Hello - and welcome from NJ! Stress relief is how many of us got into this hobby, including me! go to the shop twisted up and come back smiling and holding something nice you made an hour later! How can you go wrong!
My only suggestion is one of patience - things will take time to get right. Don't rush, it will come. Start out with some basic things and then work on refinements. Lots of good places to look for suggestions - YouTube can be your friend with this, just be sure to follow safe practices, as there are a lot of good and not so good workers making pens. You might also want to find a local AAW chapter near you - great place to learn.
Kevin