How to Hollow a G40 Lightbulb (photograph tutorial)

Greetings, ladies and gentlemen.  Today we explore the mechanics of hollowing out a G40 lightbulb.  First you get your tools.  My favorite three are a small screwdriver, pliers, and a pocket knife. You will need sandpaper or steel wool for the last steps.
It is also advised you use gloves.  I forgot to use them for most of the pictures.  Don't follow my bad example.

 Since I do this all the time, I have used a plastic bin for all the lightbulb guts and broken glass.  The towel is to help decrease the spread of glass, should it spill onto the floor.

The first thing you do is peel that copper plating off with the pliers.  Simple enough.

I forgot to take a picture of the black glass underneath the plating being broken, but it's quite all right.  This is what the lightbulb looks like minus the copper plating and black glass (it is actually kind of purple...)

I use my pliers to bend the metal edge on the inside back against the inside of the base so it will not cut anyone (especially if this is to be used for a fish!)

This is the part where I break the glass tube you saw two pictures ago with the wire.  It releases the pressure and argon gas (harmless, no worries) and makes the lightbulb a lot less likely to break from here on out.  After the tube is broken, I disconnect the two wires on the inside and poke the glass where the tube was.  Eventually I have broken most of the glass and it looks something like this:

Looks pretty rough, eh?

 Poke it some more, then start smoothing it with the knife.  Can't have any sharp edges!

 Maybe you shouldn't do this part... But I have to be positive that the inside is not going to cut a fish or you, so I feel around the inside where I just smoothed the glass to make sure it's all good.

Looks pretty good!

Introducing... lightbulb guts!  These are shaken out of the lightbulb into my plastic bin.

 See that?  That's solder.  Someone did a terrible looking job, too.  Well, this has the chance of having lead in it, so it's gotta go.

I remembered my gloves at this point.. 
Basically, pry the solder off.  Be careful with that knife, though.  If it slips, you might not have a finger anymore.  USE GLOVES.

 Time for the steel wool!  It looks nasty where the solder was if you don't use it.  Kind of a burnt look.

 This has got to go too.  Use the steel wool, but gently.  Don't be scared of a few hardly visible scratches.  It looks better than this stamp, I think.

 You should be done now!  Congratulations!  A hollow lightbulb.  Great for a number of uses.

 Yeah, sometimes they break.  It's all right.  It happens.  (this was the second lightbulb I hollowed that day)

I often turn these into fishbowls.  They're a perfect size for a female betta (a small male betta works too!)  If it becomes one of my fish's homes, I usually will stick a bit of bamboo or rooted plant in there as well.  The fishes like to swim about in the root systems, and it keeps the lightbulb clean so I don't have to change the water as often.  Plants love ammonia, interestingly, and will thrive on the waste of the fish, including any uneaten food.  Works out great!  Kind of like a mini ecosystem...

If you are interested in seeing this fishbowl actually being used as such, I have some for sale here.

Skirt-Pants

So the neat thing about this idea is you get to see the beginning stages.

The idea: Pants created from skirts (whether second hand, vintage, or otherwise).

My inspiration was from The King and I. The men in the movie wore awesome pants, so while watching it, my mind went to work on how they were made.
I concluded that they are basically skirts. The front hem tucked into the back waistband.
Like so:


If you notice, they look like your traditional style of harem pants from the front.
I think he may have pulled some of the fabric up to the front waistband to create that flow look.


Pay close attention to the bottom hem in these two pictures.

See how it is wrapped between the legs and is tucked in the waistband? The hem certainly suggests so.

After the movie was over, I immediately went to my cedar wardrobe and took out any skirts with potential. One worked perfectly. Of course, I did not achieve the exact same look. I would need a skirt with a wider bottom hem. But I can definitely see that it works from my experiments. Here are a few pictures:



I've worn these pants twice and got compliments both times!
I am finding, though, that something to hold the hems in place (the one inside and the one tucked into the waistband) would be nice. I have to periodically adjust them so that the pant legs are even.
But other than that, they're great! I love them!

What do you guys think? :)

I need a brain-hurricane.

After a while of making the same thing, I get bored with it. It doesn't take very long, either.
And after I've been bored with something for a while, if I continue to create it, I will come to dread it.

So that's when I create something new.

I'm at that point right now.
I need a new idea.
I keep slowly raising my lightbulb prices so that I will get less orders, and those that I do get will be more worth my time, effort, and boredom.

I have a few idea hatchlings.

One is a series of phone/iPod sleeves.
Maybe even play with a Macbook sleeve idea.

