Blogger Spotlight: Jhanis of The Vanilla Housewife

Recently, we featured one prominent Cebu-based blogger. And for our midweek edition, we are lucky enough to have Jhanis of the blog The Vanilla Housewife. This superb lady blogger has been dominating the blogosphere this recent years. Most of us havent heard of her and how awesome she is but to her readers and followers, she is their Helen.

Let’s get to know more of Jhanis on today’s Blogger Spotlight.

Let’s go

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW YOU GOT INTO BLOGGING?

Jhanis:  Hi, I’m Jhanis, your favorite third world blogging mama. I’m currently working as a Training Admin but working on that dream of becoming a WAHM, hopefully before I turn 80.

I accidentally stumbled upon WordPress back in April 2012 because I wanted to brag about my daughter’s first birthday and found Facebook too limited. That remained the only blog post for about a year though until I realized that blogging can be my form of creative release. I like being able to transcribe my mental monologues into words instead of just listening to them in my head. Then people started reading it and I found out that I can make some of them laugh, make some of them cry and thought, “Hey, this is awesome. World domination, one blog post at a time.

SO WHY “THE VANILLA HOUSEWIFE“?

Jhanis:  Because it’s a blog written by a regular, run-of-the-mill housewife.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT BLOGGING?

Jhanis:  The release. Sometimes my thoughts can get in the way of life, It is not unusual for people to find me staring into space and lost in my own world. When I write, I am able to unload and pour my frustrations, pent up emotions, exhilaration and dreams into blog posts that I can go back to for introspection. Once written down? The situation doesn’t seem so shitty anymore and I can continue with life. Works all the time.

That and the opportunity of meeting people that I didn’t give birth to. I love my kids but man, before I started blogging? I barely saw civilization.

Oh, and the free beer and stuff too.

WHAT IS THE NICHE OF YOUR BLOG AND WHY DID YOU CHOOSE IT?

Jhanis:  I have a parenting humor blog but I talk about marriage and being a woman too. I’m also a Pioneer Woman wanna-be so I also have food posts. Why? Because these are the things that I know a lot about. Jack of all household trades, master of none.

ARE YOU MONETIZING YOUR BLOG? HOW DO YOU MONETIZE YOUR BLOG’S TRAFFIC?

Jhanis:  Totally. Kids are EXPENSIVE. Plus, I need to justify the amount of time I spend on the internet to my husband. Main income comes from sponsored posts, then I also earn as a social media influencer and as an affiliate of several networks. I also consider products sent to me for review as income. Not having to buy bath soaps for a month totally rocks.

TOP 5 BLOGS/WEBSITES YOU VISIT (ALMOST) EVERYDAY

Jhanis:  Below are my favorite sites but I forget to visit them everyday because Facebook (number 1 on this list) has taken over my life.

• Scary Mommy
• Miss Fanny P
• Laugh Lines
• The Bloggess

5 TOOLS YOU USE WITH YOUR BLOGGING.

• WordPress
• Google Analytics
• Akismet
• WordFence
• NoFollow Link

WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION FOR YOUR BLOG POSTS?

Jhanis:  My kids are my inspiration. They supply me with funny and sometimes crappy material. My husband too of course and life in general. An inspiration for a blog post can come from conversations with friends, something that I read or a meme on Facebook. I find inspiration from the smallest of things everywhere, which means I am blogging in my head ALL THE TIME. Problem is remembering enough of it when I finally get the chance to sit and write.

BESIDES BLOGGING, WHAT OTHER INTERESTS DO YOU HAVE?

Jhanis:  I love experimenting with food in my third world kitchen and trying to digest the basics of food photography because I really want to be better at it. I used to be a voracious reader until I discovered Facebook. I love crafting and I’m trying to learn how to sing like Adele.

GIVE US 5 OF YOUR BEST BLOG POSTS

• When Hell Breaks Loose, Blame It On The Tooth Fairy
• Lethargic Mama
• Do Not Copy My Blog Contents
• How To Surprise Your Husband On Valentines Day
• I have That Kid
• Why Blogging Is Like Having An Affair

Jhanis:  I left 6 links. I do not like odd numbers.

HOW WAS YOUR BLOGGING SO FAR? HAVE YOU RECEIVED AWARDS AND RECOGNITION SINCE YOU STARTED?

Jhanis:  It has been awesome at times, shitty at times, but the main thing is to appreciate and be thankful for everything. I’ve been published at humorwriters.org which is a huge honor for an aspiring humorist like me and I’ve been featured a few times at blogher.com.

Other recognitions:

• Top 10 Voice Boks 2014 – Comedy Edition
• Bloggys 2015 – Philippine Blogging Awards Finalist – Family and Relationships Category.

WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO JUST STARTED BLOGGING

Jhanis:  Write and edit later. Don’t get too stuck up trying to perfect your first paragraph. Write. Just write. Weave your story on paper (or notepad!) first. Drop it if you need to come up for air, write some more, spell and grammar check like your life depends on it, then publish. I really should take my own advice sometimes.

LASTLY, WHERE DO YOU SEE YOUR BLOG IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS?

Jhanis:  My blog would still be there hopefully, unless my host decides to stop sponsoring me. But in 5 years, I’d like to think that I would have written my book by then. Tagged best-seller on Amazon and go around for book-signing events at National Bookstores nationwide. A blogger can dream, right?