Cindy deRosier: My Creative Life

Puzzle Piece Crafts

2026-04-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

There are some people who don't mind if a puzzle is missing pieces (Karen Puzzles famously doesn't care), but it bothers me. If I open a brand new puzzle and there are pieces missing, I contact the manufacturer for a replacement. If I get a used puzzle with missing pieces, the remaining pieces become a craft supply. There are a lot of fun things you can make with puzzle pieces. Here are 7 of my favorite ideas.

Puzzle Piece Crafts for Kids

Puzzle Piece Monarch : Create a beautiful monarch butterfly from a puzzle piece! You can use the same idea for any species of butterfly.

Puzzle Piece Alien: Start with puzzle pieces, paint, googly eyes, and wires, then let your imagination go wild as you imagine what aliens look like!

Twisteezwire Girl with Flowers: You can make all sorts of cool sculptures using Twisteezwire and puzzle pieces. My girl is holding flowers, but she could just as easily be holding anything else!

Puzzle Piece Ladybug, Crab, Bug, and Spider: Fashion the cutest ladybug ever out of a puzzle piece, beads, and wire. This link has instructions for a crab, bug, and spider as well.

Puzzle Piece Flower Bouquet: I love this cheery bouquet of flowers, made from puzzle pieces, pipe cleaners, tissue paper, and pom poms. It's so pretty!

Puzzle Piece Reindeer Ornament: My son and I made these ornaments when he was 6. They're still one of my favorites. They look so cute on the Christmas tree each year!

Puzzle Piece Minions: When I made my puzzle piece minions, I experimented to see if I could make them from a bunch of different piece shapes. Some work better than others, but I think they're especially fun all together like this.

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Click here to find a few more puzzle piece crafts I've made, as well as all of my other puzzle content. Enjoy!

Stuffed Cross Ornament

2026-04-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

Our quilt group has been receiving a lot of fabric donations recently, which we appreciate so much. As we go through the donated fabrics, we sort by color, and occasionally by theme. We also pull out any fabrics that cannot be used on LWR quilts. This includes any prints with religious, patriotic, or military symbols, language, or messages.

We can't use this fabric for our quilts, so our leader suggested I come up with a craft using it that congregational members could potentially do after church one Sunday. The four different crosses read love, faith, peace, and joy. Each is about 5" tall.

My first idea was to make ornaments. I cut out two of the yellow joy crosses, put them with the right sides together, then sewed around the edges, leaving the top open. I turned the fabric inside out, stuffed it with Polyfil, added a loop of gold cord, and then used craft glue to close the opening (affiliate links).

It came out fine, but it's not going to be a great option for the congregation members who usually come to our craft sessions. I have another idea for a project using this fabric that might be a bit easier and less fiddly for the very young and very old who attend. Stay tuned.

Painted Popcorn Craft

2026-04-08T05:00:00.001-07:00

Indiana is the largest popcorn producer in the United States. Several major brands, including Orville Redenbacher's, originated in Indiana. So it's no surprise that Indiana named popcorn as its official state snack. Illinois is also a major popcorn producer that has named popcorn as its official state snack. I love popcorn and thought it would be fun to design a popcorn craft focused on the 4th graders in Indiana and Illinois studying their state symbols rather than the preschoolers who typically make popcorn crafts. Affiliate links below.

Painted Popcorn Craft

Materials:

Steps:

Cut a rectangle from white cardstock, approximately 3" x 4". Cut a square that is about 3.5" then cut a wiggly edge on all sides. The easiest way to do this is to keep the scissors still and move the paper back and forth. Punch a white circle. Cut four strips of red cardstock, each about 3/8" thick and longer than 4".

Protect your work surface, then dip the paint pouncer in yellow paint. Pounce it randomly on the wiggly cardstock.

Without cleaning the pouncer or letting the paint dry, dip the pouncer in white paint and continue pouncing randomly until the cardstock is covered. Be sure not to cover up all of the yellow.

While the paint is drying, glue the red stripes to the white rectangle to make the popcorn box. If you were to glue the popcorn to the box right now, it would look like this.

Center the words POP and CORN on the punched circle using the red Flair pen. Then color around the outside edge of the circle. Glue it to the popcorn box.

Use a brown colored pencil to lightly outline some of the popcorn kernels, following the lines created by pouncing. Add little brown triangles between some of the pieces to show where there would be shadows between kernels. Add a few small curves here and there to mimic popcorn hulls. Then use the scissors to refine the shape of the popcorn. Follow the colors, thinking about how popcorn would actually sit. When you are happy with it, glue it to the top of the popcorn box.