Recently, I had an idea for turning skirts into cool pants (kind of like the style of "harem pants," but think more of The King and I).
Only problem is that only certain skirts will work with this idea, and where I live, those kinds of skirts (and related clothing, for that matter) are rather scarce.

Another idea is sandals. I want to make myself a pair of really neat sandals with leather straps and tire tread for the soles.
If I manage to perfect the design, I could make them to sell.

I still like the bookbinding idea for journals and sketchbooks. I had fun with the two that I bound. Only problem is, I have been so busy lately, I have forgotten to purchase the proper supplies (online, since my town doesn't have any neat craft stores like Joann's Fabrics and Crafts or Michael's or A.C. Moore or ANYTHING). So we'll see if that idea ever becomes anything great.

Any of you got any ideas? I am open to anything. :)


P.S. A "brain-hurricane" is similar to a brainstorm, only much more forceful and ideaful.

Of Fish and Hippies

Well, about a fortnight ago, my Lightbulb Fishbowl was featured on Etsy Finds. This resulted in a torrent of sales and quite a few convos.
Several of the convos were pleas for me to take the fishbowls off Etsy and reconsider what I was promoting.

And after a lot of thought (and I mean a LOT), I have decided that I'm going to keep the fishbowls on Etsy (I did take them off for a while).
I have had fish for years. I love fish. Betta fish are one of my favorites because they are so versatile and live in such a variety of containers happily. I have kept them in old lanterns, antique soda bottles, jars, vases, and other such neat glassware. They've lived as long as the average betta should. They seem happy.

My newest idea was a lightbulb. And I haven't put them in the standard size lightbulb. That seems a bit small. But the vanity type lightbulbs... And the G40 kind (they hold about a quart of water) seem to do nicely. My fish are happy in there. And contrary to popular belief, they are quite easy to care for in a lightbulb.

Example:
Water changing. Simply pour out the desired amount (you can strain it through a fork if you're worried your fish may try swimming out (I've never had any trouble with it, though)) and fill it back up. With filtered water, of course. I read someone used a funnel for this.

Getting the fish in the lightbulb is not hard either. It is so easy if you put the fish in a bag (or if he/she came in a bag) and simply pour it in the opening. I always advise doing this over the sink or bathtub as a precaution. The person who used a funnel for pouring in water also used it to pour in their fish. I've never tried it myself, but it sounds like a nice easy alternative to the bag!

Oh, and if you are worried about an ammonia build-up, change the water more often! I'm lazy, though, and use carbon rocks which soak up the ammonia wonderfully (electric filters in most aquariums use carbon gravel stuff for this very purpose). Of course I do still change the water. But the rocks really do help!

Many of the naysayers who contacted me a fortnight ago would say something about cruelty... Either the fishbowl being cruel, or me.
Well, anyone who knows me, knows that I am not a cruel person... I love my animals SO much. Ask anyone who is even somewhat acquainted with me. I would never intentionally hurt any animal, and certainly not repeatedly over the course of many years.

I do not believe what I am doing is wrong or cruel.
Sorry if what I'm doing doesn't float your boat.
I have a vase version of the fishbowls still up for you who don't like it.

But anyhow...
Good day to you, and Happy Earth Day!

-Star

Featured in an Etsy Treasury!

Well here's another Etsy Treasury feature. Though it is not for the lightbulb vase! It is for my peacock feather pen! I'm amazed how much more popular it is than my other feather pens. It's like the complete opposite than what my mother said.

Oh, here's the link, if you're interested:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=118839

The Process of Creating: Feather Pens

So the other day, I had a new idea. An improvement on feather pens. You know the kind of feather pens you see nowadays that are basically an ink pen with a feather attached. Those are all fine and dandy, but the majority of them just look too girly... Too many pastel colors and ribbons. Yeah. Not for me.

I had a length of wire sitting around on my desk next to my sewing machine that I had saved because I didn't want to waste it. Then the idea clicked... Wire wrap the feathers onto the pen!
I tried it. And it looked pretty classy, I must say. My mom liked the idea when I showed her the ostrich feather pen I had created. She wanted to buy it from me, even. Interestingly, she didn't like the peacock feather pen I made next. She thought it looked too unique. But when I put the feather pens on Etsy, the first one to sell was my peacock feather pen!

I also have made an inkwell made out of a small lightbulb that's just perfect with these pens. I made it the same way I make the lightbulb vases here.

Lately, I've added a touch of super glue to these pens to insure the feathers stay exactly where I want them.

Also, one of the great things about my feather pens is that they're easily refillable if they run out of ink! I use Pilot G-2 07 pens and you can buy ink refills at Walmart. So they're eco-friendly as well as classy!

