Saturday, February 22, 2014

Lego Valentines


 
Excited to share the Valentines we made this year ... out of Lego bricks! These Lego Valentines were really fun to think up and put together. I've got a bunch of photos to share with you : )

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If you haven't been to a Lego store (what?!?), on the back wall they have a glorious set of containers where you can grab specific Lego bricks and fill a container for $15. This is great when you need to make multiples of things. I've used this Pick-a-Brick section for birthday party favors, and now the kids' classroom valentines.

But there is a trick.



The Pick-a-Brick containers are round. Lego are square. Efficient packing of the containers to maximize your Lego bricks is thus the challenge.

You could just grab the Lego bricks and casually fill your container. Or, you could be a Crazy Lady and stand in a corner of the Lego store for an hour and 20 minutes connecting bricks and packing that container so tightly that the air-to-brick ratio is less than 1% (NOT scientifically proven).

  
In that case, this is what your container would look like.



And these would be the amount of Lego bricks you come home with for your valentines. Between the large and small container, I was able to get 846 1x2 bricks, and 100 red gems. $24 in total.



The secret is to first connect all the bricks in columns, minimizing the air space. Then start adding the columns to your container around the outer edges, working your way inwards. Any super small pieces, like the gems, can be added afterwards to fill in any gaps. Usually, you can get away with not having the lid fit perfectly. They will tape it shut at the register so it doesn't spill all over.


For the valentines, I had a general idea of the heart shape before I went to the Lego store. But you really have to be creative on your feet because you never know what bricks are going to be available (I did call ahead to make sure they had red 1x2 bricks). After seeing the white 1x2 bricks with the prongs coming out of the side, and snapping the red transparent gem upside down into the prongs, it hit me that it could be a love potion! I was so excited!!


To make the Lego hearts, you will need:
(15) 1x2 red bricks
(1) 1x2 white brick with vertical clip
(1) red diamond jewel


Then you assemble the bricks like this.


Well, "you" don't assemble them, your kids do! That's the beauty of these : )



 It took about a half hour for both kids to assemble the 50 valentines.


Then I made a printable on 110 lb cardstock to hold the Lego heart. I changed the colors of the letters in "Love Potion" for girls vs. boys, according to my kids' direction. I get a certain amount of free color prints at my library, which is awesome, but unfortunately the color printer was off slightly. They still turned out OK, just different than I designed.  


 To attach the Lego hearts to the Valentine card, I used a tiny bit of adhesive from a tape runner. I wanted the kids to be able to remove the Lego heart easily.


The kids just loved how these turned out and couldn't wait to pass them around!




 Since I'm still in love with my We R Memory Keepers Envelope Punch Board, I decided to make envelopes for the Valentines. I sized the Valentines so that I could use envelopes made from 6"x6" sheets of paper (getting 4 envelopes from a 12x12 sheet of paper). The kids wrote names on flags that are wrapped around the envelope.

(is it entirely lame that my shoulder hurt the day after making 50 envelopes?!? At 6 punches per envelope, that's 300 punches, after all.)


Obviously, since the Lego bricks are dimensional, the envelopes weren't flat. That's OK. I just put a bit of adhesive under the top flap, without adhering the sides closed.


And there you have it ... somewhat inexpensive valentines that are different, timely (with The Lego Movie that was just released) and could potentially escape being tossed in the garbage two weeks later : )

Thanks so much for looking!
-Kelly

35 comments:

  1. Oh my word. This post is chock-full of both inspiration and information that I'm almost overwhelmed! Okay, so first of all we don't have those shops here. What a great idea to have loose bricks for sale! Secondly, the packing technique. Um, wow. That is genius and obsessive and clever and funny all at the same time! It sounds like you're as stubborn as me to beat the system and achieve an aim! Did you have any spare from your haul? Lastly, the design and execution itself. Brilliant, fun and so very unique. And so great that it was interactive crafting with your kids. I really hope those recipients appreciated it all. How on Earth will you top this for next year?!?!

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    1. I love your comments : ) Yes, I am obsessive when it comes to money-saving challenges ... I have to beat the system! You hit the nail on the head on that one. I did have some spare bricks ... the clear bricks, which were an option if I didn't use the love potion. They were going to be clear in the middle of the heart so you could read through them to a "secret" message on the Valentine card. But I liked the potion idea better, and figured the girls would go nuts over the gem.

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  2. OMG, Kelly!!! I called my son so he could read your post with me and he was amazed. Now you've gone from 1 to 2 fans in Bolivia. And I have a big problem because there's not a Lego store here.
    Not to mention, as said above, your "beating the system" strategy. You're my hero!!!

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  3. Fantastic as always! I smile to think of you standing in the store, figuring out how to cram the most bricks into the bucket - well done!

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  4. Hahaha, Kelly ... you stand in a corner packing bricks in the lego store, I stand in the building depot doing the same thing with nails, screws, bolts, washers and nuts ... neat packing brings it's rewards! What an amazing idea, so brilliantly executed ... your boys must've had so much fun ... as must their classmates opening up these fabulous valentines! Anita :)

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  5. You are one amazing and dedicated mommy!!! These are the coolest Valentines ever!!!

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  6. WOW Kelly!!! You are amazing, I love this!!!