I really enjoyed this project. Paint pouncing is FUN! After making it, you'd better believe that I ate some popcorn!

SIX: The Musical

2026-04-07T05:00:00.002-07:00

Have you seen SIX: The Musical? It tells the story of Henry VIII's six wives (divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived) with a decidedly modern Girl Power vibe. The music and the costumes are fantastic and it's such a fun show! Missouri Street Theatre did the Teen Edition of SIX in December and it was spectacular.

SIX: The Musical (affiliate link)

MST had a neat idea for a fundraiser - donate any amount and take a picture with the cast. I wish the teens were in the front and we were in the back so that you could see their incredible costumes, but it's still a really fun picture. The layout came together really quickly. I used the playbill for my title, then added journaling, a strip of glittery washi tape, and the crown to finish it off.

Crayon-Resist Swallowtail Butterfly

2026-04-06T05:00:00.001-07:00

I liked the results of my wax-resist Colorado hairstreak butterfly so much that I used the same technique to make a different butterfly. This time, I chose the Eastern tiger swallowtail. It is the state insect of Virginia, the state butterfly of Delaware, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, and both the state butterfly and mascot of Alabama. Affiliate links below.

Wax-Resist Swallowtail Butterfly

Materials:

Steps:

Because I wanted my Eastern tiger swallowtail to be accurate, I printed out a picture first at the size I wanted my finished project to be. Then I used the window to trace the butterfly onto watercolor paper.

Next, I used yellow, orange, black, blue, and white crayons to color in the butterfly. Since this is a wax-resist project, press hard and leave a thick layer of wax where you want the paint to resist; color lightly in the areas where you want black to cover most of your crayon marks.

Create a wash by mixing a few drops of black acrylic paint into some water. Brush the wash over the butterfly. The paint will resist the areas with crayon. When the paint is dry, cut out the butterfly.

The wash dried a little lighter than I wanted, but it was an easy fix. I used a black colored pencil to darken the areas that needed to pop. Here you can see the difference between the right side that I've colored and the left side that has just the wash.

Here is is with both sides colored.

The Eastern tiger swallowtail is such a pretty butterfly! I'm really happy with how my project turned out.

Tomato and Strawberry Easter Eggs

2026-04-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today's Easter eggs based on state symbols are so easy to make that you get two-for-one. First up is a tomato, the state fruit of Arkansas, Ohio, and Tennessee. Second is the strawberry, the state fruit of Delaware, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Oklahoma. Affiliate links below.

Tomato Easter Egg

Materials:

Steps:

Paint the egg red. While it is drying, cut out a multi-pointed star shape from felt for the tomato's leaves. Cut a thin strip for the stem. When the paint is dry, glue the leaves to the side of the egg and the stem on top of the leaves.

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Strawberry Easter Egg

Materials:

Steps:

Paint the egg red. While the paint is drying, cut out a multi-pointed star shape from felt for the strawberry's leaves. Cut a thin strip for the stem.

When the red paint is dry, use a plastic fork to apply yellow dots to the egg to mimic the strawberry's seeds.

When the yellow paint is dry, glue the leaves to the rounded end of the egg. Glue the stem onto the leaves.

Deer Easter Egg

2026-04-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

For my next state symbol Easter egg, I chose a deer. The white-tailed deer is the state animal of Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina, the state game animal of Oklahoma, and the wildlife symbol of Wisconsin. Affiliate links below.

Deer Easter Egg

Materials:

Steps:

Paint the brown. While the paint is drying, cut out a pair of antlers, a pair of ears, and a tail. Make each a little longer than needed; fold back a small tab at the base. (This is where you'll be putting glue.) Use a white colored pencil to color the inside of the deer's ears. Color the edges and the underside of the tail white.

Use the paint pen to add a nose to the pointed end of the egg. Add eyes and a mouth. Glue the ears, antlers, and tail in place.

Ice Cream Cone Easter Egg

2026-04-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

Ice cream cones have been around since 1904, when visitors to the St. Louis World's Fair tried a revolutionary new treat. Vendors folded waffles into cones and filled them with ice cream. In 2008, 104 years after the birth of this now-ubiquitous treat, Missouri named the ice cream cone their official state dessert. Honor the ice cream cone by making an Easter egg version. Affiliate links below.

Ice Cream Cone Easter Egg

Materials:

Steps:

Start by painting the egg your desired color. While that is drying, work on the cone. Use a ruler and a colored pencil to draw diagonal lines on the cardstock, first in one direction and then the other. There's no need to measure - just get some lines on there to mimic the look of an ice cream cone.

