Find #PopUpTober Information & Inspiration

For a quick reference, please visit our #LightUpPopUpTober resource page, which we’ll be updating during the months of September and October. There, you’ll find the daily prompts, tutorials, templates, and plenty of light-up pop-up inspiration to help you get started with your own creations!

What is #PopUpTober?

PopUpTober is a daily pop-up art challenge that takes place throughout the month of October—an event devised by author-illustrator, pop-up and book artist Keith Allen.

This fall, Chibitronics will again be collaborating with @5am_popup, during his annual #PopUpTober Instagram challenge!

31 Prompts—A Lot of Fun!

Starting back in October of 2019, Keith, a Senior Designer at @amgreetings, has been inviting the world’s paper engineers to bring out the scissors, glue, and paper, to make their creations pop!

A highly anticipated list of 31 prompts—one for each day of the month—invites a mix of seasoned and aspiring paper engineers to create and share pop-up spreads using the hashtag #PopUpTober.

In the six years that have followed, interest in the event has remained high! Eager paper enthusiasts around the world await the release of each year’s prompts (which are usually released in early September). Come October, participants begin creating, commenting, and building upon one another’s brilliance, contributing as much (or as little) as they are able. For those who don’t have the time or inclination to join the challenge, the event is still great fun for observers!

#LightUpPopUpTober

This October, we (@Chibitronics) are inviting everyone within our ecosystem of paper crafters and makers to join @5am_popup with an additional challenge—to add light to one or more of Keith’s pop-up prompts, and share their #LightUpPopUp with us on Instagram or Facebook!

By piggy-backing off of Keith’s fun challenge, we’re hoping to generate interest in both paper mechanics and paper circuitry—although participants are invited to integrate and share any number of clever light-up strategies.

Since #PopUpTober can be difficult for a single person to do in its entirety, Chibitronics will be participating as a #LightUpPopUpTober team to collectively address each of the 31 prompts. With each volunteer creating something for a single prompt, we’ll have new light-up, pop-up examples to share on our Instagram feed for each day of the challenge.

Follow or Join the Challenge

Like last year, our team includes a variety of volunteers from a mix of backgrounds— including educators, makers, members of our Design Team, and a star-studded line-up of paper crafters and pop-up engineers!

While this is not a complete list, we’re thrilled to announce that our team will be joined this year by an esteemed cohort of paper engineers and makers that include:

Share Your Work with Us!

And, since this challenge is open to anyone who wishes to participate, we’re cordially inviting YOU to join the fun, by creating as many #LightUpPopUps as you can and tagging and mentioning us on social media. Participants who tag and mention us on social media will also be entered into a prize drawing (no purchase necessary).

One of last year’s prize winners, Leah DiPasquale, will be joining our #LightUpPopUpTober team!

Guidelines and Rules for Joining PopUpTober

Here are the rules for #LightUpPopUpTober 2025!

A Promotional Sale & a Prize Drawing!

Sale!

And to get you stocked up for the #PopUpTober event, we’ll be offering a special 15% discount on select products in our shop, from 15 September until 15 October.

Visit our shop now to save on all our LEDs, Conductive Fabric Tape Strips and Spools, Craft with Light Kits, Pressure Sensor Sheets, and our NEW Launchpad Batteries by using code PopUp2025!

Code valid: September 15, 2025 @ 12:01am PT – October 15, 2025 @ 11:59pm PT on items in our shop. No minimum purchase requirement, offer cannot be combined with other discounts.

Prize Drawing!

#LightUpPopUpTober participants in the continental United States will have their names added to a random drawing, for a chance to win one of two fabulous prize bundles!

(No purchase necessary)

 Prize Bundles Will Include:

• 1 pack of Conductive Fabric Tape Strips
• 1 Variety pack of Launchpad LEDs (30 LEDs total
• 6-pack of White Blink Animating LED stickers
• 5-pack of Launchpad batteries 
• a “hot off the press” copy of Kathy Ceceri’s new book Paper Inventions 2nd Edition

Entry Details for #LightUpPopUpTober Drawing

Entries Close November 1st.  Winners will be announced on the Chibitronics Instagram account soon after.  Per Instagram rules please note, this is in no way sponsored, administered, or associated with Instagram or Facebook.  By entering, you confirm you are 13+ years of age, release Instagram and Facebook of responsibility and agree to their terms of use.  Open to all US-based participants. 

The post Chibitronics Lights Up #PopUpTober 2025! appeared first on Chibitronics.

We’re Launching a NEW, STURDIER LED!

After spending countless hours working with educators around the world, and hearing their feedback, the Chibitronics team is thrilled to announce the release of our new Launchpad LEDs!

Like our safer, easier-to-use Launchpad Battery, our new Launchpad LEDs come with sturdy tabs that are easy to grip, sketch, and prototype with! 

Unlike our Circuit Sticker LEDs, which are designed to be used just like stickers, Launchpad LEDs are bigger, more durable, and easily reusable for learning—like training wheels for LEDs! 

Like Training Wheels for LEDs

Because they aren’t as permanent as stickers, Launchpad LEDs are perfect for tinkering, building temporary artworks, and conducting experiments. 

Since they are easy to reposition, remove, reuse, and store, they are especially ideal for learners in classroom, craftroom, and home school settings!

