OMG, that's SUPER helpful! I do have some follow-up questions, actually!

I select a bulb with pins (instead of a bayonet base) that allows me to directly solder wires to it.

So maybe I'm not putting in the right search terms because when I do "12vdc led bulbs pins warm white dimmable" and search, I get mostly halogen two prong bulbs. BUT that got me thinking... Why don't I use those, because those are already set for 110V? I found these, let's say I pair those with these sockets, then I guess I wouldn't even need to do the 110/220VAC>12VDC adapter... right?

In this configuration, I guess I would then just splice them together and then connect them to the ceiling. The only thing I'd still have to figure out is where my ground wire goes that comes out of the ceiling given that I would only have a pos and neg wire from the halogen bulb connections...

So I guess now my question is a) does that sound right and maybe simpler than the 12V route? or b) any tips on how I can find those DC12V led bulbs you mentioned? Sorry! Just probably not searching for the right things.

Again, so grateful for the detailed explanation and advice!

Thanks! Ok, that was super helpful... In that case, maybe you are right and I shouldn't play with high voltage either.

So let's say I use the bulbs you linked:

I could still use these lamp sockets (so that I can switch them out easily if they ever need replacing, or I could solder and heat shrink, like you mentioned), extended with this pigtail wire if necessary, solder and heat shrink them together to splice them in line, ending with these pigtail to barrel plug wires, so that I can then use this inline dimmer, and then since the bulbs are 3W, this AC110V>DC12V adapter for up to 15W should work, no? Then connect the two AC wires from the adapter to the two wires coming from my ceiling and the ground wire to a metal part of the lamp.

Sound right?

​

Again, really appreciate you breaking this down!