Roll the cardstock into a cone shape, making sure the lines you drew face out. Measure the cone against the egg and adjust the wide end of the cone accordingly. I ended up cutting down my paper significantly. You may want to make a template with scratch paper first if you don't have another use for the excess cardstock. Glue the cone and add a binder clip to prevent it from unrolling while it dries.

Use a Sharpie to add flecks of chocolate to your mint chip or chocolate chip ice cream, or skip this step if you chose a different flavor. When the glue on the cone is dry, trim to the top to make it even and nestle the egg inside.

Another fun Easter egg idea, inspired by a state symbol!

Cat in the Hat Easter Egg

2026-03-31T05:00:00.001-07:00

You may be wondering why I made a Cat in the Hat Easter egg when I said that this year's eggs are all inspired by state symbols. While the Cat himself is not a state symbol, Dr. Seuss is the official State Children's Author and Illustrator of Massachusetts. We had a fantastic time at the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum in Springfield, Massachusetts a few years ago. If you've never been, make plans to go! In the meantime, try this easy Easter egg idea. Affiliate links below.

Cat in the Hat Easter Egg

Materials:

Steps:

Start by making the hat. Slice a 2.5" ring off a cardboard tube. Cut up the side so that you can adjust the circumference of the tube (you'll need to make it smaller to fit the egg). Cut a piece of red cardstock that is slightly taller than the cardboard tube ring and wide enough to wrap around it. Cut two strips of white cardstock and glue them to the red to make the iconic stripes. Glue the cardstock to the cardboard tube, then adjust the tube to the appropriate circumference to fit your egg (about 1"). Clip the ends in place to allow the glue to dry without having to hold it.

When the glue is dry, cut a circle of white cardstock for the brim of the hat. Snip the inside of the brim and fold up the flaps of cardstock. This gives you a surface to glue to the inside of the hat.

Use a Sharpie to draw the cat's eyes, eyebrows, nose, whiskers, and smile. Then add light, whispy marks to the area beyond the face.

Finally, place the hat on top of the egg.

I can imagine making a whole collection of Seuss-inspired Easter eggs. There are so many fun characters in his books.

Harbor Seal Easter Egg

2026-03-30T05:00:00.003-07:00

I enjoy coming up with creative ways to decorate Easter eggs. This year, I'm challenging myself to decorate my eggs using state symbols. First up, a harbor seal.

In 2016, the harbor seal was adopted as the official state marine mammal of Rhode Island. Did you know that harbor seals can weigh up to 300 pounds and live up to 30 years? Females give birth to a single baby between March and May. Babies weigh around 20 pounds at birth and can swim and dive within hours of birth. They gain almost a pound a day during the 4-6 weeks their mothers nurse them. Harbor seals eat a variety of seafood; they will swim more than a hundred miles upstream in large rivers in search of migrating fish. Affiliate links below.

Harbor Seal Easter Egg

Materials:

Steps:

Paint the egg grey. When the paint has dried completely, orient the egg with the pointy end facing you. Rub some chalk on your finger (or on a cotton ball) and apply it to where the seal's eyes and cheeks will be.

Use a black paint pen to draw the seal's eyes, nose, and mouth. Add random spots around the body, then add lots of tiny dots where the whiskers go.

Cut six (or more) short pieces of fishing line for the seal's whiskers. Add dots of glue and press the whiskers in place. You'll need to hold them for 30 seconds or so while the glue sets up.

Tissue Paper Crafts for Kids

2026-03-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

I am a tissue paper hoarder. Not only do I save the used tissue paper from all the presents our family receives, but if I go to a party and it looks like the recipient is going to throw out their tissue paper, I jump in and save that too. I've been doing this for decades and I manage to stay in equilibrium - I use as much as I bring in. How? Tissue paper crafts!

There are so many fun things you can make with tissue paper. Over the years, I've shared more than 40 different tissue paper crafts. You can find them all using that link. Below are some of my favorites.

Tissue Paper Cardinal
This project is one of my all-time favorite bird crafts. I love cardinals and this one is so cute.

Paper Taco
Tissue paper acts as the lettuce in this all-paper version of a taco.

Decoupage Flower Bouquet
These colorful flowers are so much fun to make!

Tissue Paper Stained Glass
It's amazing how much tissue paper resembles stained glass in this project.

Paper Plate Salad
Once again, tissue paper plays the role of lettuce. This time, it's in a salad.

Tissue Paper Ocean Art
The secret to this project is bleeding tissue paper.

Fall Tree with Tissue Paper Leaves
Celebrate fall with this tree craft, featuring tissue paper leaves in yellows, greens, reds, and oranges.

Volcano Art
Tissue paper acts as lava in this unique craft.

