Candy Bright! Art With Jelly Candies!

I remember when I was a young child my parents got my sister and I both a Lite Brite, simple creative fun that allows you to color with light!

I love the candies Mike and Ike, very much like a jelly candy, but longer in shape. For the candy contest I recreated a Light box and drilled a game board to allow me to relive my past with a simple "Candy Bright"! As the light is turned on the jelly candies act like a small LED or light bulb creating a colorful glow. Place the candies int a shape of your choosing to create fun eatable art!

With simple poster board, a old candy land game board, tissue paper, a LED light bulb with plastic base and cord you to can create this classic toy from the 60's and with the option to eat your art at the end!

LED light bulb, do not use a regular bulb, it will get too hot

Bulb base with power cord

poster board (for the housing)

a drill with a 3/8" drill bit

two boxes of multi color "Mike and Ike" candies

tissue paper (Black worked the best)

hot glue gun

glue sticks for the glue gun

a razor

a ruler

scissors

tape, electrical

screw driver

Two sheets of graph paper

Thick cardboard, I used an old game board (ironically it was from the game Candyland! )

I measured out using graph paper each location I was going to drill allowing enough space between the drill hole that they would not touch. I used a punch and hammer to carefully start a hole and to allow me to drill with out the graph paper (as it would just tear up and you would loose your markings).

After a punch for each hole I drilled using a Three-Flat Step Drill Bit, up to the 3/8 inch hole size.

The design has an angel front surface for the light box so it is easier to push the candies into the tissue paper. With that in mind I drew out the box on the poster board and cut out the sections not needed to make a box for the light. I used a razor and a straight ruler to map out and then cut my poster board. I used the drilled board to make the measurements on the poster board.

Wiring a basic light bulb base, a power cord and an LED light bulb I made the light.

Warning: you are not comfortable using AC power and know how to wire a lamp base please get help from a knowledgeable person who understands electricity and safety.

Cut the cord if needed and strip the wires back, remove the ground wire if the power cord has one because my base doesn't have a mount lug for the ground. It only has the hot and neutral lines screw lugs.

After getting your light your board and housing ready, Fold the poster board into a box, glue the drilled board around all the seams and place the base of the bulb to the back of the housing, allowing the light to shine on to the back of the drilled board.

I tested my light to make sure it would lite up before closing up the rest of the housing. I left a small section on the back that I could reach my hand in if I needed to replace the bulb, but it is an LED so I don't see that happening anytime soon!

I used electrical tape (Green tape) to strengthen all poster board seems and to give it some color. You can use what ever tape you would like, as it is just to give strength to the seem.

Cut to size the tissue paper and then tacked the top to hold the tissue in place.

I doubled my tissue, and found my black tissue paper worked best for blocking the holes not used in your colorful art designs.

Be creative and poke your candy into the selected hole. Watch the candy light up and create a fun, light filled art piece that is edible!

I created a Fall leaf, but the designs are infinite! Draw out your design and flow the lines to make your drawing light up! Make fun holiday scenes, or fun pattern designs, it is up to you... have fun and create!