In the Beginning...

We are currently
Reading: Allegiant by Veronica Roth (audiobook)
Watching: 4400 (tv series, Netflix)

Dear Reader,

Starting a new project is often like starting a new relationship. There will be challenges and triumphs, the celebration of birthdays and possibly deaths (though hopefully not too many), and the general irritations of learning the complexities of the individual and how they are made.

And some projects are just too damned involved.

Hence my new boyfriend Gandalf. 

Gandalf is a Heaven and Earth Design based on A Light in the Dark by Matthew Stewart. It is basically the tits as far as awesome cross stitch patterns are concerned. And I am one of those not so girlie girls who has trouble finding patterns they actually WANT to invest that much god damned time into. So I was thrilled when I discovered this pattern, and even more so to discover it was on sale for about $10 on Mothers' day this year.

Our problems started on the download.*

See, I was under the impression that when I bought the digital pattern I'd be able to download a copy to access, oh, I don't know, anywhere. Meaning I could put a copy in my Google Drive and shuttle it off to an eReader or whatever and yay less paper. Alas, it was not to be. For whatever reason I was unable to actually download. Luckily, I had just bought a new printer cartridge, so all of the printing. All 60 something pages, most of which is pattern, there being only three pages of color key.

You may be right... I may be crazy.

Other problems have included not being able to find 25 ct Evenweave/Linen to start on, and so settling for 28 ct from Hobby Lobby, which I was able to find in 30x36 inch for $15.99, or about $9.59 with their weekly 40% off one normally priced item coupon. Dating is expensive, ya'll, but that's no reason not to be frugal when you can. Just because this is an investment doesn't mean I don't get to look around and see what will fit best with my priorities. I save money where I can, buying floss from Walmart when I know it's available, only getting what I know I need for a given page (though another misadventure includes buying DMC 898 instead of 838, oops) and hoping that it'll be on sale at some point, since The Wally obviously does not carry every single DMC.

Anyway, this blog will be a semi-irregular posting of what My Boyfriend Gandalf and I are up to, our crazy adventures, our thoughts and frustrations with each other and everyone around us. Possibly some interesting anecdotes here and there as we experience the world.

Progress as of noonish 22 May 2014. I hate myself so much right now.

*If that sounds like a pun, it probably is.