Big improvement. I don't know if it was on accident, but using a tight DOF and light reflection, you managed to single out that one flake.
For the bad, I don't like the near-centered composition or the slight vignetting around the edges. It also seems to be a bit soft. I imagine the vignetting and the softness could be a limitation of your lens.
It's not a great photo as you stated, but I do think that it's a big improvement over your other shots.