jenn&charles Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 I've been homeschooling for a looooong time. I was homeschooling back when people still gave you weird looks when they found out your kid didn't attend public school. I was homeschooling back when there was only a couple of catalogs to browse and Mary Pride's Big Book of Home Learning was like a Bible. All this long time I've been focused on doing things for my kids. I've stayed at home the entire time and focused on them and their needs...diligently, passionately, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, every year, over and over again. Always in the back of my mind there has been the question of what in the world I am going to do when I'm DONE. I still don't have it all ironed out (I have 3 more years to go and being a parent never really truly ends), BUT I finally know what I want to be when I grow up. ;-) I want to be a writer, illustrator and curriculum maker. :001_tt1: I'd also like to find something my husband and I can do together...still working on that one, lol. Anyone have a job like that that makes lots of money and has good insurance, just let me know, lol! ;) Anyway, you do not know how good it feels to have in mind something more concrete and actually taking the steps to DO it. I've been scraping together Amazon gift cards from my birthday and Christmas and so on to save up for some of the tools I need. I was finally able to get the saved up for pièce de résistance - a tablet monitor you can draw directly on. Now I feel like a carpenter who finally has a hammer, lol. I started my first project because I actually have a little time to work on it now that I am homeschooling one instead of three. I'm working on the first of a series of science books for children with homeschooled siblings as the main characters (the youngest is an adopted toddler). The books will be very visual and best suited for 2nd through 6th graders (but I learned a thing or two researching the first one myself, lol). They are going to be wholesome and also incorporate my faith, but not in a way that secular families can't benefit or enjoy the books. I figure for those families (if they are interested) it will be like when we skip over stuff in many books that doesn't mesh with our beliefs because the main content itself is worth it. Each book will have a packet of juicy downloads to accompany it that will be sold on my website with a variety of resources for different learning styles. I'm thinking about things like handwriting booklets, comprehension questions, Greek & Latin root activities, language arts & math printables, crafts and maybe even printable playsets so kids can play with the characters and expand on the stories with their own imaginations. Everything will be tied to the books.Once I've created enough of the books, I will probably make a FREE schedule for them (and other appropriate books & resources / activities) and offer it online like I do all of the other stuff currently on my website. The books are going to be published in both a print and Kindle format. Anyway, I'm enjoying working on all of this. It's a lot of work and I don't expect to make a lot of $, but I feel like I'm finally getting to be ME instead of MOM. Don't get me wrong, I love being a mom...but I love where this is taking me too. Here's a screenshot of one of the illustrations (which isn't in it's final format). The dog's name is Beowulf. :-) Thanks for letting me share my excitement about this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Another Jen Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 That's awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tmhearn Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 Wait!! You're the Guest Hollow lady? I love you! (Ok, that sounds crazier than I meant it to...) This sounds super fun. Although, I thought you already had a gig - planning my kids' history lessons for me. ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom in High Heels Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 How exciting. That's great art! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 I already love you because of your blog lol You've got serious talent. That picture is beautiful. Good luck with your endeavor! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LivingHope Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 I use your Guest Hollow website all.the.time. especially Otter's biology and chemistry plans. Thank you, Jenn. I look forward to your project and think your illustration is darling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn&charles Posted May 9, 2014 Author Share Posted May 9, 2014 Wait!! You're the Guest Hollow lady? I love you! (Ok, that sounds crazier than I meant it to...) Yes, I am she. Thanks for the love, lol... :laugh: This sounds super fun. Thanks! Although, I thought you already had a gig - planning my kids' history lessons for me. ;-) LOL...well, I do actually create lesson schedules for hire sometimes. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie in VA Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 Yay for you! Your site and plans have blessed me (and my son) so much! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto10blessings Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 Guest Hollow is awesome, thanks for sharing your work! The new project looks really neat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn&charles Posted May 9, 2014 Author Share Posted May 9, 2014 J.W. just sent me an Amazon gift card that said: Gift Message: Thank you, Jenn, for your Guest Hollow website. I look forward to your new project. There is no email address for me to click on to say thank you, so I'm doing it here since this is the only place I mentioned my new project. I hope you see it J.W.! Thank you so much!! It's so appreciated and will be put to good use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeindeed Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 That is so exciting! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaz Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 What a fabulous idea and beautiful illustration! Best wishes on your new career. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 How wonderful! I wish I had 3 more kids. (Beowulf? Oh, I get it! Beo--WOOF!) :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn&charles Posted May 9, 2014 Author Share Posted May 9, 2014 How wonderful! I wish I had 3 more kids. (Beowulf? Oh, I get it! Beo--WOOF!) :lol: Beowulf was an actual dog my family got when I was a teenager. He hung on for a long time, so all 3 of my kids actually got to see him. He was a very sweet but stupid dog, lol...He was probably from a puppy mill and when we saw him at the pet store in the mall his feet were all sore from having lived his life in a cage on a wire floor. He was so stinky and filthy and so desperate for love...We actually left and didn't buy him but I begged my parents to turn around because I felt so sorry for him. They did and we got there right before the store closed. My mom named him Beowulf because she was in college at the time and that was the book they were studying (and yeah the WOOF goes perfectly with a dog, lol). The character Beowulf in the books is in his memory. I'm going to include in the books some of the things the real Beowulf actually did. :-) I remember when he was old (and nearly blind) he would still get SO excited when I came over to my parent's as an adult. He would climb into my arms and gently bite my arms (his way of saying I love you and hello - he was just so excited..."bite-bite" meant he couldn't contain his happiness). I miss that silly old dog. But at least he will live forever in my books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 I love it when a plan comes together! