So far this year, I have been ridiculously obsessed with productivity and since I have just started my Blogging 101 Series, I though now would be a great time to give you all a little bit of office eye candy! I love functional and feminine stationary and accessories that keep my desk looking cute and my mind focused on the tasks ahead of me. So here is a glimpse of some of my favorite items I like to keep around during my 9-5 hustle!
It’s no secret that I am a little obsessed with iPhone cases and I have quite a few. Since I happen to own a lot of Kate Spade cases, I like to store my cases in a way that helps me to keep them safe, but also displays them in a stylish way! Right now I store my iPhone cases in a Kate Spade gift box that fits my cases two wide in their original boxes.
Another way that I like to store my cases is in pretty gift bags! I found this lovely bag in the Target Dollar Spot back before Valentine’s Day! This is an inexpensive and cute way to keep all my cases in one place and it looks rather lovely out on my shelf!
This final storage solution also comes from the Target Dollar Spot! I love this bright storage bin because its cheery to look at and is the perfect width to store my cases standing up right! Again, this bin is another great one to keep out on display and it was only $1! Hopefully, these three solutions will give you some ideas on how to store and display your iPhone cases as well! You don’t have to own a collection of designer cases to want to keep them on display. These storage options are protective and attractive, but also incredibly inexpensive. If you have a few extra iPhone cases laying around, wrangle them up using one of these methods and keep ’em safe and sound!
Did this post give you some new storage inspiration? How do you store your iPhone cases? Let us know in the comments below!
If you saw What I Got for Christmas, you know that I saved up and bought myself a new 11inch Macbook Air! I love this little machine, it really is perfect for that way I work and I couldn’t be happier with my purchase, but one thing that was nagging at me for a good long while was that I didn’t have a proper case for the computer! I know I could walk into practically any store and pick up a generic laptop sleeve pretty inexpensively, but I hate having generic accessories, especially for my gadgets! One problem I was having was that a lot of the nicer cases (cases that were designed with a woman in mind) didn’t come in 11inch versions. It looks like its a 13inch laptop world and us 11 inch Air users are just living in it! That aside, I noticed that a lot of my favorite designers who had previously designed tech cases for laptops now switched gears and designed cases for tablets instead! It was depressing!
So, eventually I just had to widen my net of female accessory designers and I eventually found a suitable sleeve from Michael Kors! To be honest, I am not the biggest Michael Kors fan. As with every designer, there is a type of woman he designs for and I just don’t think she’s me! However, I did really like his simple, yet elegant sleeve for the Macbook Air 11 inch. I believe this color is called pearl grey and its definitely a color I gravitate towards. The material is something they are calling a Saffiano PVC, which basically feels like coated leather, so its definitely durable and should be easy to spot clean if needed. The thing that really sold me on this sleeve was that the hardware and the interior lining of the sleeve are silver, which is my fave!!
Overall, this is a nice little tailored sleeve for the Macbook Air. It is available in both 11 inch and 13 inch sizes and it gives a nice cushion of protection to your laptop without being bulky. It’s definitely not a cheap case at $79.95, but if you’re looking for a more upscale case for your Macbook Air, you may want to check this one out!
Does anyone else out there have a nice designer case for their 11 inch Macbook Air? I would love to know which case you are using and how it’s working out for you! Let me know in the comments below!
Have you ever heard of an app called Everest? Everest is an app that helps you track your goals, so it’s a great resource to use to help you keep track of your New Year’s Resolutions! When you first open the app, it urges you to enter in your first goal. After categorizing your goal and deciding if you want it to be public (for friends to see) or private (for your eyes only), it then gives you options to add steps to getting to your goal. Each step can be given a specific time frame, where you can set reminders for yourself so that you are keeping on track to complete your goal. This app is a great way to manage your expectations and break down your goals into steps that you can take each day that will make achieving your goals a series of steps instead of a giant feat! After all, you can only climb a mountain one step at a time.
Now, the fun thing about the app is that in addition to creating your own goals, you can also accept challenges from the Everest community that range from health/physical challenges (like doing 50 consecutive push ups!) to personal challenges (like finding a job you love). These challenges are of course optional, however, they are a good constant reminder that everyday you could be taking steps to give yourself a happier, healthier and wealthier life!
