NEW PRODUCTS

Wacky cat toys to entertain kitty

Fat Cat Inc., a company whose mission is, admitedly, to make people and pets laugh, introduces the Awful Mad Kitty’s Catnip Couture — a new line of funny fashion pouches for the independent members of your family.

The toys are part of Fat Cat’s Kitty Hoots series, which specializes in fun and wacky products designed to keep you and your fur ball entertained.

The collection includes three designs — the Rat Sak, the Chick Bag and the Tuna Tote, all of which feature colorful cartoon renditions of the particular kitty food they are named after. You can buy the pouches separately or as an assortment (as they make great gifts).

The bags measure 2 3/4 inches by 3 3/4 inches, and flip open to reveal a secret stash of catnip.

Like all of the Kitty Hoots cat toys, a package of Fat Cat’s high-test organic Zoom Around the Room catnip is included. So, go ahead, refill as often as you want to see your cat go bonkers. He or she will love it. Just remember not to laught too hard. After all, kitty has feelings, too.

The pack of three sells for $16.95 and can be found at Petco stores or online at www.fatcatinc.com.

BOOK

Bring the beauty of the outdoors in

Most of us are familiar with indoor plants. Those are the ones that sit on the windowsill, neglected, withered and dusty, right? Not necessarily. A new book “Beyond the Windowsill: Add Style to Your Home With the Beauty of Plants,” by Jon Carloftis is available to save the day.

Within the pages, Carloftis explores the versatility of indoor plants and discusses how they can transform a house into a home.

Did you know that a simple plant can change or heighten the mood of a room? By adding the right plant to a space, you invite natural color, intrigue and, most importantly, life and warmth.

The author explains that indoor plants not only bring life to an interior, they also act to connect the inside of your home to the outside. Carloftis’ easy-to-follow, six-step approach to indoor plants will point you in the right direction — no matter how challenging a certain room appears to be.

For the different seasons and holidays, Carloftis explores various centerpiece ideas and how to use specialty plants.

The book features more than 100 color photographs of traditional and contemporary home interiors that utilize houseplants, as well as portraits of the author’s Top 20 indoor plants. Each of the 20 profiles details plant care, growing and design tips, as well as points of history and trivia. All of the plants Carloftis outlines are affordable, low maintenance and easily available.

“Beyond the Windowsill: Add Style to Your Home With the Beauty of Plants” is available through Cool Springs Press at www.joncarloftis.com for $24.99.

KITCHEN

Dish Turtle expands to accommodate needs

From the company that brought you the Water Stop all-purpose gloves, Casabella has another kitchen product that is sure to make washing and drying dishes more convenient. The Dish Turtle is a patented dish drainer that accommodates the number of dishes you clean on a day-to-day basis.

The Dish Turtle probably gets its name because it looks like a turtle, exposing nothing but the shell. It starts out at 18-by-17-inches but can expand to 21 1/2 inches with its side panel drains. That extra bit of room allows you to leave any amount of dishes to dry, including large pots and pans.

You also won’t have to worry about all of that water dripping off your dishes and onto the counter and eventually onto the floor. Why? Because Dish Turtle has a specialty draining system that catches all that moisture.

For extra handiness, the utensil holder is easily removable and dishwasher safe. The holder also features soft, nonskid feet that will never leave a mark on your counter.

The entire dish draining system is made up of a scratch- and shatter-resistant material.

The Dish Turtle is available at www.casabella.com, where it is on sale for a limited time for $15.99. The item’s regular price is $24.99.

LIGHTING

Pendalette offers versatile installation

The time has come to light up your home. From the creators of The Chandelette, the first minichandelier, comes another scaled-down innovation for home décor.

Kichler introduces the Pendalette, cleverly constructed to be one part pendant and one part Chandelette.

The Pendalette is no larger than 11 inches wide and features a three-light chandelier. It also offers three different options for mounting each one, bringing a different personality to every home. You’ll be able to hang this little lighting fixture traditionally, position it as a semiflush ceiling mount, or install it as a wall-mount.

You can use this petite fixture anywhere a traditional pendant might be placed.

The Pendalette is a clean and simple alternative to the complexity of a traditional chandelier or a full-sized pendant. It is perfect for the foyer, the family room, or over the breakfast or dining table.

Currently, there are seven new Pendalette styles, ranging from the elegant traditional to the sophisticated contemporary.

Prices for the Pendalettes range from $118 to $387 each and can be purchased at www.kichler.com and at lighting showrooms throughout the Las Vegas Valley, including Lamps Plus, Northern Lights and Statewide Lighting.

SPA

System reduces chlorine usage

In this heat, we tend to over-chlorinate our spas to keep the scum and the fungus away. The result is clear water, but water that smells strongly of chlorine and other chemicals. This can dry out our skin and make our eyes red if we are tempted to swim under the surface.

To combat that, Zodiac Pool Care Inc. introduces two companion products that are sure to produce crystal-clear water while reducing the need for chlorine.

The only EPA-approved mineral sanitizer system uses MPS, monopersulphate, in order to minimize chlorine usage.

As you may or may not know, there is an alternative to putting high chlorine levels in your hot tub and pool. A new trend is happening in pool care that utilizes natural occurring minerals.

Zodiac’s system includes the Nature2 Spa mineral sanitizer that works with your filter and Cense, which fills your spa with oxygen-infused aromas. Together they create sparkling and smooth spa water and an irritant-free experience. Nature2 Spa is especially beneficial to those who suffer from asthma.

Cense, the companion product, is a residue free aromatherapy oxidizer that comes in four different fragrances — island pleasures, simple rituals, quiet escape and divine secrets.

Nature2 Spa retails for $38 and Cense for $24.95 each. Both products can be purchased on line at www.nature2.com.

— Compiled by Vicki Marquette