Liberty Puzzles' "Skunk Harbor" by Phil Lewis

Liberty Puzzles is a brand in a unique and special class.  A handmade wooden puzzle, there are few brands that compare, namely Artifact and Wentworth.  I don't know of any other than these three that take the time and effort to hand craft wooden puzzles with this level of detail: unique whimsy shaped pieces and vivid colors.  So it's no surprise that these works of art carry a premium pricetag. I was lucky enough to find Phil Lewis' "Skunk Harbor" used on craigslist locally for $30, less than a third of its list price, giving me an opportunity to try a wooden puzzle for the first time. 

I expected to be impressed with the quality of the puzzle.  But I found the image and the diffictly of the puzzle much more exciting than I had expected.  I'm having lighting issues in my puzzle corner right now, so I spent an hour or two in the morning working on this puzzle for about five days.  The clouds and ocean were easy to pull out and finish, as well as the three mandalas in the center of the tree.  But the leaves and branches were beyond challenging. 

Once again, a lovely puzzle is not made in a standard size for easy framing.  If I want to hang this on a wall, I'll have to pay for expensive custom framing, as the finished size is 12.75" by 16.75".  I just can't understand why puzzle companies can't size puzzles to standard frame sizes. 

But the sizing is really my only complaint.  The liberty pieces fit snugly, if not tightly.  And where they are a bit loose, the interesting shapes help the puzzle to hold together for short moves, as required to take our pictures.  The wood is about a quarter inch thick  Because of their depth the small pieces were not prone to breaking, something I was afraid would happen. 

I think a puzzle from Liberty Puzzles would make a nice gift to mark a special occasion, whether it be a wedding or graduation.  I'll keep it in mind now that I've tried one myself.  And definitely snatch up any used ones that I come across!