Interactive Time!!: At Little Bits

I thought I would try something different for this card.  It is a hard concept to write about, so I will give you the highlights.  There are many YouTube videos on this technique.  Lets start with the finished card.

I just love this style of card.  I rarely do a card any more with just Copic Coloring and when I saw this mason jar in this month's Club Scrap kit: Adirondacks, I knew just what I wanted it to be!!!

The bugs in the jar light up.  The one thing I love about the South is Fireflies.  This brought back fond memories of my childhood and road trip with my grandparents.  We headed to Missouri, Iowa and Kansas to visit relatives and I caught a jar full of Fireflies.  I left off the lid, and they lit up the camper.  It was a sight, but the fact that my grandmothers was not happy with all bugs in the camper is the part I remember best and the amazement of seeing what the little beings can do in a closed space.  So here is my tribute.

I started my planning.  With interactive cards it takes trial and error.  I did not photo most of the steps, as you will need to do your own experimenting.

First I stamped the jar and added dots with a pencil where I thought the "lights" would go.  I needed my bugs flying in different directions, so. . . . .  .

I cut my stamp with an "arrow" like point at the bottom.

Then I stamped and placed arrows in the direction of the "arrow" on the stamp.    And stamped my images in Copic Friendly Ink.    Colored the image and then added the ink embellishments.


Now I needed to create a circuit for the lights.  I punched a hole in the body of the 3 bugs in the jar.

And on my practice stamped image, drew the lines for  the copper tape.

What did I use:  I tried this product.

Chibitronics lights

This is a basic stater kit with the copper wire, battery and lights.  I have used other products to this process, but thought this might be an easier option.  I am not very happy with it.  The lights are not very bright and this caused issues with photographing.  In the near future I will show you how to do this without the kit.  But this one is popular and has videos on YouTube if you need some helps.

Any way.

Circuits are easy.  I used a parallel circuit as I needed to have more than one light.

Started by making a "house for my battery.  Look at the battery, it has a + and a - sign on the battery.  Run a copper tape from the positive side and one from the negative side.  This always gives me pause as one of the tape lines must fold over and connect with one side of the battery.  The other line runs to the underside of the battery, whew, I know this is confusing!!

The tape is flexible, so as long as they don't lay on top of each other no worries.

The battery is under the clip. The outside line moves onto the top of the battery and the inside line is under the battery.  Note if the + is on the top or bottom.  Then just lay the lights to coincide with the correct positivity.

Mine would not stick, so I cut additional tape to "glue it down.  In the left corner you can see it going under and around the battery.  I built up the edge with phone tape, so I had "room" to press the corner into the battery, thus my lights only show up when pressed.  Double click to get a better look.

On the front of the card, I placed the lid over the battery with a note to press here, Voila, the bugs light up.  I just wish I could have figured out how to get a photo of the lights.

Another look!!,, I added some rhinestones to the background. a tag that I made to look like it was tied to the lid and mounted it on a blue mat and A2 white card base.     I love this card and the magic when it lights up is worth it!!

Thank you for visiting,  to get your own Mason Jar stamp, Visit Club Scrap or here for adirondacks-art-nouveau-unmounted-stamps

Happy crafting, stop by next week for the Club Scrap Blog Hop!!
Josette