Product recalls: Aquariums, Children’s jewelry, Tea light candles
Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Friday, March 17, 2006
Aquariums
Current USA Inc. is recalling about 1,000 AquaPod 12-gallon aquariums. These aquariums have three power cords, two for the aquarium lamps and one for the air pump. When only one of the two lamp cords is plugged in, the unplugged lamp cord can become energized, posing an electrical shock hazard.
This recall affects AquaPod aquariums with model number 7050. The model number is not written on the aquariums, but is on the owner’s manual and the packaging. Only aquariums without a white label containing the manufacturer date and a bar code, which is attached to the light reflector inside the lid of the aquariums, are included in this recall.
Consumers should stop using these aquariums by turning off the power at the breaker switch and unplugging all the cords. Consumers should contact their local retailer or call the firm for information on receiving a free replacement aquarium.
For more information, call Current USA Inc. toll-free at 1-866- 276-8872 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.current-usa.com.
Children’s jewelry
MTC — Man’s Trading Co. is recalling about 144,500 sets of “Girl Favors” children’s toy jewelry. The recalled jewelry could break, releasing small beads that pose an aspiration hazard to young children.
The jewelry includes various colored plastic bead bracelets, rings and necklaces on elastic strings. They were sold under the brand name “Girl Favors” and had the following item numbers and writing on the packaging:
PF-1531, 4 Smiley Bead Bracelets; PF-1532 4 Clear Bead Necklaces; PF-1533 6 Clear Bead Bracelets & Rings; PF-1536 4 Power Bead Bracelets; PF-1541 3 Heart Necklaces; and PF-1549 4 Ice Cube Bracelets.
Dollar stores sold the toy jewelry from July 2003 through December 2005 for about $1.
Consumers should discard the jewelry or return it to the store where purchased for a refund.
Contact MTC — Man’s Trading Co. at 1-800-388-7228 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or fax to them at 415-468-7300. Consumers also can contact the company via e-mail at mtcmans@aol.com, or on its Web site at www.mtcmans.com.
Tea light candles
Big Lots Stores Inc. is recalling about 233,000 sets of Harvest Brand tea light candles. The recalled candles can burn with a high flame and melt the plastic holders. This poses a fire and a burn hazard to consumers.
The recalled red tea light candles are apple scented and have the brand name “Harvest” on the front packaging. Item number A5023 is written on the bottom of the packaging.
Big Lots stores sold the candles from July through October for about $1.
Consumers should return the candles to the nearest Big Lots store for a full refund.
March 17th, 2006
PSU exhibit tells sci-fi tale through jewelry
Joplin Globe
PITTSBURG, Kan. - When most people picture a jewelry exhibit, images of precious metals or gems draped on chains in some cold, clammy museum probably come to mind.
But a jewelry exhibit showcasing the works of artist Mark Rooker that is currently on display in the University Gallery at Pittsburg State University is light years away from ordinary.
Rooker, an assistant professor of metal jewelry in the School of Art and Art History at James Madison University in Harrison, Va., uses jewelry to tell a science-fiction story.
“He does a lot of work with storytelling and narrative, particularly in science fiction,” said Stephanie Bowman, gallery director. “He has created kind of a cast of characters, robot species characters that are sort of responsible for the little bits of mayhem that are in our life, like losing screws in our glasses or spilling paint on our shirt or getting our tooth knocked out.”
Rooker explained his work by writing that he “intentionally addresses issues of adornment through an ongoing by-play between characters such as rockets and flying saucers, and how these characters interact with the wearer and viewers. The rockets take on a persona of questionable valiant tradition while the flying saucers become the mischievous ‘other,’ a way to explain the unexplained or uncomfortable in everyday phenomena.”
Bowman said that the display, which was designed by Rooker, is a way to not only show the jewelry pieces but also to allow interaction with the viewer and play with different layers of reality.
“Each of these little creatures are related to a particular person that he has met, like a little robot that matches what the story is about,” Bowman said. “He then has a picture of the person wearing the jewelry and installed it as a little capsule, that looks like a little space capsule, that is attached to the wall so that you can see the person actually interacting with the actual object.”
The University Gallery is located inside Porter Hall on the PSU campus. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Admission is free and open to the public.
Other events scheduled at local colleges and universities include:
Crowder College
Thursday
March 17th, 2006
Inside Laura M. Fine Jewelry: More Than Meets the Eye
Palisadian-Post
March 16, 2006
Linda Renaud , News Editor
Like many designers, Palisades businesswoman Laura Geller started out creating jewelry for herself, having gained ample practice making baubles for her beloved Barbie dolls. Then after becoming a mother, she found herself working from home, filling orders for friends who admired her designs. In 1989 she turned her hobby into a business when she rented 100 sq. ft. inside the original Whispers, a high-end women’s boutique on Swarthmore (where BOCA is now located).
