Introduction

The star at the top of the tree will shine bright for all to see!

Supplies:

TechnoChic DIY Light-Up Pop-Up Card Kit - Xmas Tree
Clear Tape
Glue Stick
Scissors
Scrap Paper to Protect Table From Glue
(Only if you live outside the USA:) CR2032 or CR2025 Battery

Optional Supplies:

Adhesive Eraser
Bone Folder
Cotton Swabs

Instructions:

Kit contents:

Take out this piece:

Fold back and forth along the score lines to make it easier to fold

Put down a piece of scrap paper
Apply glue to the star shape in the center as shown, stopping at the score marks

Place the transparent star over the glued area
*** This is not an equilateral star! The two rays at the bottom have parallel sides, so if it doesn't fit, rotate it :)

Turn the piece over, remove any adhesive from the front

Fold the shape in half at the center of the star, with the transparent star on the inside

Reverse the fold, pressing the top of the star inward

The finished fold should look like this:

Measure about 1 inch of copper tape to be placed where shown, use your fingernail or a pencil to mark the correct length

Peel the white backing off the copper tape about 1/2 inch
Position the tape a bit below the top of the paper, peeling the backing off while pressing the tape down, band-aid style

The finished position:

Turn the shape over

Place a piece of copper tape in the same location on the other side, as shown

Put down a piece of scrap paper
Make sure the transparent star side is up
Apply glue to the half-star shape on the end, stopping at the score mark

Fold the shape - match the glued part to the star in the center

Push the left edge of the paper so that it folds into a box

It should look like a box from the bottom

Apply glue to the right side of the shield-like shape, stopping at the score mark

Fold it over to align the glued half with the matching half shield

This is what it looks like from the front

A correctly folded star should be able to flatten to the right...

And the left

And fold flat at the center

Take out the front of the card

Apply glue to the entire bottom of the star

Place the star in the center of the card

Align the back shield-like shape with the very top of the card

Close the card, pressing down where the star is inside

Open the card, check to ensure the star is completely adhered to the card and centered

- CONSTRUCT THE CIRCUIT - The first part of the circuit instructions include diagrams with explanations and tips, the second part is a step-by-step building guide with photography.

A Simple Circuit: Battery, Switch, LED

The battery will be placed on the top right corner. The positive side touches the copper tape on the right.

The switch is a break in the copper tape and a patch to bridge the gap when the paper is squeezed.
The LED is placed on the vertical structure inside the star with the positive side (the longer wire on the LED) on the left. Electricity travels through the LED to the other side of the paper where more copper tape continues around to the negative side of the battery.

Cool. Now let's make it happen.

Start the circuit at the small horizontal guide line on the right side

Remove a 1/2 inch piece of the tape’s backing
Position that end just above the guide line
Slowly press the tape into place while peeling off the packing, band-aid style

Add another piece of copper tape starting just below the guide line as shown, continuing just beyond the center fold
Be sure this piece doesn’t touch the first one

Add a small piece of copper tape on the switch flap as shown

On the same flap, fold the tiny flaps up and down

Fold the switch flap over

Add a vertical piece as shown

Hold the LED with the long wire (the "+" side) on the left

Hang the LED over the center of the star structure, making sure the long wire is on the left

Collapse the star structure to the right, exposing the LED's wire resting on the copper tape from the first step

Connect the wire to the circuit with a piece of copper tape

Add two more pieces on top to ensure a good connection

Add another piece of copper tape as reinforcement as it passes over the center fold of the card

Also reinforce both connections with clear tape

Collapse the star structure to the left

Attach the other LED wire with three pieces of copper tape

Add another piece as shown, be sure to make it long enough to come close to, but not touch the other copper tape

Add a horizontal piece as shown

Reinforce those connections with clear tape

Continue the circuit to meet the battery at the top right as shown

Reinforce the connection with clear tape

Fold the top flap over

Place the battery on top of the flap, "+" side up

Secure with a binder clip

OK! Test that circuit! (Press the switch)

Didn’t light up?

Make sure the electricity has an uninterrupted path from the positive side of the battery to the negative when the switch is closed.
The switch makes a good “bridge” between the gap in the copper tape ( try bridging the gap with a scrap piece of copper tape).
Check that the LED has a good connection to the copper tape, and be sure that the tape is not going over the paper to connect to the other side creating a short circuit.
Be sure the battery is installed with the “+” facing up – if the circuit works with the bottom facing up, the LED is in the wrong way and needs to be installed with the long wire on the left.
… more troubleshooting coming soon!

- Almost there: Making the Tree -

Take out the green paper, making sure it's folded so that the words are readable (not backwards)

Fold each branch along the score line, starting at the top

Fold the tree flat again, then turn it over

Repeat the same on this side

Flatten the tree again...

... and open the page

Push down on the bottom of the card below the tree, then fold like a card inward

Put down a scrap piece of paper
Apply glue to the perimeter of the card, including on top of the switch and above the star
Use a cotton swab to apply glue to the tight places if you have one