Like the tabs on a Launchpad Battery, the + and – polarity markings are large and easy to see—or use as a stencil.

Clear, easy-to-trace, polarity markings—cut out from each tab—will save you time and remove guesswork on where to stick your conductive tape traces! 

Made of sturdy metal, the tabs on our Launchpad LEDs may be connected to a Launchpad Battery or paper circuit with conductive tapes and even alligator clips!

This means that our Launchpad LEDs are especially ideal for building (and rebuilding!) models, as well as clipping to a variety of components and microcontrollers such as the Love to Code Chibi Chip!

NOW Shipping!

The post Introducing NEW Chibitronics Launchpad LEDs! appeared first on Chibitronics.

Although a tunnel book may be entirely created by hand, I’ve designed this one to be cut by a Cricut machine. And while my intention is to show you how to create a very specific book (one made for my own amusement), I believe you’ll find that the ideas are easily adaptable.

Tools & Supplies

• Cricut machine
• Circuit Sticker LEDs in colors of your choice (I’m using a Rainbow Fade Animating LED, two White Blink Animating LEDs, and a mix of traditional LED Stickers in a variety of colors).
• Conductive Fabric Tape
• Copper Tape (recommended for making the connections with the tilt sensor)
• 2 X 3V Launchpad Batteries or CR2016 Batteries (two is best for brighter lights, as this is a hungry circuit)
• 1 X Tilt Sensor (for adding interactivity)
• 2 strong Flat Magnets (for making an easy battery holder)
• Sturdy paper for the art layers (I’m using a 260 gsm Bristol)
• 1 X piece of heavy paper or light board (to add stability to the circuit layer)
• 1 X piece of translucent paper, such as vellum, glassine, or tracing paper (to diffuse the light)
• Double-sided tape or an adhesive of your choice (I use a Uhu glue stick or Bearly Art Precision Craft Glue
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Scotch or postal tape (to reinforce the legs of the tilt sensor)
• Velcro dots (to make the circuit layer detachable)
• A printer and cardstock (if printing the Circuit Diagram)

Step 1: Watch Video

Step 2: Imagine

The first step in creating a glowing, tilt-sensing tunnel book is to come up with an idea that inspires you! Tunnel books are terrific for helping to set a scene, whether real or imagined. 

The inspiration for this particular book comes from my everyday surroundings (embellished for the fun of it).

I live in Vermont, characterized by hilly hayfields, dairy cows, and working farms. While I haven’t personally seen a UFO, people living nearby often exchange scintillating tales about the mysterious lights they’ve reportedly observed passing over their meadows. 

I’ve included a cut file that you may use or adapt.

Step 3: Cut & Prep Parts

Once you have an idea (and an appropriate cut file to use), the next step is to import the SVG into your Cricut software to cut out all of the parts.

This tunnel book project has three main parts connected with twelve sets of folded paper hinges:

1. 12 octagon-shaped art layers
2. One octagon-shaped translucent layer to help diffuse the light
3. An interchangeable, removable circuit layer (constructed from heavy paper or light board). 

Before cutting, use the Cricut Design Space software to change the dashed lines on the hinge pieces into scored lines; remember to attach them. You may also find it helpful to change the informational text I’ve provided into “guides.

After cutting the parts, fold the hinges along the scored lines and set them aside.

Step 4: Assemble Layers

Once your art layers are cut, the next step is to place the pages in the correct order and to use a pencil to label them accordingly.  Next, tape or glue the piece of translucent vellum behind the last art layer in your stack and trim off any excess. I use craft glue, but double-sided tape also works. Set this piece aside for the time being.

Then, using an adhesive of your choice, adhere paper hinges to the back sides of each remaining layer, with the mountain folds pointing inward. 

Once you’ve created a stack of hinged layers, you can start joining them together, paying close attention to their order and alignment.  

I find it helpful to pull the layers apart as I work, to ensure that the book block telescopes without sticking.

The last layer of your tunnel book should be the one with the vellum behind it.

Save the remaining two hinge pieces for the front of the circuit layer.

Step 5: Prep the Circuit Layer

Once you’ve constructed the main part of your tunnel book, it’s time to prepare your circuit layer. 

I’ve shared circuit diagrams for two different types of battery holders. One holder uses magnets to hold two stacked coin cell batteries. The other holder,which does not require magnets, uses conductive fabric tape to secure the wings of two overlapped Launchpad Batteries.

Use cardstock to print out copies of the circuit diagrams.

Next, adhere the circuit diagrams (with the battery style of your choice) to both sides of the hexagon-shaped piece of heavy paper or light board you cut out for the circuit layer. This will add a bit of stability and add weight to your tunnel book.

The circuit you’ll be building will be created directly on top of the circuit diagrams that you adhered to the board.

This board will form the rear panel of the tunnel book and will be powered by two coin cell batteries. One version will hold two traditional coin cell batteries in place with magnets, while the other version will hold two overlapping Launchpad Batteries in place with conductive fabric tape.

Adding two batteries to your tunnel book’s circuit will increase the rear panel’s brightness, especially if you plan to combine multicolored Sticker LEDs with Animating LEDs. 

