I’m celebrating a Blogiversary at this week’s Hearth and Soul Link Party! Welcome!
At the Hearth and Soul Link Party, you can share blog posts old and new, about anything that feeds the soul. This includes – but is not limited to – family, home, recipes, decorating, crafts, DIY, travel, organisation, book reviews, the arts and self improvement.
It’s My Blogiversary!
Seventeen years ago this month I pressed the button to upload a collection of articles I had written to support and encourage housewives and stay at home moms like myself at The 21st Century Housewife.com. I remember it taking ages to upload the website on dial up internet, but it was worth the wait. It was the start of something I’m very proud of.
Over the last 17 years, through 5 redesigns and a URL change, my original website has evolved into a leading lifestyle blog covering food, home, style, travel and more here at apriljharris.com. Although there is a lot of road behind me, I feel like the journey is just beginning. I’m so grateful to you all for your support and encouragement!
What’s Happening?
I’m getting ready for a big photo shoot next week! We’ll be creating content for the next few months and I’m excited to share it with you. If you want to keep up with the latest, including some peeks behind the scenes, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter. (You get a free copy of my mini e-book Five Vintage Family Recipes if you do, plus I’m planning lots of bonus content to come.) You can check out the latest edition here, if you’d like to have a look before subscribing.
What’s New On The Blog?
I’m highlighting my version of Nigella’s Italian Breakfast Banana Bread on the blog this week. This delicious espresso-spiked Banana Bread recipe is perfect for breakfast or with a cup of coffee anytime – especially on a cool fall morning or winter’s day!
Thank you all for your support of the Hearth and Soul Link Party, and for sharing your wonderful content!
Blogiversary Featured Posts

This week’s featured posts include (from top left, clockwise):-
Erin from A Big Green House’s delicious Maple Walnut Blondies are perfect for celebrations as well as everyday treats
Love this beautiful, frugal breakfast area IKEA Banquette Seating Hack from At Home with Ashley
Make your house smell gorgeous and enjoy a seasonal treat with Carol of Comfort Spring’s Slow Cooker Apple Butter
And Chas of Chas’ Crazy Creations transforms a Dollar Store Vase to a Glittery Glowing Ghost for a fun and easy Halloween decoration everyone will love!
What will you share this week?
The Hearth and Soul Link Party
I share as many of your posts as I can on Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook.
Please help me get the word out about the party on social media using the buttons at the top and bottom of this blog post. There is no obligation, but it helps the party and my blog when you share or provide a link back to AprilJHarris.com.
Linking your posts here means you consent to me featuring your posts and photos on my blog and social media. I always include credit and a link to your blog.
Please share your blog posts about anything that feeds the soul.
Comments & Reviews
Happy blogiversary! Wow, I don’t think I know anyone else who has blogged for 17 years. I just it 14 years last summer.
Thank you, Barbara! Congratulations on your 14 years too!
Happy Blogaversary April – love that you are still going strong – look forward to seeing what the future holds! 🙂
Thank you, Ramona! Me too! 🙂
Thank you so much for the feature April. Thank you for another wonderful party and I hope you have a lovely week
It’s a pleasure, Chas! I hope you have a lovely week too!
Oh wow! 17 years!! I’m coming up on my 1rst in a few weeks 🙂 Congratulations on your Blogiversary and for hosting another great party! This week I’m at #21 with a simple tutorial on how to make your own tea or kitchen towels.
Thank you, Suzan! Have a wonderful week!
Happy Blogiversary April, its amazing the transformation a blog can take and I am loving your format right now. I love that you are sharing family vintage recipes that otherwise might be forgotten.
Today I am sharing #22 CBD Oil in a Mango Smoothie Will Reduce Inflammation for those of use that experience aches and pains. I hope you have a wonderful week! Be sure to stop by #omhgww to share, already in progress.
xo
Thank you, Karren! I hope you have a wonderful week too! xo
Happy 17-year Blogiversary April, you are an inspiration!
Thank you so much, Leslie!
Happy blogiversary! You’re an old pro at this blogging stuff. I’ll be celebrating my 10 year blogiversary in February and can only hope to make it as long as you have. Keep up the great work, and thanks for another awesome party!
Thank you, April!
Congratulations April! 17 years is quite amazing and it sounds like you have a wonderful future ahead! Thanks for hosting another great party and that banana bread looks amazing!
– Nancy (Nancy On The Home Front )
Thank you so much, Nancy! I really appreciate your support. You must be coming up on a big blogiversary soon as well!
Happy blogiversary April. Oh Wow!! 17 years, amazing 🙂 Thanks so much for hosting.
Thank you, Claire!
Happy Blogiversary! It’s amazing how much has changed in those 17 years that you have been blogging. I’m sure a lot of things are much easier now than it was when you started.
