As it happened (from my Journal archives)

February 11, 2005

6:25 pm - I have decided that this month's eBay puzzle will be Michael Seewald's photograph, Les Baux, shot in Provence, France a few years ago. The puzzle will be cut in Swirl Curl style with about 450 pieces, including a few figurals, one shaped in the country of France. I'll mount the image for this puzzle tonight.

After the two advertising puzzles were shipped, I accepted an order for a third one - rush but not ultra rush, will be driven up to the L.A. area on Monday. This one is smaller than the first two. This afternoon I prepared the board and cut a border.

Tomorrow I cut the puzzle and then begin work on Les Baux. The auction for this puzzle will start either late Sunday or sometime Monday and run for five days instead of the usual seven.

February 12, 2005

6:28 pm - Today I cut the third of the RV Advertising Puzzles. 42 pieces. I then started Les Baux, cutting going slowly as I am tired and need a break. I upped my goal for the puzzle to 500 pieces from 450 pieces. Today I cut about 80. I will not finish the puzzle tomorrow; I should finish it on Monday, and I am now planning to start the auction on Monday afternoon as a three day auction.

Rainy and dreary for the second day, probably received about 2" of rain in the current storm, we are waaaaayyyy above normal in rainfall this winter.

I have decided that Les Baux, with the possible exception of a marriage proposal puzzle, will be the last puzzle I'm going to make before I visit the East Coast during the last week of this month. I now have 168 days to go before I am evicted from my apartment (condo conversion) and I want to spend part of next week thinking about what to do about the apartment situation and I want to decide to what extent I'll be conducting a puzzle business during the next few months. I still plan to contact customers about the backlog this weekend.

February 13, 2005

10:10 pm - Continued work on Les Baux, cutting more than 200 pieces, cutting continues to go well. I have a bit more than 200 to go, I plan to get up early tomorrow so I can complete the puzzle for auction launch by late afternoon.

February 14, 2005

6:42 pm - I finished Les Baux today (full title: Disappearing dog and wife, Les Baux, Provence, France, 2000) with 504 pieces. This is the first puzzle of that I've cut with the .007" blades; the puzzle pieces are quite snug, and the puzzle picks up with no pieces falling out.

The auction has been launched.

From the auction description:

This puzzle, Disappearing dog and wife, Les Baux, Provence, France, 2000, features an excellent photograph by master photographer Michael Seewald, the photographer whom I've featured several times before within the 100 Puzzles Project. This image was removed from one of Michael Seewald's 13th Annual, limited edition art calendars (the April page from year 2005), of which 499 were printed. This puzzle is a limited edition of ONE, I will not be purchasing any additional year 2005 calendars nor accepting commissions from others for this image. The year 2005 Calendars are currently selling for $49.95. Purchase information is here.

The puzzle includes two figurals, a piece cut in the shape of France and the Eiffel Tower, and it includes my signature piece (signed, numbered and dated on the back). I also marked a second piece on the back (the France piece), indicating the puzzle belongs to the 100 Puzzles Project.

This puzzle is the first 100 Puzzles Project puzzle I've cut with new thinner blades. The previous 41 puzzles of the Project were cut with .008" blades, the standard most puzzle cutters use. I've recently obtained some .007" blades; with these blades the pieces fit even more snugly. This puzzle is cut in my Swirl Curl cutting style with small pieces. There is just a little color line cutting. Due in part to the use of thinner blades, puzzle may be easily picked up with no pieces falling out.

Note: due to personal circumstances [upcoming vacation], this is a THREE DAY auction, not the normal SEVEN DAY auction!