Web Archive
Friday, May 15, 2020Did you know there's a website were you can look up previous incarnations of any website URL? I've known about it for years thanks to my job, and for some reason it popped into my head a few days ago, prompting me to take a look at my blog through the years.
I've always kicked myself for not taking a quick screenshot to document my blog's evolution, as someone who documents so much of my life I'm surprised I haven't, so the Web Archive site is the next best thing.
The Web Archive doesn't capture a site at regular intervals, it does so randomly, so it doesn't document every change but it was fun to look back.
The first time my blog was captured was in October 2011. My blog had been live for just over a year at the time. This isn't the original header, it's maybe the third, possibly the fourth variation, but the layout is the same - a simple blogger template.
The header reads "World of Joy - Ideas, thoughts and inspiration from a fashion lover (because I was back then), V_Blogger (writing for Very, an online department store), cat owner (still true), tea drinker (very true) and novice knitter (I think I can drop the novice part now)".
In the sidebar, under my photo it said "A place for a tea drinking, style pondering, wardrobe challenger. Come and say hello', this remained unchanged until 2015.
This WIA - Dresses... post was written when I was nearing the end of my first Wearing It All wardrobe challenge. I still have the tan boots I'm wearing here.
Next up is Summer 2012. You'll notice a new header and colourway, the header text changed slightly to read "Ideas, thoughts and inspiration from a fashion lover, cat owner, tea drinker, graphic designer and novice knitter".
I was no longer a V_Blogger. That blog no longer exists, but was the catalyst for me starting my own blog. In writing for them I realised I loved blogging but wanted to have total control over what I wrote about and featured. With Very it was all about Very.
I'd added some social media links to the sidebar, dabbling in html for the first time, and I'd joined Bloglovin' after Google Friend Connect was cancelled on every platform other than Blogger.
This post is an Inspiration Monday post hosted by sisters Megan and Nora, of the Two Birds blog. Sadly they stopped blogging years ago, I follow them on Instagram now instead. The idea was to try to recreate an outfit worn by a celebrity of Two Birds choosing. I took part in these regularly from May 2011 to early 2015. This isn't one of my better interpretations, but I always enjoyed taking part and found some nice outfit combinations as a result.
By 2014 (below) I'd streamlined my social media icons and added an Instagram feed. You might not be able to see it but I also added a background of tiny light grey dots, but everything else remained much the same.
This was my first Photo An Hour post, one of the prompts when taking part in Blog Everyday in May. After that I started taking part in one hosted by Jane and Louisa, and have done so since January 2015, posting most months since then, my favourite being in the Sahara desert.
Next I changed the background pattern, and the header design. The header text changed from 'fashion lover' to 'style lover' when it finally dawned on me that I had little interest in fashion anymore. I was into charity shopping by this time, my shopping habits having changed dramatically since I started the blog in 2011. I was still referring to myself as a novice knitter, and introduced 'wannabe crocheter', a fact that remains the same I just can't get to grips with crochet in the same way that I have knitting.
The biggest change came in 2015 when I purchased a blog template and stepped away from the simple blogger template I'd been using for six years, and little has changed since then.
It was at this point that I changed the sidebar about me text to "Hi, I'm Hazel, freelance graphic designer and farmer's wife living in Suffolk. Also, style lover, charity shop stalker, cat owner, tea drinker, crafter and writer of lists." I thought it summed me up nicely and it's remained the same ever since. I'm clearly not one for frequent changes as my photo hasn't been updated since October 2018, so it's probably about time I did.
12 comments
How interesting. I don't think my blog has changed very much in the (nearly) ten years I've been writing it. I'm a bit frightened of technology so once I've got something set up I rarely play around with it for fear of breaking something, haha.
ReplyDeleteI know that fear, I always back up before making any changes, just in case. I've been lucky that nothing has ever gone horribly wrong.
Deletexx
I had no idea such a website existed, but then again I am totally un-technical. I'm still surprised I was actually able to set up my blog with a blogger template, which I'll probably keep using forever, as I'm too scared to change anything. How lovely to see your blog evolve through the ages. Although my blog's appearance is still the same as when I started in 2016, its contents have definitely changed. Posts have become longer and more varied, and is no longer purely clothes and charity shop/flea market finds orientated. xxx
ReplyDeleteI think it's inevitable that our blogs content changes as we're constantly changing too. My early posts are all about the fashion purchases I wanted to make, the expensive, impractical shoes I coveted. It was fun to look back over the different designs and make a record.
Deletexx
I had no idea about that website, I don't think my blog's much changed at all in eleven years although I did update the Google photo that appears when I leave a comment last week for the first time in a decade!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you've still got those boots, they're great! x
I noticed your new photo - I like it!
DeleteThe boots don't get worn much but I won't be parting with them anytime soon
xx
I can remember reading your blog almost right from the start! Our posts were quite different back then, it's really cool to see how bloggers have refined their own niche of both what they write about and what they write.
ReplyDeleteAlso, there were so many things to join in with from the start! Style challenges, photo hunts. That was a old school blogging fun! xx
You've certainly been my longest, and most consistent follower :)
DeleteOur blogs are going to change as we change, and I've said it before, but my blog and the blogs I read have been part of that change.
I did used to enjoy taking part in those style challenges - Inspiration Monday, Bloggers Do It Better, Everybody Everywear... and the blogger awards that used to do the rounds :) It was fun.
xx
When I saw your Two Birds reference, I definitely remember that outfit and I THINK that's where I discovered you from- the Two Birds link up (I used to love going to visit and commenting on everyone!). So that means I've been following you for at least 8 years though I think at first, I only really read your Two Birds ones (in that era, I was still doing classroom teacher as well as half music teacher so I was super busy!) For that post- I wore a white blouse from Miss Selfridge, a Black floral corduroy skirt from Per Una (charity shopped- wish I still had it), a white headband and I carried a Jute Orla Kiely bag. How sad that I can remember EXACTLY what I wore without even looking it up!
ReplyDeleteHow exciting to see the changes. I've made very few changes in my blog- the current format has been that way for at least 7 years if not more!
Well hurrah for Two Birds for our introduction! I'm going to have to find your post with that outfit now :)
DeleteI have a tendency to tinker with design and layout, it's my day job after all, in fact you'd think I'd have changed it more!
A blog doesn't have to change, if your happy with it there's no need.
xx
P.S.It made me laugh to see the comments that reflect how I feel above- too scared to change anything about my template!
ReplyDeleteIt's a common theme :)
DeleteThank you for taking the time to comment x