Blogging from the iPad is harder than it should be

I'm testing a free iPad blogging app called Monarch, and adding these photos of the garden. Wordpress has a free blogging app, but I can't seem to find a good one for blogger, paid or free. If this works, I will be pleased, because the Blogger site is not fully editable from iOS.

Homemade iPad 2 case using $7.50 worth of thrift store clothing

I got crafty.  This afternoon I headed down to Goodwill, and picked up a kids polar fleece jacket ($3.75), and a tweed skirt ($3.75).

Tweed skirt and polar fleece jacket

I don't have a sewing machine, so this process took longer than it would have had I driven up to my grandmother's house (which is what I usually do when I have pants to hem, or Cornhole bags to make).  But my mother taught be how to hand sew, at least enough to keep a couple of pieces of fabric together.  A few hours later and voila!  A temporary iPad sleeve with a super soft inside and a stylish outside that will protect my precious gadget from the harsh reality of the outside world.

Doesn't it look cozy in there?  It's not quite done, of course, it needs a button for that cord to hook over.  I plan on getting a button tomorrow (I know, I can't believe we don't have a single button in our apartment either).  This should be plenty of protection for a bevy of upcoming plane flights (a wedding, then work, then more work), and going up to campus.  I will still keep my eye out for the perfect case, but for now I don't have to hurry!

The iPad 2 finally arrives (and finds a home in a business card holder)

 I got the call on Wednesday evening, and was picking it up at Best Buy seconds after the store opened on Thursday.  Why didn't I pick it up on Wednesday you ask?  I tried, they wouldn't let me.

Just like bringing a baby home from the hospital, this little bundle of joy demanded diapers and a nursery--or at least a protective sleeve and a spot on the desk.  I haven't taken care of the sleeve yet (I plan on getting crafty so stay tuned), but I did learn that a cheap-o business card holder will sub in as a stand, so off to OfficeMax I went.  It turns out none of the business card holders alone could hold up the iPad when it was vertical, so I went with this guy.

Way cheaper than an Apple iPad dock.

It is strong enough to hold the iPad up on my desk vertically and horizontally.

My iPad goes both ways.

And it also holds my desk stuff.

Multi-use!

So I can get rid of my mug-of-pens, leaving my desk looking like this:

Sleek, huh?

So far I am extremely pleased with my purchase.  I had a Skype meeting on it already, which was a breeze, and I purchased QuickOffice (docs, spreadsheets, presentations) and iCab mobile (Safari alternative with tabbed browser and downloads) with a gift certificate to iTunes left over from Christmas. Plus, the iPad is already getting along quite nicely with what is now Chris's iPod touch. Here they are, chatting about being super-skinny, super-sexy gadgets together on the coffee table.

"No you're sexier!"