Step 6: Understanding Tilt Sensors

The lights inside of your book may be turned on and off depending upon the orientation of an optional tilt switch. While not required, adding a tilt switch to the back of the tunnel book will allow you to easily turn it on or off, based upon the way your book is positioned. (If you don’t choose to add a tilt sensor, close the gap where the tilt sensor would go with a piece of conductive fabric tape.)

The circuit will turn off when the book is laid upon its back and turn on when it’s returned to an upright position. If you don’t wish to add the tilt switch, you may turn the lights off by removing the batteries from the magnetic holder.

How does a tilt sensor (switch) work?

Traditionally used as a safety device, designed to flip a circuit on or off depending upon its orientation, a typical tilt sensor is a metal cylinder with two legs protruding from one end, that contains a ball bearing. When the legs are used to bridge a gap in a circuit, the ball bearing inside of the cylinder works to open or close the circuit, depending upon which direction it rolls. If it rolls toward the end of the cylinder with the legs, the ball bearing bridges two metal contacts inside of the cylinder to close the circuit. If the orientation of the tilt switch causes the ball bearing to roll away from those metal contacts, the circuit opens. 

Step 7: Build Circuit

To build the circuit, use conductive fabric tape to follow the positive and negative traces of the circuit, and place LED stickers over their respective footprints.  Keep in mind that the conductive traces on the front and back side of the circuit layer are connected.

If you decide to use the tilt switch, follow the circuit diagram to place the switch over the conductive fabric tape, bridging the switch gap.

If you are not using the tilt switch, you will need to apply a piece of conductive fabric tape over the gap in the circuit to close it (allowing the LED Stickers to turn on once the batteries are in place).

Through trial and error, I discovered that the metal legs of the tilt switch are less likely to come loose from the circuit if patched with copper tape instead of conductive fabric tape on its own. Be sure that the copper tape you are using has a conductive adhesive!

The area securing the tilt switch to the circuit then needs to be reinforced with a piece of tape (I use postal tape). If you don’t protect this area with tape, the tilt switch is likely to shift, tearing the copper tape over time. This will result in the circuit not working properly.

Doubling the Voltage with Traditional Coin Batteries

I find it helpful to place a small ball of copper tape between the two stacked batteries to keep them together while they are stacked (demonstrated in the video).

Doubling the Voltage with Launchpad Batteries

Overlapping the wings of two Launchpad LEDs will double their voltage from 3V to 6V, which is useful for power-hungry circuits that use a combination of colored LEDs and Animating LEDs.

In this case, you must connect the batteries as shown in the circuit above, where the batteries are connected one after the other like beads on a string. The positive of one battery goes to the negative of the other battery. This is called connecting the batteries in series.

Once you have the two batteries connected in series, you can treat them like one large battery with the negative tab on one battery and the positive tab on the other battery. Then you can connect more LEDs in parallel, like in the example circuit below.

Step 8: Add Circuit Board to Book Block

The last step is to add the circuit layer to your book block. To do this, adhere the remaining two hinge pieces to the front edges of the circuit layer using an adhesive of your choice.

Then, flip the book block upside down and place matched pairs of Velcro dots to its left and right sides.

To join the pieces, carefully align the hinges of the circuit layer with the edges of the book block and press down.

Now, if you want to remove or change out the circuit layer to use different colors or achieve different effects, you can do so by detaching it!

Step 9: Experiment

Try experimenting with different colors and configurations of lights!

Using different colors for the LED sticker footprints will result in entirely different effects! I chose to use White Blink Animating LEDs for the lights near the top of the spaceship and a Rainbow Fade Animating LED in the center of the cone radiating from it. I experimented with other LED colors in the remaining footprints.

The circuit of this tunnel book was made with all white LED Stickers: 2 White Blink Animating LEDs, 1 White Fade Animating LED, and four classic white LED stickers.

To view this tutorial on Instructables, visit:

https://www.instructables.com/Tilt-Sensing-Octagon-Shaped-Light-up-Tunnel-Book-f/

The post Alien Abduction: Tilt Sensing, Light-Up Tunnel Book (featuring Chibitronics) appeared first on Chibitronics.

After considerable time, care, and investment into research and development, the Chibitronics team is pleased to announce the release of our new safer, easier-to-use 3V CR2032 Launchpad Battery!

To help protect children six years and under from potential risk of injury, the passage of Reese’s Law led to significant changes to battery warning labels and packaging requirements. As a result, Chibitronics has made sweeping modifications to our product line.

Novel in design, our Launchpad Battery is a safer, more learner-friendly option than traditional coin batteries!

Upon first glance, you’ll notice that our new battery looks very different, almost as if it has two arms raised up in a celebratory cheer! Yay!

Besides making our Launchpad Battery harder to swallow, these wing-like metal tabs enable easier gripping, sketching, and prototyping!

Shipping Now!

Clear, easy-to-trace, polarity markings—cut out from each wing—will save you time and remove guesswork on where to stick your conductive tape traces. 

Because a Launchpad Battery is easier to see, tape onto, and trace with a pen or pencil, they are an ideal choice for classrooms and other learner-centered settings!

You may also notice that our Launchpad Battery comes wrapped in a bright yellow coating that completely encases it. In addition to being a safety feature, this protective property has the added value of insulating the positive edge of the battery, shielding it from inadvertent contact with the conductive traces in your paper circuits. This can help prevent unintended connections, resulting in less frustration and longer battery life!

