Welcome to the July 2023 Edition of The Hearth and Soul Link Party! There is nothing like a British summer and this year it started off with some very nice weather indeed. How are things in your part of the world?
The Hearth and Soul Link Party welcomes family-friendly blog posts about anything that feeds the soul. Things that feed the soul may include (but are not limited to) recipes, decorating, crafts, family, home, DIY, organization, travel, book reviews, the arts, and self improvement.
The Latest
There are so many things to see and do during the summer here in the UK. Last weekend we were at the Rolls Royce Enthusiast’s Club annual rally at Burghley House in Stamford and we spent two days this week at The Henley Regatta.
We are just about too start week four of our kitchen and utility room renovations. Things are definitely coming together but it is a big space and there is a lot to do. Here are some photographs of the progress so far.
To see more about our plans for the kitchen, please check out my Instagram reel here. Please note we had already removed our sofa, traditional kitchen table, sideboard and the curtains at the point I made the ‘before’ part of this video.
I’m not going to lie, I’m going a little bit crazy not being able to cook and bake! I have set up a temporary kitchen in our dining room. I’m finding it challenging, but I’m so grateful for the opportunity to have a fresh new kitchen. One of the things I have found most helpful is this hot plate (or portable electric hob single burner) (affiliate link). It is so nice to be able to make porridge in the morning or fry up a couple of eggs to serve on avocado toast.
On The Blog – July 2023 Edition
It’s summer in England which, among other things, means great opportunities for wearing hats. In England, we wear hats for weddings and for events like Royal Ascot and The Henley Royal Regatta. (My husband and I are pictured at this year’s Regatta below.)
Do you enjoy wearing hats? I have some great advice from the professionals if you have ever wondered how to choose a hat that is perfect for you. I also wrote a blog post about how introducing more colour into my wardrobe changed my life, as well as offering some practical, easy to implement, frugal advice on how to add colour to your wardrobe.
As it is picnic season, I have been sharing lots of salad recipes – including the tuna pasta salad everyone always asks for and my late Mom’s delicious coleslaw – all perfect for your picnic basket, barbecues and al fresco dining.
If you fancy a treat, I also have a chocolate cupcake recipe that the whole family is sure to love plus some practical advice on how to make frosting and decorating super easy!
Finally, if you are planning a visit to London, I have updated my post on our favourite London restaurants.
Don’t forget that you can use the search bar or recipe index to help you find anything you are looking for. If you are unable to find what you are looking for, please drop me a line and I will try to help.
Another Way To Connect and Share
The Hearth and Soul Community on Facebook offers another opportunity to connect with others in the blogging community and to share and market your content.
In addition to choosing featured posts from the content shared here, I also choose features from the community. Feel free to share posts which you have shared here in the group as well, to give them even greater visibility and an extra chance of being featured.
July 2023 Edition – Featured Posts
Thank you all for sharing your inspiring content! Here are just a few of the posts that caught my eye.
Featured from the Hearth and Soul Community on Facebook:-
I felt very inspired by Nancy of Colors 4 Health’s post, 50 Ways to Raise Your Vibration. If you want to bring more joy into your life, these easy to implement ideas are a great place to start.
Heather of Modern Woman Old Soul shared some summer garden inspiration in The Summer Vegetable Garden.
Featured from the Hearth and Soul Link Up:-
As you may already know, I love recipes with a history. Gluten-Free Katharine Hepburn Brownies from Shirley at Gluten Free Easily definitely fit the bill, and they sound incredibly delicious too!
MaryJo of Masterpieces of My Life shared some wonderful summer style in her post Summer Garden Styling on an Antique Secretary Desk. MaryJo feels very similarly to me about her family antiques, and the connection they provide to the people and events of our past, so I enjoyed this post from both a style and lifestyle perspective.
If you are struggling to deal with clutter, you may enjoy the advice Lisa of Lisa Notes offers in her post Two Questions To Ask About Your Life Clutter.
Lyndsey of Perfectly Imperfect – Life with Lyndsey shared 10 Tips for Beautiful Potted Plants, perfect for year round gardening.