Strawberry Piñata
Homemade piñatas are so much fun! This strawberry is beginner-friendly.

My First Potholders

2026-03-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

I learned a lot while making my first quilt. One of the most important things I learned is that I really need to improve my sewing skills. Technically, I already knew that. But while making the quilt, it was painfully obvious that I should practice using the sewing machine a bit before jumping in to make my next quilt.

A few weeks ago, my quilt group taught an easy potholder craft after church. First we shared a video about the mission of Lutheran World Relief, then we helped the attendees sandwich batting between two squares of material and hand-tie them to make potholders. In preparation (and to get in some sewing practice), I made my first-ever potholder. And then I made two more.

This is my first potholder. I cut two 11" squares of the same Christmas fabric and two 9" squares of heat-resistant batting (affiliate links here and below), layered them together, and then hand-tied them with red embroidery floss in the center and near each corner. Then I folded up each edge, clipped them in place (so much better than pins!), and sewed.

For a first attempt, it's not bad. It doesn't look square, but it actually is close. My stitching wasn't quite straight, but that wasn't the problem. The issue is that I cut my fabric squares without paying attention to the checked pattern in the background. I should have made sure those were straight before cutting. Lesson learned.

This is my second potholder. I cut the fabric correctly, so this time the crookedness isn't an optical illusion. It is definitely not square. As you can see, I machine-quilted this one rather than hand-tying it. I went to great effort to make sure my lines of stitching were as straight as possible and things were looking pretty good until I did the binding. I thought I could just fold up the edges, clip, and sew and it would be fine. Nope!

For my third potholder, I clipped the edges then machine-quilted the layers together. My lines were straight and everything looked great. I did the binding on two of the sides and it still looked good. Then I tried repeatedly to get the other two sides straight. As you can see, I did not accomplish that goal.

Now I know that I should have basted the layers together with pins to prevent them from shifting, which happens during machine quilting. Just clipping the edges in a few places was not adequate. After quilting, I should have squared up the block before attempting to bind it. I'll try those next time. I've also learned about the importance of a walking foot. I assume I wasn't using that, based on the problems I had binding my quilt and the fact that now my potholders look like the problem she outlined in the video.

Overall, I'm satisfied with my first attempts at potholders. They're recognizable as potholders - a low bar, sure, but that's where beginners start! I'm more than willing to accept imperfection, especially for something utilitarian like a potholder. But I hope that my next attempts show at least a little bit of progress.

Tennis Racket Craft

2026-03-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

If you've never been, I highly recommend a visit to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. Tennis fans will love it, obviously, but even if you know nothing about tennis I guarantee that you will love it too. I learned so much about the sport. Tennis wasn't represented amongst the many Sports Crafts for Kids I've made over the years, so it was time to change that.

I first played tennis in high school PE. Or maybe middle school PE. Either way, I enjoyed it, relatively speaking. In college, one of my roommates was on the tennis team. After I bought a racket, a third roommate and I would play against her, 2 against 1, and she would beat us every time. Easily. A few years later, I took tennis lessons through the city for a few months. It was fun, but I didn't end up playing again for about 15 years when 8-year old Trevor was interested in learning. He and I played a couple dozen times until he was about 10 and I haven't played since. I still have my racket though; it has the same colors as today’s craft. Affiliate links below.

Tennis Racket Craft

Materials:

Steps:

Sketch a tennis racket onto a piece of chipboard. As you can see, I drew loose ovals until I found a shape I liked, then added the handle at the bottom. If you prefer, make a pattern on a piece of scratch paper or print out a picture and use that as a pattern.

Cut out the tennis racket. To make mine symmetrical, I cut one side, then used that scrap to cut the other side. That allowed me to fix any imperfections.

Trace the head of the tennis racket onto a piece of scratch paper, then paint the racket with your preferred color. While you are waiting for the paint to dry, plan out where you want the strings to go. I started with a line in the center, then approximately every 1/2" outward from there, giving me a total of 7 vertical strings.

When the paint is dry, wrap pieces of colored (or plain) masking tape along the handle to make the grip.

I had planned to poke holes in the chipboard and sew fishing line through them to make the strings. This failed. I had to use a needle with a fairly large eye in order to fit the fishing line, which threatened to tear the chipboard. I tried a couple of other ideas but eventually abandoned the ideas of holes altogether and switched to embroidery floss and glue. Do yourself a favor and go directly to the floss/glue.

After a bunch of experimentation, I decided this is the easiest method: Use the craft pick to poke holes into your scratch paper pattern. Clip the pattern to the racket and color in each hole to mark where the strings will go. Remove the scratch paper and put a dollop of glue in that spot. Add a piece of embroidery floss, slightly longer than needed. Let the glue dry completely.

