scent with love;

I don't know about you, but once I find a perfume I love I tend to be pretty loyal and wear nothing else so you can imagine how upset I was to discover that my absolute favourite perfume, the one I have worn since I was fifteen had been discontinued. I have been wearing Anna Sui – Sui Dreams (the handbag shaped bottle) for so long, I cannot remember wearing anything other and I absolutely cannot find anything that smells even a tiny bit similar - if anyone knows of anything please let me know! I am watching several bottles on Ebay but unfortunately for me they're going for insane prices which I really cannot justify spending right now. 

Despite feeling pretty let down by Anna Sui for her decision to get rid of this beautiful vanilla based scent, I decided that perhaps this could be seen as a positive change. Almost nine whole years have passed since I started wearing that perfume, so perhaps it is time for a change. Over the past three weeks I bought three new scents to test out and see which one is my best fit.

 Daisy – Marc Jacobs

I have always admired this sweet perfume ever since I first met one of my best friends Nicola who always wears it. It's quite pricey but I managed to blag a bottle at a very reasonable price via Ebay. My favourite flower is the daisy and so I suppose that this is only apt. I adore it's spring daisy scent and the bottle is just so pretty. I think this is probably my favourite of the three so perhaps this will be my new signature scent. 

Eau de Pafum - Orla Kiely 

I love Orla Kiely! Her work is just so sweet and her fragrance is no different. This is a lovely everyday perfume and is again quite a florally scent with a hint of chocolate. It's a little less subtle than the Daisy perfume and I have had several compliments already. I do love this perfume, but I just don't know if it's quite me, though I'd definitely use it every so often for something a little different. 

Dolly Girl – Anna Sui

I picked this out because I'd been given it for Christmas when I was younger but couldn't remember it's smell. I think perhaps I naively thought (hoped) perhaps it would smell similar to it's sister scent. Unfortunately it smells nothing alike, despite this it is a very pretty scent with a spicy edge because it has notes of cinnamon. I don't think I'll be buying this scent again, but I am in love with the unusual bottle.

 I don't know if I've found one I like quite as much just yet, but I'm having fun searching and building up a pretty impressive perfume collection along the way. I think I'll be testing out Dior Cherie next. Let me know if there are any perfumes you 'd recommend or if you know of that are similar to Sui Dreams – Anna if you're reading this, pretty please bring back my perfume.

Sincerely, Alexa ♥

je suis retourné;

I'm back after a little break and you may notice some big, big changes here on 5 a.m picnics. I'd like to start by saying thankyou to my sweet friend Steph B (fellow Ma Bicyclette girly) of Felt Mountain Studios for creating this design just for me, isn't it a peach? I have been busy working and interning these past few weeks, so sorry for a quiet spell, but I am back and I promise to be a super active blogger from this day forth. 

I am one super happy Android customer now that they've kindly decided to let us have Instagram, you can follow mine by clicking the link in the sidebar. There's just far too much I want to photograph, so I apologise if I bombard you with everything I stumble upon. Here are some of my photos to date.

I have recently started embroidery, I have picked out some beautiful fabrics and I am going to be stitching on some of my own designs I've drawn up of my friends for surprise gifts. 

I have collected all the bits and pieces for my giveaway, so keep promoting 5 a.m picnics and once I hit fifty followers I'll let you know how you can enter.

 Sincerely, Alexa ♥