# Easter Egg Light Stand ## Overview https://youtu.be/_5xFmBbUrjs Light up your favorite Easter eggs and display them for all to see! We'll make a simple paper-crafted stand from a dixie cup, hook up the NeoPixel lights, and choose colors with drag-and-drop code using Microsoft MakeCode. This is an easy, crafty project that's great to do with kids. Hook up the lights and let each egg's artist may choose the perfect color, or make the lights display a pretty animated rainbow. We've also included a 3D printed stand tutorial for those artists ready for the next level of awesomeness. This project is simple and fun, and kids will adore seeing their creations come to life with colored light. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/090/320/medium800/led_pixels_eastereggs_three.jpeg?1586817899) ## Parts Featured ### Circuit Playground Express [Circuit Playground Express](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3333) **Circuit Playground Express** is the next step towards a perfect introduction to electronics and programming. We've taken the original Circuit Playground Classic and made it even better! Not only did we pack even more sensors in, we also made it even easier to... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3333) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3333/guides) ![A Black woman's manicured hand holds a round microcontroller with lit up LEDs.](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/3333-05.jpg) Featured ### Adafruit NeoPixel LED Dots Strand - 20 LED 4" Pitch [Adafruit NeoPixel LED Dots Strand - 20 LED 4" Pitch](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3631) Attaching NeoPixel strips to your costume can be a struggle as the flexible PCBs can crack when bent too much. So how to add little dots of color? Use these stranded NeoPixel dots! They're very small, so they're easy to embed into any structure, costume, or wearable. Each dot is... Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3631) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3631/guides) ![Adafruit NeoPixel LED Dots Strand - 20 LEDs at 4 inch Pitch](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/3631-04.jpg) Featured ### Bolt-On Kit for Circuit Playground, micro:bit, Flora or Gemma [Bolt-On Kit for Circuit Playground, micro:bit, Flora or Gemma](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4103) You have a [Circuit Playground Express](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3333), and want to connect some wires to it for adding LEDs or sensors or speakers? You can use our nice alligator clips, but they are a little bulky. If you aren't quite ready to solder to your Playground,... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4103) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4103/guides) ![Close up angled shot of a LED strip attached and powered by a circuit playground. ](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/4103-06.jpg) ### You'll Also Need - Fresh Eggs (not hard-boiled) - Dixie Cups - Scissors - A needle or pin - An awl or other poking device - A small hammer ### Electronics Tools - [Wire Strippers](https://www.adafruit.com/product/527) - A small phillips head screwdriver # Easter Egg Light Stand ## Code with MakeCode Our first step is to get some code running on the Circuit Playground so that when we hook up the lights, we know if it's working. The easiest way to control these lights is with Microsoft MakeCode, a drag-and-drop online code editor. It's free and fun to use and will get you up and running in no time. You can click the code below and download it as-is, or you can follow along and code it yourself, choosing your favorite colors and adding your own customizations. To learn more about MakeCode from square one, we've got a great primer guide you can check out. [MakeCode Primer Guide](https://learn.adafruit.com/makecode) Here's the finished code for the easter egg project. Click the "edit" button in the upper right hand corner to open it up in MakeCode. https://makecode.com/_LesFT6d3UibL Take a look at the code. The column on the left are tabs that contain code snippets, and the area on the right is our workspace where we build the code. We've got two green blocks, called `on start` and `forever`. Anything inside `on start` happens once, when the Circuit Playground starts up, and anything in `forever` will run over and over, forever. In the `on start` block, we set up the NeoPixel strip on pin **A1** and tell it how many pixels we want to light up, and then also set the brightness of the strip.  ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/090/313/medium800/led_pixels_makecode_eastereggs.jpg?1586815243) In the `forever` block, we tell each of our 4 pixels what color we want it to be. Notice that the first pixel is numbered 0. This is how computers count -- starting with 0 instead of 1 -- so pixel number 0 will be the first pixel in our strip. Whatever color you'd like for that first pixel, put it in the 0 block. You can change the colors of each of the pixels here, or copy and paste the block to add more pixels. Just make sure each pixel has a unique number so you aren't trying to tell a pixel to be two colors at once. The fourth pixel in the strip (pixel number 3, as computers count) is set up to animate like a rainbow. We've made a variable called `hue`, and every time the code runs, the hue number changes by one. The code is running over and over very fast, so by changing the `hue` variable we can change the color of the light. If you change the variable by more (maybe by 2, or 3, or even 20) then the light will change colors much more quickly. You could also slow down the color change by going to the **LOOPS** tab and getting a `pause 100ms` block, and putting it inside your `forever` loop. Then, every time the code runs, it will put a little pause in there to slow things down. ![led_pixels_pause100.