Just Jennie // Spring 2020

What is Just Jennie?

Welcome to the very first edition of Just Jennie. Today I’m starting a new series where I take a break from lettering content and share the other parts of my life! My goal is to write a “Just Jennie” post once a season. I’ll pack a lot into one post, and hopefully, you find it helpful!

I figure this little series could be a place for you to get to know me better. It’s a spot for us to catch-up and chat as friends! I’ll start sharing what’s happened in my business this past season, my recent purchases, and of course any big life updates.

Grab a cup of coffee or your favorite drink, and let’s jump right in!

Life updates:

• I am currently in my third trimester, we found out we are having a baby boy! The news was very surprising to me because we have two girls, so I assumed it would be another girl! I ordered this swaddle and hat right away. Bring on the little boy clothes! You can find my favorite baby items list right here. 

Recent Buys:

• A few other things I’ve purchased for around our home: These bifold door locks… no more pinched fingers!  I’m obsessed with this soap. It’s completely CLEAN (no additives), lathers really well,  and smells amazing!
• For Easter baskets, I purchased this board book and this water coloring pad for my 18-month old and these dress-up shoes for my 3-year-old.

• We had a vacation planned in March but unfortunately, it was canceled. I did purchase a few things that I will share and hopefully get to use soon! I got these sunglasses, … something with amazing coverage for my face. I also heard great things about this makeup sunscreen. I purchased these sparkly  Sam Edelman slides- a fun way to dress up any outfit! I got this straw hat and this swim cover-up.

• We’ve done a lot of rearranging in our home to get ready for a new baby. I updated the guest room/office where I do all my lettering! I purchased this desk and I love it so far! I also purchased this curtain rod and tree.
•  I keep most of my lettering supplies in the closet next to the desk in a file cabinet. This system has worked out great for me this far!

Current Reading List:

• I was planning on reading six books on our trip… I read books very quickly! I have a huge love of reading, but I don’t usually make time for it during my week. Here is what I have on my list!

• Risen Motherhood: Gospel Hope for Everyday Moments by Emily Jensen and Laura Wifler
• Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple
• Verity by Colleen Hoover
• Grumpy Mom Takes a Holiday by Valerie Woerner
• How to Break Up With Your Phone by Catherine Price
• Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover

Jennie’s Letters News:

At the beginning of the year, I shared my goals for 2020. I started super motivated, but things changed for me. Pregnancy exhaustion hit, and I ended up napping most days during my designated lettering time. I shared this on my stories on IG and so many of you were so supportive! I know once the baby arrives my lettering time will be cut down even more until we find our groove. I am trying not to put unnecessary pressure on myself and enjoy this season as much as possible!

All that to say, here is what I’ve been able to accomplish thus far in the year:

• Completing the Procreate 5 Class and learning all the new updates in the app. I have played around with the animation features a bit here and there. Check out this Instagram Post!

• My Etsy Shop is still going strong, and I was able to upload one new set of lettering practice pages. I received many requests for faux calligraphy capital letters. This is a great option if you are just starting and feel intimidated by other types of lettering. You can read all about hand-lettering in this blog post and here is the listing!

• I started Bible lettering. This wasn’t one of my 2020 goals, but I have always wanted to learn. When I started to have more energy (right when this global pandemic hit) I started this class. I ended up filming an IGTV  on it. I found this to be extremely helpful as we all tried to focus on hope and positivity during this time.

Just Clicking Around:

• This is the website where I have taken almost all my online classes. Amazing!!
• You can shop for my all Amazon favorites right here. This includes lettering supplies and more!
• Have you seen the new Target Threshold Line designed by Studio McGee? I’m obsessed with everything. This is my design style one hundred percent!
• Don’t forget to check out my ETSY SHOP for lettering practice pages and more.
• The band from my church released a new album and the songs are perfect for what happening in our world right now. Give it a listen!
• Check out these blog posts if you are new to hand-lettering and want to learn more!

Free Planning Page

Check out this quick planning sheet I created. I am giving it to you for free! Click the picture to download the pdf file. I have found writing down my to-do list, keeping notes, and focusing on gratitude during this time of quarantine to be super helpful. I thought you might as well, so I decided to share it with you! You can use this page on the iPad (screenshot as a photo and import it into the app) or you can easily print it out and use it weekly.

My family and I have gotten into a groove under this stay-at-home order. I was already homeschooling my preschooler, and staying in a lot anyway. My husband hasn’t been traveling for work so it’s nice to have him home. Whatever your current circumstances, remember the sun will always come out. We will get through this hard season! Let’s be real good to one another. Remember to do your best, and not put pressure on yourself. Try something fun! Hand-lettering is a great hobby to pick-up. Read about the benefits here in this blog post. 

Thanks for joining (and getting this far) in the first-ever “Just Jennie”. My next personal update will be at the end of summer. Tell me what you thought in the comments or send me a message on Instagram!

Keep lettering!