Wasn’t feeling well today, so progress was minimal. Got some water done, and was also able to fill out the left side of the tub. The blues in the water are much more difficult than I thought they would be. I’m hoping that it was mainly due to how poorly I was feeling and that tomorrow will be better. I’m hoping to get most or all of the water inside the tub done tomorrow. Don’t know if it’ll happen, but we shall see.

I’m glad I chose this section to do, because every time I look at Dumbo it makes me happy. He’s just so adorable!

The bathtub is taking shape, and some of the bubbles on the ground as well. It’s funny, when you’re working a large puzzle and staring at the pieces they don’t always look like what they are. What I saw today were brown and yellow pieces, dark brown and black, blue and white, and even some purple. When I stand back and look at it, I don’t see those colors anymore, I can see the bathtub starting to form! I know it sometimes seems that way with an average size puzzle, but it seems even more pronounced on these giant ones.

I kind of avoided working on the blues today, there’s just so many different shades in different places, it felt overwhelming. So I just tried working on little sections at a time and trying to see if I could connect any of them. Tomorrow I think I’ll have to suck it up and get going on the blue. The little guy needs some water in his tub!

I made it past 2000 pieces today, so we’re past the halfway mark. Making good time. 🙂 It’s a good thing I’m doing well, because I don’t know how much I’ll be able to work on it tomorrow. I did too much today and am paying for it, in addition to having errands to run. I hate running errands. Blech!

Is that not an adorable little elephant?? I can’t get over how cute he is! This puzzle really hasn’t been as difficult as I thought it might be, although it isn’t easy either. But it’s going quickly and I’m really having a great time.

Once I finished his skin, I had no idea where to go next. I was stumped for a while, made a decision, then I was having quite a rough time focusing because I wasn’t sure I had made the right choice. I know, I know – I’m over thinking it. I realize that now!

I decided to work on the water next, but even within the blue and white there are so many shades and also more grey reflected onto the water. There are a LOT of pieces, but at the end of the evening I decided I should just start grabbing certain shades and assemble them. I don’t have to follow any set pattern or keep going underneath the pieces already put together. Whatever is working for me is what I’ll do. 🙂

It seems to be going really quickly 🙂 I am not complaining though, I’m really proud!

I have learned in my assembly of this giant puzzle so far that every piece has a twin, and the twin is on the same line. The puzzle is 72 pieces by 56 pieces. There are 2 rows of twinkly edge pieces on each side. That leaves 68 pieces. So you can start counting on piece number 3 and once you have assembled 34 pieces (not including outside 2 pieces), the pattern repeats. So piece number 37 will be the exact same shape as piece number 3. When there is a lot of sameness in color, this can be a huge help!

I learned in the first section that every piece has a twin. The second section taught me that every twin occupies the same line. For some reason, this morning when I was going to begin working on Dumbo’s skin it clicked in my brain. If they repeat in the same line, and I have most of the rest of the line, I can use it to find out what shape I’m looking for!

Having 10 trays of grey pieces, I can use every bit of help I can get. So even though I didn’t have much time this morning, I was able to put in about 130 pieces before I went over to visit at mom’s. I’m estimating that just this morning I probably saved about 2 hours! The first piece I was looking for, all I had to go on was that it was all grey and would have at least 1 male end. Could have been 1,2,3 or 4 for all I knew, there weren’t any surrounding pieces to help in identifying shape. Using the twin method, I knew I was looking for a piece with 2 male and 2 female ends. What a time saver! Instead of having to go through 9 trays for that piece, I only had to check the trays with that shape.  2.5 trays to go through instead of almost all of them. I’m so happy my brain finally made the connection, cause this will really help me.

Hoping to get lots more accomplished tomorrow, and be able to condense my trays down from 10 to an easier to manager number. Here’s hoping!

Finished the little guy’s ears (except for the bubbles), and most of the straw. I’ve sorted the grey pieces by shape and will start tomorrow the long slow process of filling in Dumbo’s skin. He’s starting to look like that cute little elephant that learns how to fly!

Won’t be as much progress tomorrow, cause it’s Friday. But as always I’ll work a little in the morning, and then again in the evening once I get home. But I’m looking forward to spending the day at mom’s to have adult conversation and just hang out together. And my dog will be thrilled to spend time with mom’s little guy running around the yard and barking at strangers (a.k.a. everyone).

Still having a good time, even though some colors/patterns seem tedious occasionally. But when I look at the day’s progress in pictures or even just by piece count, I’m always proud of myself for sticking with it. And there hasn’t been a day yet where I didn’t want to work on the puzzle. If anything, I’m always upset with myself for not being physically able to work on it more.

Hope you’re enjoying my journal, cause I’ve really been enjoying blogging about the puzzle every day, and also about other puzzles I’ve done. It’s quite motivating to have others “watching” to see if I’ve gotten anything accomplished that day. Makes me want to always have something to show at the end of the day. I don’t know how many people are actually reading this other than my mom and daughter, but it doesn’t really matter. I’m having fun with the blog too! 🙂