Air Travel

For those of you who are contemplating traveling by plane in the near future you might want to be up to date on what you can or can not take with you on the plane. The Transportation Security Administration has issued the following list:

Knitting needles.............. ALLOWED
Of course this makes perfect sense, because no self-respecting bad guy would be caught dead trying to cause terror with knitting needles. Come on, he'd be the laughing stock of the terrorist community!

Jell-O / Pudding........... NOT ALLOWED
For the life of me I can’t understand this one unless they aren’t telling us what they really put in the stuff. One thing for sure, at least we know Bill Cosby won't be trying to hijack your plane.

Scissors (blades shorter than 4")........ ALLOWED
Now this makes perfect sense, I mean, surely not even the greatest of criminal masterminds could figure out a way to harm someone with a pair of razor-sharp 4 inch blades. They would have to be a genius!!

Mouthwash.................. NOT ALLOWED
Sure...cause we all know how lethal this stuff is! One only has to gargle with a little Listerine to know you can kill someone with it. As for your personal war on Halitosis (bad breath) you are just going to have to wait until you can purchase some at the Airport Gift Shop cause it's only lethal on the plane.

Screwdrivers (7" or less) ..... ALLOWED
Well, that's good to know after all who in their right mind would ever used a tool as a weapon?!

Transformer Toys.............. ALLOWED
For awhile these were not allowed on board, because they actually thought "Transformers" especially the “Decepticon” were real weapons. It took someone in the Assoc. with an actual brain to figure out these were just toys....sheesh.

I don't know about you, but it's good to know the Transportation Security Association is on its toes with its on going fight against terrorism. Keep up the great job!!

Source: the official TSA website

The Jewelry Connection

When I tell people that I make and sell jewelry most people want to see...so this is for all of you who haven't ventured into my ebay store to take a peek.

I specialize in making original "lampwork" bead jewelry and call my design's Dorothy's Originals. For those of you who aren't familiar with lampwork - that term is a process of glass blowing to create some very unique beads. There are all different kinds of lampwork beads but the most popular are called "encased" or "applied." These refer to the design. Here are a few examples of the encased beads. (designs and colors encased inside the crystal bead).

With any design, the fun part is coordinating them with other beads. I use swarovski crystals a lot because they are so sparkly, but I also use other crystal and glass beads too. Here are a few examples of the "applied" lampwork beads. (designs and colors applied to the outer crystal bead).

There are many types of beads out there and I have fun finding unique beads that add a lot of detail as well as color. "Dichroic" beads are fire annealed beads (kiln) that are very beautiful because they have this wonderful foil irredescense
inside a clear bead. Here is a great example.
My other creations include "Cloissonne" beads which are actually metal beads that have enamel colors fused in with the metal. These beads were originally made in China and are very detailed and intricate. Then there are "Glass" beads. There are some beautiful glass bead designs like "Foil," "Pressed," or "Crackle" glass beads. These are very fun and unique.

Crystal beads have various grades. Swarovski crystals are the finest, but Czech and Catherdral style crystals with their multi-facets are very beautiful too. Swarovski crystals are made in Czechlosvakia, but are the "premier" crystal.
Along with my earring designs I also make necklaces, sets and bracelets. Watches are my newest creations and I am having fun combining lots of colors and style beads.

The Jewelry Connection is my official business name that I came up to embrace my original creations and geniune .925 Sterling Silver with semi-precious stones that I purchase from India and Indonesia. (I will post some of those designs another time.) It's been a fun and profitable hobby for me and I hope you have enjoyed taking a look at my creations

For more information contact me at thejewelryconnection@hotmail or to see more of my jewelry, check out my EBAY STORE site at this link:
http://stores.ebay.com/Silver-and-Gems-and-So-Much-More

Thanks for looking!