My latest tutorial for Chibitronics, a mechanical card with a Valentine’s Day theme, is a seasonal spin upon an earlier project, the Spooky Spider Diagonal Dissolve Card. Like its predecessor, the LEDs in this project are triggered by a lever (and a concealed reed switch and magnet combination). While I originally designed this mechanism in […]
Pixel Beating Heart Card with Chibitronics Red Fade Animating LED Stickers
Hi! Kathy Ceceri here, author of Paper Inventions (2nd Edition). Today I’m going to show you how to make a Pixel Beating Heart pop-up card using Chibitronics Animating Red Fade LED stickers. It’s perfect for Valentine’s Day or any occasion! I designed the heart with pen on graph paper, scanned it into a simple graphics […]
Meet the Maker: Leah DiPasquale
Paper Toys & Art That Pops Today’s spotlight is on Leah DiPasquale, a gifted illustrator and graphic designer known for her vibrant artwork and eye-catching paper toys! (She has even designed whimsical fabrics with enticing motifs including “Crabulous Tacos,” a “Bagel Party,” and the bright geese depicted above!) We first encountered Leah’s work during LightUpPopUpTober […]
Make a Light-Sensing Tree with Chibitronics Launchpad LEDs
Make Holiday Projects React to Light A light sensor can add interactivity to your artwork by making it react to the presence or absence of light. In this post, I’ll show you how to use a Light Sensor Sticker to make a light-sensing tree with Chibitronics Launchpad LEDs. We’ll add a bit of light-reactive magic […]
PopUpTober Tutorial: Light-Up Bird Made with 45° Folds on a Parallelogram (Featuring Chibitronics)
Video Tutorial In this video tutorial, created in anticipation of #PopUpTober 2025, I’ll show you a way to create a light-up pop-up bird with wings that tuck into a parallelogram at 45° angles. The folding mechanism provides a dynamic surface that is useful for adding a protrusion or extension that may be adorned with lights. […]
Chibitronics Lights Up #PopUpTober 2025!
Get Ready for #PopUpTober! 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 […]
Make a Father’s Day Card (with Chibitronics LED Stickers)!
Warm Dad’s Heart 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 […]
Animating Rainbow Phosphene Simulator (by Emily Brooks)
Switch-Activated Simulator Have you ever rubbed your eyes while they’re closed and “seen” bursts of colors? These phenomena are known as phosphenes. Phosphenes can be induced by mechanical, electrical, or magnetic stimulation of the retina or visual cortex, much like our circuits can be enhanced with mechanical stimulation (Conductive Pressure Sensitive Sheets) or magnetic stimulation […]
Illuminating Mangrove Trees at KID Museum (With Barbara Liedahl)
On Sunday, 18 May 2025, visitors to KID Museum in Bethesda, Maryland had an opportunity to learn about mangrove trees, origami, and paper circuitry, while being introduced to the achievements and creations of inspirational makers in STEM. As part of their Asian American & Pacific Islander Community Celebration, KID Museum hosted Barbara Liedahl to oversee […]
Meet the Maker: Corinne Takara
Story-Telling Outside of the Box Today’s spotlight is on Corinne Okada Takara, a mixed media-artist and STEAM Educator, well-known for her commitment to building community through story-telling. By cultivating opportunities for playful making in public spaces, with a focus upon building “conversation spaces,” Corinne’s experimental works often combine biomaterials, technology, and different flavors of cultural […]
Chibitronics Celebrates Teachers During Teacher Appreciation Week!
Create a Light-up Card for a Superstar Teacher! In anticipation of Teacher Day (May 6) and Teacher Appreciation Week (May 5-9), Chibitronics is shining a light upon the dedicated educators who strive to create engaging, meaningful experiences for their students! 🎉🎉 ❤️ To help us celebrate the bright connections made by our hardworking educators, we’ve created a […]
Educator & Lesson Spotlight: Illuminated Heart Boxes With Catie Nasser
Illuminated Heart Boxes In today’s post we are honored to have Catie Nasser sharing her Illuminated Heart Boxes, an origami project that students of many ages may enjoy (with varying levels of scaffolding). Catie Nasser is a tech-savvy K-6 art educator who dabbles in a variety of creative pursuits, ranging from papercutting, printmaking, paper engineering, […]