Wo Ai Liao!

I finally got around to framing this 300-piece jigsaw puzzle inspired by Jimmy Liao's book "A Chance of Love," which has been made into a movie called "Turn Left Turn Right." I fell in love with this book which I chanced upon at a Hallmark Store clearance sale many years ago. Consequently, I fell in love with Jimmy Liao's art.

Imagine, therefore, my sheer delight when I spotted Jimmy Liao merchandise at the Duty-Free Gift Shop in Taiwan's Taoyuan Airport last June on my layover back from the Philippines. It was then that I remembered that Liao is based in Taiwan.

I finished the puzzle above in about three days. It was maddening to figure out where the yellow parts were supposed to go. But it was satisfying to find exactly where each piece fit. The size of the finished puzzle had odd dimensions: 10.5 x 15 inches, which made it harder for me to find a big enough (and cheap enough) frame.

I also bought this other puzzle: a 60-piece, 3-D one that's spherically-shaped when finished. A puzzle ornament! I haven't done this one yet. I should do it in time for when we hang ornaments on the Christmas tree this year. It also features romantic scenes from the book I mentioned above.

You can turn the ball around and see other scenes of them doing cute things together as seen in the book. Did I mention I have puzzle-philia?

Then I bought two of these pen and bookmark sets which feature art from his other book, "The Sound of Colors." The other set I already gave to my bookworm cousin in Illinois last summer. There are only a few of his books sold here in the States that are printed in English. I was tormented to see his other books in Taiwan that were in Chinese. Thus, I resigned myself to these items.

But because I was so excited to buy these, I didn't bother to calculate their dollar equivalent. Along with a slew of uniquely crafted Taiwan postcards and bookmarks, I ended up spending around $50 on my credit card! For stationery items! I could have bought other things with that money, like maybe Taiwanese desserts or natural acne cream from their line of beauty products. But I was happy with my purchase. I won't find authentic Jimmy Liao stuff where I live, not even on Ebay.

And I can admire the puzzle I painstakingly completed on my bedroom wall, where it now hangs.