Reminds me of my first window job where everything looked straight until the sun hit it. Turned out I'd mounted the glass with a slight twist on the brackets. Had to redo the whole thing on a cooler day when the metal wasn't expanding. Now I double-check the frame alignment with a laser level before calling it done.

Honestly, I've been there with following plans too closely. It started to feel like paint by numbers, not real craft. What helped me was using the book as a rough guide but trusting my hands for the finish. Like on a table leg, the printout had strict angles, but I smoothed the edges by feel and it just looked right. That little bit of freedom made the work mine again. So now I always leave room for my own touch, even with a printout in front of me.

Had a similar issue with ranunculus last season. Started dipping the stems in boiling water for a few seconds before putting them in the vase. Sounds crazy, but it seals the ends and they last way longer. The tape trick is good for support, but the hot water bath stops the snapping from happening in the first place.