Puzzle Frenzy
What's your name?
Yasmine
Where are you based?
I’m from Egypt but I live in Wisconsin, USA
Tell us about what your ordinary day looks like.
I'm currently a stay-at-home mom with lots of passion and dedication to my family. My day isn't complete without a coffee and a puzzle!
How did you get into the world of puzzling?
I've always been into all sorts of brain games and puzzles: Sudoku, crosswords, and Jigsaw puzzles. When I was around 10 years old, I did my first Ravensburger puzzle with my mom and we have been hooked since then! We always start a new puzzle whenever I go back home to visit, sometimes we have family over and we all gather around a 1000-piece puzzle and have a blast! It wasn't until April 2019 that I found out about the online puzzle community and started my puzzle Instagram!
What makes you keep puzzling & how often do you puzzle?
As a stay-at-home mom, I needed an indoor fun activity that helps me relax and wind down after a long day, doing puzzles was the perfect thing for me! I love the fun and satisfaction of starting/finishing a puzzle! I always have a puzzle on my table! Another thing is that Jigsaw puzzles have changed the way I look at things sometimes; whenever I'm faced with a daunting task I like to mentally break it down into smaller tasks until I'm done, 'Like the puzzle pieces that slowly form a bigger picture!' Also, checking 'puzzlegram' and posting about my puzzles have become an integral part of my day, I love being part of the puzzle community!
What is your favorite type of puzzles?
I love how jigsaw puzzles have changed drastically from photographic images and cottages "iykyk" to modern, fun, whimsical designs and illustrations! I love trying different brands and different art styles. My favorite is always something colorful, patterned, and artsy. I never gave up on a puzzle before and I love a good challenge! I also love how puzzles have made me discover new artists and I now follow their work eagerly! My favorite piece counts are 500 and 1000!
During puzzling sessions, do you listen to anything or puzzle in silence?
Surprisingly, puzzles have made me more focused and I can now listen to audiobooks while puzzling without my mind wandering. Sometimes I would listen to music or a show. Other times I would play Gilmore Girls or Grey's Anatomy on my iPad. It really depends on my mood and the time of the day.
If you were to describe what puzzling means to you, what would it be?
It's simply that thing that I look forward to do everyday at the end of the day, whether it's the actual puzzling, checking puzzle news or even puzzle shopping, basically anything puzzle-related!
Tell us about your other interests & joys.
I LOVE coffee, traveling, sunny days, binge-watching, and learning languages, I'm currently learning Spanish. I love reading novels and visiting bookstores especially if they sell puzzles! I also love experimenting with cooking, my husband is from Mauritius where Indian and Chinese cuisines influence the food culture, and I've enjoyed learning to cook different dishes! I also LOVE spending time with my family, I proudly got my little one into puzzles; she now has her own small collection!
Do you have anything you want to share?
I hope one day I can join a real-life speed puzzling competition and compete in individual categories, or even better as part of a team! I also would love to meet people from the puzzle community!