puzzlerpaige

I have too many fun interests. Really. Art projects, writing, learning and researching, cooking, fishing, butterflies, and living at the beach keep me busy. So does my wonderful daughter. Here's my whole story: As a child, I constantly drew pictures. I was convinced I was an artist, and the proof came when I won 2nd place in an art contest in Kindergarten. I drew a simple line drawing of the salt water aquarium (with fish) we had in our living room at home. Fred George won first place, but I don't remember what he drew. Then in 7th grade I won another contest with a picture created solely from small shapes cut from colored construction paper. The picture was a boat pulled up to shore and a sunset. I must have glued down a million pieces of hole punched circles for that shoreline. Then in my early teen years I started including a new art medium: wood. My folks bought a jigsaw for me and I made all sorts of things. Napkin holders, name plaques, animal shaped cut outs, tie racks, cutting boards and other things. And when my grandparents bought me a real belt sander as a gift I upped my output and made even more things. After high school I studied graphic arts (one of the best decisions of my life) and went on to work as a graphic artist and typesetter in the printing industry. Since then it seems life has gone by like a locomotive. Around the year 2000 I had what I'll call a creative explosion when I started making puzzles (it was fun but also therapuetic and helped me through a difficult time in my life). I made wooden cube puzzles, flat puzzles and other kinds too. Hence the name puzzlemaker. These days creating for me is defined more by cooking, writing, growing things and crafts (with the occasional art project thrown in). I also homeschool my daughter. What a blessing to teach and learn at home. And we have met some of our closest friends in this way. While I'm not Squidoo-ing, I'm gardening (tomatoes are my best crop), homeschooling, or researching new things that interest me (lately that's Squidoo). I love to fish, cook, take road trips and visit our large extended family. Some of my other favorite things are picking blueberries and bird watching.

In the Spotlight

Super Easy Chili Recipe

Looking for an Easy Chili Recipe? This is my go-to recipe for quick easy chili. I like to eat it in my favorite Tabasco chili mug, but no - it's not hot (unless you want to make it that way). It's just good, flavorful, easy and quick.The best thing...

• 
  9
  Food and Cooking

  White Chocolate M&M's

  3 years ago

  Looking for bags of the new Easter White Chocolate M&M's? Here's the insider info on these lovely white chocolate pastel Easter candies posted for fellow M&M fans everywhere. See photos, find out about colors and also Where to Buy (see below). I...

• 
  9
  Christmas

  Life Size Nutcrackers and Toy Soldiers

  2 years ago

  Amazing large Nutcrackers for entryways, event greeters or home decor.

• 
  17
  Textiles

  How to Sew a Marie Antoinette Dress: Part 2

  6 years ago

  Thanks for hanging around for Part 2 of Making a Marie Antoinette dress using Simplicity sewing pattern 3637. If you landed here first, you can go back to part one to see how this project started. For the short story - my daughter simply loved the...

• 
  205
  Entomology

  Black Fuzzy Caterpillar

  11 months ago

  Black Caterpillar with Spikes and Red Bands: What is it? Did you find a black fuzzy caterpillar? Does it look like this? If so, you might have a giant leopard moth caterpillar, also known as a great leopard moth or an eyed tiger moth (scientific...

• 
  9
  Easter

  Easter Party Games and Activities

  3 years ago

  Looking for ideas for Easter Party Games? Here I've put together a list of my Top 5 favorite ideas for kids and adults to interact and have fun at Easter gatherings. I didn't list the obvious choice of Easter Egg Hunt, but it is certainly a favorite...

• 
  20
  Easter

  Large Easter Eggs

  2 years ago

  Looking for large jumbo fillable Easter Eggs? Here are the best finds for this year.

• 
  20
  Textiles

  How to Sew a Marie Antoinette Dress

  6 years ago

  After much preparation (mental and physical!) we are ready to begin sewing Simplicity Pattern 3637, the Marie Antoinette Dress by Deborah Woodbridge. My daughter has asked for months if we could please make this 18th century style dress and we are...

• 
  14
  Easter

  Easter Cupcakes and Treats with M&M's

  3 years ago

  Each year at Easter time I make cute Easter Nest Cupcakes with M&M's. This year I decided to experiment and make some new M&M designs using the beautiful mix of pastel and speckled M&Ms in the Easter bags. I used some of the standard designs like...

