Sunday, January 25, 2015

IKEA Lego Table Fun!

Hey folks!

So, my family frequents our local Barnes & Noble often, and one of our favorite pastimes is none other than the (drumroll, please…..) LEGO TABLE! Woot! I know what you’re thinking… We are truly a family of party animals over here. :) 

Nugget and Daddy
During one particular trip, a light bulb instantaneously went off in our brains- we NEEDED a Lego table! I went home that day and did what any woman would do. I turned to Pinterest (queue angelic voices and light from heaven), and I found a plethora of choices.  In no time, I made my way to IKEA, found a LACK table, and then spent twenty gut-wrenching minutes pouring over hardware choices… I almost felt my inner shopping goddess throw her hands up in complete defeat. To add to my distress, the dollar signs kept wracking up in my brain.

To save you from potential heartbreak at your favorite IKEA location, here is exactly what you need and how much it will cost you.

Lego Table and a Nugget


Lego Table
Bygel Containers: $0.99 x 4                                    = $3.96
Bygel Rail: $2.99                                                        = $2.99
Lack Side Table: $7.99 (IKEA Family Price**)   = $7.99 ($9.99 w/o IKEA family)
TOTAL                                                                          = $14.94
**You can sign up for IKEA family and receive info on special sales and discounts! Visit the link here!

As far as Legos go, we went with Duplo’s because anything smaller would still be a choking hazard for our Nugget.  If you decide to go that route, the building plate only comes in one size (15” x 15”), and you’ll only be able to fit one plate on your table.  If you have older children and need regular Legos, you can purchase the 10” X 10” plate, and four of them will fit nicely.

Toddler-friendly Lego Duplo's!

Legos (Duplo for ages 2-5)
15” x 15” green Duplo building plate                   = $11.98
65 pcs Lego Duplo Set                                            = $29.99
TOTAL                                                                       = $41.97

To attach the base plate to the table, use liquid nails.  Instructables gives more detailed instructions that you can read here

We used 3M strips because we are anticipating our Nugget growing out of Duplo’s within the next year. If you choose to go this route, be warned that it will leave a small gap between the base and the table.  If that doesn’t bother you, then rock on.

I couldn't keep her away from it long enough to take a picture of just the table. :)

Well, that’s all I’ve got for now! Happy crafting! I can’t wait to see your Lego table creations! Follow me on instagram (@lovefaithandcrafts) and upload a photo of your Lego goodness with #lovefaithandcrafts.

I’ll be seeing y’all soon! Until then, take care!

Sincerely,
Heather

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Apartment Living: Aint No Shame!

Hey Folks,

In the sudden moves from Las Vegas, Nevada to Austin, Texas then to San Antonio, Texas, my husband and I thought it would be financially practical to rent an apartment before purchasing a home.  It would give us more time to understand the area and identify where we eventually wanted to live versus making a rushed decision and absolutely hating the location.  More than that, less money was needed for a deposit. You could move in relatively quickly, and the options were endless. So, renting an apartment was exactly what we did.  Little did we realize that there would be emotional ramifications to our decision…

                                    Picture of Living Room

There's something about moving from a house to an apartment that makes you feel like you're regressing in life, and if you’ve ever owned your own home (rather than just renting one), that increases this feeling by a 1,000%.  Personally, I felt myself being slightly embarrassed that we downsized from a 3,400 square foot home to a 1,300 square foot apartment.  It got to the point where I didn’t want to invite people over or I wouldn’t fully disclose where I was living or I had this overwhelming need to explain our whole situation before anyone even asked.  (Hey, I’m just being totally honest here…) I’m not sure when homeownership = full-grown adulthood, but I felt this growing conviction in my heart that I didn’t need to be ashamed. Fact is that I have a roof over my head, food in my belly, money in the bank, and a family that loves me.

                   Pictures of Entry Way

When I got over this stupid insecurity, I found apartment living as an opportunity to experiment for my future casa, hoard all the things for my dream-house layouts, and practice my personal interior-decorating style.  It takes creativity and vision to make any space feel like home. It takes imagination to make a small space feel inviting rather than suffocating, and it takes some elbow grease to make your home reflect your personality.  So, this has been my current mission, and it has been a blast!


                                    Pictures of Dining and Kitchen Areas

Here’s some advice that I would pass on to my fellow apartment dwellers:
  1. Use 3M picture hangers or hooks. They are a LIFESAVER. To date, we have not used a single nail in our apartment, and all our walls are almost fully decorated. They don’t leave damage on your walls either, which means, “hello, deposit money!”
  2. Start building your “home inventory.” Use this time to envision what your dream home would look like and start piecing it together.  The last thing you want when you purchase a home is to furnish it with your old college futon and poster collection. Start classing it up!
  3. Add color through accessories or fabrics. One challenge in living in an apartment is that you can’t paint the walls without some kind of repercussion.  If you’re my kind of lazy and aren’t into painting walls, go for bold rugs, pillows, or accent pieces.
  4. Look into temporary wall art like temporary wallpaper or wall decals that can add a little oomph without any damage. You can find them at big-box retailers like Target or Walmart or home improvement stores like Home Depot or Lowe’s.
  5. Take ownership of your apartment. Temporary or permanent, your apartment is your little slice of home. You should make it feel that way.
Picture of Master Bedroom

       
        Well, folks, that’s all I’ve got to say.  There’s no shame in apartment living… Just plenty of opportunities to make it feel like home.

I’ll be seeing you soon! Until then, take care!

Sincerely,

Heather

Friday, January 16, 2015

Hey folks,

Ugggggh…I can’t help but feel cheesy when it comes to these introductory “this-is-who-I-am” posts, but I guess it’s a necessary evil to get this whole sha-bang started. <insert appropriate emoji here>

My name is Heather, and I am the wife of an ambitious businessman (who travels like nobody’s business) and a mother to a rambunctious toddler.  It’s a fun and sometimes draining combo, but at the end of the day, I am eternally grateful for this lot in life.  I left a successful career in nonprofit to become a stay-at-home mom.  While the decision to do so came abruptly, it’s a choice that I am SO thankful to have made.  Since I wasn’t busy enough (please note the sarcasm here), I enrolled in graduate school and will receive my MBA in June of 2015.

                                  (Photo credit: Grace Adams Photography) 

To describe myself in a nutshell: I am a nerd, musician, crafter, Jesus-lover, creative and old soul.  I’m an introvert trapped in an extrovert’s body, and a sixteen-year-old trying to fill the shoes of a thirty-one year old.

I wanted to start the blog mainly because I got tired of blowing up my Facebook feed with long and drawn-out posts. (Just kidding…well, sort of).  I just wanted to share my life as I know it in hopes of inspiring folks to think outside the box and to utilize a little more love, faith, and crafts in their everyday lives.

I hope you enjoy, and I’ll be seeing you soon!

Sincerely, 
Heather