The label on the back side of the battery serves as a reminder that lithium batteries are not rechargeable and must be handled with care, to include proper recycling and disposal.

Launchpad Batteries are also alligator-clip friendly, with sturdy arms that are easily securable with conductive tapes or alligator clips!

To preserve your battery’s power and make storage easier between projects, our Launchpad Battery comes in a convenient zip-lock pouch.  Perfect for quick classroom clean-up or workshop prep!

Storage Tip:

Store only one battery per pouch to prevent accidental short circuits!

Available in our shop!

The post Introducing the NEW Chibitronics Launchpad Battery! appeared first on Chibitronics.

Introducing Our Launchpad Line!

We’re so excited about our upcoming line of learner-friendly Launchpad Batteries and Launchpad LEDs, that we thought we’d share a sneak peek! 

Designed with safety, durability, and reusability in mind, our NEW Launchpad components make paper circuits easier to learn, understand, and prototype than ever before!

Launchpad Battery

Upon first glance, you’ll notice that our new battery design looks very different, almost as if it has two arms raised up in a celebratory cheer! Yay!

Besides helping make our Launchpad Battery safer and harder to swallow, these wing-like metal tabs enable easier gripping, sketching, and prototyping! 

Clear, easy-to-trace polarity + and – markings cut-out from each wing will save you time and remove guesswork on where to stick your conductive tape. 

Because they are easier to see, tape onto, and sketch around, Launchpad Batteries are a more learner-friendly option than traditional button cell batteries.  

Launchpad LEDs

Like the Launchpad Battery, our new Launchpad LEDs also come with tabs that are easy to grip, sketch, and prototype with! 

Unlike our Circuit Sticker LEDs, which are designed to be used just like stickers, Launchpad LEDs are designed to be bigger, more durable, and reusable for learning—like training wheels for LEDs! 

Since they aren’t as permanent as stickers, Launchpad LEDs are perfect for tinkering, building temporary artworks or conducting experiments. 

Since they are easy to remove, reuse, and store, they are ideal for learners in classroom, craft room, and home school settings!

Like the tabs on the Launchpad Battery, the + and – polarity markings are large and easy to see, or trace with a pencil as a stencil. Made of sturdy metal, the tabs on our Launchpad LEDs can be connected to a Launchpad Battery or paper circuit with conductive tapes, binder clips, and even alligator clips!

This means that our Launchpad LEDs are especially ideal for building (and rebuilding!) models as well as clipping to a variety of components and microcontrollers, such as the Love to Code Chibi Chip!

Stay Tuned!

The Launchpad Batteries and Launchpad LEDs will be in stock and ready to purchase later this summer!

The post Take a Sneak Peek at Our NEW Launchpad LEDs & Batteries! appeared first on Chibitronics.

Father’s Day is just around the corner (Sunday, June 15), which means that it’s time to starting thinking about how you might help fire up some fun on his special day!

In this tutorial, I’ll show you a quick and easy way to create a light-up Father’s Day Card that sizzles with gratitude!

You can print it out in color, or add your own creative touch by coloring your own!

Tools & Supplies

Note: A Craft with Light Kit (Color) contains all of the electronics supplies needed for this project.

• Father’s Day Card & Circuit Template (printed on white cardstock)
  The top half has two card fronts to choose from: a colored version and one you can color yourself. The bottom half, with the circuit diagram, folds in half)
• Three Chibitronics LED Stickers (I used two yellow and one red)
• Conductive Fabric Tape
• 3V Battery
• Scissors
• Foam Tape
• (Optional) Art supplies to personalize the uncolored card front
• (Optional) Hole punch
• (Optional) Glue Stick
• (Optional) Vellum or tissue paper to diffuse the light

Directions

1. Download and print the Father’s Day Card & Circuit Template onto white cardstock.
2. Use scissors to cut off the bottom half (which will fold in half to create the card base).
3. Separate the card fronts and choose the one you prefer (colored or DIY). If opting for the DIY card front, use art supplies of your choice to add color.
4. Stick conductive tape over the blue line on the Circuit Template to create the negative trace.
5. Create a tape ball to adhere the battery over the round footprint (negative side down).
6. Stick conductive tape over the pink lines to create the positive traces and be sure to leave a gap for the switch.
7. Apply LED Stickers.
8. Test the circuit with a scrap of conductive tape, by temporarily pressing it over the switch gap.
9. Flip the card front over and add a couple pieces of conductive tape to the back left corner (behind the stone labeled “push”) to close the gap in the circuit when the card front is applied.
10. Add foam tape around the edge of the card to hold the card front in place.
11. (Optional) Punch holes for the LEDs to shine through.
12. (Optional) Glue vellum or tissue paper behind the holes.
13. Adhere the card front on top of the circuit.

The post Make a Father’s Day Card (with Chibitronics LED Stickers)! appeared first on Chibitronics.

Mother’s Day is just around the corner (Sunday, May 11), which means that it’s time to starting thinking about how you might help brighten your Mom’s day.

If you are looking for a way to tell your mom how much you love and appreciate her, this card project might be just the thing to help you get started!.

In this tutorial, I’ll show you a quick and easy way to create a light-up Mother’s Day Card that glows with gratitude! You can print it out in color, or add your own creative touch by coloring your own!

