I’ll be the first to admit I have a problem. I LOVE camera bags, I love shopping for them I love reviewing them and I love BUYING them. I’m the type of person that carries her camera every where she goes so lugging around a bulky, style deprived, and boring bag around and a separate handbag/purse doesn’t seem practical. It makes perfect sense to use a camera bag that is designed for woman that can be used as a camera bag and a purse.

One of my favorite designers totally gets that. Kelly Moore’s DSLR camera bags are perfect for everyday use. You can pack her bags with your camera, all your purse necessities and the newer models even have space for your iPad!

I received one of her recent designs, the MiMi bag (gray) a few months ago and love it. Ironically it arrived on my birthday, so that was an awesome surprise. We were knee deep in unpacking and really didn’t get a chance to test it out until recently.

The MiMi Camera Bag Review
First off I love the gray color, most of my “non-camera” bags have been the traditionally black so I try to do something different with camera bags. After all photography is supposed to be creative so it makes since to choose some creative colors. The Mimi is available in gray, lavendar, and the traditional black.

On a regular day I usually only carry my camera with one lens attached, but you can fit much more into the bag. It can comfortably hold acamera with lens attached, an extra lens and my flash inside as well as my wallet and little purse trinkets (gum, allergy medicine, lip gloss, etc.). There is a pocket with a magnetic closure on the outside of the bag that you can slip the iPad in and four zippered pockets around the outside of the bag. I used them to store my phone, keys and extra battery and flash card.

I’m still debating on which strap I prefer – it seems to vary with the situation. If I’m shooting I carry the bag across my shoulder so it doesn’t get in the way and my hands are free. But if I’m just strolling the mall or something I’ll use the two hand straps. Either way it’s great to have the flexibility.

I always hate having to put my bag down on the floor in public spaces, so the little fit at the bottom of the bag to protect the material is a nice bonus.

The last time I wrote about Kelly Moore and her bags was when they first came out, check out my review of the Kelly Moore Classic. Since then her collection has expanded with many bags it’s hard to choose which one is perfect for you, but she has videos explaining each bag on the Kelly Moore Bag website to help you decide.

Kelly didn’t leave out the boys, she has a great bag for your photog guy – the Kelly Boy, it’s just as stylish as the others.

I have a surprise for Bizzie Mommy readers, it has to do with Kelly Moore and her awesome bags and the new re-launch that I’ve been hinting about on Facebook? Are you a fan of the Bizzie Mommy facebook page, yet?

In a few weeks, BizzieMommy.com is getting a facelift and name change and I can’t wait, because not only will it be a snazzier site but we will also be giving away one of Kelly’s amazing bags.

So go check out the Kelly Moore Bags and pick out your favorite, feel free to share in the comments.

If you want to be the first to learn about the new and improved BizzieMommy site, sign up for a newsletter for the latest updates and/or join our Facebook fan page.

Let me explain. Prior to moving into this house the owners laid down new sod in the background, he never landscaped it before, but since a family was moving in he knew it needed to be done. The sod completely changes the feel of the background, now it feels like a life-sized zen garden. We love it!

But then we started to notice the grass being pulled up at the corners, we assumed it was the gardener checking the sprinklers but realized it was more than that. It wasn’t the gardener, in fact we have no idea who or what could be doing it, so we decided to mount the Dropcam outside and see if we can find the culprit. We aren’t really sure when the prowler comes out – but it’s sometime before we wake up in the morning.

Friends suggest it could be squirrels, thinking that the new grass buried their precious food. But the damage to the grass seems too severe for a little squirrel. So my guess is a stray cat, I’ve seen one prowling through the backyard a couple of times.

Of course whatever it is seems about camera shy, but hopefully we’ll be able to identify the culprit soon.

If you want to catch an animal or person in the act, then installing a Dropcam may be a less expensive way to go. The Dropcam is easy to set up; in just a couple of minutes it’s ready to go. You can email and iPhone push notifications when your Dropcam detest motion and you can even sign up for one of the optional recording plans. Check out the features of the Dropcam below.

• Easy Setup
• Small and Wi-Fi Reader
• Audio capable with the Dropcam Echo
• Instantly viewable
• High quality video
• Low bandwidth
• Watch instantly on your iPhone and Android
• Get motion alerts while on the go
• Bank level security
• Easy controllable sharing

To learn more about Dropcam visit their website, Dropcam.com. Use discount code: bizziemommy to receive 10% off your Dropcam purchase.

So I was convinced there just had to be a better way to wear my camera that protect both my camera, the heads of my children and me.

I’ve tried some other straps that allow you to wear your camera cross body that let your camera hang freely but safely downward so you don’t have to worry about the lens getting in the way or bumping it into things.
But the Strap Buddy is a little different.

