Luxe Jewelry blog

THE Philippine National Police (PNP)has announced the arrest of the leader of the bloody Valentine bombing that killed three persons in Makati City.Dinno-Amor Rosalejos Pareja, the leader of the Rajah Solaiman Movement, a group of Christians who had converted to become Islamic militants, was captured at his hideout in Sitio Tuca, Dayawan, Marawi City on Friday, national police chief Director General Jesus Verzosa told a news conference Wednesday.

In his message, Verzosa immediately commended operatives of the Intelligence Group and the Lanao del Sur Police for the arrest of Pareja, who is known to have links with the Abu Sayyaf, Jemaah Islamiah and the al-Qaeda terrorist organizations.

Verzosa said the US Department of Defense had offered a $90,000 reward for information leading to the tiffany and co arrest of the suspect. He also turned over P.5 million to the informant who supplied vital information leading to the arrest of Pareja.

“I am very glad to acknowledge the help of our confidential informant who provided the information that made this operation possible. Thus, I am turning over the amount of P500,000 cash offered by the DILG [Department of the Interior and Local Government] as reward for the information that led to the arrest of the wanted terrorist suspect,” the national police chief said.

Verzosa described Pareja as a skilled bomb-maker who was trained by Dulmatin and Umar Patek, both Jemaah Islamiah militants who fled Indonesia to the Philippines to escape prosecution for the deadly 2002 Bali bombings.

Also known as Khalil Pareja, Abu Jihad and Al-Luzoni, the suspect is to stand trial in connection with the bombing in Manila’s financial district on Valentine’s Day in 2005. On that day, three persons were killed and several others wounded when an improvised explosive device was detonated inside a passenger bus traveling along EDSA in Makati City.

Pareja will also be tried for the 2005 twin bombings in Zamboanga that wounded 26 civilians and left 10 soldiers of the 71st Infantry Battalion in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, dead.

The same year the suspect took part in a “failed bombing operation” codenamed “Big Bang” that targeted Manila silver rings establishments frequented by Americans and other foreigners, Verzosa said.

In March 2005, he fled to Central Mindanao and joined the group of the late Abu Sayyaf leader, Khaddafy Janjalani, after police and military personnel raided the Rajah Solaiman safehouse on Lilac Street, Regalado Subdivision, Quezon City, and seized about 600 kilograms of explosives intended for the planned bombing operation.

In November 2006, under instructions from the late Abu Sayyaf sub-commander Jainal Sali, Pareja led a group in casing bombing targets in Cebu City, for an attack planned to coincide with the 12th Asean Summit.

Manila called off that leaders’ meeting at the last moment, citing an approaching typhoon.

Pareja assumed a senior leadership role in the RSM following the arrests of RSM leader Ahmad Santos and RSM second-in-command Pio De Vera in October 2005. He was elected as the new Amir, or leader of the RSM in a meeting held in Sulu. Present in the meeting were key members of the RSM and Jemaah Islamiah leaders, Umar Patek and Dulmatin, whom he referred as his mentors.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the tiffany jewelry firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

NAME OF PRODUCT: Children’s “Groovy Grabber” Bracelets

UNITS: About 4 million

MANUFACTURER: A&A Global Industries, of Cockeysville, Md.

HAZARD: The paint on the metallic band beneath the decorative cover contains high silver rings levels of lead. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects.

INCIDENTS/INJURIES: None reported.

DESCRIPTION: The recalled bracelets are made of flexible metal bands wrapped in decorative plastic covers. The bracelets come in various colors and designs, including smiley faces, Chinese symbols, dogs, cats, aliens, checker boards, and flames.

SOLD IN: Vending machines located in malls, discount, department and grocery stores nationwide from November 2005 through March 2007 for 25 cents.

MANUFACTURED IN: China

REMEDY: Consumers should immediately take the recalled bracelets away from children and silver bracelets discard them.

CONSUMER CONTACT: For additional information, contact A&A Global Industries at (800) 638-6000 ext. 314 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.aaglobalind.com.

Grace Magruder’s son had run away again.

“I think he followed the deer path,” she said, pointing to a narrow tiffany line of dirt through a patch of heavy brush near the family’s home here.

Four-year-old Zachary is mentally handicapped and prone to wandering. That time he was found a quarter-mile away.