Tools & Supplies

Note: A Craft with Light Kit (Color) contains all of the electronics supplies needed for this project.

• Mother’s Day Card & Circuit Template (printed on white cardstock)
  The top half has two card fronts to choose from: a colored version and one you can color yourself. The bottom half, with the circuit diagram, folds in half)
• Two Chibitronics LED Stickers (I used pink and orange)
• Conductive Fabric Tape
• 3V Battery
• Scissors
• Foam Tape
• (Optional) Art supplies to personalize the uncolored card front
• (Optional) Hole punch
• (Optional) Glue Stick
• (Optional) Vellum or tissue paper to diffuse the light

Directions

1. Download and print the Mother’s Day Card & Circuit Template onto white cardstock.
2. Use scissors to cut off the bottom half (which will fold in half to create the card base).
3. Separate the card fronts and choose the one you prefer (colored or DIY). If opting for the DIY card front, use art supplies of your choice to add color.
4. Stick conductive tape over the blue line on the Circuit Template to create the negative trace.
5. Create a tape ball to adhere the battery over the round footprint (negative side down).
6. Stick conductive tape over the pink lines to create the positive traces and be sure to leave a gap for the switch.
7. Apply LED Stickers.
8. Test the circuit with a scrap of Conductive Fabric Tape, by temporarily pressing it over the switch gap.
9. Flip the card front over and add a couple pieces of Conductive Fabric Tape to the back left corner (behind the leafy branch labeled “push”) to close the gap in the circuit when the card front is applied.
10. Add foam tape around the edge of the card to hold the card front in place.
11. (Optional) Punch holes for the LEDs to shine through.
12. (Optional) Glue vellum or tissue paper behind the holes.
13. Adhere the card front on top of the circuit.

The post Make a Mother’s Day Card (with Chibitronics LED Stickers) appeared first on Chibitronics.

“Be humble for you are made of earth, be noble for you are made of stars.”

Have you tried diamond painting? It is such a soothing, relaxing craft where rhinestones are kind of like pixels making up the dots of the image. I had leftover gems from a couple of kits so I thought it would be fun to see what kind of designs I could make with the colors, and decided on an outer space scene with Earth. Of course, I thought it could be enhanced with some White Blink Animating LED Stickers for some twinkling stars!

What diamond scene would you light up?

Materials

• 12” x 12” black cardstock
• Assortment of clear, white, green, and blue rhinestones
• Double-stick Gudy adhesive
• 6 White Blink Animating LED stickers
• Chibitronics Conductive Fabric Tape
• Chibitronics Conductive Fabric Tape Patch
• 3V coin cell battery
• diamond painting stylus
• Sharp tool for pin prick holes (I used an embossing tool)

Step 1: Create Card Base

The first step is to create a card base.

Fold 12” x 12” black cardstock in half from top to bottom, and then fold that again from left to right to create a 6” x 6” card.

Cut a circle of double-stick Gudy adhesive and adhere to the front of the card.

Use your stylus to place the rhinestones onto the adhesive in the shape of Earth and add some clear rhinestones for stars.

Step 2: Add Circuit

The second step is to create the circuit.

Open up the card to create circuit on the inside square across from the back side of the front cover.

Create a winding path with the Conductive Fabric Tape as the negative track of the circuit.

Place the coin cell battery negative side down on top of the tape.

Use another strip of Conductive Fabric Tape to tape down the battery and start a new positive path.

Leave a break in the path to be connected with a “switch”.

Use a long strip of Conductive Fabric Tape and without crossing paths, create the positive track on the inside of the original path leaving enough space to avoid a short circuit.

Place the White Blink Animating LED stickers along the path so that the larger side of the stickers connects to the positive and the smaller side connects to the negative. 

Add an Conductive Fabric Patch upside down to connect the positive path to the battery and then fold down the card to allow the fabric patch to stick to the opposite layer.

Punch small holes in the front cover of the card to allow the lights to shine through.

Step 3: Test Circuit and Enjoy

After you’ve created your circuit and switch, the last step is to test it out.

Press down on your switch and watch the stars twinkle in space!

The post Diamond Painting—with White Blink Animating LEDs: By Emily Brooks appeared first on Chibitronics.

Experimentation and play are the best methods for discovering transformative ways to control and create with light — in order to visibly alter its look! The projects below showcase a diverse selection of experiments and ideas to help you get started!

Here are 10 transformative ways to control and create with light!

1. Collage with Light

Did you know that expressive collage, the practice of creating art through thoughtful layering, can be wildly accentuated by adding a sprinkle of light? Surprising results may be achieved by playfully layering lights with contact paper, tissue paper, and an enticing collection of colorful ephemera!

One of Celeste Moreno’s tricks to building drama in her creations is by adapting the principles of collage to her work with paper circuits. By applying LED Stickers to more than one layer at a time, sandwiching them between an eclectic mix of light-diffusing materials, Celeste has elevated the art of collage to create electrifying compositions!

To learn more, visit the tutorial, Making a Paper Circuit Collage with Clear Contact Paper, Craft Materials, and Chibitronics Animating LED Stickers.

2. Change the Color of Light

Did you know that white LED stickers are as versatile as they are bright? With help from a permanent marker, you can easily change the appearance of a white LED to suit your artistic intent. 

