Review: Snugg iPad Mini Case

So, what do you do when you go on a trip and want to take along your iPad mini? If you’re like me, the first thing you do when you get a new electronic gadget that seems fairly fragile is get a case for it. TheSnugg.com contacted me and asked if I would like to review their popular cases. How could I refuse? For a few minutes I contemplated calling everyone I knew to see if they had a more recently produced iPad that I could borrow for a day to review one of their awesome headrest cases for the car, but I decided instead that most people I know now are all into their minis, since they are more portable and easier to travel with, so I asked if I could review the Snugg mini in a fun color.

I think I’m becoming a case snob now and I’m excited to have several different ones to choose from. I like items that coordinate, too. My netbook that I travel with is royal blue and I asked Snugg to send me the baby blue case to go with it. I figured Eric would be none too thrilled if we got a pink case and it didn’t match with anything. I did like that it was an option though.

Snugg claims they have sold their leather cases all over the world and to many celebrities, so if you want to be like Justin Timberlake – and now me! – you can buy one after you read about how great these protective and stylish cases are. They are available for all generations of iPad, iPad mini and iPhone.

Snugg makes cases that are sleek and colorful. I love the variety of hues they come in and you can be sure that they are sturdy, since they are made of leather. The case has a magnetic closure that keeps it from flapping open if you have it stashed in your bag. Once open the mini is kept in place by a snug (ha!) frame and a convenient Velcro closure that is hidden behind your device. You tuck the tab in to stick it together. I tested its security by waving it all around me and my mini didn’t budge at all. That’s pretty great, especially if you are a one-hand-user or your kid(s) uses it.

The inside cover is soft and sueded to protect your screen, though you can buy special screen defending sheets from Snugg, too. You’ll also find a handle that you can slide your hand under to help you hold onto your mini even better. Slide the cover into the back slot to make it more ergonomic for book or email reading. The handle is soft underneath and is also elasticized to keep it comfortably tight to your hand, so it can’t accidentally slide off and onto the floor. Plus, it’s easy to use if you are right or left-handed.

You don’t have to just hold onto your mini. Once the back has been fit into the slot, it angles the case to be able to use it hands-free in two different positions. You have both a low angle and a steep angle, so it can be used in any way that is comfortable to you.

Another great feature of this case is that your mini does not need to be taken out of the Snugg to be able to use the camera/video function or FaceTime. You can happily snap away while out and about and still keep your mini safe. There are also convenient cutouts for all the iPad features: volume, power button, headphone jack, power jack and microphone. And if you like to use a stylus pen instead of your finger to work your screen, it has a handy little slot to stash it on top, which means you never have to fumble around in your bag for it, because it’s always right at your fingertips.

Even though the Snugg is sturdy and made of leather, it is still not as thick as many other cases are, which makes it easier to pack into any bag you carry, as it is lightweight and doesn’t take up much more room than your actual mini. Do you have a bag with a slot specifically for your iPad? This should fit perfectly in it.

All their cases are attractive, stylish and can be both fun and professional looking if you use your mini for business purposes. I chose the baby blue, but you can chose from anything from basic black to a pixelated camo print and every color in between. If you are looking for a gift for your gadget-loving dad for Father’s Day, there’s still time to pick up one of these nifty cases for his iPad/iPad mini. He’ll love that you were thoughtful enough to get him something to protect one of his most versatile electronic items.

More information

Where you can buy it: Snugg online

How much it costs: $24.99-29.99

Colors it comes in: Black, Baby Blue, Electric Blue, Pink, Orange, Red, White, Distressed Brown, Camouflage, Denim

Other specs: Soft inside with PU leather outside. Automatic sleep/wake function: Open the case to wake your iPad mini, close it and Sleep mode is activated. Lifetime guarantee.

Like Snugg and their great products? Find them on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Google+.

Disclosure: I was provided a Snugg Mini for the purposes of this review, but all opinions are 100% mine.

Getting Personal with Alpacas

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When we travel, we always look for the free things to do at our destination. There are cool things to do everywhere that cost little to no money and we practice finding such things by doing them in our own city. I subscribe to a ton of email lists, one of which is LocalHarvest.org that will tell you all the cool farm-related activities happening near you. Normally this includes farmers' markets that are opening and gardener talks, but a few weeks ago it also included a meet and greet at an alpaca farm that was just a few minutes away from where we live. We grabbed our friends and their kids and jumped in the car and went to learn about alpacas and possibly buy some fun stuff for gifts.

As an avid animal-lover, I have always been confused by my wariness of alpacas and llamas. Somehow, I feel like I can't read their body language, so I was also going to EasyGo Farm to get over my fear of these adorable creatures. Once there, I learned that they only have teeth on the bottom, so they can't really bite you (though they can try, as I found out later). For just $1, we got a pretty good size tub of alpaca treats to feed them and they were pretty gentle snuffling it out of our hands, though they got pretty excited and tried to push each other out of the way a bunch of times. 

Alpacas are super soft and some amazing stuff is made from their wool. It doesn't hurt that they are even cuter with short hair and little afros on their heads. Right now, they are all the rage on home farms, because they are very social pets and also help keep the grass low. Plus, you can get yourself a spinning wheel and make your own yarn that you can then turn into clothing if you want. I'm not that motivated, but I did have a good time interacting with them for practically free, and the kids were really into it, too. Enjoy the photos.

This one got a little too grabby and "bit" me when she felt she should get to eat the food in my hand instead of her friend. I was bruised, but it was only pinchy.

On the way back home, we found some other fun stuff to do on other days and stopped at a giant gardening store. We are definitely going back to visit with the alpacas again (and get better pictures). What are some of your favorite free activities either where you live or that you found on vacation?

Product I love: Nail Polish Strips

Don’t you hate it when you have just done your own manicure for your vacation and then 10 minutes after you get off the plane it chips and looks a mess? Did you pack your bottle for touch-ups? No! Did you bring remover? No! So, now you have a few options:

·         Buy remover and go bare.

·         Buy a similar color and touch it up.

·         Head to a nearby salon and have them make it fab again.

·         Ignore it and hope nobody else notices your chippy nails for the next week or more.

For the last few years, I would try to buy fun bottles of nail lacquer that could easily fit in my toiletry bag, but with the TSA ban on liquids, I need all the free space I can get in my 3-1-1 bag, so polish and remover just don’t fit – and if they spill, it’s the worst mess ever. My solution doesn’t require any extra room and touch ups only require a nail file!

Nail polish strips are on trend right now, because they are inexpensive and come in funky designs that match anything you want. Pastels are in, so you can easily sport baby pink nails with white polka dots, a girly plaid, florals or even birds. For going out, try animal prints, jeweled tips or dark, sparkly strips. You can’t go wrong. They are easy to apply, easy to remove and can be switched out super fast. You don’t have to go to the salon to get a new amazing manicure. You can do it at home.

Each pack comes with enough to do your nails at least once. If your nails are short, you may be able to do them two or three times with the same pack, thereby saving even more money over a professional salon. Simply peel the strip off the backing, place it on your nail, firmly press it down flat and file off the end. Repeat with the rest of your nails. You can even do it on your toes! If your nail “chips”, peel off the strip - or remove like regular polish - and put a new one on. Viola!