Thank you all for sharing your inspiring content and for being a part of the Hearth and Soul Community. It’s time to link up!
The Hearth and Soul Link Party – July 2023 Edition
The Hearth and Soul Link Party is held monthly, opening on the first Sunday of every month and remaining open until the 25th of the month, or until 300 entries are reached. Please share a maximum of 8 links per month.
Please share the permalink to your blog post with the July 2023 edition, not a link to the home page of your blog. Please do not link to anything except blog posts.
By submitting a post to the July 2023 edition of the link party here, you assert that you own the content and photographs. You also give me permission to share them here on the blog as well as on Pinterest, Twitter, and both my own Facebook page , The Hearth and Soul Link Party page and The Hearth and Soul Community Facebook Group.
The July 2023 edition is open until 25th July so please come back as often as you like! I will visit share as many posts as I can across my social media platforms. Please share the party with your friends and followers using the buttons at the top of the post. Thank you for your support.
Happy 4th of July to everyone who is celebrating! I’m looking forward to reading and sharing your blog posts!
Comments & Reviews
Hi, April! It’s always fun to see photos of all your adventures–usually very elegant ones! I’m sure the renovation doesn’t feel like an enjoyable adventure though. Maybe a new skillet recipe made using your hot plate will come out of this time. One never knows. 😉 Such experiences always seem to teach us something–mainly patience, I’ve learned–but I’ll be excited for you to have your renovations finished soon. In real life, renovations don’t go nearly as quickly as they do on the HGTV shows!
I’m so honored to have the Katharine Hepburn brownies featured! I’m so glad I turned a brief mention of making these brownies years ago into a full-blown post. 🙂 It kind of made me want to go back and have a Katharine Hepburn movie marathon. I’ll keep that in mind for some slow time in the future.
Lisa’s post about two questions on life clutter is truly helpful. I never tire of new ways to look at what physical things to keep and what to let go. It’s a neverending process for me as I refresh and this week get ready for gluten-free girlfriends for our retreat here next week. The fact that Lisa included opportunities in her discussion of clutter really spoke to me as well and will be helpful to so many I am sure.
That antique secretary desk and its styling are so beautiful. I love pieces like that which sort of take on their lives. For displays of collectibles, holiday decor, and more.
By the way, I’m almost as honored to be the first one linking up for this month’s party. I don’t think that’s ever happened before! Everyone else (at least here in the U.S.) must be busy with their 4th of July activities!
Have a wonderful week!
Shirley
Hi Shirley,
Thank you so much – I’m so glad you enjoy my adventures! I must admit, the renovation is a challenge. I was amazed how well having six people in the house over the weekend went. It has made me remember once again that it doesn’t have to be perfect to be lovely. I will be relieved when the kitchen renovations are done, hopefully in 5 weeks time if we stay on schedule. I think having that large space (the kitchen/utility room take up over a third of the ground floor) back will make it so much easier as we move on to the renovations in the rest of the house.
I have always admired Katharine Hepburn. She was such a trailblazer!
I found Lisa’s post very helpful too. Having less usable space has made me realise that I have accumulated a number of things I do not really need or love!
Thank you so much for all your support. I hope your girlfriends retreat is lovely! x
Thanks so much April for your kind words and featuring my post, “50 Ways to Raise Your Vibration.” I’m thrilled and honored. LOVE seeing you in your Hot Pink Colored Hat and how well your kitchen remodel is coming along. Have a beautiful July and thanks again.
It’s my pleasure, Nancy. Thank you so much for the compliment and all your support. Wishing you a beautiful July too!
It will be so fun when the kitchen is finally done! Thank you for hosting this fun get-together.
It really will! Thank you, Barbara!
Thank you so much for the feature, and for hosting this wonderful link up. I am excited to share my posts here! Can we share at any time in the facebook community? I will be back on tonight to get my posts in.
It’s a pleasure, Lyndsey. Yes, you are welcome to share at any time in the FB community.