In the project depicted below, Eiko Uchida transformed the appearance of a White Fade Animating LED by applying a layer of yellow pigment to its tiny bulb, allowing it to better match the scene as part of the golden glowing center of a flower.

This strategy is useful for accentuating a light, making it appear more prominent, or for making a light blend in more naturally within a piece of art.

3. Filter Light

Did you know that filtering light is an easy and effective strategy for altering its properties to match your artistic intent? Similar to changing the color of light with pigment, putting it through a filter is a satisfying way to change its appearance.

The application of wax paper, translucent vellum, or parchment over a light can soften and diffuse it, while the use of colored tissue paper can change a light’s color and saturation. It’s even possible to alter light’s texture, by filtering it through different types of fabric or other household materials.

In her tutorial Combining Chibitronics LED Stickers with Embroidered Fabric Designs, Celeste Moreno demonstrates a way to filter light through embroidered fabric that she created with help from a home inkjet printer.

4. Lift & Diffuse Light

Have you ever noticed the way that a flashlight’s beam widens and gives off more light as it’s moved away from an object? In much the same way as you might lift a flashlight to get a wider view of a dark room, it’s possible to use the element of height to create broad swaths of light in your paper circuit projects!

In Episode 15 of the Chibitronics for Paper Crafters YouTube series, Illuminating Die Cuts, Jessica Frost Ballas demonstrates an effective way to diffuse the light of LED Stickers through the strategic layering and lifting of die cut shapes. At the 8:00 minute mark, you can see a clear demonstration of how she applies adhesive foam squares to raise die cut elements in a way that adds dimension, resulting in dazzling pools of light.

5. Backlight & Surprise With Light

In her tutorial, Silhouetted Spooky Halloween Card Featuring Chibitronics’ Eerie LED Lights, Allison Cope uses hidden shapes and silhouettes to convey a haunted surprise. See how she deftly combines Tropical LED Stickers, die cut cardstock elements, and translucent vellum to convey a striking, colorful message!

6. Reflect & Project Light

In her tutorial, This Night Light Has a Secret, Jasmine Florentine shares another whimsical way to combine backlighting with paper layering to conceal and reveal hidden images. This method, which employs aluminum foil as an easy hack for reflecting and projecting light, has the added benefit of creating scenes that are best viewed when all surrounding lights are turned off.

7. Encapsulate Light

An ethereal glowing effect may be created by encasing LED stickers with hot glue. In her tutorial, Hot Glue Diffusion Jellyfish Card with Chibitronic LED Stickers, Kathy Ceceri shares an easy method of adding light diffusion and textural dimension to projects without the use of fancy art supplies.  With an assist from a gluegun, she fills in hand-cut shapes with carefully directed layers of hot glue to, increasing the tactile interest and touchability of an underwater scene.

8. Pinpoint & Shape Light

In Episode 12 of the Chibitronics for Paper Crafters YouTube series, How to Shape Light, Jessica Frost Ballas combines four different techniques to create the dramatic illusion of two powerful beams of light emerging from a lighthouse. How the heck did she do that?

Starting at 11:09 you’ll see examples of the following:

1) a cleverly cut piece of black backing paper that pinpoints and shapes light;

2) the use of a mixed trio of LEDs (the brightest placed on each side of a less bright one) to create depth and dimension;

3) the use of a piece of translucent vellum for light diffusion; and

4)  the artful application of white ink to accentuate the effect.

9. Add Luminescence to Light

Luminous, glow in the dark paint applied near or on top of an LED sticker (especially a white one) can result in some surprising effects!  Once the paint has had time to dry, you will find that LED Stickers painted with it will continue to glow, even after the circuit is disconnected! Because glow in the dark paint is easy to disguise, viewers will only be alerted to an object’s full potential in the dark.

10. Free Play With Light

In their tutorial Shadows, Silhouettes, & Layers: Experiments with Paper & Light Natalie Freed and Jill Dawson share a number of ways to combine light with household materials to achieve surprising effects.

While many of the strategies have been showcased in the projects shared above, the tutorial remains a good resource for stimulating new ideas and building upon tried and true ones.

By focusing upon experimentation and play, the tutorial quickly depicts how easy it is to use a Sharpie marker to transform a piece of clear acetate into a multicolored light filter, reminiscent of stained glass windows. You’ll also see interesting ways to take advantage of negative and positive space by projecting light through holes and other shapes to create multi-dimensional effects. 

Bonus: 11 Spin & Capture Light

In her tutorial Spin this Heart to Make Spiraling Light-trails!, TechnoChic creates and captures images of light trails, using long exposure photography.

The post 10 Tricks for Altering the Look of Light appeared first on Chibitronics.

In January of 2025, students attending a Physical Computing course at Northeastern University worked with Chibitronics Circuit Sticker LEDs and copper tape to create personal works of glowing art. As part of the university’s coursework in its College of Art, Media, and Design (CAMD), this was a novel experience — the first time many of the students had played with paper circuitry materials.

The “hello world,” project is the introductory project of the semester, with a goal of introducing the basics of circuits. Working under the instruction of Rahul Bhargava (Assistant Professor of Journalism and Art + Design, @rahulbot), students had one week to design and share an illuminated object to help introduce themselves. In addition to having access to paper circuitry supplies, students working in the Creative Tech Lab had access to a variety of craft materials.