Thank you, Adree. Oh my goodness, yes, things really have changed. Social media has made things more complex, but blogging itself is much easier than when I started, that is for sure!
Congratulations on your blogversary! 17 years is a long time and I’m proud to call you friend. Thanks for hosting this party each week and for featuring my apple butter. I’m so happy you like it. Here’s to another 17 years!
Thank you so much, my friend!
Nicely done! Congratulations. 🙂
As I’ve said before, you are a true blogging pioneer, April! 17 years of blogging is really incredible. This week I’ve linked up my seasonally late gluten-free peach cobbler and my updated roundup of gluten-free pumpkin cheesecake recipes. Thanks for hosting this always fun, always comforting weekly party. 🙂
Happy Anniversary and Happy Halloween!
Shirley
Thanks so much for hosting!
Happy Blogiversary! Wishing you another 17 more years of amazing blogging journey!
Thank you so much!
Wow, that’s amazing April! I’m so impressed!
Thank you, Ashley!
April,
Congratulations on your accomplishments. You have created an interesting wonderful blog that is a joy to visit. Happy Blogversary!
Thank you so much, Judee! What a lovely compliment!
Congrats to you. That is a long time and kudos to you. I think I am at seven and half. Got a long way to go. Thanks for hosting and I hope that you have a wonderful week.
Thank you, Patrick. Seven and a half years is a good chunk of time too! 🙂 I hope your week is wonderful too.
Thank you for hosting! This is what I featured the week of 10-21 to 10-25 on my blog. On Tuesday morning was a Smores Milkshake. Wednesday I posted an Insane Zany Brownie Brookie. Wrapping up this week of pre-Halloween treats I highlighted a Cheesecake Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar. Enjoy!
It all sounds lovely, Marilyn!
Happy Blogoversary! 17 years is a major accomplishment!! I love popping in here for the party. I always find such inspiring ideas and recipes. Thank you for hosting. I hope you have a FANTASTIC week.
Thank you so much, Tamy! I hope you have a wonderful week too!
Happy Blog Anniversary, April! Wow–17 years! That’s dedication. I will subscribe to your newsletter.
Thank you so much, Pat. And thank you for subscribing as well! I appreciate it!
Happy Blogiversary, April ! 17 years is a stunning achievement. And we all know it’s not easy to keep up with the constant change in technology! Cheers – and thank you for this link party!
Thank you, Kristine! It definitely can be a challenge keeping up 🙂 At least it keeps me constantly learning!
Congratulations April on your 17 years. You have certainly been an inspiration and a role model to me in my years of blogging. I started in 2010 and I met you through The Hearth and Soul party, I am so glad you have kept it going as it was one of the first link parties that I every visited. Thanks for all the parties through the years and many more to come.
My very best wishes for your continued success!
Miz Helen
Thank you so much, Miz Helen! Thank you for saying such lovely things – what wonderful compliments! I really appreciate them, and also all your support over the years 🙂
Seventeen years makes you a blogging pioneer! Congratulations!
Thank you, Michele! I guess it does – and I do like that turn of phrase 🙂
Wow! Seventeen years. That’s amazing! Congrats!! I hope you keep your wonderful blog going for another 17 years or more!!
Thank you so much, Catherine. That’s a really lovely compliment!
Thank you so much for hosting the party! Have a great week.
Happy Halloween,
Kippi
Happy Halloween, Kippi! I hope your week is wonderful too!
Thank you for the party and feature April!
It’s a pleasure, Erin!
Wow! You are a pioneer in the blogosphere! Congrats!
Thank you, Lauren!
Hello April, WOW happy Blogiversary! I am amazed that you have been blogging this long! What an accomplishment and congrats. Thanks for hosting the fun. I am sharing a crochet leaf this week. Have a nice week and Happy Halloween.
Julie xo
Thank you so much, Julie! I hope you have a lovely week too. Happy Halloween!
17 years! What an accomplishment! Thanks for hosting! I brought by some Hasselback Potatoes. Hope you enjoy. 🙂
Thank you so much, CJ!
Happy Blogiversary! 17 years! That is so impressive! And I had to giggle remembering those slow upload speeds. It made me think about how my first computer had 512 MB of storage, and I thought that was big. Now I do most of my work from an iPad with 64 GB. More than I’ll likely ever need, but pretty small in some circles. In any case, well done, my friend!
Thank you so much, Michelle! I know exactly what you mean. The advances in technology really do amaze me!
Congratulations! That truly is a wonderful achievement!
Thank you so much, Sarah!
April, happy blogiversary! You were blogging before I’d even heard of blogs! Thank you for hosting #HearthAndSoul and for sharing all your stories with us.
Thank you so much, Jean!