“If I leave for two seconds, it’s almost like he watches, and then he’s gone,” Magruder said.

But she could find peace of mind in a radiowave-emitting bracelet the Wabasha County family will soon receive from neighboring Olmsted County. Olmsted is one of about five Minnesota counties using the technology that could track people if they get lost.

The movement, driven largely by families of people with disabilities, gained new urgency silver bangles with the recent disappearance of Keith Kennedy from a summer camp and his rescue after a week in the Wisconsin woods.

The bracelets in Olmsted County are part of the Project Lifesaver program, which the county operates with the RT Autism Awareness Foundation. The foundation hopes to spread the program, which includes vulnerable adults, to eight more counties by the end of the year, says Brad Trahan, a co-founder.

Trahan says he’s in talks with a legislator to push for a law next year that would make the program available statewide.

About 40 children in Olmsted County now wear the bracelets. The foundation raised $15,000 for the program and provides the Sheriff’s Office with the bracelets, receivers and receiver training, and screens the applicants. Trahan said a diagnosis by a doctor or school is necessary to receive a bracelet.

The initial cost of a bracelet is $405, though in Olmsted grants are typically available to those who need them.

Each bracelet contains a unique tracking signal that can be pinpointed from a mile away on the ground and up to 10 miles in the air.

Project Lifesaver says it has an average recovery time of less than 30 minutes. They claim a perfect record of recovering missing participants fitted with the bracelets — about 1,700 so far nationwide.

Kennedy case had an impact

Her son’s disappearance led Magruder to seek out Project Lifesaver. The Kennedy case hit her hard silver rings because of Kennedy’s similarities to Zachary, even though Zachary has not been specifically diagnosed as autistic. “I know with Zachary, he doesn’t respond to his name … and how do you search for that?”

Mario Cortolezzis, who has an autistic son, had met with officials in Carver County to promote Project Lifesaver the day before Kennedy wandered off. He said his first reaction to the news was, “OK, this is a sign. This is exactly why Project Lifesaver is needed.”

Cortolezzis is working to get his 5-year-old Dante a bracelet and is raising money to bring the program to Carver County. He estimates it will cost $20,000.

The program is attractive to law enforcement because it’s potentially cost-effective, said Mike Bromberg, who ran the program for the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office. Considering the costs of personnel and equipment, just one or two traditional searches for missing children would justify the cost of implementing Project Lifesaver, he said.

Still, the upfront costs are prohibitive for some counties. Receivers cost about $2,500, and new programs require training people to use the technology.

Drawn to water

Other programs also help those who wander. Software called Search Tracker, which analyzes terrain and vegetation, helped direct rescuers in last week’s search for Kennedy. Specially trained service dogs can keep track of autistic children, but they can cost up to $20,000.

Project Lifesaver has found support from parents of autistic children, many of whom fear their children’s silver bracelets attraction to water.

When Kennedy was found last week, he was lying next to a creek. Last year, a 5-year-old Blaine girl with autism drowned in a pond after wandering from her home.

Cortolezzis says his son Dante recently broke out of a house that he jokes is locked down “like a fortress” to keep his son from wandering.

“He pushed the window up, broke the screen and he got out. Immediately he went to the pond,” he said. A Carver County deputy found him standing knee-deep in the pond.

While there’s no scientific explanation for the water connection, for some people with autism, a lack of fear “combined with the attraction to water proves fatal,” said Dennis Debbaudt, who specializes in training law enforcement about autism.

Bracelet reaction

Reactions to the bracelets vary. Some wearers try to get them off.

Bromberg said one girl slid the bracelet off her wrist by slathering it with shampoo. He has had to move silver cufflinks bracelets from the wrist to the ankle to keep some kids from trying to gnaw them off.

Jade Werth of Rochester gave her 10-year-old son Austin a watch a few days before they received the bracelet. Her son is now used to the device.

“Some kids put stickers on ‘em, some kids color ‘em, some kids chew ‘em,” Bromberg said.

For many powwow dancers, the beginning of the dance season is an exciting time tiffany jewelry. The long winter hours give way to

brighter days and the chance to bring out all of the new beaded outfits that have been created over the long winter months. Each new powwow season brings with it new trends, new ideas, and regalia items that have never been seen before. Over the years some trends come, some stay, and the outfits in each category are always evolving.

