While things have been mostly quiet on the blog, newsletter and website front, I can assure you there's a storm of activity under the surface. We are all eager to share with you what we've been working on and I think you'll be excited by the prospects. So stay tuned for more exciting news!
photo credit: Jake Weirich
What follows is likely to sound to some as naive, high-fallutin' and pretentious. That's not my intent, so I'm going to go ahead and say it anyway and trust you won't think less of me. 😁
I like the idea of nudging the world in a direction we would collectively benefit from. The world could use more kindness; the world could use more generosity. So it seems right to me that the way to make that happen is to personally step into acts of generosity and to incentivize those acts.
Inspired by a friend of mine who wanted to donate a puzzle anonymously to someone recently down on their luck, I've been tinkering with the idea of some type of chain of puzzle generosity. You may remember the idea being popularized by the movie/book "Pay It Forward" and known as serial reciprocity by academics. The most popular of these kindness chains is the Random Acts of Kindness movement and you may have been the recipient or #RAKtivist provider of a free coffee at Starbucks / Tim Hortons or a free burger at McDonald's as a result. And while puzzles don't do much for the hungry, there is something to be said about other types of nourishment.
Turns out I'm not the only one thinking along these lines. A young puzzler in Austin Texas, independently came up with a similar idea. I used the #puzzleitforward hashtag to see if anyone else had come up with a similar idea and came across his website.
So we're going to try this out with a couple StumpCraft Pilot Tests and we'll see how far the idea goes. Michaela, aka Puzzle Problem on Instagram, will be helping me out on the Alpha Test. We will be giving away 2 puzzles: one for US participants and one for Canadian participants. Here's what we'd like you to do:
1. Like/Follow Puzzle Problem and StumpCraft (feel free to participate on StumpCraft's Facebook too).
2. Nominate someone by going to Puzzle Problem's post (for US participants), or to StumpCraft's post (for Canadian participants) and replying with who you'd like us to forward the new "Falling" puzzle to. Ideally, we'd like nominations for people who a) might need a soulful nourishment pick me up, and b) are the type of people who would keep the serial generosity chain going. No tagging necessary and no need to share any private or personal details. We trust you to nominate the right people. 🤗
3. Nominations end Fri Sept 25th. We'll each draw a nominee from our submissions.
I'd love to maintain a blog of heartwarming #puzzleitforward stories to share with you all but let's not bog down the idea with other complicated rules for now. Let's just get this started and tweak as we go. 💗
Myself and Michaela look forward to seeing your nominations!
Jasen
]]>Understandably, I've been fielding emails and calls for the last few weeks asking when new stock will be added. The good news is that as a solo entrepreneur, I'm at a production scale that allows my one-and-only employee (me) to continue making puzzles. As such, I'm still cutting and boxing puzzles daily with a view of updating my inventory on Monday May 4. At that time, I will have all puzzles in stock for as long as demand doesn't outstrip my personal supply curve.
The other benefit of taking a pause on puzzle order fulfilment is that it gives me the chance to start work on new puzzles. My aim is to have a new puzzle released as close to May 4 as possible. Here's a sneak peek of the art, by Calgary artist Melissa McKinnon:
Thanks for you patience as we navigate these unprecedented times together. I wish you all well.
Stay awesome, stay healthy!
Jasen
The idea of a dinosaur-themed puzzle had been rummaging about in my mind since the early days of StumpCraft prototypes back in 2016. Late last year, I knew I had to pursue that idea to fruition. First step was to find a local artist!
I regularly browse Instagram for local Canadian fine artists and came across Julie deBoer's fantastic profile...
]]>The idea of a dinosaur-themed puzzle had been rummaging about in my mind since the early days of StumpCraft prototypes back in 2016. Late last year, I knew I had to pursue that idea to fruition.
I regularly browse Instagram for local Canadian fine artists and came across Julie deBoer's fantastic profile. I immediately fell in love with her arrestingly dynamic and contrast-rich skies. I thought the fluidity and dynamism expressed in her skies would translate well to Canadian Badlands morphology. I reached out to her and explained the vision and we started collaborating on the project in early January of this year.
Here's Julie's take on the early days of our collaboration:
When Jasen reached out to me with his vision to collaborate on a new puzzle creation, I was immediately intrigued! I had never collaborated with another artist, but had always wanted to. Jasen had a vision for my art that I had never considered - to apply my flowing, fluid style (that I use to create my big sky paintings), to create the flowing, intricate details of the Badlands landscape. I thought, "this guy is brilliant!"[ed: Julie, you're welcome to write blog content for me anytime.]I’m an Alberta girl, so I know the badlands like the back of my hand. I’ve spent many blistering hot summer days, parched and exhilarated, lost in the badlands as a kid (and now with my own kids). I immediately envisioned a painting full of color and movement. Jasen was right, my painting style would work perfectly to capture the unique nature of the Badlands landscape.
I started off by sending her a few of the photos I'd taken over my last several trips to Drumheller and Dinosaur Provincial Park.
Julie worked off the photos to come up with some preliminary sketches.
Once we had settled on a basic structure and dimensions for the art piece, Julie then worked on the full scale canvas. I managed to sneak over to her studio to capture a few photos just before the final touches were made.
The result is a stunning view into the geomorphology of the Horseshoe Canyon Formation near Drumheller, and the perfect backdrop for a Badlands-inspired, dinosaur-themed puzzle.