• 
  11
  Easter

  Easter M&M's

  3 years ago

  All about Easter M&M's including colors, shapes and sizes. Also, which colors come in which bags and more.

• 
  5
  Musicians

  Song Sounds Like an Accordion Playing

  7 years ago

  The name of the song that sounds like an accordion playing is: Stereo Love. Since the name of the song is never heard in its lyrics the title has been a bit elusive. Seems everyone loves the song, but no one knows the name of it. The song is by...

• 
  18
  Dessert Recipes

  Valentine M&M's

  3 years ago

  All about bags of Valentine's M&M's (from an M&M expert!). Colors, shapes, and varieties per bag! Also where to find and ideas for using.

• 
  7
  feltmagnet.com

  How to Make a Fleece Scarf

  2 years ago

  Here's how to make a scarf in three sentences. Then lots more info and pictures if you like!

• 
  38
  feltmagnet.com

  Paper Christmas Crafts

  6 months ago

  Free templates included. Super-cute, super-easy crafts and decorations you can make with your kids (or by yourself!).

• 
  34
  feltmagnet.com

  Top 10 Popsicle-Stick Christmas Ornament Crafts

  2 years ago

  A compiled list of the best popsicle-stick Christmas ornaments from our family...and all over the web!

• 
  59
  Musicians

  What is a G6?

  7 years ago

  G 6. If you've heard the extremely catchy lyrics in the popular song "Like a G6" you've probably asked "What's a G6?" You are not alone. The term "G 6" has been searched over a million times during the month the song rose to fame in October 2010. So...

• 
  482
  Home

  Ode to My Melitta Mill and Brew

  13 months ago

  This page was created for hopelessly devoted Melitta Mill and Brew fans. If you landed here, you probably already know that the Mill and Brew Coffee Maker is no longer made. And also if you landed here, you probably have owned and loved at least one...

• 
  57
  Diseases, Disorders & Conditions

  Pain Behind My Eyes

  7 years ago

  I am not a doctor. I am speaking about my personal experience as a patient who suffers from pain behind my eyes and also photophobia. What is photophobia? Here's my definition: My eyes are extremely sensitive to light - the lights are too bright for...

• 
  27
  toughnickel.com

  How Does Ebates Work?

  6 months ago

  Here is everything you need to know about Ebates, including how to use it, how to get paid, and how to maximize your earnings.

• 
  12
  feltmagnet.com

  Paper Automata

  2 years ago

  Join us for our very first Paper Automata experience. Making toys that move...out of paper! We are crafters, but total beginners to this amazing paper art.

• 
  113
  feltmagnet.com

  Kids' Crafts for Easter

  2 years ago

  Easy, fun Easter crafts for all ages.

• 
  138
  Crafts & Handiwork

  Thumbprint Art

  3 years ago

  Using only your fingers and an ink pad, you can create amazing miniature works of art. Children AND adults enjoy making thumbprint art - I know because I couldn't resist making these with my daughter. I can't take credit for the idea of thumbprint...

• 
  57
  feltmagnet.com

  Upcycle Your Tin Cans With These Fun Recycling Crafts

  6 months ago

  These four tin cans were plain metal cans in a former life. I've given them a makeover to reuse them as "caddies" for all sorts of household and craft items. Learn how to do the same below!

• 
  96
  Travel Tips & Preparation

  Amtrak Train Travel

  3 years ago

  Wondering what to expect on your first train trip? We did too! My daughter and I recently traveled by Amtrak Train. We weren't sure what to expect or exactly how things would go so we kept a record of all that happened so we could share it here with...

• 
  38
  delishably.com

  Quick and Easy Appetizers

  2 years ago

  Some quick and easy appetizers for everyone to enjoy.

• 
  54
  Crafts & Handiwork

  How to Make Envelopes

  5 years ago

  An envelope is only a folded up, glued piece of paper. That's it. If you can unfold an envelope (to use for a pattern), then you can make your own envelopes quite easily. But I'm taking it a step further by making really neat, interesting and one of...

• 
  80
  Crafts & Handiwork

  Pasta Angels

  2 years ago

  Adorable Christmas angels made from pasta noodles. Clear instructions with pictures and tips.