Thank you for hosting not only this party but also your group April. I hope that you have a wonderful week.
p.s: you look beautiful at The Henley Regatta! Looking forward to seeing your new kitchen.
Thank you so much, Elizabeth, and thank you for the compliment too! I hope you have a wonderful week.
I know you have to be so excited about your new kitchen being finished! It will be worth the trouble (or so I hear; I haven’t done it myself, lol). 🙂 Thanks for sharing my post about life clutter. It’s something I always have to chip away at.
I really am, Lisa. There’s a few more weeks to go but we can see things taking shape. I found your post incredibly helpful 🙂
Love the fashion look & the renovations April!
To answer your question; It’s freezing cold here on the East Coast of Australia (although probably not what you call freezing 😉) as it’s our Winter season now.
So we’re all rugged up to stay warm.
I love hats & always wear one to go out walking along the waterfront. As well as a nice & warm Beanie on freezing cold & windy days.
Bless you, Jennifer
Thank you, Jennifer. Take care and stay warm! Blessings to you!
Happy July, April! I loved all the photos of you in your summer finery. We went through a total kitchen renovation in my prior house and I remember what a big job it was, but I’m sure you will enjoy the results when it is done.
Happy July, Pat! Thank you so much for the encouragement!
Happy Summer April. The weather here in Western Pennsylvania, USA has been fairly good. We’ve been having good hot days and the past two weeks many rainy, storm days. I love a good thunder storm.
I can’t wait to see your finished kitchen. And I’ve got to tell you that you look stunning in your regatta dress.
Linking up at #5&6.
Thank you so much for hosting this amazing community dear friend.
Thank you so much for the compliment, Paula! That is very kind of you.
We had quite a lot of rain in the night last night but no thunder. I love a good thunder storm as well.
Thank you so much for being a part of the Hearth and Soul community, Paula.
PS: Thank you so very much for sharing the July Edition of Hearth and Soul link up with me @ Sweet Tea & Friends this month sweet friend.
It’s my pleasure, Paula. Thank you for hosting!
April, thanks so much for hosting. Have a blessed week!
My pleasure, Donna! Thank you for being a part of the Hearth and Soul Community.
THat Maxi dress is fab. I saw pics from Ascot this year – had friends there. It was funny seeing everyone so dressed up for the races…very My Fair Lady…
Thank you, Lydia! We really do go all out for Royal Ascot. I did not go this year, but I have been in the past and it’s a lot of fun!
Happy July! Thanks for hosting us again and I am so glad you enjoyed my summer gardening desk post. Family heirlooms are the best! XO- MaryJo
Happy July, MaryJo! Have a lovely month. XO
Looks like you are having a lot of fun. Thanks for hosting and I hope that you have a wonderful month full of fun.
Thank you so much, Patrick. I hope your month is wonderful too.
Thank you so much for featuring me April. I’m looking forward to discovering some great posts and blogs and for joining my first link party!
It’s a pleasure, Heather! Welcome!
Thanks for hosting April and thanks for joining us at Light And Manna – we’re so glad you’re part of our new community! 🙂
It’s my pleasure, Ramona! I’m excited to be part of your new community! 🙂
Hi April, hope you are having a fabulous summer! Wanted to let you know that I added #177 – my Christmas In July extravaganza – where I’ve partnered with bloggers around the world to share FREE resources with visitors via 3 separate events! If you can add this to the FB group so that everyone has a chance to share in the fun that would be greatly appreciated! 🙂
Hi Ramona,
Hope your summer is going well too!
Christmas in July sounds fabulous! I will pop over, have a look and share. 🙂
April, before I came to the link party, I read two of your posts, a recent one and one from a while back, and was so impressed all over again with your wise words and beautiful writing. My link is #186, and I wish I could visit all 185 posts before mine!
Thank you so much for the lovely compliment, Jean. I really appreciate your encouraging support!
It’s lovely to see you at Hearth and Soul, and I look forward to visiting your post.
Have a wonderful day!
Thanks so much for providing this opportunity to share our posts! ❤️
My pleasure, Laura. Thank you for visiting and sharing!