A Special Day: Chicago Speedy Puzzle Competition 2026

August 8, 2026 was a very special day for me and for my YOYO WHIMZZIPCE.

ME and MY BRAND

I had the opportunity to join the Chicago Speedy Puzzle Competition that day, and watching a speed puzzling competition in person was a completely new experience for me. I stood in a room full of passionate puzzlers and watched them race to put together artwork that had once existed only in my imagination.

Seeing my illustrations come to life, piece by piece, in someone else’s hands was such a special feeling. I was watching people study every little detail, search for the right pieces, and race to complete them. It was exciting, a little surreal, and definitely a moment I will remember.

For this event, I had the honor of creating two exclusive puzzles for the Chicago Puzzle Club. Until competition day, they had never been revealed to the public. I was also there in person with my family, selling and signing my puzzles, meeting local puzzlers, and watching the competition unfold.

It was one of those rare days when all the quiet work behind a creative project suddenly became very real.

Lemon Juice

the Artwork: Lemon Juice

I created this painting after spending a whole summer day at the beach in Chicago. It was one of those relaxing days when everything seemed to slow down. I enjoyed the sunshine, the lake breeze, and simply having nowhere to rush to.

I wanted to capture that feeling in this painting, so I brought some of my favorite characters, the polar bear, the penguins, and the puffer fish, into my own whimsical beach world.

In this little world, the polar bear and the penguins are each running their own lemon juice stand, competing to see who can attract more customers. Meanwhile, the puffer fish is carrying a visiting penguin to the beach, ready to enjoy a wonderful summer day.

It is my little memory of a Chicago summer, mixed with a bit of imagination and the playful world of my favorite characters.

Splash!

the Artwork: Splash!

I created this painting after my Christmas vacation in Cancun in 2025. I was there for only four days, and honestly, it was way too short! There is never enough time for a vacation.

When I came back from Cancun, I immediately wanted to capture all the joy and energy I felt during those few sunny days. So I created my own little tropical getaway, the Coconut Resort.

In this painting, the ducks are having the best vacation ever. They are splashing around at the waterpark, swimming in the pool, relaxing by the beach, and dancing under the palm trees. Everyone seems to be doing exactly what they want, with nowhere they need to be.

Splash is my way of keeping a little piece of that Cancun vacation with me, even after coming home.

In early January 2026, I had the opportunity to connect with the Chicago Puzzle Club, and something very exciting happened. My Lemon Juice and Splash! illustrations were selected to become puzzles for their Local Artist Day in August!

It was such a wonderful surprise. These two paintings were originally inspired by my own summer and vacation memories, and now they were going to have a new life as puzzles, put together piece by piece by Chicago puzzlers. I couldn’t wait to see them on the competition tables!

Finally Seeing the Exclusive Puzzles in the Room

When competition day finally arrived, seeing the puzzles there felt completely different from seeing a digital file or even holding the finished box myself.

They were no longer just my designs.

They belonged to the puzzlers now.

People were opening the boxes, sorting pieces, looking closely at the illustrations, finding patterns, racing against the clock, and developing their own strategies.

I loved watching the different approaches. Some people immediately focused on the most recognizable parts of the artwork. Others sorted by color or worked around the edges first. Everyone seemed to see the same illustration a little differently.

As an illustrator, you spend so much time looking at your own artwork that you eventually know every tiny corner of it. Watching someone encounter it for the first time is a completely different experience.

Watching them encounter it at speed is even more fun.

From Behind the Drawing Desk to Behind the Booth

The competition was also special because I wasn’t there only as a designer.

I brought my puzzles with me to sell, and I spent the day talking with people, answering questions, and signing puzzle boxes.

Running a small creative brand often means wearing many different hats. One moment I’m drawing an illustration, and the next I’m thinking about packaging, inventory, my website, shipping, or how to photograph a new puzzle. Luckily, I have my family by my side, always ready to support me and help whenever I need them. They have become part of this little adventure too!

All of these things are part of building YOYO WHIMZZIPCE, but being at the competition reminded me of something that can easily get lost in the everyday work of running a small brand.

Instead of seeing an order appear on a screen, I could actually watch someone pick up one of my puzzles, look closely at the artwork, smile at a little detail, choose a favorite design, and ask me to sign the box.

Those small, personal interactions meant so much to me. They reminded me why I love creating in the first place.

What I Took Home From Chicago

I came to the Chicago Speedy Puzzle Competition with boxes of puzzles, but I left with something much more valuable.

I got to see my artwork through other people’s eyes. Watching people race through my designs, notice the little details, and choose my puzzles to take home made all the quiet hours behind the scenes feel worth it.

For an independent artist and puzzle creator, that feeling is something truly special.

What’s Next

A big thank you to everyone who stopped by, and to the Chicago Puzzle Club for making my artwork part of such a special day.

August 8, 2026 will always be a sweet memory in my puzzle journey. ♡