One of the new trends on the powwow scene are beaded bracelet-rings sets that appear on Jingle and Ladies Fancy dancer’s wrist. With the hot new trend of “bling”, rhinestones seem to have been added to every fashion accessory imaginable. Even our cell phones become encrusted in brilliant jewels and baubles.

The construction of these sought after articles can be simple, once you learn the basic materials. Most of the Tiffany Keys bracelet-ring sets I have seen match the rest of the wearer’s beaded outfit. The colors and beadwork pattern are the same as what is represented in the larger outfit.

The shapes and colors of such bracelet-ring sets are not limited to one size, or a basic pattern. The sky is the limit as to how simple or how intricate the shapes of the beadwork can be. One can easily design the beadwork shapes free hand, and then use these ideas for the pattern for the base of the beadwork. It can safely be said, most of the beaded bracelet-ring sets will have some kind of added rhinestone edging and/or embellishment incorporated right in the main bead design. The goal of the beadwork designer is to have their jewelry to be brighter, shinier, more innovative, and more flamboyant than others.

Construction

Begin with the design. It helps to view many examples of what the final bracelet will look like. There are silver bangles powwow web sites which offer many pictures to choose ideas from, or attending powwows and seeing the designs and patterns up-close. Actually knowing and sharing ideas with other dancers and beaders is another way to design a new bracelet-ring set.

Create a paper pattern of the design. Once this basic design is put down on paper, begin the construction phase of the set. With this paper pattern you can transfer the design to the base material. “Baby lap” material (photo 1) is something that I have always favored. It is a “felt-like” textile with a rubbery interior layer that prevents the edges from fraying once patterns have been cut out of the cloth. On very rare occasions, I have found the elusive “baby lap” in fabric stores and the large department stores in the craft and sewing departments. More often than not, I have found “baby lap” at garage sales, or share supplies with other bead workers. “Baby lap” is easy to bead on. The beading needles pass very easily through the fabric and the basic construction of the fabric allows for a more stable and sturdy work surface.

I have found that backing the “baby lap” with some light weight cardboard (cereal box cardboard weight is an ideal weight for this purpose) is needed. I would strongly suggest “backing” your work with at least some kind of lightweight stiffener to allow the bead work patterns and rhinestones to have a sturdy base.

Sandwich the pattern piece (paper form with your bracelet-ring design) right side-out onto the “cut to shape” baby lap, with the lightweight cardboard stiffener on the other side of the sandwich. There should now be a three layer base on which to bead – pattern, baby lap, cardboard. You don’t want all the hard work to be diminished silver rings by ending up with a “flimsy” final product. I have also seen some pieces constructed with light weight plastic (as in basic plastic milk jugs) as the stiffening agent.

The pattern set should look something like Photo 3.

Begin beading on the base material using flat work appliqu茅 style on the body of the piece. By now, the beadwork colors and bead sizes to be used should have been chosen. By following the outlines and filling in the colors according to the beadwork pattern the beaded bracelet piece as well as the ring bead work will be complete. Edge bead the bracelet for a finished look.

The bracelet piece should be about two inches to three inches wide and about six to seven inches long. You can simply have the beaded bracelet piece “wrap” around the wrist and fasten it closed with small leather straps. Watch band type closures can be used to complete the bracelet. I have seen plain “hook and eyes” closures, as well as larger size “snap” closures used to complete the bracelet.

Once the beaded pieces have been completely beaded, I would suggest backing them (cutting out an exact same size pattern piece) with lightweight leather or non fraying material. It hides any thread work and knots, and adds to the overall professional finish to the product.

The ring bead work can also be worn on the fingers in a variety of ways. I have seen some bracelet ring sets with silver bracelets the ring actually set on inexpensive rings that can be purchased in any craft store. You can mount the completed ring beaded piece (which will itself only be about one to two inches square) onto the beaded ring. I would back the completed ring piece with lightweight leather, out of which I would cut a tiny opening in the back, to fit over the ring part of your intended metal jewelry item. I would carefully sew-close the opening, so that the beaded decoration would be snugly affixed to the ring. This is a similar type of construction method as seasoned headers would use to affix finished beaded barrettes to the actual barrette clip hardware. You can also tie down the ring piece to the finger with thin leather ties as well. This can be cumbersome if the ring need frequent tying.

