Introduction: The Inspirator

About: Have been called a "Mad Genius" of Interior Design. Love a challenge, especially upcycling trash. Have more ideas/day than Trump has lawsuits. Diagnosed with Parkinson's 6 years ago. The body goes to hell, …

Inspiration Creator-INSPIRATOR!

Did you ever have one of those weeks where everything you touch turns to crap? We're talking Country Music Bad (i.e. got left at the altar, dog ran away, wrecked my truck, etc).

It's been one of those weeks for me, and I needed some inspiration. I tried the usual suspects: tin foil hat, hanging crystals, Tequila, but nothing worked.

Whilst puttering around my studio, I came across one of many projects on hold: a wire whisk with its end cut and splayed open like a flower. "A head scratcher" I thought. Putting my theory to the test, whisk on my head, inspiration struck (and my sense of humor) kicked in. What I needed was a literal light bulb over my head to jump start the creative process. The INSPIRATOR was born!

At first this was just a joke, a light bulb stuck to the end of a whisk, attached to my head (I've done worse). Then I noticed I had some lamp kit material and, well you know.........

I'm doing this as an 'ible' because we all need a good laugh. Hopefully, you're laughing with me, or at least near me.

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

· Dollar Tree wire whisk

· Ear plugs

· Chandelier socket, 40 watt bulb and lamp cord (Disclaimer: I am not an electrician-I've only wired a few lamps. If you've never done any electrical work, please consult a professional. There is potential for electrical shock if not done properly.)

· Electrical tape

· Ear plugs or duct tape to cover the sharp ends of the cut whisk

· wrench (plumbers if you have one) or pliers

· Wire cutter

· Wire stripper

· Phillips head screwdriver

· Decor items of your choosing

Step 2: Prep Your Whisk

Start by removing the end of the whisk with the hanging loop. It helps to clamp the whisk down, just be sure to wrap it in something to keep it from scratching. Using a plumbers wrench or pliers, grasp the loop and start to rotate it back and forth. Once you get it started it should easily pull out.

Using your wire cutters, snip the ends of the loops that make up the whisk. These are sharp (head scratcher-bad idea). If you're worried about hurting yourself, wrap the ends with duct tape now.

Step 3: Wire Your Socket

By checking with my local professionals at Lowes (and the internet), I learned that a standard lamp cord can handle 110 watts. I wanted a socket that would fit into the handle of the whisk. A chandelier socket was my only choice. And the bulbs that fit were only 40 watts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqsQGW5k1Y0 This is just one of many good videos on youtube about wiring light sockets. It's more than you need, but good to know.

Take your lamp cord and split the first couple of inches as you have 2 screws to attach them to. With a wire stripper, pull the casing off the first inch. Loosen the 2 screws on the socket and wrap the exposed wire around the screw. Tighten screws down. I wrapped most of the socket in electrical tape for insulation and to make it snug inside the whisk handle. Once it's wrapped, screw in your bulb and plug it in to test. (If you don't need your bulb to light up, you can skip this step and just shove the socket and bulb into the whisk handle). If it works, insert the socket and bulb into the handle. The lamp cord will hand down the back.

Step 4: Protect Your Head

Those wire ends are sharp and need to be covered. I happened to have earplugs lying around, so I inserted the sharp ends into the earplugs. You could also wrap the ends in duct tape. I recommend duct tape over electrical tape because it's stickier and will stay in place better than the electrical.

Step 5: Embellish

It don't mean a thing if it aint got that bling.........

Give your INSPIRATOR some personality. I didn't like the look of the earplugs by themselves, so after several options I ended up crocheting covers for them (sorry, no tutorial on that). They look like giant raspberries, but they matched the pink rhinestones I had!!!!! I added the label so people wouldn't think I was completely nuts. But as I just wrote an entire 'ible' on a wearable light bulb on your head............You be the judge.

Hope this brightened your day. Remember, Don't hide your light under a bushel!

I'm here all week, try the veal and don't forget to tip your wait staff :)