Here's Julie once again with her take on the resulting collaborative:
This partnership has been fun and has pushed my limits as an artist - which I love. I have also gained a comrade in Jasen. He’s as much an artist as I am - he makes art out of art! His puzzles are absolutely one-of-a-kind and lovingly designed. I see his whimsical, fun, witty, and creative mind in the design of each piece of every puzzle and the story he tells through them. Jasen makes art which people can play with and puzzle over, which is exactly what I did with my family when my Stumpcraft + Julie deBoer Badlands to the Bone puzzle arrived at my door! Literally hours and hours of frustrating, frantic fun!
I had a ton of fun researching and designing this puzzle. If you want to quickly dive into it yourself, one of the best places to start is the Horseshoe Canyon Formation page on Wikipedia. And of course, you owe it to yourself to visit the excellent Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology.
Get Stumped! Or take a peek below if you'd like a couple hints as to what you might find by sifting through the Drumheller sediment.
List of whimsies:
Given that hockey is Canada's national pastime, it was only a matter of time before I designed a hockey-themed puzzle. The merging of two of Canada's favourite pastimes can only mean great things, right?! With the design finalized and the puzzle available for order, I can now say StumpCraft is has achieved Another Goal for 2019.
Another Goal is a beautiful piece of naive expressionist art by Ottawa artist Katerina Mertikas. As of this writing, the original artwork is still available for purchase at Artworld Fine Art in Toronto. The artwork depicts a kids game of pickup hockey on an outdoor small town ice rink. Growing up in various small towns in Prescott-Russell county in Ontario, the scene truly reminds me of the countless small towns we would drive though as a family in Ontario and Quebec. Part of the charm of the art for me is how much it reminds me of childhood and home.
My goal in designing this puzzle was to incorporate as many winter elements, sports, and activities as possible. Hockey whimsies figure prominently within the puzzle but mostly as multi-piece whimsies. As a result, the whimsies take on a very stealthy nature, hiding themselves until the very last moment and increasing the puzzle challenge. Also woven in are a number of hockey-themed interlocks to add to the puzzle solving experience and enjoyment.
As I did with Noah's Ark, I'm providing a list of whimsies for those of you would want a list to cross-off / check. Don't peak if you'd rather go at the puzzle blind.
List of whimsies:
One of the aspects I love the most about this puzzle artisan adventure I'm on, is the opportunity to meet great artists from across the country. I had the pleasure of doing just that this past weekend as I planned to hand off the first copy of Noah's Ark by Sam Millard, to Sam herself while I was vacationing in Kimberley!
Our plan was to meet up for dinner at our family's favourite Kimberley restaurant, Pedal & Tap. However knowing that there would likely be a lineup, I suggested a backup plan of meeting at Creme (the local cheese shop). "When someone suggests a cheese shop as a backup meet-and-greet location, I know we're going to get along", Sam said. The rest of the evening was spent enjoying food, drink, conversation and nanaimo bar ice cream before hanging out at a backyard campfire.
The weather cooperated to deliver a rainy Sunday afternoon so that Sam could solve the puzzle guilt-free. Her enthusiastic response to the puzzle was a great relief and exactly the reaction I was hoping for:
"I can’t tell you how beautiful [your] work is. ‘Puzzle’ is a major understatement when talking about [your] masterpieces. I LOVE how [you've] taken the shapes from my painting and recreated them in other parts as puzzle pieces. It’s a puzzle on steroids and the best way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon.
Thank you Jasen, it’s absolutely stunning, I’m completely in love with your work ❤️ "
Woohoo!
As a final word, I'm going to provide a list of the whimsies I've designed into the puzzle. For those of you who want to find all the whimsies, you'll now have a full list. :)
List of whimsies:
Introducing our newest puzzle: Steve Driscoll's The Sky Was Beautiful on Fire. So excited about this one! I had the pleasure of experiencing this awe-inspiring piece of art in person last summer at the McMichael Gallery as part of their "Size Matters" exhibit. I'd highly recommend visiting any (ALL) of Steve's exhibits if you ever have the chance.
Without much further ado, here are some closeups of the puzzle pieces.
Since the dawn of humanity, our species has looked to the heavens as a source of awe, inspiration, and meaning...
Why does the moon wax and wane? Who put those stars in the night sky? Why do the heavens dance, spark and occasionally rain down rock?
In time, patterns emerged in the night sky that paralleled our own ability to engender patterns through speech, language and art. Names were given and stories were told about the constellations above, perhaps to bring a sense of predictable order to an otherwise chaotic life of struggle and survival.
Our ambitions to conquer the natural world grew, and we sought to make the world our own through exploration, invention and scientific study. Our interest in the cosmos led to the development of instruments of astronomy, navigation and the study of objects both too small or too far for the naked eye to see.
Driven by innate curiosity and boundary shattering tendencies, we would then seek to break free from our earth-shackled observations. Soon our earthbound tools would be sent to space to expand human perspectives and scientific frames of references. As our outward examination into the cosmic universe deepened, so did our inward examination of life on earth.
The cosmos still beckons and challenges us. With life on earth under the expert scrutiny of countless fields of study and humanity's insatiable appetites, our curiosity once again turns outward. Are we the lucky few in an otherwise dark and lifeless universe? Will we ever discover signs of life outside of Earth’s atmosphere? Outside our galaxy? What is humanity's role in an ever-expanding universe?
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