Be sure to include in the beadwork pattern room enough to fit tiny rows of the pre-strung rhinestone chains (photo 2). Normally, the rhinestone embellishment would be added along the entire outer edge of the bead worked pieces. A large size rhinestone can be used as a focal point of the ring piece. Simply bead around the center rhinestone bauble to achieve the look of the professionally designed ring. The pre-strung rhinestone chains come in plastic as well as metal based chains. All that is needed is to carefully cut off the required lengths of rhinestone chain, and then carefully and sturdily sew the chains down on the base beadwork. I like to sew down every rhinestone by sewing on either side of the stones, along the complete length of the chain. The decision to lay down the rhinestones first and then bead the design, or bead first then lay the rhinestones, is up the individual bead worker. I would prefer completing my beadwork patterns first, then adding the rhinestones to prevent any mistakes in sizing the pieces. silver cufflinks Some designs inevitably require the addition of the rhinestones first, then beading.

To attach the completed bracelet beadwork to the beaded ring beadwork, use the pre-strung rhinestone chains, or regular, very small size regular chains (photo 4 & 4A), that can be found in craft stores, beading stores and on the web.

The two pieces can be connected by whip stitching (many times for added strength) the ends of the rhinestone chain to the bracelet and the ring. The “jump rings” can be attached to the edges of the beaded pieces (whip stitching them in place), and then attaching rhinestone or chain links between the ring and bracelet. The connecting chain can be made by beading a thin strip to attach the two pieces together, or string beads on a very strong thread combination (for example, four thicknesses of heavy weight Nymo beading thread).

To wear the new bracelet-ring set, I would strongly encourage the wearer to first put the ring on, then tie the bracelet down on the wrist. To work in the opposite order would be down right difficult, if not impossible.

Show off this nice beaded bracelet-ring set at the next powwow!

Sheryl Crow is a nine-time Grammy Award winning, multi-platinum singer-song writer christmas gift. Her many other honors include three American Music Awards, a People’s Choice Award, and a spot on VH1′s “100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll.”

Common is a Grammy Award winner and multi-platinum selling recording artist who has collaborated with hip-hop producers Kanye West, Will.i.am, Pharell and many more. Common has also built a career as an entrepreneur, film actor and author of children’s books.

Ray LaMontagne is a singer and songwriter, whose third and most recent album, “Gossip in the Grain” debuted at number three on the Billboard Charts. Rolling Stone magazine has described his voice as “full of the warm yearning of a young Van Morrison.”

Additional performers will be announced next week.

The National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony is presented by the National Park Foundation and silver bangles National Park Service. Underwriters Laboratories is the premier sponsor of the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony 2009. Alex Coletti Productions will produce the ceremony. Additional support comes from General Electric, Guest Services Inc., Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Washington, D.C., Hudler Carolina Tree Farms, Santa’s Best, the W Hotel Washington, and the Willard InterContinental Washington, D.C.

For more information visit www.thenationaltree.org.

For Broadcast Inquiries please contact Suzanne Masri, WETA, (703) 998-2686 smasri@weta.org

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System and its 392 National Park sites for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The National Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world. For more information, visit: www.nps.gov

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION

The National Park Foundation is an independent charitable organization chartered by Congress in 1967 to strengthen the silver rings connection between the American people and their 392 national park sites. As the official national non-profit partner of America’s National Parks, the Foundation raises private funds, makes strategic grants, creates innovative partnerships and increases public awareness about the need and opportunity for park philanthropy. In its 2008 fiscal year, the National Park Foundation distributed grants and program support of $27.3M. For more information, visit www.nationalparks.org

A 31′ Blue Spruce will be on the move on Thursday, November 19th, as the tree tiffany will be relocated from 31 Homefield Street in Lewiston to Courthouse Plaza, the soon-to-be home of Lewiston’s 2009 Christmas tree. The tree was donated to the Twin Cities Holiday Celebration Committee by Yvette Rousseau.

Lewiston Public Works crews will cut the tree and lift it onto a trailer between 8-8:30 a.m., and the tree will begin its journey at approximately 9:30 a.m. The route will commence on Homefield Street, go North on East Avenue, and then West on Sabattus Street all the way to Main Street. The tree will continue to move on Main Street taking a left onto Lisbon Street and proceeding up “the wrong way” to Courthouse Plaza.