Tape the racket to the table. Add dollops of glue along the bottom marks and stretch the floss into position. Tape the excess to the table to keep it stretched while the glue dries. Then snip off the extras.

Repeat the same process with the horizontal strings. I thought about weaving them, but decided I didn't want to test the strength of the glue. It probably would have held. But it looks fine with the strings not woven. If you prefer accuracy, go for it!

The finished racket!

Speaking of "racket"... as I was writing this post, I spelled it "racquet" about half the time. The more I thought about it, the less confident I was about which was correct. I looked it up. Based on what I learned, I changed my racquets to rackets. For purposes of SEO, I should probably write "tennis racquet craft" at least once in this post. There. Whether you're looking for a racket craft or a racquet craft, I hope my project inspired you to give it a try!

Decoupage Backgrounds for Cards

2026-03-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

Recently, I've shared how to make flowers, a dolphin, and a cross using decoupage. You can use the same techniques to make backgrounds for cards. Affiliate links below.

Decoupage Backgrounds for Cards

Materials:

Steps:

For each card, cut a piece of Bristol vellum in half to make two pieces that are 8.5" x 5.5". Fold one of the halves in half in order to make a 4.25" x 5.5" card base. You'll use the other piece for the decoupage.

You can decoupage with sheets, strips, or torn pieces tissue paper. You can mix colors or use just one color. If you are going to use strips or pieces, tear those before moving on to the next step.

Pour some Mod Podge into a cup and dilute it with a little bit of water (about 3 parts Mod Podge to 1 part water). If you're using an intact piece of tissue paper, paint a coat of the watered-down Mod Podge onto a half-sheet of paper. Carefully lay the tissue paper onto the moist paper. Load the brush with more Mod Podge and paint a coat over the top of the tissue paper. Use the brush to smooth any wrinkles as best you can. Don't worry about any overhanging tissue paper. If you are using strips or torn pieces, work on one area at a time. Paint a coat of Mod Podge onto the bottom inch of the paper, lay down a strip or piece of tissue paper, then paint over that to seal it. Add Mod Podge to the next section of the paper, then add the tissue paper, slightly overlapping the previous piece. Seal it. Repeat until you've covered the entire half-sheet.

When the decoupage is completely dry, trim the decoupaged sheet to make a 4" x 5.25" piece. Adhere it to the card base. Decorate with stickers.

* For the Happy x 3 card, I used Gloss Mod Podge and stickers from Happy Planner - Celebrate.

* For the unicorn card, I used Matte Mod Podge and stickers from Echo Park's Birthday Girl.

* For the make a wish card, I used Sparkle Mod Podge and stickers from Echo Park's Happy Birthday Boy.

Wax-Resist Butterfly

2026-03-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

It's been a really long time since I used black paint on a wax-resist project. I decided to utilize the technique to make a realistic butterfly craft. Mine is inspired by Colorado's state insect, the Colorado hairstreak butterfly. Affiliate links below.

Wax-Resist Butterfly Craft

Materials:

Steps:

Because I was making my project based on a real butterfly and I wanted it to be as accurate as possible, I started by printing out a picture of the Colorado hairstreak. I used the window to trace the butterfly onto watercolor paper.

The next step is using a variety of crayons to color in the butterfly. Layer the colors to get just what you want. Press hard and leave a thick layer of wax where you want the paint to resist; color lightly in the areas where you want black to cover most of the crayon marks.

Create a wash by mixing a few drops of black paint into some water. Brush the wash over the butterfly.

When the paint is dry, cut out the butterfly. Then, use a colored pencil to draw the veins on the butterfly's wings. Press hard - this will carve out some of the wax from the thick areas, providing a nice contrast.

I'm really happy with how my Colorado hairstreak turned out. I may end up doing something similar with other butterfly species.

Puzzle Piece Flower Bouquet

2026-03-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

Puzzle pieces make beautiful flowers. This is a fun craft for your guests to make during a puzzle themed party, or you can make them ahead of time as decoration. Affiliate links below.

Puzzle Piece Flower Bouquet

Materials:

Steps:

Paint a coat of gesso on to the puzzle pieces. When it is dry, add a coat of acrylic paint. Use a colored pencil to add lines that mimic the veins and ridges of petals. Then glue a pom pom in the center of the flower.

Twist the pipe cleaners to form leaves. I made two leaves with stems and two without. I recommend making all the leaves with stems, as you can always cut them off later. Add a coat of glue to each leaf and lay it on top of tissue paper.

When the glue is dry, cut around each leaf. Twist the stems of the flowers together.

