Happy New Year!
The promise of a new year is ripe for reflection, imagination, and curiosity. It’s also an ideal time to explore hobbies, build skills, and experiment with fresh ideas!
In addition to creating a dazzling collection of light-up greeting cards, the 2024 Chibitronics Design Team produced a diverse collection of projects that integrated light in unexpected ways.
In the spirit of celebrating novelty and new beginnings, we’ve selected 12 bright project ideas for you to try in 2025!
1. Cake Topper
New beginnings often call for decorations, sparkle, and dessert!
Nothing makes quite as much of a statement as a color-changing cake topper, to add to a celebration!
To learn how Jenn Cascell created this gorgeous party decoration, featuring our Rainbow Fade Animating LED stickers, visit her video tutorial.
2. Magnetic Charm
Some people wear their hearts on their sleeves. Others wear symbols of their favorite hobbies attached to chains around their necks.
This glowing art pallet, which doubles as a refrigerator magnet, is a wonderful conversation starter — as well as a fun way to jazz up an outfit!
Designed by Emily Brooks, this colorful illuminated charm was fabricated on a laser cutter and features a mix of Circuit Sticker LEDs.
To learn more, visit her tutorial.
3. Diorama
While many of us likely remember building a diorama inside of a shoebox, this one makes the old new again —by adding some STEAM!
Building upon the concept of telling a story within a confined space, this project features layered artwork inside of a three-dimensional egg! Circuit Sticker LEDs add depth and color when the project is switched on!
Designed by Kathy Ceceri as an accessible activity for school-aged children, this fun project celebrates new beginnings while introducing new skills. To learn more, visit her tutorial.
4. Textile Art
Have you tried adding illumination to fabric, yet? Paper isn’t the only medium with that works well with light! Why not give it a try?
Celeste Moreno created this tactile bit of eye candy by printing public domain images onto fabric. Next, she added pops of color with bits of hand embroidery, overlaying the textile over a circuit created with Conductive Fabric Tape and Rainbow Fade LED Stickers.
To learn more, visit her tutorial.
5. Round Greeting Card
While traditional greeting cards are often rectangular, there is something fresh and unexpectedly magical about a circular one.
Designed by Melissa Goodman, a master of creating elliptical cards, this one lights up at the push of a button.
To learn more, visit her post on Instagram.
6. Bookmark
As you curl up with a good book, in a quest to encounter new people, places, and ideas, a bookmark will help you stay on track.
Designed by Rana Alo, this bookmark adds a touch of whimsy by lighting up!
To learn more, visit her post on Instagram.
7. Tunnel Book
Interested in adding a new tool to your toolbox?
Combined with Rainbow Fade Animating LED stickers, a tilt-switch is a novel way to add interactivity to a project.
In this tilt-sensing tunnel book, Jill Dawson uses layers of cut paper to set a spooky scene.
The switch makes it possible to turn off and on with a tilt of the wrist.
To learn more, visit her tutorial.
8. Gift Box
Birthdays, like other new beginnings, deserve novelty, treats, and an element of surprise!
This cake-shaped gift box, created by Emily Clabau, is perfect for such an occasion.
The candle on the lid of this clever cake, lit up with a Circuit Sticker LED, comes to life with help from a concealed reed switch and magnet.
To learn more, visit Emily’s post on Instagram here.
9. Ornament
It’s a tradition in some homes to add a new ornament to the Christmas tree each year.
If this is a tradition you already observe, or if this sounds like a new tradition you’d like to start, then you may want to try making your own light-up ornament this year!
To create this glowing nativity scene, Rana Alo added layers of paper and a bow over a circuit containing a single LED sticker.
To learn more, visit her post on Instagram.
10. Shadow Box
An illuminated shadow box is a fun way to add dimension and color to a piece of original artwork.
This underwater scene by Christy Matte was cut using a laser cutter and illuminated from behind with several Circuit Sticker LEDs.
To learn more, visit her post on Instagram.
11. Puppet
Need a new friend? How about a puppet that lights up?
This snappy hand puppet, created by Sally Kong, combines googly-eyed goodness with a switched circuit.
While the animation goes by quickly, the circuit is actually pretty easy to follow. The negative lead (depicted in blue) travels from underneath a coin call battery to the top of the eyes. The positive lead (red) travels from the bottom of the eyes, around to the roof of the monster’s mouth, to form a simple switching mechanism!
To learn more, visit her reel on Instagram.
12. Pop-Ups
Creating pop-up cards, spreads, and books that light up is a worthy pursuit for a brand new year!
Since there are many different ways to create unique pop-ups, this a project idea that is bound to keep you curious and engaged.
To discover a large collection of ideas for combining paper circuits with paper engineering, visit our PopUpTober Resources.
