Artist: Elaine Estern
Made by: Coconut Coast Studios
Count: 300 pieces
Final size: 15.5 x 11″
Piece Type/Variety: Straight ribbon cut, one shape
Piece quality: Decent
Skin irritation: None
Nice little puzzle that I got as a souvenir. From the Virgin Islands, in a gift shop at the National Park on St. John Island. I was delighted to find a small, very lightweight puzzle to bring home! The image is painted by a local artist and I wonder if it was locally produced as well. Not surprised that it has a very simple cut- all the pieces one shape-
but with so much color and detail in the picture, it wasn’t too hard to do. Only had a few false fits. These pieces feel different from the usual puzzles I get, though. They’re so light if I blew to get debris out of the way (no cardboard puzzle dust, but little bits of plasticky material shed off), pieces shifted around. The surface was very shiny and smooth, plastic feel. Some pieces had little threads of plastic hanging on the corners. The reverse sides are textured- which I liked because I could tilt my board a good amount before it all started sliding off.
They fit together very snugly, most times I had to press a piece into place with some force, and it made a little audible snap. It all held together so well, not only could I pick the entire puzzle up and wave it around in the air, but I could do this when it wasn’t even complete yet! (Bad photo example- the shadow from my arm holding it aloft).
I won’t be able to just waggle my fingers in from each edge to dismantle this puzzle- going to have to carefully separate it all one piece at a time. This was another one worked on a board on my lap.
Oh, and I forgot to mention, it’s sparkly. The whole thing has a fine glittery layer, appears to be beneath the plastic, not going to rub off as from the Mermaids.
