hDogs ring bells to go outside

hDogs ring bells to go outside

A doorbell for dogs is a new tool for house-training your pet.

Poochie-Bells are handmade, heavy-duty bells attached to a strap that hangs from a door handle.

The bells come with instructions for training your dog to ring them when it’s time to go outside.

The straps come in more than 80 colors and styles, and the product it designed to accommodate all breeds of dogs.

Poochie-Bells sell for $16.95 to $29.95, plus shipping, at www.poochie-pets.net.

Master the art of bonsai care

Bonsai fascinates many gardeners, but the ancient Japanese tradition isn’t simply about growing miniaturized plants.

It’s an art form involving an eye for scale and balance and a knowledge of specialized techniques.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden is helping blossoming bonsai enthusiasts get started with its new “All-Region Guide, Growing Bonsai Indoors.”

The book covers the history of bonsai, the various styles, instructions on pruning and wiring plants and information on bonsai care.

It also profiles specific plants commonly used in bonsai.

“Growing Bonsai Indoors” is priced at $9.95. It’s available at shop.bbg.org or by calling (718) 623-7286.

Paint tray liner eases cleanup

The Peel-Away Paint Tray is designed to simplify cleanup while reducing the waste associated with most paint-tray liners.

The tray has four built-in liners. Each can be peeled off immediately after use to reveal another clean tray, for a total of five uses.

The liners can be removed while the paint is still wet, so you can squeeze the excess from the liner back into the can. The liners also eliminate the use of water for cleanup.

The 9-inch tray is available at Sherwin-Williams paint stores and is expected to be carried at Home Depot stores soon.

The tray sells for around $6 to $9.

Artistic touches for gifts and homes

Claudine Hellmuth’s Poppet Sketches are a unique gift idea for that hard-to-shop-for person in your life.

A collage artist, Hellmuth combines vintage fabrics, retro images and personal photos from her customers to create custom art.

Go to collageartist.com for how-to collage videos, collage and craft books, and collage and craft seminar schedules.

Sketches start at $75.

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