So, this year I plan to use Everest to track my resolutions and set small realistic steps for myself to take each week to achieve these goals! Do you plan on using Everest or another similar method to help you break your goals down into small manageable steps and then to keep you accountable for achieving your goals?
So, it’s been some time since I have made a new set of wallpapers for you guys, so I thought I would create a special design for the New Year! This quote “Start Something New” happens to be on the first page of my 2014 Kate Spade Agenda for January and I think it pretty much sums up the start of a new year! This time around I went ahead and created a Mac or Macbook Wallpaper that should fit up to a 21″ iMac, an iPad/iPad Mini Wallpaper and an iPhone 5/5s/5c Wallpaper!
iMac or Macbook Wallpaper {right click image to open in new tab & save}iPad/iPad Mini Wallpaper {right click image to open in new tab to save, or if using your device, tap image to open it in new window and then tap and hold until save options appear}iPhone 5/5s/5c Wallpaper {right click image to open in new tab to save, or if using your device, tap image to open it in new window and then tap and hold until save options appear}
So, how do you all like these wallpapers? Let me know in the comments below!
Hello everyone! I apologize for the lack of posts yesterday! I had to leave the house super early to help a friend before I was able to edit this video for YouTube and then once I got home… optical migraine! So I finally got this baby uploaded late last night, so viola, here is my What I got for Christmas Haul Video!
I don’t want to spoil the video too much, but I decided that I was going to talk about some of my FAVORITE gifts instead of each and every thing! Not every gift is a “big gift”, I was so pleased with many of the little gifts and stocking stuffers I got because it was clear the gifter had put thought into it (and for me, those are the best gifts!)
For the most part, there is one “big gift” that I ended up saving up for and many members of my family ended up giving me very generous gifts of money in order to help me pay for it! That one sneaks it at the end to be sure to watch the video the whole way through!
So, I hope you enjoy this video and make sure to let me know what your favorite gifts were this year! Remember, they don’t have to be big gifts or expensive ones, even the smallest stocking stuffer can be a thoughtful treat!
Today I wanted to take just a moment of your time to share with you a useful little tech tip to make sure you are prepared for your winter vacations, holiday travel and basically the rest of the winter days ahead of us! Did you know that during the winter, batteries drain at a faster rate than they do in warmer weather? Yep, they do! So, it’s very important to make sure that you are keeping backup battery sources with you while you are out and about and away from chargers and electrical outlets to make sure your most important gadgets stay safe! This is obviously important all year round, but even more so in winter months when accidents and emergencies are more common! So, I recently stumbled upon this adorable little backup battery charger for the iPhone 5/5s/5c at Anthropologie! It’s a very convenient little size and can pop right into your lightening cable port while you are still using your phone! Don’t let battery drainage ruin your holiday and winter season! Be prepared so you can have a fun and safe winter!
Now, everyone, back to your figgy pudding and I will see you again with a Christmas haul on Thursday!
If you are someone who knows me personally or has been following me and my blog for a while, you know I am a gadget person. Not only do I like to own a lot of gadgets, but I am also just interested in them in general. Tech is a language I speak, so its no surprise that friends, family members, co-workers and even acquaintances often come to me with questions before they make a major tech or gadget purchase. Recently, the question I have been asked the most is “Alexis, you have both, which is better, the iPad (Air) or the iPad Mini?” Now, this happens to be a very loaded question because of the way its phrased and completely subjective, but really all I am being asked is “Alexis, which iPad should I get?” Now that’s a question I can help you answer!
If you have never owned an iPad before, the choice between the iPad Air and the iPad Mini is difficult! In fact, I couldn’t choose myself, so I have both! So, as someone who owns both devices and uses both of them in very specific ways, let me point out some factors that I think are important to understand in order to help you decide which model to buy.
Internal specs
I want to cover the topic of internal specs of the devices for one sole purpose, and that is to explain that if you are planning on purchasing the latest iPad model (either air or mini), this point is moot! Now, if you are trying to decide between models of iPad’s, your options are currently iPad 2 vs iPad Air and iPad Mini non-retina vs iPad Mini Retina. Out of those choices, my opinion is clear, if you are worried about money, just buy the cheaper model. The non-retina screens aren’t going to be noticeable to you as an average consumer, so if you can’t afford the recent model or just don’t want to pay the price for them, go non-retina and proceed with your life!
