Puzzle Queen – Nicola (self-proclaimed but a true story).

I, Nicola, am the puzzle queen and I won’t have anyone say otherwise. How did I become the puzzle queen? Well, we often get asked how Journey of Something started. The answer to this question and the former, are one and the same.

Puzzle Queen - Nicola

Let me take you on a Journey….

Long, long, ago, in a time before covid (before the whole world was bonkers for jigsaw puzzles), Nicola’s children were gifted an 1000 piece Disney jigsaw puzzle by their grandmother. In an attempt to get the kids off screens, Nicola laid the said jigsaw puzzle out on the kitchen table. Alas, her children being just 4 and 6 at the time were too young for an 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle and little progress was made. So back to watching Peppa Pig they went (there was no Bluey back then).

Nicola however found herself somewhat engrossed in the Disney puzzle. She puzzled into the night, putting together Snow White, Cinderella and Mickey Mouse. She walked around like a zombie the next day but still couldn’t wait to return to the puzzle.

Nicola and her husband had to go out that night and left the children with a babysitter. When they returned later in the evening the babysitter proudly proclaimed “I finished the puzzle for you!”.

Whilst fighting back tears, rage and other totally excessive emotions, Nicola replied “thanks so much [insert fake smile]”.

It was at this point that Nicola realised she would be a jigsaw puzzler for life. In fact, not just a puzzler, the Puzzle Queen. Nicola not only went on to complete countless puzzles in record time, but she even started a puzzle business with one of her friends, Lauren (the Art Queen, but we will talk about that in another blog post).

“Why should a grown woman do Disney puzzles?” she asked Lauren one evening over a puzzle. “And if the puzzles had images from cool artists, you could even frame them.” Lauren replied. And that my friends, is how Nicola became the puzzle queen and how Journey of Something was born.

Whilst all the Journey of Something team enjoy a jigsaw puzzle or two (definitely a prerequisite of working at Journey of Something) Nicola has maintained her status as the puzzle queen and can even boast finishing a 1000 piece puzzle in one sitting.  Whilst she doesn’t really time herself, Nicola does feel that she has likely finished an 1000 piece puzzle in under 3 hours. For context, the fastest ever completion time in the world is 1 hour and 1 minute. On average, we think a puzzle takes around 7 hours.

These are the Journey of Something Puzzles Nicola is currently loving: 

1000 Piece Puzzle - Desert Flower

Aboriginal Art Jigsaw Puzzle Australia

1000 Piece Puzzle - Upside Down Town. Last chance to buy it at just $45. 

Journey of Something Puzzles Sale

500 Piece Puzzle - Abundant 

Jigsaw Puzzle Portrait

Leave a comment