Twist the stems of the leaves around the flower stems. (I did that with the two I had, then glued a third leaf in place. I didn't use the fourth leaf.) Arrange the flowers in the vase.

I love how my puzzle piece bouquet turned out! It's going on display next to my Lego flowers.

Jigsaw Puzzle Trivia

2026-03-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

One of the games we played during my puzzle-themed birthday party was Jigsaw Puzzle Trivia. We played it Four Corners style, meaning that each corner of the room was designed A, B, C, or D. After I read each question, everyone had to move to the corner they thought was the right answer. Not only is it fun seeing how everyone answers each question, but it gives the contestants a chance to second-guess their answer and join the majority, intentionally move to an answer no one else has given, or stay with their first guess (usually the correct strategy). Play along below and let me know in the comments how many you got right!

1. When was the first known jigsaw puzzle made?

A. 1766
B. 1801
C. 1860
D. 1906

2. Where were jigsaw puzzles invented?

A. England
B. France
C. United States
D. Germany

3. Jigsaw puzzles originated as educational devices to teach what subject?

A. history
B. etiquette
C. religion
D. geography

4. The name “jigsaw puzzle” was first used in 1906. What were they called before that?

A. partitions
B. enigmas
C. dissections
D. multitudes

5. What is the word for the study of puzzles?

A. Puzzology
B. Enigmatology
C. Fragmology
D. Praxology

6. Approximately how many jigsaw puzzles are sold each year?

A. 1.8 million
B. 180 million
C. 1.8 billion
D. 180 billion

7. The most expensive puzzle ever sold has 467 handcrafted wood pieces. What was its price?

A. $14,000
B. $27,000
C. $39,000
D. $52,000

8. When is International Puzzle Day?

A. January 29
B. April 4
C. July 27
D. November 17

9. The largest commercially available puzzle has 60,000 pieces and is 8x29 feet. Where is it sold?

A. at the Ravensburger factory store
B. exclusively at independent puzzle and game stores
C. online only, through Puzzle.com
D. Costco

10. How many pieces does the largest jigsaw puzzle ever made have?

A. 79,232
B. 227,232
C. 403,232
D. 551,232

1. A - The first known jigsaw puzzle was made in 1766 by a man named John Spilsbury.

2. A - Jigsaw puzzles were invented in England.

3. D - Spilsbury, a cartographer, invented jigsaw puzzles as educational devices to teach geography.

4. C - Spilsbury named his creations "dissections."

5. B - Enigmatology is the study of puzzles.

6. C - Approximately 1.8 billion puzzles are sold annually.

7. B - A 467-piece, hand-cut wood puzzle sold for $27,000, making it the most expensive ever sold.

8. A - International Puzzle Day is celebrated on January 29.

9. D - You can buy an 8x29 foot puzzle with 60,000 pieces for $349 at Costco.

10. D - The largest puzzle ever made has 551,232 pieces. 1600 college students in Ho Chi Mihn City put it together.

Jigsaw Puzzle Party

2026-03-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

I threw myself a birthday party on Saturday. The theme was one of my favorite things: jigsaw puzzles!

To make my party hat, I started by coloring old puzzle pieces with Apple Barrel paint pens (affiliate links here and below). When they were dry, I coiled Twisteezwire in corresponding colors around each piece, then threaded the wire into a blue party hat. I secured the ends with masking tape. I used a Sharpie to write 54 on another puzzle piece and glued it to the front of the hat.

Here's what the party invitation looked like. I had so much fun designing it! (I used PicMonkey, of course.)

I wore my puzzle piece necklace. It's from Springbok. I got mine for free awhile back for joining their loyalty club. I don't know that they do that anymore; probably not, since they're selling it now.

So what do you do at a puzzle party? Puzzles, of course! We solved a neon 80's themed puzzle and a chocolate mystery puzzle.

We made crafts using puzzle pieces.

We played Puzzle Trivia (I'll share that tomorrow). And we played multiple rounds of Puzzle Chess.

If you're not familiar with Puzzle Chess, I highly recommend it! We used a 48-piece puzzle; you can play with a puzzle up to about 100 pieces. Someone who is not competing completes the border and turns all the pieces face up. The contestants sit across from each other with a chess clock beside the puzzle. Start the clock, then the first player puts in a piece and hits the clock. The second player does the same. When the last piece goes in, the person with the least amount of time on their clock is the winner. It's really fun!

In between it all, we grazed. I love charcuterie boards for parties. They're so much fun to put together and everyone can grab what they like. Check out the puzzle piece candies!

