Jigsaw hypnosis

My latest 'make', and the first to feature in my blog, is a break away from my usual creative pursuits. A good ol' jigsaw puzzle!

My niece and nephew, the ever-beautiful Hannah and William, were recently over in the UK with my sister and brother-in-law, staying in Bexhll for the Easter weekend. While in the town, my mum bought them a jigsaw and, being the amazing Aunty that I am, I sat down to help them make a start, with the first job being, of course, to separate the edge pieces from the centre pieces. Easter activities, the sunshine and the children's desire to be outside, on the beach or in the park, quickly made their enthusiasm for the jigsaw fade. But this wasn't the same for me...

Over the past week, I have found myself continually drawn back to the jigsaw. I'd be strolling past on the way to do something, and would spend a few minutes trying to get a few pieces in their places. For me, focussing on the picture of the finished jigsaw and all the pieces has been strangely hypnotic. With the colours and shapes of the individual pieces to study, turn round and fit into place, my mind became calm. A strange sense of achievement would come from finding the right piece for a specific section and attaching it to its neighbour.

There were two frustrations, but these were quick to dissipate in the 'zen-like' atmosphere I created for myself. Firstly, the occasional chaos caused by pieces getting stuck to the side of my hand as I placed a new piece in position...shattering the peace and gradual perfection of the emerging picture. Secondly...I was one piece missing at the end. The perils of a charity shop buy perhaps?

No...I'd been sitting on the blighter! Ah the joy of a completed jigsaw!