The Process of Creating: Grapevine Bracelets

Ah, grapevine bracelets. You know, these don't really take much effort to make. The hardest part is sizing and smoothing the vines, I think.

I first came up with this idea while walking around outside around our grapevines and thinking about wreaths. I was looking for materials to make jewelry out of at the time and cut myself a length of grapevine to play with. With little thought at all, I fashioned it into a mini-wreath and put it on my wrist. I liked the look.. Very earthy and organic.
So I made a second one (slightly larger (for a fellow I never saw again)) and took my creations inside.


It didn't take much wearing before I noticed that the bracelet was indeed a little scratchy... I took out my pocket knife to smooth vine (there are all manner of bumps and protrusions and the like on grapevines). After smoothing and trying it on several times, I had a bracelet that was comfortable as well as groovy! I did the same to the second bracelet and set it aside (it stayed on my dresser for quite a while before it dried out in the wrong shape from not being worn and I eventually just threw it away).


So here I am, almost three years later, still wearing a bracelet (and two others) that I made not long after those first two. They're extremely durable bracelets; I've certainly been rough with them.
I've found that the more you wear them, the better they look. The oils from your skin sort of finish and polish the wood. After a few months, they really look nice. I still get compliments on my bracelets. :)


Also, after a bit of experimentation, I figured a sizing scale that works with most people (double jointed people are an exception as they can fit almost anything on or off their wrists).
So basically, the inside diameter of the bracelet should be a centimeter smaller than the measure of your palm from forefinger to pinky (at the base). This picture might help:





So my palm is about 7 centimeters. So I'd choose the 6 centimeter diameter bracelet.
Now, this sizing has an exception. If you plan to take it off often (if you play sports or something where you can't wear any type of jewelry), this bracelet sizing should work fine for you.
However, if you plan wearing yours ALL the time, 24/7, 365, then you may as well choose a bracelet that's 1 1/2 centimeters smaller than your wrist. It may take a few seconds to get on, but it won't be coming off unless you want it to. The bracelets I wear are that size because that's exactly what I do. I wear them ALLLLL the time.

And hey, these are easily unisex, too. My best friend has 2 (three at one time) that I made for him that he wears all the time. If he were around right now, I'd photograph his wrist so you can see how manly they look.


Anyhow, there's my story on the Intertwined Grapevine Bracelets. You can find them on my Etsy if you want to see more pictures.




Have you made anything different than wreaths with grapevines? And if you haven't, got any awesome ideas?

The Process of Creating: Lightbulb Vases

My favorite redesigning idea is my Lightbulb Vase from the Clear Thinking series I've started which is comprised of ideas for recycling lightbulbs.

I started with a burnt out lightbulb. It was the soft white type. I had found an article online that showed a detailed process of how to hollow and clean an incandescent lightbulb and used it to help me with my first lightbulb.

I carefully hollowed it out with my pliers and a small screwdriver, then cleaned it by swishing some sand around the inside of the bulb. After rinsing it thoroughly, I let it dry as I brain hurricaned a way to make it stand upside down freely. I did not really ever like the wire idea (though some look pretty neat-o), so I was thinking more along the lines of something glued on the bottom..
I used a nickel the first time. Hot glued it to the center of the top (now bottom) of the lightbulb.
After a little thought, I realized if I planned to make several of these, a nickel may not be the best idea...
So I went to my Dad's toolbox and found a washer when I made my second vase. It worked marvelously! When I showed him my creation, he said he had some larger washers at the shop that I could use, and those worked even more wonderfully!

So after critiquing my design, I made a listing on my Etsy and have sold three since January! My vase also has over 300 views and has been hearted over 20 times! It excites me that it has received so much attention.

I will experiment with different lightbulb sizes for different uses. I have a smaller lightbulb I made into an ink well of sorts (well, it's more of a pen rest, or pen home). I really like it and hope it becomes equally popular as the vase.
I recently chanced upon two burnt out frosted glass lightbulbs that are the same size as my standard lightbulb vases... I'll have to put up a listing for them.

Have any ideas, tips, or tricks for recycling or redesigning lightbulbs?

And incidentally... If you attempt to hollow out a lightbulb yourself, please, PLEASE wear eye protection and wrap the lightbulb in a towel while you're working with it to make sure you don't cut your hands (or make a huge mess) if the lightbulb breaks.

A beginning:

Well, I'm starting this blog to share my process of redesigning and creating items that I either use to my own advantage, or share with the world via Etsy.
I also may share bits of diet-related ramble or just life philosophies.
It's a journey and an adventure; we'll see how it goes!
Feel free to share your own experiences and ideas along the way. I love hearing from people!

Here's to the adventure,
Star