Let There Be Lights

 

Finally sharing all the pictures from our annual mother/daughter evening spent enjoying the St Nicholas Precinct Christmas Lights in my hometown of Ipswich! Although there seemed to be a little bit "less" this year (fewer lights, only a couple of food trucks, not much seating) we still had a wonderful time in the balmy night air (windtunnel by the library not withstanding) checking out the boutiques & market stalls, taking pictures by the light fixtures, eating some delicious poffertjes & sipping piping hot coffee while enjoying the "big band" playing Christmas Carols & hearing the laughter of little children as they ran & played in & around the lights while waiting for Santa's arrival. 

For the occasion, I wore a gorgeous large-scale floral cotton smock dress with knee-length bubble hemline that I picked up at the delightful Oh Jo Jo Boutique, a pair of vintage chocolate brown leather & elastic sandals from the 1990s that I purchased for under $30 that had never even been worn (I had them resoled & they are perfection), a vintage chocolate brown leather crossbody bag from Shop 76 at the Ipswich Antique Centre to carry all the essentials while keeping my hands free & a selection of festive jewellery pieces to complete the look.

Scroll down to see how the evening unfolded...

A few by the "Big Tree" in D'Arcy Doyle Place...

Keep scrolling for some pictures of festive lights in & around my neighbourhood...

"The light of the world..." (John 8:12)

Finally, a few pictures from our small family Hannukah celebrations, lighting candles on the menorah & saying prayers for healing, peace, love & joy for the Jewish community, Messianic Jewish community, Christian community & all communities in Australia & the world as a whole in 2026...

A few special Hannukah gifts from some very dear friends...

A Little Nod to Whoville

 

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Dress: Lily Loves x Target satin, diamantes

Heels: Kitten D'Amour vegan leather

Bracelets: Gift, silver, glass beads

Headpiece: Etsy wire, wool

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Absolutely loving the "Whoville" vibes in this gorgeous festive ensemble, worn to a karaoke Christmas party with dear friends! The stunning black satin mini shift dress with silver diamantes & large back bow is from Lily Loves x Target & was under $100 (hard to believe when it's not only gorgeous but so incredibly well-made), the black vegan leather strappy heels are from Australian label Kitten D'Amour & really evoke the retro style of festive-seasons-past, the trio of silver & glass beaded bracelets in shades of red & green & seasonal shapes like stars, snowmen & tanenbaums were a thoughtful gift from a family friend & add that extra touch of whimsy while the piece de resistance - the dramatically oversized red wool bow headband (off centre to boot) is from a sweet seller on Etsy. All I need now is the Grinch!

A few close-ups of the bow in question... 

I've matched my lipstick colour, too! It's Revlon's "Fire & Ice" for those who may be interested.

Brothers Leagues Club at Christmas

 

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Dress: Lorrainne via Oh Jo Jo Boutique ramie

Wedges: Bay Lane via Obsession Shoes vegan leather, rubber, rope

Bag: Target woven straw

Bangles: Gift, Lovisa gold

Cuff: Gift, Turkish Bazaar gold, diamantes

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Another day, another festive blog post... this time featuring the gorgeous pictures taken at Brothers Leagues Club in Ipswich while on a lunch date with a dear family friend just before Christmas. For the occasion, I'm wearing a gorgeous navy, white & pink oriental floral print ramie shirtdress with woven belt from a label called Lorrainne that I discovered at the delightful Oh Jo Jo Boutique, a pair of blush vegan leather, rubber & woven rope wedges by Bay Lane that I picked up at Obsession Shoes for a modicum of height while remaining comfortable & a natural woven straw crossbody bag from my local Target that I've had for the past five years or so that just adds a nice bohemian flavour to whatever I'm wearing. When it came to jewellery, I chose some sweet gold pieces: a pair of gold bangles from Lovisa for some daytime shine & a delicate gold cuff with multicoloured diamante details from Turkish Bazaar that was a very thoughtful Christmas gift this year to complete the look.

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My favourite meal - Fresh, Crispy Barramundi with Lemon Butter Sauce, Mashed Potatoes & Greens - washed down with a nice strawberry cocktail...