Laura's Puzzle Idea Sparks Creativity for All at the Eco Shed

At the Eco Shed, people learn woodworking skills and explore their creativity through personal and group projects using reclaimed wood. One person’s idea often sparks inspiration for others, leading to collective themes where everyone supports each other while working on their own unique creations. A recent idea from Laura, a valued member of the group, has inspired others to dive into the creative world of puzzle-making!

Laura, who loves puzzles and colour, has been working on her own collection of unique puzzles. Her designs are beautiful but practical too, with small handles added to each piece to make them easy to use. Laura painted each puzzle with care and is currently focusing on her latest creation - a cat puzzle.

A brightly coloured puzzle of a whale made from reclaimed wood by Eco Shed woodworking group project member

Rainbow puzzle made using reclaimed wood by project members in the Eco Shed woodworking group in bemix.

The beginnings of a brightly coloured cat puzzle made using reclaimed wood by a project member in the Eco Shed woodworking group in bemix.

Laura’s creativity has been so inspiring that Gary, Terry, and Jack have joined in to create their own puzzles, each with its own original twist.

Gary created an impressive 3D puzzle. His design shows a swimmer being chased by a shark and the Kraken attacking a boat, which gave everyone at the Eco Shed a good laugh.

Terry took a different approach and created a block puzzle. This project required a lot of patience and sanding to prepare the wooden blocks. Using a pyrography pen, he carefully burnt six images onto the wood, crafting a puzzle that’s both intricate and striking.

Jack, inspired by Terry’s work, created his own six-sided puzzle out of pallet wood blocks. He painted each side with images of his favourite items, adding a personal and creative touch to his design.

Wooden block puzzle decorated with a rabbit face illustration using a pyrograph pen.

Wooden block puzzle decorated with the olympic games symbol using paints.

Wooden block puzzle decorated with a bumble bee illustration using a pyrograph pen.

The projects used tools like the bandsaw and handsaw, with a lot of sanding along the way. As with all work in the project, group members showed great teamwork, stepping in to help each other whenever someone needed support using a tool.

Working on the puzzle project was a great chance to create something new while building on the skills people already have. Each puzzle tells a story, showcasing the personal passions and individual skills of people in the group!

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