”’There, I sold my first lines from a single display case,’ Geller recalled
”Within a year, the fledgling designer opened her own store a block away at 15310 Antioch, where she leased 800 sq. ft. of Colvey’s, replacing the men’s suit department. She shared the space with a partner who sold gifts and accessories, and then with Jane De Lys, who left last July to open her own store in Brentwood.
”’When we first opened up on Antioch, we didn’t want a jewelry store where you had to press the buzzer to get in,’ said Laura’s husband, Mark Geller, an attorney, who at the time worked as an investment banker and now runs the family business full time.
”’We wanted the store to be a place where people would feel free to walk in and browse. That’s why we were happy to share the space. Then when Jane left we decided it was a good time to take over the whole store.’
”Five years after opening the Palisades store, the Gellers opened a second store on trendy Robertson Boulevard (since closed), then a third location in Malibu’s Country Mart in 1998. In 2004, the couple added a by-appointment-only boutique (Atelier Prive) and wholesale showroom in Beverly Hills. Last year the company celebrated its 15th anniversary with the national launch of its jewelry line, which included a woven wrist cuff made of 18-carat gold. The soft mesh design is available in three colors, including black gold.
”Laura M. Fine Jewelry, which also does repairs, is known ‘for our ring settings,’ said Mark. ‘We set about a 100 rings a week, some for other jewelers and diamond merchants.’
”Even though the Gellers work together, their roles are separate. While Laura does the designs, Mark works out the technical aspects of how the pieces will actually be put together.
”’Laura is known for her ethereal designs’jewels that are delicate, refined,’ Mark explained.
”The designer works in gold, platinum, diamonds, colored stones and Old World enameling. A portion of her business is devoted to custom pieces and the remodeling of vintage jewelry. Right now, she said her designs have ’some Indian influence, as well as Southwest. But my real passion is working with diamonds.’
”The company’s slogan is: ‘Nobody does dazzle like Laura M.’ Over the years, the designer has quietly developed a celebrity clientele.
‘We don’t loan for the Oscars, we just sell,’ Mark said. ‘Our jewelry is at a price point that sells well. The only way we can afford to charge the prices we do is because we do our own manufacturing. We do that in downtown L.A., which has the castings, moulds, waxes and chemicals needed. In fact, I believe we are the only family-owned and operated, fully integrated jewelry operation on the Westside.’
”Asked to describe Laura M.’s style (the ‘M’ stands for Marie, his wife’s middle name), Mark said: ‘Soft, sparkly, very feminine. While we draw from nature and geometric forms, we don’t do contemporary designs or jewelry for men, other than custom work. However, we do some men’s cufflinks and, of course, wedding bands.’
”Laura, 52, said she has designed ‘many’ wedding bands for herself, and three for Mark. ‘One is white gold, one is pink gold and the other yellow,’ she said. ‘He wears all three together.’
”While Mark, 58, insists he’s not really ’someone who wears jewelry,’ he has a large watch collection. He said his favorite is usually ‘the last watch I bought, which would be a Jaeger with a master compass and double time zones.’
Married 32 years, the couple met when Mark, who had just graduated from the University of Miami law school, was looking for a job.
”’The first law office I walked into, there she was,’ he said of Laura, who worked as a legal secretary. The Gellers lived for 20 years in the Palisades before moving to Westwood after their children, who attended local schools (Palisades Elementary, Paul Revere and Palisades High), left home.
”Damon, 35, sells precious metals, including platinum and gold; Michael, 30, oversees all Laura M. production and is manager of retail operations; and daughter Kathryn, 22, a senior at UC San Diego, is spending the year in France, where she is doing an internship in asset management with Societe Generale.
”The Gellers, who also own the Newsroom Cafes (one in Santa Monica, the other on Robertson), recently paid their daughter a visit. Mark said he found inspiration at the Monet Museum. The artist’s ‘use of light’ resonated with him as did Monet’s ‘use of nature in his paintings’flowers, teardrops’things that Laura often integrates into her designs.’
”What does a husband give his wife, a jewelry designer, for their 25th wedding anniversary?
”’A 10-carat, natural, olive-green diamond,’ Laura said. ‘It took me a month to decide what to do with it.’
”The result? The precious stone is surrounded by ‘three hundred and forty micro-pave diamonds [under 1/2 carat],’ Mark said. ‘You can’t see any of the prongs in the platinum setting, just the beauty of all the diamonds.’
March 17th, 2006
