[Brenda Ellis]

Welcome to my dilemma, Molly!
There are as many palette combinations as there are artists out there. I tried Marvin's palette on my own and had trouble with it too. There is a lot of neutral in it and for someone like me that spells trouble. Now I am using brighter colors to start with and neutralizing them with compliments. I still can lay out my palette in "values" so that helps a lot, but If I don't start with color, I get muddy and pasty really fast.
(It may be better to wait until you've worked with Marvin to use his palette.)
Another tip I got recently that helped me with my current portrait is to mix the color on the palette and apply the specific color to the specific area. Wait to blend until the very last. (Overblending was also a problem of mine...still is if I'm not careful!)

As far as drawing, the portrait's nose looks sharper than Nora's actual nose. Looking at your detail photo, I love the soft edges and the eyes are lovely!
Well, better to listen to pro's like Alexandra and Lisa than me, but I just thought I'd share with you what I've learned. I think everyone has to find what works for them through trial and error. I'm sure you know this!

I will look forward to watching this progress to completion!