Making Glowing Snowflake Baubles for the HolidaysIn this tutorial we will show you how to make glowing snowflake bauble using Bare Paint and some LEDs ready to put on your desk or hang around your house for the holidays. To help you complete this project we've made all the component available to buy in the Bauble Mini-kit. Alternatively you can source them yourself via the links below. MaterialsBare Paint ComponentsTo purchase the Mini-kit with all the components click here 3V Button Cell Batteries UK: Farnell / US: RadioShack * Make sure you buy several Batteries and LEDs for all your projects in advance to save on shipping charges, and so you don't have to wait to do fun tutorials.
Step 1: Make the bauble base.The bauble base is the well know origami ball, or water ballon. First of all you need to fold your piece of paper diagonally and cut off excess to make a square.
Once you have a square fold it in half diagonally then flip it over.
Fold it in half on each side horizontally,
Take your folded square fold in half horizontally, then fold the courners inside to make a triangle.
Next take the top layer of the triangle and fold the point up to the top and middle, repeat on all sides, to make a smaller square.
Take the side points of the square and fold into the middle. Reapeat on back side.
Now that you have created little flaps, fold down the top points and insert them into the flaps. Repeat on back side.
Once you have your finnished ball base inflate it by blowing into the hole at the bottom.
Now unfold your inflated ball.
Step 2: Cutting out your snowflake design.The picture below shows the square where your snowflake is going to be cut, it has been outslined with a dotted line.
I've also coloured it purple so you can see where the boundries are as its folded.
Fold up the bottom half towards the middle. Fold in half again, and again, untill your square is now a small triangle, as seen on the bottom right.
Take your scissors and cut out your snowflake, being carefull not to cut yourself or cut all the way through the triangle.
Once finished unfold, you should see your snowflake sitting nicely inside the square.
If you like you can cut the other side so you have two snowflakes.
Step 3: Painting on your battery connections.Take your button cell battery and place it in the bottom right corner in the trianlge shown in the picture.
Draw around your battery, on both sides of the triangle.
Paint in the battery contacts
Step 4: Attaching the LEDOnce the paint is dry, you can now stick your LED in place. Place the legs of the LED onto the two strips of paint. and tape in place usning cellotape.
Place the battery onto one of the circles of paint.
Step 5: Re-folding your Snowflake-baubleWith the battery placed on the square of paint, carefully pinch the corner of the paper to make contact, if the battery is the right way round you should see your LED light, if not flip the battery and check your LED has good contact with the paint.
Make sure you keep the battery pinched between the corner of the paper at all times so that the LED stays on, as you refold your snowflake-ball.
Still pinching the battery in place refold your ball.
Because you have cut holes in the ball, you won't be able to inflate it, you have to gently squash it open. Gently push on the top and bottom.
Congratulations!You should now have your completed Snowflake-Bauble, all you have to do now is wait for it to get dark.
In the dark it will come to life and make a nice glowing Snowflake!
You can also cut different shapes in your square and use differnet coloured LEDs to create other festive decorations.
We'd love to see your Snowflake-Baubles or holiday decorations, we're sure you could make even better versions! Send photos of your projects to info@bareconductive.com and we'll feature them on our community page. |
Check out our other Holiday Tutorials here
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