Two days and counting, and the dress is still not done. Wow. I knew it was big, but holy guacamole! It’s not this size so much as the fact that it’s all white/lavender/pale blue/iridescent and they are not always distinguishable from one another. The first day was the worst, and today was a little better. Hopefully we’ll be able to make some good progress tomorrow, but I’m not counting on being done by then as there’s still a LOT of dress yet to finish.

I was also able to finally give Cinderella her shoulders and arms which makes her look much more complete and also allowed me to connect her to the coach. Always happy to make connections!

I knew this section was going to be difficult, and I keep trying to remind myself of that. But I look at the section for Bambi or Beauty and the Beast and I’m wishing to be doing a more fun one. One with bright colors, plenty of people, animals or things to keep it a little easier to do. Of course, if it were too easy it wouldn’t be as much fun either. We always seem to want what we don’t have, don’t we? This section is just as challenging as I thought it would be, but I’m trying  to stop myself from getting frustrated when it seems very difficult to find even one piece.

I will eventually get to each section, regardless of whether I think it will be easy or challenging, and hopefully in less than a year I hope to have the entire puzzle done. What an accomplishment that will be!

Started on Cinderella’s enormous dress, but wasn’t able to get as much done as I’d hoped. Super frustrating for me when you include not feeling well and being hormonal – YIKES!

I did get the pieces sorted and got some work done on the center of the dress, but I had to keep walking away from it because it was getting the best of me. I’m trying to remind myself that I knew it was going to be one of the most difficult sections, and that’s why I’m getting it over with now; but it’s hard to remember that sometimes. I’ll start fresh tomorrow in the hopes that with lots of rest I’ll be renewed and ready to take on this beautiful and frustrating ball gown.

If I’m not doing well with it again tomorrow I may try to find a different area to work on. Or maybe I should cowgirl up and keep at it – have to finish it at some point, right? I’ll wait and see how I’m feeling tomorrow I suppose. I hope to have a more positive update tomorrow night, either with the amount of progress made, my attitude about it, or both!

It’s funny how when you’re sitting working on a puzzle, it is hard to see the whole image. You see missing pieces, the general shape and color of pieces you should be looking for and you sort of see where things are heading. But when you take a picture and look at it from a distance and different perspective it seems so much more complete than you realize.

I had a tough time today finding pieces to attach, and also being able to sit down very much and for very long to work on it. The coach was relatively easy to do, but after that was finished I was kind of stuck. Couldn’t find the pieces I was looking for and couldn’t decide what to do next. I ended up just taking trays of pieces into my bedroom and working on finding matches within certain colors regardless of where they fit into the puzzle. Spent a lot of time laying in bed, working occasionally with the pieces.

Almost all of the horse is finished along with the coach, and I was also able to get some background done around the footman and get him attached to the horse. I’m always happy and feel more accomplished when I can attach small sections together. Tomorrow I may take the plunge and try to get going on the rest of Cinderella herself. I’m trying to do some of the more difficult parts first so I am not left with just the challenge of piecing together everything that’s dark or twinkly.

It’s only been 3 days, but even though I was stuck for a while today and it seemed as if I had to concentrate more, I am still very much enjoying this puzzle. I hope that doesn’t wear off!

It’s moving alone pretty well, got a lot done today in little bits here and there. Our fairy godmother is almost completely done and looking very cute, and most of the horse’s reins are done along with part of the horse! I didn’t spend any time on Cinderella herself, but her dress is going to be quite big. Godmother looks pretty big, but when you look at the picture of the whole section she is off to the side and behind Cinderella, who takes up almost half of the front section of the image. As you can see by comparing the images above and below I don’t have the completed pieces where they belong in the puzzle; for now they are where I need them to work comfortably. Once more is completed they will move towards their proper places.

I’m not sure where I’ll start working tomorrow, I guess it depends on which colors or pieces speak to me when I start working. I may start on the film reel if nothing else jumps out at me, but I also kind of want to save that till I’m feeling stuck or overwhelmed with what is left to do. I’m not sure if I want to start working on her dress yet, or if I should save that for when I get more of the background done. Basically this whole paragraph was me saying I have no idea where I go from here. 🙂

I overdid today, and hope I will be feeling well enough to spend lots of time working on it tomorrow. Here’s hoping! Once I get started I just want to keep going and make as much progress as possible. I did NOT enjoy my break time between finishing Snow White and beginning Cinderella, what I really wanted to was to start the next section immediately. Not sure if that will wear off after I have completed a few sections, or if each new movie cell brings just as much enthusiasm as the previous ones. Time will tell (and I’m looking forward to finding out).

I finally was able to get Snow White off the board and safely sandwiched between 2 large pieces of cardboard. She will be residing under my bed until we are ready to assemble the entire puzzle.

Therefore, I have finally begun the next section – Cinderella! I worked a little bit on trays this morning before I went to spend the day with my mom, and the rest of it I did this evening after my husband and I cleared off the board. It doesn’t look like much in the picture, but that is 250 pieces already assembled 🙂 All the flesh on everyone is done; the footman and the driver’s face and hands, the fairy godmother’s face and hands along with part of her cloak, and Cinderella’s face and chest. I was also able to put together most of the door and the spire on the coach, and some of the horse’s reins and harness. Not too shabby for the first day!

I’ve been wanting to get back to work on this, and I’m so glad I was finally able to. I actually feel better now that I’ve gotten going again. And unbelievably, I’m actually looking forward to assembling the film reel! It was intimidating when I saw how many pieces there were in Snow White’s reel, but I’m no longer intimidated and am eager to get it put together. I’m not sure when I’ll be starting that part, but I know I’ll be enjoying it once I do.

This is one of the sections that looks as if it will be more difficult than most, so hopefully it won’t take too much longer than the 20 days it took to finish the first section. Day 1 complete!