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/090/327/medium640/led_pixels_pause100.jpg?1586822312) ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/090/314/medium800/led_pixels_easteregg_unicorn.jpeg?1586815827) ## Download your Code Once you've got the colors you want for each pixel, click the Download link in the lower left corner. A file will be saved onto your computer. Plug your Circuit Playground into your computer with a good USB cable. (Some cables are charge-only, so if you're not seeing results, try a different cable) The lights on the Circuit Playground will turn green. (If they don't, press the tiny "reset" button in the middle of the board.) A drive will appear on your computer called **CPLAYBOOT**. Drag the file you just downloaded onto this drive. That's it! Your Circuit Playground is programmed. Time to hook up the lights. ## Troubleshooting If you're having trouble, [head over to this MakeCode guide](https://learn.adafruit.com/makecode/downloading-and-flashing) for lots more instructions and things to try. ## Next Steps There are so many things you can do with MakeCode. Check out our [Make it Glow - NeoPixel Basics guide](https://learn.adafruit.com/make-it-glow-your-first-neopixel-project) for a whole lot more ideas and code samples.  Have fun choosing colors for each of your eggs! # Easter Egg Light Stand ## Wiring Diagram ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/090/293/medium800/led_pixels_neopixel_dots_wiring.jpg?1586794416) Your NeoPixel strand has 3 wires. The red wire will connect to **VOUT** , the middle wire to **A1** , and the third wire to **GND**. Be sure you're connecting to the correct end of the strip! Always connect to the **IN** end. If you connect to the other end of the strip, it won't light up.  The **IN** end is usually the end with the male connector, but not always - sometimes a shipment of lights will be wired up differently, so it always pays to check. If you lay out the strip as shown in the wiring diagram, with the red wire closest to you and the pixels face-up, you should have it correct. # Easter Egg Light Stand ## Connect the Lights ### Find the IN End NeoPixel dots have the word **IN** printed on the back of the pixel on one side. It's hard to see. If you can't tell, and you're just not sure, lay the pixel dots face up with the strip flowing away from you. If the red wire is on the left, you're holding the **IN** end. If it's on the right, you're holding **OUT**. Or look for the male connector, it's usually on the **IN** end. ![leds_direction_dots.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/090/106/medium640/leds_direction_dots.jpg?1585865529) ## Hooking Up with the Bolt-On Kit Get out your bolt-on kit. It comes with four screws and four bolts that are just the right size to fit through the Circuit Playground's mounting holes. We'll need just three of them (so if you dropped one on the floor and lost it in the carpet, no worries). ![leds_06_bolt-on_kit_cpx.jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/090/109/medium640/leds_06_bolt-on_kit_cpx.jpeg?1585866690) Once you've found the **IN** end of your strip, cut off the connector. Pull the three wires apart a bit so you have a least a half inch of free wire to work with. Then use your wire strippers to strip about 1/4" of shielding off each of these three wires. ![led_pixels_00_connector.jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/090/304/medium640/led_pixels_00_connector.jpeg?1586814069) Twist the stripped wires together. The red wire goes to **VOUT** , the middle wire to **A1** , and the remaining wire goes to **GND.** ![led_pixels_01_bolts.jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/090/306/medium640/led_pixels_01_bolts.jpeg?1586814109) Now, stick the bolts through the holes and secure them with the little nuts on the back. It helps to use a screwdriver to tighten them down. You don't need them to be super tight -- finger-tight is fine. The idea is just to hold the wires firmly in place against the pads. ![led_pixels_02_bolted.jpeg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/090/307/medium640/led_pixels_02_bolted.jpeg?1586814128) Power up your Circuit Playground with the USB cable and watch the lights glow! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/090/315/medium800/led_pixels_pixels_lit.png?1586816194) ## Troubleshooting If your lights aren't working, here are some things to check: 1. Are you connected to the "in" end of the strip?  2. Are any of your wires loose or touching other pads? Being tidy with the wires will help a lot. 3. Did you double check your wiring? Red goes to **VOUT** , the middle wire to **A1** , and the other wire to **GND**. 4. Try uploading your code again, and be sure the code is looking for a light strand on pin **A1**. # Easter Egg Light Stand ## Assembly Check out the video at the beginning of the guide for a full walk-through. Here are the steps you'll follow: ## Prepare the Egg Shell 1. Make a tiny pin-sized hole in the top of the egg. It's easier to do this if the egg is sitting inside your dixie cup. 2. Turn the egg over and make a larger hole at the bottom of the egg. This hole should be a little bigger than the size of the NeoPixel dot. 3. Blow the egg out through the pin hole. 4. Decorate your egg however you like! Don't worry if you break it -- sometimes the broken eggs are the most beautiful.  There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.  ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/090/316/medium800/led_pixels_easteregg_cracks.jpeg?1586816706) ## Make the Base 1. Cut a circular hole in the bottom of the Dixie cup 2. Cut around the cup about 3/4 inch from the bottom, so your stand is short enough that the light will reach inside the egg 3. Cut out slots in both sides for the wire to feed through 4. Place the base over the light, and the egg on top of the base so the hole aligns with the LED, and watch your egg glow. