Happy Birthday Joanne

 

The final month of the year is not only about the festive season for our family... it's also the time when we celebrate three family members in particular who mark their latest turns around the sun during the so-called "silly season." On this particular occasion, it was time to honour the matriarch of our family - my biggest cheerleader, shopping partner, closest confidant & best friend - my mother, Joanne, with a family afternoon tea underneath our delightful pergola with a plethora of food, cake & presents to open!

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Dress: Review x Liberty London cotton

Cardigan: Kitten D'Amour knit

Sandals: Blowfish Malibu via Williams Shoes vegan leather, brass

Belt: Review patent leather

Brooch: Gift, blown glass

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For the occasion, I wore a beautiful & bright floral Liberty print cotton drop-waist midi dress from Review's recent collaboration with the historic London label, cinched in with a wide green patent leather belt, a cropped pink & white spotted knit cardigan with ruffled cuffs & diamante buttons from Kitten D'Amour, a pair of brown vegan leather gladiator sandals with brass buckles from Blowfish Malibu via Williams Shoes & finally, a sweet little handblown glass Christmas tree brooch that some dear friends gave me this time last year.

Keep scrolling to see how the afternoon unfurled...

Gifts Galore for someone who truly deserves to be feted...

Making short work of all the delicious fare...

Cake!

Mother of All Birthdays

Finally sharing all the beautiful pictures from a day spent celebrating my darling mother Joanne's birthday with a beautiful bunch of flowers from Flowers of the World at Paddington, some heartfelt presents both modern & vintage that were sourced from so many of our most-frequented stores & boutiques, delicious vanilla, pistachio & strawberry macaroons from Passiontree Velvet & family dinner at one of our favourite places in Brisbane, Creole Soul Kitchen at Spring Hill.

Scroll down to see how it all unfolded...

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Posing on the side of the road before filling my belly with delicious, spicy creole food & raising our glasses to a truly wonderful mother & inspirational human being wearing a gorgeous deep purple cotton/satin seamed fit-to-flare dress with 1960s-style neckline from Aussie label Anthea Crawford, a pair of black suede pointy-toed slingbacks with faux pearl toe detailing from Hisapanitas Shoes via Peter Sheppard, a boxy black suede handbag with silver hardware from French Connection, a chunky silver hinged bangle from Wallace Bishop for that touch of shine & finally, a cutesy white faux pearl headband from Dissh to complete the look.

Waffle Cut Fries with Aioli

Chicken & Biscuit

Eggplant Sticks

Pork Belly

Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

Waffle Cut Fries with Mozzarella & White Creole Sauce... which I'm told is "everything"

Washing it all down with a Root Beer...

Chocolate Molten Cake

Soul Kitchen Churros

Pumpkin Pie

(a Thanksgiving special)

Piping Hot Latte to finish...

Traditional "Family Pictures" after the meal...