Transport of the tree will be at a very slow speed-most likely three-four mph-to silver rings avoid branches catching on any low wires. As such, traffic along the route will be impacted, and motorists are encouraged to seek alternate travel routes.

Following location in Courthouse Plaza, the lighting of the tree and the lighting of a Menorah, donated by Temple Shalom, will occur at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 2nd (rain date December 4th), at the start of the annual Parade of Lights which will proceed across the Longley Bridge and conclude at Festival silver cufflinks Plaza in Auburn. Free entertainment, munchies, wagon rides, and visits/free photos with Santa & Mrs. Claus will occur at that location.For more information please contact: Sarabjit Jagirdar, Email:- htsyndication@hindustantimes.com.

Dot Perham-Whittier, 207/513-3000, Ext. 3205.

Billboards and advertisements carrying the message “Shop York County” silver jewelry will roll out for the Christmas shopping season, part of a marketing campaign to keep your wallet south of the state line.

Beleaguered retailers said they could use the help. As shoppers milled around the Rock Hill Galleria food court on Friday, Joseph Gurkan manned a kiosk that sells glass art jewellery. Gurkan had his laptop open and was checking out pictures on Facebook. He said he also was looking for other jobs.

“Right now, we are losing money,” he said. “Hopefully, it’s going to get better at Christmastime.”

Nearby, in the vacant Fashion Bug space, business and government leaders gathered tiffany key rings to kick off the “Shop York County” campaign. They made some announcements:

Comporium Communications will donate air time for TV spots to promote the message.

Stores at the Galleria and nearby Manchester Village will team up to market the area as a shopping destination, officials said. They will form a permanent merchants’ association to share group advertising and partner on special events.

“It’s a really important step in the right direction,” said Rock Hill developer Warren Norman III, whose grandfather developed the mall 20 years ago.

Battling perceptions

The Galleria long has battled perception problems among shoppers in search of trendier options. tiffany necklaces Many make the 25-minute drive north to Carolina Place Mall in Pineville, N.C.

Dani Berry browsed clothing racks at the new anchor store, Famous Labels, on Friday afternoon. The 21-year-old Winthrop University student said she was about to head for Charlotte.

“There’s always that stereotype of ‘Charlotte’s bigger,’” she said. “They’re going to have better stuff. All my friends go to Charlotte to shop.”

Four years ago, Galleria owners put together plans to remake the mall’s front entrance with a snazzier facade and new restaurants. The project has been put on hold indefinitely, general manager Jeff Kirby said Friday.

City leaders have pushed forward with their own set of improvements.

In front of the Galleria, workers put in brick markers and black granite water fountains, as well as sidewalks, curbs and landscaping.

The goal is to brand the Dave Lyle Boulevard exit as a gateway entrance into South Carolina, City Manager Carey Smith told the audience Friday.

Kirby said the mall is positioned for success as the economy rebounds.

“We’ve come a long way in the last two decades,” he said. Retail space is 85 percent occupied, including some silver bangles Christmas-themed stores that move in for the holiday season, Kirby said.

Wanted: More jobs

Job applications poured into Famous Labels as word spread of the store’s opening. Regional Director Milford Whitfield said he has a stack of 300 sitting on his desk and plans to hire about 10 employees.

The high number of job-seekers helps explain why the York County Regional Chamber of Commerce looked for ways to jump-start the economy as Christmas approaches.

One in five people in Rock Hill is out of work. The city’s unemployment rate stood at 20.6 percent in September, according to the most recent figures from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The countywide jobless rate is 14.1 percent.

“We are in a much different world today,” said Tony Berry, the developer of nearby Manchester Village. “What little silver rings dollars we all may be spending this year, we need to think about spending locally.”

About Famous Labels

Rock Hill Galleria lands anchor tenant

Famous Labels opened this week in the former Goody’s space, selling discount clothes and gift items in a store comparable to TJ Maxx.

The Las Vegas-based retailer operates 40 stores nationwide, including locations in Anderson and High Point, N.C.

Galleria officials are exploring options for the space left silver bracelets vacant by Steve & Barry’s discount clothing store. The space might be divided into smaller units, but nothing is imminent, general manager Jeff Kirby said.

For Famous Labels job information, visit famouslabels.net or e-mail milford@famouslabels.net.