Jigsaw Puzzles Are Back In Style

As you may or may not have suspected, jigsaw puzzles were out of style for a while. However, it seems their popularity is growing. We regularly work one, leaving one out on the coffee table all year long. Noticeably, not as many pieces are put in place in the summer but during the long, cold winter nights many are.

We now have more and better methods of producing puzzles and this has led to more creative puzzles. Not to say that there are not old puzzles that were well constructed. When you pick up a vintage Springbok puzzle that is fully assembled and walk around the house with it holding it only by the corners, you know that it was a well made puzzle. However, there is certainly a much wider variety of puzzle styles, choices and images available now for all age groups and at numerous price points.

I am sure that popularity is in large part because puzzles are a wonderful break from the constant presence of technology in our lives.  More importantly, however is that puzzles are just plain fun to do and when you finish one, you have a nice sense of accomplishment. Note that I did not say anything about them being good for us...and I do believe they are good for our brains, young and old.

I have chosen to illustrate this page with one of the World's Most Difficult Jigsaw Puzzle. This one features Disney's Mickey Mouse on a double-sided puzzle that has the same artwork on both sides! Yikes is what I say but if you are an accomplished puzzle worker who is a Disney fan, you will probably like the challenge. You can find this World's Most Difficult Mickey Mouse puzzle here on eBay by clicking right here.

Is there a JIGSAW PUZZLE in your life?

Happy puzzling!
Brenda
Treasures By Brenda

Quick Link:

Find more puzzles and more Mickey Mouse in my eBay store!

Vintage Texas Instruments Speak and Spell

Do you recognize this vintage learning toy?  I remember it though I was too old to play with it in the late 1970s or early 1980s.  It's the Texas Instruments Speak & Spell, an electronic toy designed to help youngsters improve their spelling skills. 

The Speak & Spell was one of the first handheld devices that had a display and changeable game cartridges.  I have been reading about it and it really does have an ineresting technical history, which you can read about on Wikipedia by clicking here. It is interesting that there is a Speak & Spell on display in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. 

This toy has a history in the movies, too. As shown in this Youtube video, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial used the Texas Instruments Speak & Spell to build his  interstellar communicator.  

SPOILER ALERT: Beware that this video contains clips from throughout the movie. It does, however, do a good job of showing how E.T. used the Speak & Spell to communicate with home.

The Speak & Spell also appeared as Mr. Spell in two Disney movies, Toy Story and Toy Story 2 and in a number of horror movies including Bride of Chucky and Poltergeist III. 

It turns out that E.T. wasn't the only one to manipulate the Speak and Spell. According to Digital Trends, musicians are now using Speak & Spell units for "circuit bending in their music, where the guts have been modified to create new sounds."

For these reasons and, I expect a bit of nostalgia, the Texas Instruments Speak & Spell sells consistently on eBay and eBay is likely the best place to easily source one. 

Brenda

Treasures By Brenda

You never know what treasures

I might have in store for you!

Quick Links:

Click here to see find your Texas Instruments Speak & Spell on eBay.