The Strap Buddy lets you use your existing strap and turn that into a cross body strap that lets you wear your camera so the lens sits downward instead of out. PLUS YOU GET TO USE YOUR EXISTING STRAP. So for everyone that spent the extra money on a stylish, designer or even customized strap you can still use it!

I have a phat strap that I love to use and was always going from my stylish phat strap to the R-Strap from Black Rapid – simply because I missed the style.

So what is the Camera Strap Buddy and how does it work?

The Camera Strap Buddy is an attachment point for your camera strap that converts your existing camera strap into a sling type camera strap (the way most people wear their camera anyway).
It’s very easy to set your camera up. All you have to do is attach the Camera Strap Buddy to one side of your camera strap and then screw it into the tripod hole at the bottom of your camera.

The Strap Buddy will rotate the camera so it rotates downward and will rest comfortable on your side. This helps to reduce the bouncing and swinging which will reduce the amount of bumps and accidents your lens and body will have to endure.

Best of all, yep there is more. The Camera Strap Buddy is just $16.95. To learn more about the Camera Strap Buddy visit the company website www.strapbuddy.com and be sure to check out the facebook page too!

I wanted to introduce you to a cool product I’ve been using for the past few weeks. The SpiderPodiumTablet made by breffo, I cool “spider” looking stand that has made it that much easier to watch Cable on my iPad while working on all my design projects. I’ll admit I’m addicted to Lifetime Movies and I’m so glad Time Warner has an app that allows me to watch whenever I want, wherever I want in the house.

So what makes this spider looking stand so cool…

• It’s is super light-weight and can compact flat for easy transportation You can use it as a stand to prop up your iPad on your desk
• You can wrap it around cars’ headrest so the kids can watch a movie
• You can wrap it around the dash air vents so you can watch a movie (just kidding you should never watch a movie while driving) but if you have a GPS app – this would be a great way to use it.
• It’s extremely flexible; you can place your iPad at any angle from 0 to 90+ degrees. Apple’s smart cover doesn’t do that.
• It works in portrait or landscape positions
• You can wrap it around your cabinets so it’s off the counters while cooking

The SpiderpodiumTablet hangs, stands, grips, and bends and moulds into your desired shape. You will love how strong it feels and appreciate how light it is, especially when it comes to traveling. You can easily slide the SpiderpodiumTablet in your backpack because it lays flat.

Best of all the SpiderpodiumTablet isn’t just for iPad lovers, you can use it with the tablet of your choice. It’s available in Graphite and Black and is available for 34.99 on Amazon.com.

For more information about the SpiderpodiumTablet visit www.breffo.com. There is also a smaller Spiderpodium for your iPhone or smartphone.

Disclaimer: I received a SpiderpodiumTablet for this review and was not compensated, the view and opinions are my own.

What makes Custom Path so different?

More Customization
You can easily add, delete, resize and move pictures and text anywhere on the page.

Designed by You
New collections, backgrounds, layouts and ebellishments

Smart Autofill Feature
With the click of a button your photos can stlyishly be arranged in the order they were taken. Don’t like the placement you can easily change it

Stylish Template
You can choose from a variety of pre-designed templates or create your own photo story.

Getting started with Custom Path is easy. Once you select your style of photobooks you can start adding pictures from your computer, facebook, shutterfly pictures and other share sites. You can even ad pictures from your child’s School Pictures page on Shutterfly. Once all your pictures are loaded you can use the smart auto fill option or build you pages from scratch.

Using the all new custom path photo book tool – you have just as much control as creating a physical scrapbook without the mess. You can customize the books further with borders and stickers.

My Favorite Featrures
The ability to use photos as backgrounds and the smart fill auto feature.

To learn more about the all new Custom Path photo books by Shutterfly visit shutterfly.com.

But nobody is buying.

So you sit back trying to figure out what’s wrong, you have the hottest necklace in town and they sell out when you are at the craft fairs but online nothing.
When selling online YOUR PICTURES can make or break a sale. When customers can’t touch the physical product you have to draw them in with captivating realistic images.

When taking pictures of small objects the best way to do that is with a light box.

The BestLight Studio is a great portable, affordable lightbox that is perfect for etsy sellers and small businesses trying to get the word about their new jewelry line or any other small product they are trying to sell.

Are you a food blogger, desperately trying to get those mouth watering photos, but have trouble with lighting? The BestLight Studio is a small portable light box that comes with an overhead light source. You will be able to bring life into your masterpiece with a reliable light source.

BestLight Studio Details
Fits easily on any table or desk
You don’t have worry about extra external lights, stands and multiple power cords – the BestLight Studio is an all-in-one kit. Just bring your camera and a tripod and start shooting.

Easy to use
Just turn the Light Studio on and place your product inside.

