So, the day has finally arrived. After months of hard work, sleepless nights and nervous break downs, I'm finally able to reveal my secret project. Reading your guesses for the past few days has been really entertaining. Most of you thought I would be coming out with my own line of candles, which is by the way not happening, but some of you actually predicted the right thing, which is... I am launching my own online store!!!

This is something I've always had on my bucket list, but I haven't told anyone or started thinking about it seriously until about a year ago, when my parents got sick and tired of me complaining how we don't get any cool brands and cute stuff in my country, and suggested me to try to do something about it myself. And so it started. Six months later, I finally managed to come up with a name and started working on it. I thought that this would be a tiny uncomplicated project, but boy, was I wrong. Every single thing that could go wrong did, and I seriously thought my online store will never see the light of day. 

I was planning to launch it in October, but here we are, in the middle of December, and things are still not completely done. However, all the important stuff seem to be working now and the store should function normally, so I think it's time for the big reveal!

I'm sure you're now dying to actually see the store, right? It's called Destination Pretty and you can check it out here. I want it to be the place where you can get all kinds of pretty things, from makeup and jewellery to candles, so I hope every girl will be able to find something for herself. As of right now, I obvioulsy don't have tons of different products, but they're all chosen with love, haha. I like every single one of them, and I hope you will too. Also, my online store has two language options (Slovene & English) and offers worldwide delivery. 

Please let me know what you think about my secret project now that you can actually see it and don't forget to follow Destination Pretty's social media accounts (facebook, twitter, instagram). Also, pretty please share my online store (and facebook page/twitter) with other people on your own blogs, social media and in real life. I would really appreciate it and be thankful to you until the rest of my life, because it's really hard to get it out there with zero funds for advertising. :D

Ohh, and one more thing. I want this to be my store as well as yours, so if you have any suggestions in terms of brands or products you would like to see on the site or maybe specific products from brands I already carry on the site, please drop me an e-mail (info@destinationpretty.com) to let me know and I will try to make it happen. :)

P.S. Some people who already know about the store have been asking me what will now happen to my blog, because the reality is that the companies or online stores I'm talking about here have now become some sort of competitors of mine, so I think it would be best if I address this dilemma right here, right now. Bascially, my blog will stay exactly the same. I will keep writing about other brands and online stores, because I want to treat my blog and my online store as seperatelly as I can. My blog is my hobby and my store is my job. I will obviously continue using products from other brands as well, so why not share my thoughts on them with you? I've always been a very honest person, and I am not planning to change or become a sell out. Ever. Even if that means I'll end up hurting my own business and income. Oh well. I can at least hope that people will keep appreciating my honesty, which I think is one of the most important parts of blogging that unfortunatelly many bloggers nowadays seem to lack...

A few weeks ago, one of my readers asked me if I would be doing an international secret santa swap like last year, and to be honest, I haven't even thought about doing it this year, but since last year's one went really well and a few people have said to me that they would like to participate this year as well, I decided to organize it again. 

The rules will be the same as last year. You can enter the swap as long as you're a blogger. It doesn't matter if your blog is lifestyle, beauty or fashion oriented. Everyone is welcome, except for people whose blogs look a bit fishy, because I don't want any complications. Last year's swap went really smoothly and as far as I know, all the participants were happy about the gifts they received, so I'm hoping this year's swap will be the same or even better. 

The idea behid this swap is that every blogger who signes up buys a gift for another blogger participating in the swap. The person whom you'll be sending a gift to will be randomly chosen by me.  What I'm planning to do is: write all of your names on pieces of paper, sort them out according to the country you're coming from and randomly match you with a person that comes from a different country you come from, because I really want to make this swap international. Having said that, if a majority of people will be from the same country, I'll have to match some of you with a person from your own country. Another thing I have to mention is that no one will know who they're getting their gift from - hence the SECRET SANTA swap. So, if a person A will be sending a gift to a person B, the person B will not be sending a gift to the person A, but to a person C. 

I'll be sending you the address and the link to the blog of the person you'll be sending a gift to, so you'll be able to do some research before buying and sending off the gift. I highly suggest you to really try to get to know the person behind the blog by going through their posts and wishlists to see what a person might like to receive, and try to find out which brands are or are not avaliable in the blogger's country, because let's face it, getting a product that you can't get at your local shops is ten times cooler than getting one that is. 

I'll also give you the option to let me know about some brands or types of products that you might be interested in getting, so that the person buying a gift for you will have a few guidelines. For example, you can let me know that you would be happy with getting any type of nail polish/lipstick/candle/necklace or mabye any kind of product from a particular brand that might not be avaliable in your country. I'll forward these information to your secret santa, but I can't promise you that you'll be getting the stuff you hinted at. If your secret santa ends up being from the same country as you, and the brand you would like to try out is not avaliable in your country, you obviously won't be getting a product from that brand. I hope this makes sense. :D

I think 20€ would be the best price point for the gift, as you can buy one item that is more expensive, or a few cheaper items. This is totally your choice. And if you decide to spoil the blogger and spend more on the gift, you are of course totally allowed to do so. 

I'll be taking entries until the 28th of November, and will be sending you the name, the blog URL, the gift guidelines, and the address of your partner via e-mail on November 29th. I think it would be the best if the presents are sent out by December 11th, so that you'll all be getting presents around Christmas/New Year. Also, I just got another idea about the whole sending-out-presents situation. To make sure that all the bloggers will follow the rules and truly send off the gift, it might be a good idea for every one of you to send me a copy of the post office receipt once you ship off the package, so that I can keep track of everything and make sure that all the packages are on the way to the new owners. And once you receive your gift, please let me know as well. :)

So, to enter the swap, please follow my blog, comment below saying that you would like to enter, and send me an e-mail to sandra.thepuzzleofmylife@gmail.com under the subject 'Secret Santa'. The e-mail must contain your full name, your home address and your blog's URL. You can also include a few guidelines for your secret santa, saying that you would like to receive a nail polish or something from Benefit, for example. You can include as many general or brand hints as you want to.

P.S. I'll also be participating in the swap, so I'll ask someone to randomly pick my 'secret santa' and e-mail her my details, because I want to be surprised as well. :D

I hope I made everything clear, but if you have any other questions regarding the swap, you can leave me a comment below or drop me an e-mail. 

Oh, and don't forget to share this post with other people on your own blog or your social media accounts, so that as many people as possible can join in on the fun!