I used the Celebrate It! Puzzle Piece silicone mold, sold by Michaels. I'm so frustrated that they don't sell it anymore, because it is AWESOME. As you can see, the finished candies actually interlock properly like puzzle pieces should. To make the candies, I prepared Wilton Candy Melts and added a drop of different LorAnn flavorings to each of the different colors before molding them. I didn't match the colors with the flavors logically (for example, purple was green apple), which left my guests a bit -ahem- puzzled.

I had such a good time at the party! Thanks to my friends for helping make it so fun. If you're a jigsaw puzzle fanatic, I highly recommend throwing a puzzle-themed party of your own.

Native American Museums Everyone Should Visit

2026-03-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

Someday, I WILL visit the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington DC. I've traveled to DC five times, but I haven't been there since the museum opened in 2004. The museum looks spectacular and I can’t wait to go. In the meantime, I wanted to share the rest of my favorite must-visit Native American museums.

First Americans Museum

First Americans Museum opened in Oklahoma City in 2021 to share the collective histories of the 39 First American Nations in Oklahoma. It is beautifully designed and does an outstanding job of presenting the cultural diversity and the contributions of each of the 39 Nations. Technology helps tell the stories in a seamless way. Don't miss the outdoor exhibit about the Mound Builder cultures and definitely allow time to eat Native cuisine in the restaurant.

Heard Museum

The Heard Museum has been a must-visit spot in Phoenix, Arizona since it was established in 1929. The museum is dedicated to the advancement of American Indian art. It tells stories of the indigenous people from a first-person perspective through traditional and contemporary artwork. The museum includes a library and amphitheater.

Stewart Indian School Cultural Center and Museum

The mission of the Stewart Indian School Cultural Center and Museum is to tell the stories of the American Indian children who were educated there, many by force. Located in Carson City, Nevada, the school was operated by the federal government from 1890-1980. Hearing about the experiences of some of the thousands of students who attended Stewart Indian School is powerful and eye-opening. In addition to sharing the history of Stewart, the museum also displays contemporary Native art and hosts public programming and educational activities.

Chickasaw Cultural Center

The Chickasaw Cultural Center opened in 2010 to preserve, protect, and share Chickasaw culture, traditions, and history. The campus is enormous and stunningly beautiful, boasting a world-class exhibit center, an amphitheater, a traditional village, a library, art galleries, a cafe, and much more. There is so much to see and do as you immerse yourself in the rich Chickasaw culture.

Indian Pueblo Cultural Center

Indian Pueblo Cultural Center celebrates the culture of the 19 Pueblo communities through exhibits, a library, a teaching kitchen and restaurant, and community events. This award-winning Center opened in 1976 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is a wonderful place to visit and learn (and eat!). Not only is it a gathering place, but it also provides economic opportunities to Pueblo communities.

Indian Museum of North America

The Indian Museum of North America is located at Crazy Horse Memorial in South Dakota. It houses art and artifacts from over 300 Native Nations and is committed to telling the stories of their diverse cultures and histories. There are daily programs, including music and dance performances. An Artists in Residence program highlights contemporary Native artists. There is so much to see and do here, all in an incredible setting.

Oklahoma 2023

2026-03-16T05:00:00.001-07:00

I have fond memories from our visits to all the states, but there's something about Oklahoma that stands out. We packed so many cool things into 5 days in the Sooner State. We enjoyed amazing gardens, learned about a tragic day, discovered the fascinating world of banjos, and took a boat ride. We toured the stockyards, learned all about Oklahoma's First American Nations, and saw florists at work. We fed flamingos and learned about cowboys. We visited the only Capitol with an oil well and petted pigeons. We were blown away by "the best success story of Native voices telling their own story." We had a GREAT time.

Oklahoma 2023 (affiliate link)

I'd put off scrapping about our visit to Oklahoma because there were so many memories I wanted to document. I ended up picking 11 photos that give a glimpse into our visit. It's not the whole story (that's what the blog posts are for) but it's enough to spark memories. One look at the picture of the curly pigeon or the banjo collection or the Chickasaw lunch or Trevor feeding flamingos and it takes me right back.

Tissue Paper Flower Bouquet

2026-03-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

I've shared dozens (and dozens) of flower crafts over the years and I never get tired of making them. I've made so many flower crafts that I actually had enough to put together a round-up of just my favorite edible flower crafts! Today's project isn't edible, but I'm happy to add it to my collection of flower crafts. It's so pretty. (And did you notice the colors I used?) Affiliate links below.

