i heart etsy: iris + lily

Hello, virtual citizens! I have now officially worked a full week at my new job, which makes this my first official weekend as a gainfully employed person (I worked my final retail shift last Saturday, so that weekend didn't count). So far, I'm really enjoying the job; I get to do a lot of writing, which is awesome, and also a lot of working on websites and researching things on the internet, which are other things that I love to do (obviously). Also, I get to eat lunch in a cafe that's on the 36th floor! I can see my car from there!

But I don't spend a lot of time staring at my car anymore (though I do look out on the lake a lot), because (fanfare!):



Is it a book? A notepad?



It's a new home for my tablet! (and hey, check out my fabulous Sock Dreams sticker) As those of you who follow me on twitter know (and you can head over to the sidebar to do that, if you don't already), I bought a tablet in January. It's an Acer Iconia A100, and up until now, I honestly hadn't gotten much use out of it. When I'm in the house, I tend to be on my laptop, for obvious reasons, and without a case, there was no way I was taking my new baby out and about. I poked around Best Buy and Target, but I couldn't find a case I really loved. Also, since my tablet isn't a Nook, Kindle, or iPad, the pickin's were pretty slim.

But now! Oh, now, he has a beautiful case from Iris + Lily of Etsy. When I was shopping for a case on Etsy, I mostly found zippered pouches, which were great, but I really wanted something that opened up like a book for more security. The cases from Iris and Lily immediately caught my eye. They're gorgeous and custom made to the exact dimensions of your tablet/ereader. The fabrics are beyond fabulous (browsing through their store just now, I'm finding even more that I want. Guess I better get myself some more devices!) and I'm extremely impressed with the quality of the finished piece. I would never guess that this case was handmade; it's professional, gorgeous, and sturdy. Plus, it closes with a discreet hidden magnet, so I don't have to worry about it flopping open in my bag and damaging the screen.

The only downside to this case is that I'd have to remove the tablet to use the back-facing camera, but I knew that going in and don't plan to use it as a camera all that often (though I might eat my words once Instagram for Android comes out!). It did take a little longer to receive than I expected (they quote 2-3 weeks), but when I contacted Diane & Kate, who own the store, they were very friendly and very communicative. My case shipped the next day! (A note on communication: I had actually picked out a case from a different seller, but had a question regarding customization. I messaged them to inquire about it, and after two weeks with no word, received "Oh, didn't I respond to this?" I said that they hadn't, and...they never responded. Not impressed, and I decided to take my business elsewhere.)

In summation, I highly recommend Iris + Lily for all your case needs, if you're looking for something a little glam but still ultra functional. They also make journals and photo albums that look just as lovely.

Now I can hang out and lunch and try miserably to solve crosswords! A great success all around.