Introduction: Elf on the Shelf House

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To get in the Christmas spirit, I made a house for the famous elf on the shelf. Made with a Circuit Playground Bluefruit, this interactive house has led animations when the doorknob is touched and allows the user to adjust the brightness of the lights.

Supplies

  • Acrylic 
  • Adafruit LED Dots Strand
  • Alligator Clips
  • Baltic Birchwood (¼” or ⅛” works)
  • Battery Pack
  • Cardboard
  • Elf on the Shelf
  • Glue
  • Laser Cutter
  • Paint & Brushes
  • Potentiometer
  • Pin-to-Pin wires
  • Speaker
  • Stickers
  • Wrapping Paper

Step 1: Laser Cut

Use a laser cutter to cut baltic birchwood into a house. The template I used is attached above.

Attachments

Step 2: Paint & Glue House Together

Paint and put the house together- you can do it in either order. I used hot glue but you can use superglue or wood glue as well. I left the bottom of the house out so I could put my wires in it. Then you can decorate it as you please!

Step 3: Music

Download music in wav file format. Use audacity to convert them into acceptable CPB format.

I've attached the ones I used. Load these or your own into your CPB under a folder called "christmas."

Attachments

Step 4: Code

Code your animations! The potentiometer is coded to turn the brightness up or down. My code is above (feel free to reference or copy all of it). Load the code into your CPB.

Attachments

Step 5: Attach Everything to the CPB

Attach the potentiometer, led dots strand, speaker, battery pack and pin to pin wire to the cpb. Glue the led dots strand around the house. The potentiometer goes through the bigger hole in the door and the pin to pin wire goes through the doorknob hole.

Step 6: Cut Out Cardboard

Cut out the cardboard, wrap it in wrapping paper and cut holes for the house's legs.

Step 7: Place House

Place house on cardboard with all wires inside the house. Leave the battery pack and speaker outside of the house so you can switch them on/off. Place elf on the shelf on the roof or chimney.

Step 8: Try It Out!

Turn on the battery pack and the speaker- then try it out! Here's a video demonstration.