Inspiration

For inspiration, students were shown a variety of exemplars, including short videos of projects students had made in the past. To give students even more ideas, Kristin Osiecki (Educator + Artist + Technologist, @kristin.osiecki) was invited to showcase some of her innovative creations.

Before diving into their projects, students learned a bit about battery capacity, debugging, and Ohm’s law. They were also taught how to use a multimeter to measure resistance and current on a Chibitronics sticker, comparing their readings with those they calculated manually. According to Rahul, “I find this is a really helpful way to show them the difference between math on the paper and reality.”

The following video playlist is a feast for the eyes.

Explore the 2025 CAMD Video Playlist

Adalia Lee created a multilayered fiber cake that lights up with help from a pressure switch.

To see how this was crafted, and to learn more about the project shared below, please visit the video compilation.

This interactive origami project by Sammi Chen uses coins in a clever way! When an origami frog leaps on top of the origami lotus flowers, the flowers light up!

“I really enjoyed using the copper tape and LED stickers for the first time. I feel like the use of light really enhanced everyone’s projects The copper tape ripped really easily, which is both a pro and a con; but I thought they were really neat materials to work with.”

Sammi Chen

Ezri Abraham’s dramatic cretaceous shadow box was largely constructed from cardboard and paper!

Ruohan Li’s “Journey of My Life,” features a series of notable moments, in the shape of the Great Wall of China.

Each important event on her glowing map lights up with help from a multimeter.

Siraju Jalloh created a pair of pop-up tunnel books to showcase unique scenes in different cities.

Neil Hadap experiemented with light diffusion to create Painter’s Pallet.

Gabe Longoria combined circuitry with the conductive properties of his guitar frets!

For additional inspiration, you may want to check out the 2024 and 2023 CAMD Project Playlists!

Explore the 2024 CAMD Video Playlist

Explore the 2023 CAMD Video Playlist

The post Students at NEU Combine Story, STEAM Learning, & LED Stickers appeared first on Chibitronics.

For all my fellow dragon-loving readers, this light-up bookmark is for you! Did you know that cartographers inscribed “Hic Sunt Dracones (Here Be Dragons)” in a copper globe over 500 years ago? On the back of this bookmark is a map near the edge of the Northern Hemisphere, and on the front is an aerial view of a fire-breathing dragon.

Materials:

• Conductive Fabric Tape
• Pressure Sensitive Conductive Plastic
• Red, Orange, and Yellow Circuit Stickers
• Coin Cell Battery
• Black Cardstock
• Vellum Paper
• Tape
• Craft Blade
• Cutting Mat
• Toner Printer
• Toner-Reactive Foil
• Laminator

Directions:

Step 1: Print Design on Cardstock

[Thanks to the New York Public Library’s public domain imagery for the map near the edge of the Northern Hemisphere on the copper Hunt-Lenox globe https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/16891d60-66fc-0133-fbd6-00505686a51c ]

Print the PDF on black cardstock with a black toner printer. (Do not use inkjet!)

Step 2: Laminate Foil

Use non-permanent tape to attach metallic toner-reactive foil to the printed side of the cardstock.
Run the foil/cardstock sheet through a laminator twice.
Peel the foil from the cardstock.

Step 3: Cut Bookmark

Use a craft blade to cut around the edge of the bookmark as well as the inside of the flame.

Step 4: Assemble Circuit

Use conductive fabric tape, a coin cell battery, and the red, orange, and yellow circuit stickers to create the circuit on the inside of the bookmark, leaving a gap as seen in the image.

Tape a small strip of pressure sensitive conductive plastic to the other inside of the bookmark to allow the circuit to complete when pressed.

Step 5: Finishing Touches

Tape strips of vellum behind the flame cut out and tape shut the bookmark.

The post Light-Up Dragon Bookmark by Emily Brooks appeared first on Chibitronics.

Make a Glowing Book That Fits in an Envelope

In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to create an octagon-shaped illuminated tunnel book that collapses flat. Tunnel books are three-dimensional works of art that feature cut paper images. When viewed through the front cover, the layers appear to unite as part of a cohesive scene. Designed to create a sense of depth, perspective, and wonder, tunnel books are often engineered by layering decoratively cut paper panels between folded paper hinges. When combined with paper circuitry, a tunnel book can become a highly engaging STEAM project, as well as a useful tool of self-expression.

Watch the Video Tutorial

Tools & Supplies

Electronics Supplies:

• 1 x Rainbow Fade Animating LED (or a Circuit Sticker LED in a color of your choice)
• 4-5 x Conductive Fabric Tape Strips (or a roll of Conductive Fabric Tape)
• 1 x CR2016 Battery (flatter than a CR2032, which is better for mailing)
• 1 x small flat magnet (for making an easy battery holder) such as this one
• (Optional) Conductive Fabric Tape Patches

Other Useful Tools & Supplies:

• Sturdy paper (cardstock works well)
• 1 x sheet of translucent paper (such as vellum or tracing paper)
• 4 x adhesive Velcro-dots
• Double-sided tape, Craft Glue, or UHU glue stick
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Bone Folder
• Ruler
• Art supplies of your choice (such as circular dies and rubber stamps)
• Cricut Machine (if using the cut file)
• Printer (if printing the circuit diagram/ templates) 

Overview:

When folded, this project will measure 4” W X 9.25” L, allowing it to fit in a letter-sized envelope.

