notebooks and little notebooks. They are all over – just where I need one. I keep them in my car, purse, on the nightstand, desk and everywhere else I may happen to be inspired by life and need to write that thought before it disappears with the day. I have decorative journal bound books for quotes, article lists, books I’d like to read, and books that I have read. I even have a notebook for topics I’d like to research when we make our family trips to the library.Rarely am I away from a notebook or piece of paper, but when I am occasionally stranded from writing utensils I use memory tricks to remind me until I get home. For instance, one day while sitting at a doctor’s appointment watching a commercial of a woman leave and entering her house over and over while she smelled the “fresh” scent of whatever they were selling I was inspired to write an article on the house being a home to live in- not a launching and landing place. The first image that came to my mind was an airplane. Okay, I can remember that, landing place-airplane. On the way home, I passed by the neighbor’s trashcan sitting at the curb filled with pizza boxes and additional pizza boxes stack next to the can. It was then that I was inspired to write the Deluxe Edition article “Instead of Pizza Delivery, Save time and money by making dinner yourself.” So I then imaged an airplane carrying pizza boxes, money and clocks. When I arrived home I wrote down the articles titles I wanted to write.
Some days inspiration flows easily. Something happens and I sit down right that moment and write about it. Other days I want to write, but nothing comes to mind. That is when I pull out my notebooks. I have thousands of ideas written in there collected over the years just waiting to be written.
As a writer I look at life through different eyes. I see trials as possibilities to provide future strengths, and as I
near the end of each trial I see those experiences as ideas to help someone else who may be going through similar situations. I see joyful experiences as a way of uplifting those who are having a hard time and need to be reminded how good life really is. I see the experiences I have with the children as a thread that ties me to millions of mothers going through what I am, but they only know we share these experiences if I write about them. I’ve written about everything from my mistakes in buying my kids the wrong kinds of underwear (7 sizes too big) to why I wear jewelry and everything in between. I’ve been writing online for eleven years and have enjoyed every moment of it.What Can I Write About?
So many people think their lives wouldn’t be interesting to others. Is it interesting to you, your family and friends? I like the book “Writer Mama” by Christina Katz. She suggests making a list of 50 things you know how to do. Then write about them.
Read other blogs. You are sure to find some inspiration on things you have to say too. Write about them.
Take a beautiful picture and write about why you like it.
Write about each child. Write about their births.
Do you have a passion for candle-making, politics, homemaking, homeschool, cross-stitch? Write about it.
Take pictures and teach us how to do what you do.
Write book reviews on books that you learned from or were inspired from. Write about the ones you didn’t like and why.
Share with us your menus, recipes, mealtime routines.
How do you run your household?
What historic person inspires you today?
Finally, join a blog carnival if you need inspiration each week. There are blog carnivals on every subject imaginable. If you can’t find one to fit your topic, start one!
Share your story, your life, your positive and sometimes your negative. Quick note on the negative, we all need to vent every now and then, just be careful how much and how often. Inspire and teach us through your writing. The more you do, the better you get and the more comfortable you become in your writing “hat”.
Shiloah Baker is a mom of seven, pregnant with #8, married to the man she's madly in love with. Exercise is her vice. She runs a The Homemaking Cottage and homeschools. In her spare time she sews, crafts, writes and reads. Join us at The Homemaking Cottage Deluxe Edition for 897 ways to improve your home and family! http://www.homemaking-cottage.com/ And don’t forget to join our ezine for free ideas. Free Homemaking NewsletterReprints of this article are permitted as long as it includes this byline.


Jefferson Education or a Leadership Education. One of the suggestions was to build a library of classic books. I had maybe a small bookshelf full at that time and not surprisingly my kids weren’t big readers. I took the advice to heart and over the next four years I gathered and built a large “brain” storage of books for our home. We have over eight bookshelves now spilling over with fun, classic and educational books. More importantly, my children have caught on to this passion for reading good, wholesome literature-literature that educates. Not a day goes by that I don’t see the children pouring through books, rifling through the bookshelves or reading in a corner. We have a large bookshelf outside of my bedroom door which is at the end of a long hallway. When a child is waiting to speak with me, she naturally chooses a book, sits by my door and takes a little adventure with words on the pages. What joy it brings me to see the difference having a library of books in your home can make.
Memories from books and the pictures in the books teach, mold and shape a person. Just as we should fill our homes with uplifting and wholesome books, we should be equally as careful about not bringing anything contrary to that in the home. I heard it once said that if a young boy were to view pornography in his own home he will be a customer for life. Is it worth it to allow anything pornographic in your home? Never. Aside from the fact that it is morally wrong, the risk is too great.
online website with the purpose of inspiring women in the home. Through thousands of articles in dozens of categories, you are sure to find what you are looking for on The Homemaking Cottage.
they miss out on the glamour of the working world. Instead of a raise in salary for a job well done, they get smiley toothless grins, hugs, and have to clean baby bottoms. Not helping matters for support and encouragement for women at home seeing the stereotypical housewife portrayed in the media in two extremes, one as a desperate woman unhappy with her role and always on the prowl for adventure or second portrayed to the other extreme as a depressed-looking woman in sweats eating bon-bons and watching soap operas all day.





was like have all the back issues of a great homemaking magazine at my fingertips. More than a magazine subscription, it was a subscription to not only what is written this year, but to all that has ever been written! It was a pleasurable week pouring through the many articles, but there were so many more I









