A Light Bulb Moment

I have been trying to figure out a way to work hollow beads into a bangle for ages. Well, maybe not ages, but I have sketched several ideas. A couple have stuck with me, but none were gotta-go-make-that-right-now-or-I-can't-go-on-beading type of ideas. Oh you know those kinds of ideas... the ones that have you distractedly daydreaming about them so much you burn toast. I really love those kinds of ideas. When they stick with you like that, you know they are gonna be GREAT.

Anywho... hollows + bracelets... not that kind of idea up until recently. I took a batch of beads out of the kiln and this one little hollow didn't want to leave my hand. I kept putting it next to this or that, but it wasn't playing nice with the other beads. It was an individual and wanted to be by itself. It is spunky. It is also a little on the small side, so it couldn't be a focal on the chain, it would get lost. It needed to be a bracelet!!

Here is what I came up with... The Light Bulb Bangle. I don't like hollows spinning around on your wrist. It worries me. Beads are tough little buggers when they are annealled but they aren't indistructible. I fear one getting smack around a little too much and breaking. I decided a tight-ish oval banded bangle was the way to go. The oval shape keeps it from spinning on your wrist keeping the hollow front and center on the top... safe and sound. Who ever whacks the top of their wrist?

I am in love with this bangle. LOVE. It reminds me of bare light bulbs in basements, for some strange reason. It is also a play on words with the light bulb moment I had with the design... a hidden clasp. There is just enough tension to hook the clasp around the base of the beads. It hides the hook and gives even more attention to that pretty little bead. *sigh*



Edited to add a few photos of how it look when you wear it. Paired up with another cool design to be shared tomorrow :) Anyone know how hard it is to take a photo of your own wrist? Go ahead, try it... it is a pain in the backside.