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/090/317/medium800/led_pixels_easteregg_mountain.jpeg?1586816758) # Easter Egg Light Stand ## 3D Printed Stand https://youtu.be/0WlYcR4cjWA The video above details how I created the light stand using [Tinkercad](http://www.tinkercad.com), a free online 3D design program. You can follow along and make your own stand, or download mine below: [Egg Light Stand](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/090/318/original/Egg_Light_Holder_%281%29.stl?1586817747) I printed this one in gold PLA filament, with supports turned on. It turned out just lovely! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/090/319/medium800/led_pixels_eastereggs_three.jpeg?1586817859) ## Parts ## Guide Products ### Circuit Playground Express [Circuit Playground Express](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3333) **Circuit Playground Express** is the next step towards a perfect introduction to electronics and programming. We've taken the original Circuit Playground Classic and made it even better! Not only did we pack even more sensors in, we also made it even easier to... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3333) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3333/guides) ### Adafruit NeoPixel LED Dots Strand - 20 LED 4" Pitch [Adafruit NeoPixel LED Dots Strand - 20 LED 4" Pitch](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3631) Attaching NeoPixel strips to your costume can be a struggle as the flexible PCBs can crack when bent too much. So how to add little dots of color? Use these stranded NeoPixel dots! They're very small, so they're easy to embed into any structure, costume, or wearable. Each dot is... Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3631) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3631/guides) ### Bolt-On Kit for Circuit Playground, micro:bit, Flora or Gemma [Bolt-On Kit for Circuit Playground, micro:bit, Flora or Gemma](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4103) You have a [Circuit Playground Express](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3333), and want to connect some wires to it for adding LEDs or sensors or speakers? You can use our nice alligator clips, but they are a little bulky. If you aren't quite ready to solder to your Playground,... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4103) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4103/guides) ### Pink and Purple Braided USB A to Micro B Cable - 2 meter long [Pink and Purple Braided USB A to Micro B Cable - 2 meter long](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4148) This cable is super-fashionable with a woven pink and purple Blinka-like pattern! First let's talk about the cover and over-molding. We got these in custom colors, and if you _have_ to have visible cables, then you might as well have the nicest fabric-bound... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4148) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4148/guides) ### PLA/PHA Filament for 3D Printers - 1.75mm Diameter - 1KG [PLA/PHA Filament for 3D Printers - 1.75mm Diameter - 1KG](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2338) Having a 3D printer without filament is sort of like having a regular printer without paper or ink. And while a lot of printers come with some filament there's a good chance you've been printing up a storm and need something new. That's why we've started carrying a complete... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2338) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2338/guides) ### Monoprice Inventor II 3D Printer with Touchscreen and WiFi [Monoprice Inventor II 3D Printer with Touchscreen and WiFi](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3897) The **Monoprice Inventor II 3D Printer Touchscreen with WiFi** is a perfect entry-level 3D printer with small footprint and reliable performance. It comes equipped with WiFi so you don't need a cable tether and a lovely 3.5" color touchscreen for settings & feedback.... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3897) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3897/guides) ## Related Guides - [Adafruit Circuit Playground Express](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-circuit-playground-express.md) - [Circuit Playground + CircuitPython Quickstart Guide](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-express-circuitpython-5-minute-guide.md) - [Sparkle Skirt Playground](https://learn.adafruit.com/sparkle-skirt-playground.md) - [CircuitPython Snow Globe](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuitpython-snow-globe.md) - [Crickit Harmonic Drawing Machine](https://learn.adafruit.com/crickit-harmonic-drawing-machine.md) - [Scratch 3 Walkthrough and Demo](https://learn.adafruit.com/guide-to-scratch-3.md) - [How to Choose a Microcontroller](https://learn.adafruit.com/how-to-choose-a-microcontroller.md) - [Circuit Playground Express Serial Communications](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-playground-express-serial-communications.md) - [Dance-Reactive Tutu Sparkle Skirt](https://learn.adafruit.com/dance-reactive-tutu-sparkle-skirt.md) - [Illuminated City Skyline with MakeCode](https://learn.adafruit.com/city-skyline-with-makecode-for-cpx.md) - [Quickstart using Adafruit eInk/ePaper displays with CircuitPython](https://learn.adafruit.com/quickstart-using-adafruit-eink-epaper-displays-with-circuitpython.md) - [Paper Craft Zoetrope with Crickit](https://learn.adafruit.com/paper-craft-zoetrope-with-circuit-python.md) - [MX MIDI Guitar](https://learn.adafruit.com/mx-midi-guitar.md) - [Snow Globe with Circuit Playground Bluefruit](https://learn.adafruit.com/snow-globe-bluefruit-cpb.md) - [The Scream: Interactive Screaming Painting](https://learn.adafruit.com/the-scream-munch-screaming-interactive-scream-painting.md) - [League of Legends Level Trophy for PyPortal](https://learn.adafruit.com/league-of-legends-level-trophy-for-pyportal.md)