Large interior shooting area for photographing
You can easily shoot small to medium products. I was able to take pictures of some cupcakes and candy, a barbie doll, and laptop with no problems

Internal shadow-free surround lighting
You don’t have to worry about shadows because the light source bounces off all directions

Daylight fluorescent lighting
The lighting matches your digital camera’s daylight setting. Perfect for websites, online product catalogs, auctions, and more. I had to make a few small adjustments in Photoshop to white balance but that’s all.

Can be left open
The bestlight studio is compact so you don’t have to worry about breaking down the set up for each session – it can easily be stored open in a corner of the room.

Technical Specs of the BestLight Studio
Size when Open : 19” square by 26” high
Size when Closed: 19.5” sq. by 5.25″ high and weighs 8 lbs. easy to carry
Intererior Space: 18” wide, 18.25” deep, and 22.25” high

The BestLight Studio is easy to set up; within in a few minutes you are ready to start shooting. I used to shoot images for product reviews and some themed Easter shots. But I can see using for jewelry photography and other small items. Here are some pictures I took with the BestLight Studio over the weekend.

Favorite Features
The BestLight Studio is an all-in-one, portable light box. You can easily pack it up and take it on location or just leave it up daily without worrying about space issues. I love that the light source is included you don’t have to worry about carrying around and setting up lights and light stands.

To purchase and get more information on the BestLight Studio go to bestlightstudio.com.

And finding a bag that will easily and safely store it that’s just another headache – a 17” notebook just isn’t meant for mobile computing. So I opted for a mini netbook notebook, something that can be easily stored in my purse and carried on to a plan. Mini netbooks are so small and compact you can take it anywhere. But I find the keyboard to be too small to get any really work done, and editing pictures on such a small screen, forget about it.

So with the 17” notebook being too big and the mini netbook being too small this is starting to feel like a modern Three Little Bears story. Well just like that story this one has a happy ending too!

Recently I was asked to review the new MSI X370-001US AMD 13.4” inch notebook with an AMD Dual-Core Processor and it’s the perfect size for mobile computing! The notebook is lightweight and can easily slide into all of my stylish laptop bags like the NokHoo backpack and Portare backpack.

The MSI notebook can go up to 8 hours on a single charge, which surpasses my 17” any day. It’s ultra portable and light weight so it won’t weigh you down when walking through the terminal. Plus you’ll love the sleek and thin design.

MSI X370-001US Notebook Technical Specs

• AMD Dual-Core E-350 APU Platform
• Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64 bit
• 13.4″ Widescreen Display with 16:9 LED Backlight Technology
• AMD Radeon™ HD6310 Discrete-Class Graphic Card
• 4GB DDR3 System Memory with 500GB Hard Drive Capacity
• SRS Premium Sound Speakers
• HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) Output
• Built-in 1.3 Mega Pixels webcam
• 802.11 b/g/n Wireless LAN

MSI X370-001US Notebook Description
The X370 incorporates the latest AMD Dual Core Processor and AMD Radeon™ HD 6310 graphics delivering full HD multimedia entertainment

HD6310 DirectX11 Graphics
Built-in, an increase of 32% in graphic performance over UMA based units.

Longer Battery Life
With the latest 45nm processor and APU PowerPlay® technology, MSI’s X370 offers the user dynamic usage control and increase power efficiency. Why carry around that bulky power supply, when the X370 notebook provides you full power capability all day long.

Full HD Video Experience
With the latest AMD Dual Core processor, MSI’s X370 notebook plays full HD video for a smooth and clear visual experience.

My Experience
I was able to get up and running with MSI’s X370 in a few minutes, but had some trouble connecting to our wifi network. However, after making a quick call to customer support the issue was resolved.

Note: In order to activate wifi you need to click on the fn key with the “x-looking symbol” resembling a satellite and not the one that looks like the “wifi” graphic.

If your work requires you to go mobile and you need something that is just as functional as stylish then you should check out MSI’s latest laptop – the X370.

Luckily there is a solution. There is an easy way to tame your receipt hoarding tendencies with Neat Receipts. With a Neat Receipts scanner you can digitally store and file your receipts in seconds. The first think you need to do is go and collect all those receipts.

Go ahead I’ll wait…

Okay now that you have a pile of receipts in front of you the next step is to install your Neat Receipts software on to your computer and get to scanning.

What is Neat Receipts?
NeatReceipts is a portable scanner and digital filing system that helps you manage all of your paperwork on the computer. NeatReceipts includes NeatWorks scanner software that identifies and extracts the important information from receipts, business cards and documents and automatically organizes it for you. All scanned documents can be searched by keyword so you can find exactly what you need. NeatWorks software gives you an easy-to-use, intuitive application to manage all of your business and personal paperwork.

Once you have everything set up the rest is totally easy. Grab a receipt and scan. That’s it! You can receipts, documents, business cards and tax paperwork. Just select the type of item and press the scan button. After the document scans a window will pop up allow you to categories the item which will make tax filing so much easier. If your options isn’t available you can add a new one and if you need to change it later that can be easily done as well.