Decoupage Tissue Paper Flower Bouquet

Materials:

Neenah Bristol vellum

1/2 sheet for the vase
1/2 sheet for each of the flowers
1/4 sheet for the leaves
1/4 sheet for the flower centers

tissue paper
Mod Podge
decoupage brush
microtip scissors
hot glue

Steps:

Choose the colors of tissue paper you want to use for your bouquet. Tear the tissue paper you're using for the vase into irregular pieces. Pour some Mod Podge into a cup and dilute it with a little bit of water (about 3 parts Mod Podge to 1 part water). Working on one area at a time, paint some of the Mod Podge onto the paper, then place a piece of tissue paper onto the moist area. Paint over the top to seal it. Repeat the process, overlapping the pieces as much (or as little) as you want.

Cut or tear the remaining colors of tissue paper so that they are slightly larger than the paper they'll be covering. Working with one color at a time, spread a coat of the watered-down Mod Podge onto the paper. Carefully lay tissue paper onto the moist paper. Load the brush with more Mod Podge and paint a coat over the top of the tissue paper. Use the brush to smooth any wrinkles as best you can. Don't worry about any overhanging tissue paper. Repeat the process until you have prepped the papers for the three flowers, the leaves, and the flower centers.

When everything is completely dry, cut out a vase, two flowers from each color (total of six), three flower centers, and three leaves. It is easiest to draw the shapes you want on the back of the paper before cutting.

Arrange the two layers of flowers so the petals are off-set and glue them together. Glue the flower centers in place. Adhere the flowers to the vase, starting with the one in the center back. Finally, add the leaves.

You might have noticed that my purple flower is sparkly. I experimented with Sparkle Mod Podge, which gives the flowers some extra dazzle. The choice is totally up to you and the look that you want!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2026-03-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today is my 54th birthday!

I celebrated with my quilt group yesterday. Three of us have March birthdays. Our leader, Diane, made us each a personalized dessert, with coordinating ice cream! Mine is chocolate mint. What a treat!

Tonight, Steve and I are meeting Trevor (and his roommate, who also has a birthday this week) for dinner. And on Saturday, I'm celebrating with friends... in a very Cindy way.

On Sunday I will be leading a spring craft after church. We're making decoupage flower bouquets and I can't wait to see how everyone's turns out. I spent time yesterday prepping kits.

Tomorrow I'll share the tutorial. I think you're going to like this project.

Paper Quilt Cards

2026-03-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

A friend gave me a big pile of 1.5" pre-cut squares of gingham paper in rainbow colors. They looked like tiny quilt squares, so I decided to turn them into cards that our quilting group can use to thank people who donate supplies to us. I started out ambitiously, cutting the squares down into even smaller shapes before gluing them onto a cardstock base. It was fun playing with the itty-bitty squares, rectangles, and triangles. I experimented with different patterns, designs, and color combinations, just like our group does with fabric. I even changed up the dimensions of the cards. Eventually, I realized that I was spending WAY too much time cutting the squares apart when I could make perfectly functional cards using the squares as is.

Here is a look at some of the cards I made. If you want to see the supplies I used, click the affiliate link below.

Quilt Square Cards (affiliate link)

All the quilts we make go to people in need and we rely on donations for our supplies. If you're local and have extra fabric, thread, or batting you're not using that you'd like to go to a worthy cause, let me know. We also appreciate sheets (they make good quilt backs). If you're not local, look into whether there is a group near you making quilts for Lutheran World Relief or another charity and consider donating supplies to them. Thank you!

Biodiversity Museum Day 2026

2026-03-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

This was my third year attending Biodiversity Museum Day at UC Davis. This free event takes place each February and it is awesome! You can read about all the cool things we did in 2024 and 2025. This year, Steve and I started by strolling through campus and seeing all the plants in bloom. Then we went to Bee Haven for the first time ever, checked out the Village Homes exhibit at the Design Museum, toured the Moo-vin' Moo-seum, and saw our favorite Aggie answering audience questions about Whistler, the Swainson's Hawk, at the California Raptor Center.

Biodiversity Museum Day (affiliate link)

We had such a good time at Biodiversity Museum Day. It's such a great event, with so much to see and do. I'm already looking forward to next year!

Honoring George

2026-03-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

In my post about the weekend trip to Spokane Steve and I took last fall, I mentioned that I'd seen my aunt, uncle, and cousins twice already that year, both times for memorial services in Idaho. My dad's service was in July; in March, we gathered to remember George, my brother-in-law Brian's dad.

I'm not sure when I met George for the first time; I certainly knew him by the time my sister married Brian in 1996. I usually saw him a few times a year at family gatherings and I always enjoyed chatting with him. I remember George as kind and friendly, quiet, but with a quick sense of humor.

Honoring George (affiliate link)

While George was not technically related to me, he felt like family. I'm glad I was able to be there for his memorial service.