Size isn’t just a number
When it comes to the two iPad sizes, you may think an inch or two wouldn’t make that much of a difference, but it does! In fact, to me, my iPad and iPad mini are like completely different devices. The truth is, you can do everything you do on an iPad Air on an iPad Mini, but a certain size screen may feel more natural with some activities. For example, if you are someone who wants to use your iPad as an ereader, the iPad mini is the perfect fit for reading. Yes, you can read on the iPad Air very successfully, but the smaller screen is better suited for the task and more closely mimics the size of a book. Conversely, you can take handwritten notes and sketch on your iPad mini, but the iPad Air or other full-sized iPad feels much more natural and less cramped because it’s about the size of a sheet of paper! When it comes to activities like surfing the web or gaming, however, I will have to say, both iPads do an excellent job!
Storage space & connectivity
When it comes to choosing an iPad, not only do you have two sizes to choose from, but you also have to choose the amount of storage space you want in your device and whether or not you need to connect via cellular data networks. When it comes to storage, I suggest buying a model with the most amount of space you can afford, especially if you intend to have your iPad for numerous years. There is nothing worse than buying an iPad and then in a year, realizing you have filled it up and must either delete files and apps or upgrade to a model with more storage space. Now, as for connectivity, usually a Wifi only model will suffice for most users unless you know you do not have access to Wifi in the places you plan to use your iPad.
If I had to choose one
Now, in the interest of being completely honest, I think its only fair that I explain to you which iPad I would choose if I could only have one! That would be the iPad Air or any full-sized iPad. Why? Because I am more than just a casual iPad user and the full-sized iPad, in my opinion, is the place I feel most comfortable doing everything! I don’t always feel like I want to do everything on my iPad Mini, mostly because the screen is smaller and harder to use in certain circumstances.
How I think you should choose
Below I have listed out a bunch of different points that reflect the use of the iPad Air and iPad Mini. If you are choosing between the two devices, I suggest reading these lists and tracking how many of the points apply to you, your lifestyle and your needs. Tally up which device checks the most points and hopefully that will help you better understand which version of the iPad is right for you!
iPad Air
I plan to use my iPad for everything I possibly can or want to replace my desktop or laptop computer with the use of an iPad.
I will most likely use my iPad at home or carry it in a case when I am outside the home.
I am used to writing in large notebooks or have large handwriting.
I want to use my iPad for work or school, taking it to meetings, saving materials to reference or working remotely without my desktop or laptop computer.
I want to use my iPad to draw, sketch, design or write.
I want to use my iPad to access apps that will help me create content, like iPhoto, iMovie, or Garageband .
iPad Mini
I will use my iPad mostly for reading or in place of an ereader.
I need an iPad that is very portable and can fit into a small bag or can easily be carried or stored.
I want to be able to hold my iPad in one hand and use the other to navigate.
I want to use my iPad to entertain my small child.
I plan to use my iPad for browsing the web, email and playing games most of the time.
I use my iPhone or other smartphone for apps and internet more than I do a desktop or laptop computer.
So, what did you come up with?
Did you find this post helpful to you in deciding which iPad to purchase? Do you own an iPad and have any other points you think are important that I may have missed? Let me know in the comments so we can help everyone make the best choice to suit their needs!
About a week or so ago, eBay had an auction for some limited edition CFDA USB Charging Bracelets that were designed in conjunction with major designers like Rachel Zoe and MILLY. When I found out about the auction, I decided that I would get in on the fun and ordered the MILLY bracelet! These things are quite cool because they are wearable tech accessories that can be used to charge multiple devices. The bracelet itself is a USB to mini USB, but the pack came with two additional heads that conform to the Apple 30 Pin dock connectors and the new Lightening cable. See guys, tech can be fun and fashionable too!
What do you think of these wearable charging chords? Do you like the idea of wearable technology and blending fashion with our ever increasing dependency on gadgets? Let us know in the comments!
Welcome to the first installment of my Holiday 2013 Gift Guide! Today is all about finding that perfect gift for the Chic Geek in your life. Diamonds are no longer a girls best friend when she has a smartphone or tablet in hand! So give your favorite techie gal a gift that will keep her precious gadgets safe, sound and stylish! Just choose her style and leave the gift ideas to me!
Do you have any Chic Geeks in your life that you are buying a holiday gift for? What are you getting them? Feel free to share some more gift ideas or links to other blogs/sites with similar gift guides in the comments!