Here are so some screen shots of the software.

One of my favorite features of the Neat Receipt is the Quick Scan Center, which allows you to scan as many documents as you want, then verify them and make any adjustments you need and file them away. This allows you to be more productive without having to constantly change screens.

Another great feature is after scanning all those receipts you can export the data to PDF, Excel, Quicken, Quickbooks or TurboTax making tax filing that much easier.

Neat Receipts can help you:

• Save digital copies of all those important receipts and records
• Create expense reports and manage business and personal expenses
• Keep track of expenses for tax time
• Keep digital images of business cards
• Create your own searchable contact database that can be exported to Outlook and more

If you are tired of being a receipt hoarder like me then you should check out the Neat Receipt scanner. The Neat Receipt retails for $199 and can be found on amazon.com and other retailers. The Neat Receipt scanning software is available for both PC and Mac devices. For more information about the Neat Receipt visit www.neatco.com.

And I found the perfect DSLR back pack that suited the needs of both of us, the Portare DSLR Camera backpack.

About the Portare Backpack
The Portare backpack can be used for more than just a camera bag, you can store your laptop and much more. As a mom there is enough room to store your diaper necessities, and as a business owner there is enough room to take your office mobile. Check out all the available compartments and ways to use them.

Large Compartment – A large zippered and padded compartment that gives you enough room to store a 17” Macbook Pro and even a special sleeve for your iPad.

Front Compartments – On the top there’s a padded zippered pocket that you can use to store your camera, wallet & phone, or diaper bag accessories. Then at the bottom you have another padded compartment with dividers to store your camera gear and accessories including a couple of lenses and flash.

Side Compartments – The Portare has two side zippered compartments to store cables, extra memory cards and even more. You can easily store a water bottle in the mesh pocket.

My Favorite Features
I love the extra buckles that allow for the extra security and the concealed rain cover that is tucked away until you really need it.

What was packed inside my Portare
Cano 50D w/ 50mm 1.4 lens attached, Tamron 28-75mm, Speedlite 430 EXII, Canon 70-200 mm (borrowed from borrowlenses.com), iPad, a bunch of snacks for the kids, 2 iPhone’s and chargers, portable DVD Player and Pull Ups and Wipes.

A Few Issues
My HP 17” laptop doesn’t fit in the backpack, however a MacBook Pro should slide in just fine.

I toted around the Portare backpack through all our adventures in Orlando from the ESPEN Wide World of Sports to the Magic Kingdom and I never had any issues with back fatigue. Even during our travels from the airport back to home the bag was easy to use and travel with.

If you are looking for a stylish and functional backpack that can be used as a camera bag, diaper bag, and laptop backpack then you should consider the Portare DSLR backpack.

BizzieMommy.com reader can get a discount on the Portare backpack by using discount code bizziebag60. The discount is valid until 4/15/2011. You can purchase the portare backpack at www.portarebags.com to get the discount. The backpack is also available on amazon.com.

For more information on the Portare DSLR backpack check out www.portarebags.com.

I will never leave home without the mophie juice pack!

I have an iPhone 4 and I was concerned about my phone battery not lasting through all the “live blogging” I had planned so I requested a sample of the mophie juice pack case. And it saved the day. I was able to use my phone all day with no loss of battery life. Connecting to the internet was an entirely different story. AT&T service was ridiculously inconsistent throughout the conference.

My hubs still has the iPhone 3 so we ran to the mophie booth hoping they had a Juice Pack for his phone, but unfortunately they ran out during the conference so we had to be extra careful not to lose each other.

However since then we are both using the mophie juice pack cases on our phones and I even purchased one for my old (dead) iPhone 3 and we took them on our trip to Florida. It was absolutely wonderful because we were able to entertain the kids on the 5 hour flight with movies and games without having to worry about a battery dying.

The battery life of the iPhone is so bad without the mophie juice pack case, I would usually be in the red by the end of the day, but now all I have to do is flip the switch and I’m back to a fully charged iPhone.

What is the mophie juice pack plus
The mophie juice pack plus has the largest juice pack battery which extends the battery life of your iPhone for hours! I usually can go several days without recharging the phone/batter pack. The juice pack plus also provides a comfortable ergonomic design with the complete protection of a dual-injected hard shell case with protective rubberized band. Its design more than doubles the time you have to talk, surf, and answer emails.

My Favorite Features
I love the rubberized slide resistant case that helps keep your phone secure when on a table or counter. And I love the standby/charge switch which lets you choose when to use the battery pack. I often go several days without needing to charge the phone and battery pack.

You can purchase a mophie juice pack for the iPhone 4, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3, iPod 4G and iPod touch 2G or you can get a multi-use juice pack that isn’t a case but can be used on a variety of different devices.

To learn more about mophie gear go to mophie.com.