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted May 10, 2014 Share Posted May 10, 2014 It looks great, good luck on your new venture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nansk Posted May 10, 2014 Share Posted May 10, 2014 It sounds awesome! I just hope it will be ready in time for my dd to benefit from your hard work. All the best! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle My Bell Posted May 10, 2014 Share Posted May 10, 2014 I think we would be kindred spirits if we knew each other in real life. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle My Bell Posted May 10, 2014 Share Posted May 10, 2014 What tablet did you get? I am going to Art school and I have been thinking about making my focus New Media Design. I am curious to learn more about this form of artwork. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serenade Posted May 10, 2014 Share Posted May 10, 2014 So happy to hear this! You will do a great job. FWIW, I've considered you to be a professional curriculum maker from way back when I used to post on the WP boards. You always shared so much there, and I still check your website for things from time to time. Please keep us posted on the board! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn&charles Posted May 10, 2014 Author Share Posted May 10, 2014 What tablet did you get? I am going to Art school and I have been thinking about making my focus New Media Design. I am curious to learn more about this form of artwork. I got a Wacom Cintiq 13 HD. I spent hours and hours and hours researching what I wanted. I looked into other options like the Yiynova MVP22U(V2) and tons of other tablet monitors. I've already used Wacom tablets (not the tablet monitors, but regular tablets ilke the Intuos) and know Wacom is the best of the best. I just kept hemming and hawing over getting the Cintiq because 1) It's so expensive even to get an entry level model and 2) the entry level model is fairly small. With a Yiynova I could get twice the screen space for about the same price. After reading as many reviews I could find (and scrimping/saving), I decided to take the plunge and get the Wacom Cintiq, even though it's' smaller. I am SO glad I did. It is beyond amazing. The Intuos was great (I have a really old one), but there was always a disconnect because while you draw, you look up at your computer monitor instead of down at your hand. I was pretty good at it but nothing compares to actually looking at the surface you are drawing/ painting on and seeing your hand creating the lines, etc. The Cintiq is so responsive. It has over 2,000 levels of pressure sensitivity, so you can draw a feathery thin line by barely touching the surface or a big fat thin line by pressing down. Of course that depends on what brush you are using in which software program you are working in...but it's even better than drawing and painting in real life. The pen also responds to tilt. You can look at some YouTube videos of people using it to draw. The size turned out to be just right, although due to the resolution the software icons are tiny. I have to use my glasses when I use it. That wouldn't have been an issue maybe 5 years ago, but I guess that's the price of getting older, lol. It's about the size of a sketchbook so I can hold it right in my lap. It's light, doesn't get hot and is really comfortable to use. If I had gone with a bigger one, I wouldn't have been able to hold it in my lap which would have made it more difficult to use. I also think my hand movements are more natural for drawing with this size. I'd have to use more of my arm with a bigger tablet monitor and I'm not used to drawing or painting that way. The only thing I can say is that I wish I could have afforded the Cintiq Companion Hybrid. You can disconnect that one from your computer and use it like an Android tablet (so with apps like Sketchbook pro, you can draw on the go or in another room away from the computer). That was over $500 more though and just not doable. I would have had to wait a much longer time and it works out better for me to start on illustrating things NOW and not next December. Seeing how much my drawing has improved just by using it the short time I've had it, I think I made the right decision. Of course, by itself, the Cintiq is useless. You have to have software like Photoshop, Painter, Sketchbook Pro, Illustrator, Manga Studio or something similar to draw with. I highly recommend Manga Studio 5. For $20, you are getting something that is really worth a LOT more. Seriously, I don't know why it's as cheap as it is because if you are just doing illustration, you could almost replace Photoshop with it. ALMOST...lol. I don't know how I'd live without Photoshop. Painter is great if you want a program that really emulates natural media like watercolors and oils.All of the programs I mentioned have their strengths. I wish there was ONE program that combined all of their abilities! I really prefer digital art to art on paper or canvas. I have traditional art supplies like acrylics, watercolors, markers, colored pencils, etc. in my craft room (I took over my older son's room when he moved out!) but I wouldn't want to have to use them to create the art for my books. There is no undo button! There are no layers and nifty tools and on and on it goes. I'd have to spend thousands and thousands of dollars to recreate what I have on hand via my software programs. Digital art also doesn't leave a mess, lol. If you have any questions, let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn&charles Posted May 10, 2014 Author Share Posted May 10, 2014 I think we would be kindred spirits if we knew each other in real life. :) I agree! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn&charles Posted May 21, 2014 Author Share Posted May 21, 2014 So happy to hear this! You will do a great job. FWIW, I've considered you to be a professional curriculum maker from way back when I used to post on the WP boards. You always shared so much there, and I still check your website for things from time to time. Please keep us posted on the board! Thanks for the compliment. :-) I never thought of myself as professional, but it's nice to know someone else thinks of my work that way! I'm really excited about my plans for the series and just finished the rough draft writing for the first book. My son was listening to me read it to my husband and said he really learned a lot from it, even at his age. My husband and 23 year old daughter said they learned from it too, lol. Now it's on to the illustrations, which are going to be the bulk of the work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2OandE Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 I love the illustration! Beautiful! I was just showing off our beautiful timeline books we got from you yesterday. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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