A removable circuit will be built right onto the book’s rear panel. The battery will be held in place with help from an optional magnet.  

Note:  If you do not wish to use a magnet, you can ignore that step.  While including the magnet can make it easier to turn the book on and off, I’ll share a work-around.

Directions

Step 1:  Brainstorm

Before diving in, it’s helpful to do a little brainstorming to help come up with an idea for your project. Is there a story, scene, or symbol that speaks to you?  Will you be decorating each layer by hand (with a rubber stamp) or digitally?

I created a radial design with holes that decrease in the center of each page.  Along the way, I experimented with different colors and weights of paper. While I experimented with carving my own rubber stamps to make the art layers, the project I’m sharing today features a floral mandala that I designed in Adobe Illustrator. Feel free to use my design or create your own.

Step 2:  Prep Your Layers & Hinges

To make a book like mine, you’ll need to create 10 art layers and one Circuit Layer that are the same size and shape.  Each art layer should have circles that decrease in size removed from their centers.  

You can do this by creating your own artwork, or you may print my templates and use circular dies or a craft-knife to remove the centers.

I’m using 10 octagons that are 4” W x 4” H. I’m also adhering a layer of vellum the same size directly behind the last art layer to diffuse the light. I printed my art image directly onto the vellum, but a plain piece works.

Each art layer will be separated by two paper hinges (4” H x 1” W) that are folded in half. Cut and fold 22 hinges and press them flat with a bone folder.

The hinges will also connect to two flat side panels that will add extra stability to the book.  Cut two sides measuring (5.125” W x  1.66” L).  

I’ve included a PDF of the cut file for the basic parts, in case you’d like to use or adapt the design with your own artwork. If you’d prefer a copy of the SVG, please send an email to info@chibitronics.com.

Step 3:  Create & Add the Circuit

Print the Battery Holder and Circuit Template onto a piece of cardstock, or use it as a guide. If you don’t wish to use a magnet, skip that step.  

• First, cut and fold the battery holder template.  
• Next, adhere the right flap of the battery holder template over the footprint that matches it on the Circuit Template.
• Third, adhere a small flat magnet over the circular footprint on the left flap of the battery holder. 
• Fourth, cut out the front and back sides of the Circuit Template and glue them together to create one layer.  
• Fifth, adhere Conductive Fabric Tape over the pink ( + ) and blue traces ( – ).  The conductive tape should wrap around the edges of the circuit template and overlap the magnet.  
• Sixth, adhere a Rainbow Fade Animating LED to the template and reinforce it with patches (or pieces) of conductive tape. 
• Seventh, adhere a ball of conductive tape over the negative lead of the battery holder, and adhere the battery to it with the negative side down.  If you did not opt to include a magnet under the positive trace, adhere a second ball of conductive tape on top of the positive lead of the battery holder when you want your LED to be turned on.
• Lastly, test the circuit by closing the battery holder flap.

Tips, Tricks, and Tradeoffs

Placing a piece of double-sided tape under your battery (but not over the conductive traces) is an additional way to help keep the battery in place.  Adhering the ball of Conductive Fabric Tape directly on top of the negative trace will increase the physical and electrical connection between the battery and the rest of your circuit.  If you did not include a magnet, adhering a ball of Conductive Fabric Tape directly on top of the positive trace will help hold the battery in place, while increasing the physical and electrical connection. 

Step 4:  Assemble the Layers

Watch the video for a demonstration.

Once your layers are designed, cut, and decorated, the next step is to place them in the correct order and number them on the back side with a pencil.  

After numbering them, glue or tape one set of hinges to the BACK side of each art layer.  Be sure to adhere the vellum to the last art layer before adding the hinges.

Save the last set of hinges for the Circuit Layer, but don’t attach them yet. 

Then, starting with the front art layer, align and adhere one of the side panels.  

Next, begin gluing the hinges for each art layer to the side panel in roughly half-inch increments. Ensure that they are aligned with the side panel and maintain an even amount of space between them.

After all of the hinges have been adhered to the first side panel, leave the book collapsed on its side with the loose hinges facing up. Then glue the second side panel to the free hinge of the front cover.  

After attaching the second side panel to the front layer, add glue to the exposed hinges of the collapsed book, ensuring that they are aligned.  Then, carefully fold the second side panel over the tops of the glued hinges.

Press the side down well and allow it to dry.

Step 5:  Add the Circuit to the Book

Once the tunnel book is assembled, it’s time to add the remaining set of hinges to the Circuit Layer. 

Unlike the art layers, which have the hinges glued to the back side, the hinges on the Circuit Layer need to be glued to the FRONT side. 

Tape or glue two hinges to the front side of the Circuit Layer.  Then, to make the circuit easy to remove, add two Velcro dots to the back sides of the hinges.  

Open up the tunnel book and attach one Velcroed hinge of the Circuit Layer to the inside of one side panel and press it down to attach the two pieces. Be careful to keep the Circuit Layer aligned with the rest of the book. 

Repeat to secure the free hinge with the remaining side panel.

The post Flattening Octagon Tunnel Book Featuring Chibitronics appeared first on Chibitronics.