Saturday 11-19-16 30% Done!

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12,096 pieces assembled – 28,224 pieces to go!

Didn’t think I’d be able to finish it today, but with help from mom (2 pieces) and hubby, we got it done! I’m shocked at how quickly this section got finished. Figuring out the pattern saved me soooooo much time. I didn’t spend  more time during the days on it, I believe all the tricks I’ve learned with the first 2 sections (the pattern in particular) helped me use my time more wisely. Started on November 8, finished today November 19. 11 days!

So it was not easy, but it wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be. I had a great time, not as many frustrating moments as the Cinderella section, that’s for sure. Actually not really any frustrating moments at all. There were a few times when searching for pieces felt tedious, but when that I happened I just stopped and went to watch tv for a while 🙂

After we take Dumbo off the board, hubby is going to add some strips of wood to the back of the board to strengthen it where it overlaps the table on each side. Hopefully he wont ruin the fabric. But even if he does, I have more and can re-cover it. We’re learning as we go. So it’ll probably be Tuesday at least before I will be able to start the next section – Peter Pan.

I’m really looking forward to Peter Pan. There are more characters to assemble and it’s a corner so there is twice as much filmstrip as the inside sections. I enjoy assembling the filmstrips very much, it’s nice to look at the scenes from the movies and remember watching them – either with my kids or when I myself was a kid. It is one of the 3 sections I believe will be the most challenging, but I’m looking forward to using my experience and tricks I’ve learned to help with all the blue and darkness in the background. Doesn’t it look amazing though?

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Neverland here I come!!

Friday 11-18-16

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Didn’t get as much accomplished today as I would have liked, but it is looking really good! All that is left to do is fill in both sides, and I need 3 more full rows across the bottom. I’m thinking Sunday it should be done. Unless I get some help tomorrow, which is a possibility. Hubby always likes to swoop in at the end to help finish it. I don’t mind, it’s nice to have someone to work with and talk to, and he’s kinda cute 😉 Also, I have to get mom over here to find at least one piece; she’s put at least one piece into every section so far, and she’s kinda cute as well.

Still over 500 pieces to go, which I why I say it’ll most likely be Sunday. But it’s going a little faster with each piece I’m able to find. Amazingly, I’m still having a great time working these sections and I am not frustrated or sick of them at all!

Thursday 11-17-16

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700 pieces to go!

Was only able to work sporadically today, and I had some help in the evening from hubby. Much better picture today, no glare!

All remaining pieces are now on trays and separated by shape. It’ll still be 3 or 4 days till it’s finished, but I’m plugging away at it and I will get there eventually.

The bucket is mostly done, and all that’s left are some suds in the lower left corner, and dark or muted colors at the sides and bottom of the bathtub. And of course the twinklies. Always the twinklies. They’re the last to get done as they are the pieces that are most alike, and the most time consuming. But because they’re being done last, I can see the finish line and am not frustrated by how much time it takes. That’s how I fool myself, even though I know I’m doing it. 🙂

Wednesday 11-16-16

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Almost there!  

Sorry about the glare, not a good picture day 😦 I laid the board down flat to be able to work mostly from a seated position, which apparently makes for a less desirable picture.

Looks almost done, doesn’t it? There are still 900 pieces left to assemble! Doesn’t look like there are that many left, but according to my count that’s how many are still waiting to join the fun.

Today was another day where my knowledge of the piece twins and their position in the puzzle was EXTREMELY beneficial. The dark indistinct area to the right of the tub would have taken me much much longer had I not been able to keep track and know which shape I was looking for. It’s saved me several hours so far I would say. Made it easier to sit and watch tv, and then go in the puzzle room during the commercial and put it a few pieces. I was able to do between 5-10 pieces per commercial break! It doesn’t sound like much in a 4000+ piece puzzle, but compared to sometimes not even being able to find a single piece during a 3 minute commercial break, 5-10 is amazing! I’m so glad I figured out the pattern.

Looks like 3 or 4 more days and Dumbo should be complete and taking a long nap under my bed until his 7 other friends are finished and ready for final assembly.

Tuesday 11-15-16

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Look at all that water! Got a lot done today, but there was a lot of laying on the floor or laying in bed with trays and then transferring the pieces to the puzzle. Nevertheless, I’m glad all that water is finished! It looks like it would be easy to put together with all the different shades and the bubbles, but it was far from easy.

Not sure where I’m going next, perhaps try to finish the bucket and/or the rest of the tub. I’ll have to wait and see how I’m feeling tomorrow. If I work on the bucket it’ll most likely have to be on trays unless I flip the board around so I won’t have to stand to add pieces. It’s been a rough week for me physically, and standing up isn’t going so well.

Oh well, luckily I don’t have to be able to stand up to work on the puzzle, not for very long anyway.  And if it’s not going well I can always take the tilt table off and just lay the puzzle board down on the card table so that I can turn it whichever way is more convenient and be able to sit in front of it to work. It’s so nice to be able to have it either way, I’m grateful my husband was able to figure out a way to make the table and board for me!