In our quest to bring you well-designed puzzles that transport you into pretty stories with sensitivity, we dreamed of one day creating beautiful wooden puzzles! The masters in this field are the artisans at Michèle Wilson, and we had spent hours piecing together puzzles from this brand. We were fascinated by the beauty of these objects, hand-cut in their workshops in the Paris region.
A handcrafted puzzle made in France
On the eve of our second anniversary, we dared! We took the plunge and contacted the Michèle Wilson puzzle team to tell them about our dream of having one of our puzzles made in their workshop.
At the same time, Céline began creating the illustrations for Puzzle Jour Férié in gouache and colored pencil, leaving behind the creation of visuals on a tablet. A real creative bias for the brand, emphasizing the sensitivity of these moments captured on the fly.
What better way to mark this transition to a more authentic artistic approach than to release this first traditional wooden illustration, crafted by Michèle Wilson's talented little hands?
The production of branded puzzles was still unheard of for them, but they fell under the spell of our new approach and the illustration of the Tarte au Citron. Production of our first 100% handmade puzzle was launched!
Jigsaw puzzle cutting:
a unique and delicate skill
Passionate about craftsmanship and know-how, we visit the Michèle Wilson workshop in the 15th arrondissement of Paris on the day the 200 pieces of our La Tarte au Citron wooden puzzle are cut.
The team's know-how is revealed! Each puzzle, still in its entirety, passes through the expert hands of these craftsmen. Cutting is done in batches of five to seven puzzles, with or without following the illustration patterns. You may be surprised to discover a piece in the shape of a glass or a juicer! And that's where the charm of this unique puzzle lies!
After cutting, comes the painstaking task of sorting. For each puzzle in each batch with a different colored reverse side, a small hand is responsible for collecting all the pieces of the same puzzle and slipping them into the boxes. A delicate task requiring patience and concentration.
Finally, before packaging, each piece is reviewed in detail. A few file strokes to refine the cut, then a meticulous check is in order to finalize this delicate process. A real painstaking task 🐜 !
An original gift reflecting creative know-how
Very different from assembling a cardboard puzzle, the choice of wood completely reinvents thepuzzle activity. Its unique contours blur the lines and make sorting and assembling more complex. Despite its 100 pieces, its level of difficulty is closer to that of a 500-piece cardboard puzzle.
The Lemon Tart is the ideal gift for fans of unique and original objects. It's the perfect puzzle for those looking for an alternative to traditional puzzles. A real work of art for a stimulating play experience where each piece becomes an adventure to explore!
Immerse yourself in the preparation of Lemon Tart and discover the pleasure of solving a unique wooden puzzle that redefines the rules of the game! And if you don't want to change your habits (we're not always in the mood for adventure!), the illustration is available as a classic 1000-piece cardboard puzzle.
❤️ Thanks again to the entire Michèle Wilson team for their confidence and the beauty of this project.
After the rain - 1000-piece puzzle