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  7. Wow, for both the cards and the fact that you have a Lego store! ;-)

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  8. You win the award for Best-Mom. Not only are these darn cute, but the kids must've LOVED them! And I know that deep, deep-down you had fun in the Lego store. ;)

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  9. What a wonderful post Loved reading about how you created these awesome Valentines. Bet your kids had fun helping make them and no doubt they were the hit with their friends!

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  10. OMG these are fabulous - I wish my kids were younger so I could borrow this idea for next year LOL. LOVE the way you used the gems.

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  11. Kelly i am nominating you for the Mom of the Year award, you totally rock! Your creativity never ceases to amaze me and I LOVE how your kids were such a huge part of this endeavor. the Lego store is awesome, I`ve been to that one. My son this these are so cool and he is 19!

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  12. You have just officially blown my mind (not that it never happened before) and of course, I had to show Dr. John your Lego post! Well, Dr. John is really really proud of YOU :) The thought of you picking those bricks just make me want to giggle! I wish I had done something like this when my kids were little...my best attempts were Lego birthday invites and Lego cake! I am glad to see that you put those paper that you hoard with a good use of the envelope punch board! You rock, my friend! And I know the boys ROCK just like their Mama with their friends and classmates!

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  13. So totally clever and fun! And love your thrifty pick a brick stacking method!

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  14. oh mine. This blows my mind. Love your creativiity. My boys would love it.

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  15. Seriously CUTE idea...but I can't get the image of you connecting Legos in the corner of the store out of my head LOL!!! You are something else Kelly and so darn creative!!!

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  16. Darn clever, girl! I know that my little grandkids would love these! I think I'll pass this on to my dil for next year! Love this, and thanks for all the photos with your post. Just fun! Have a great weekend. Bev

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  17. Those are the best cards ever. I wish I had the required amount for just one card to make for my now 28 year old grandson who probably has every Lego set ever made in the 90's.

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  18. Best Valentine's ever!!! And I second Tracey's motion of nominating you for the "Mom of the Year award". Yes!

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  19. Best Valentine's EVER, Kelly! So fun and stinkin' creative! I third Tracey's motion of nominating you for the "Mom of the Year award". :) ♥

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  20. we love lego too. I can't believe you made 50 of these! Clever gift idea.

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  21. Boy, your inner engineer really came out to play on this one. (I watch for your engineering prowess in everything you do. If you made a bridge out of Legos, I'd drive across it!) I'm wondering what the brick count would be for the folks who just throw them in the container. If you can come up with the equation, I'll nominate you for the Nobel prize.

    One question. How did you manage copying on the 110 pound cardstock? Can they only do this at a copy shop, or is there a home printer that would do this?

    Your children have learned so thoroughly the joy of giving others a bit of themselves. The classmates love the Valentine's, and their parents are blown away AGAIN by your creativity. You really are the enlighten soul who lives in the moment; it's so rare these days. Thank you for sharing that gift.

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  22. Hey Kelly, Thanks for the card. like all the others before me have said it, the idea is simply so cute and adorable. I just love that most of your ideas are so simple to do yet they are wonderfully creative that only your brain could conjure it up!!!...hugs to u.

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  23. Oh, you are just the best mom. Super cute and creative valentines, and I know that they will never be thrown out, because who would ever throw out Lego. I still have Legos from my girls, and don't forget my Joyce-a-ma-jig stamp positioner made out of Lego. Love that it is not candy, too. We live so close to Legoland, both my girls grew up going there several times a week. Legos always make me smile.

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  24. You just crack me up Kelly! I bet the store clerks hate seeing you coming - getting so much more for your money they they expect - although they are probably safe given that most people wouldn't want to do that for an hour and a half! but what fun cards! and so nice to have the kids take part so they appreciate what is being done for their friends! I bet all the kids in school wish they were in your son's classes to get these fun Valentines! thanks for giving all the details - in case I chance to wander out to a Lego's store! (I didn't even know there was such a thing!!)

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  25. Oh I am so happy I did not miss this one Kelly! I am sitting here laughing out loud because I can just picture you in the corner of the store. Love it and I would do the same thing always trying to get the most from the $. I love the cards too and how much fun the boys must have had. I cant wait to share this one with my married girls. My son grew up on Lego’s and I always say that is why he is a math wiz and an Engineer, Or sometimes I pretend he is got his brilliant mind from me. :)

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  26. SOOOO glad I am not the only mom standing there forever while maximinzing the space in those Lego containers! I pack them as tightly as I can also but I might have maxed out at 30 minutes - can't take those stares anymore! Haha! And this was definitely a hit with the recipients - I know my boys (and me!) would have loved it!

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  27. These are just brilliant! My kids love Lego! I cracked up laughing when I saw how you packed the container full of bricks...my husband would have spent at least another hour doing that, just to get his moneys worth!

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  28. What a fantastic project. Love how much the kids did to create them - makes it all the more special.

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  29. Oh gosh, this is genius, Kelly! And the details of putting all together are so funny that I laughed a lot :D... you just thought of everything. Was already a fan, now I'm a huge one!

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  30. Wow!!! So loving this Kelly! GENIUS!!! Did I say Genius? Yes, you are Girl!!! Love this!

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  31. Great Lego Valentine. We did Lego Valentine's too this year but necklaces.

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I absolutely love reading comments. Thanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to leave one! - Kelly