Interactive Light-Up Nebula Card

By Taheerah | 22nd August 2016 | 10 Comments

Hey everyone, happy Monday! I’m on the Neat & Tangled blog today sharing a super-awesome card with a fun light-up feature, so I thought I’d share it here too!

The N&T DT have been sharing some fun ideas lately using Chibitronics products, and I couldn’t wait to get in on the act! For those of you who aren’t familiar with them, Chibitronics are a great company who produce easy-to-use circuits kits that allow you to add a fun light-up element to your cards! It might sound a little technical, but honestly there’s nothing to it!

I really wanted to create something with a space feel where the stars could light up! And I really wanted the stars to twinkle too. So in addition to the Chibitronics Chibi Lights LED Circuit Starter Kit I also invested in the Circuit Stickers Effects Pack to create a truly awesome card!

Here’s what I came up with:

Light-Up Nebula Card by Taheerah Atchia

Got to say the Astrophysicist in me is geeking out heavily over this card!

Light-Up Nebula Card by Taheerah Atchia

I started by creating my front panel, watercolouring a nebula based on the famous Helix Nebula!

Helix Nebula - Infrared

Can you see the similarities?!

Light-Up Nebula Card by Taheerah Atchia

Once I’d got my depiction the way I wanted, I die cut 5 of the largest/brightest stars from the panel, using the Lucky Stars dies. I adhered some vellum behind the negative spaces to diffuse the light. Next I wanted to add a sentiment, so I pulled out my Sparkle and Shine set and heat embossed the ‘Shine Bright’ sentiment in white. 

Light-Up Nebula Card by Taheerah Atchia

Next it was time to build the circuit! I watched a couple of videos to get an idea of how to set it all up, and there’s a great tutorial on the Chibitronics blog for using the Effects stickers, so I used those together to design my circuit. I positioned the battery in the centre of my card so that pressing the sentiment would cause the stars to light up!

Light-Up Nebula Card - Circuit Switch Closing by Taheerah Atchia

Here’s are some photos of the ‘inner workings’ of the card showing the circuit and battery housing.

Light-Up Nebula Card - Circuit Switch Open by Taheerah Atchia

And here’s a short video showing that twinkling action! Isn’t this card so fun?!

I hope you love this card as much as I loved creating it! If so let me know by leaving a comment below! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Supplies

10 thoughts on “Interactive Light-Up Nebula Card”

  1. Stunning! That sky looks jut like the inspiration photo, you nailed it. Thiamin such a great card. I was up in the air about buying that kit, you changed my mind today, it’s a must have. Thanks for sharing and inspiring.

  2. That is about the coolest card ever. I love looking at nebula and wanted to be an astronomer in school until I found out how much math there was, uh-oh! It definitely is a “super-awesome” card!

  3. Blown away by your card-version of the Helix Nebula…gorgeous! And the effect created by the stars lighting up? WOW! Brilliant, innovative, genius! LOVE this, Taheerah!
    Hugs,
    ~c

  4. Ummmm…..wow! I don’t think you could’ve gotten any closer to your inspiration picture! This is awesome, girl!!

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