Wise buys

Bring on the Bounce: Multiple Internet sites tout the miracles of Bounce fabric softener: repelling mosquitoes and ants, disguising smoke smell from hair and clothes, dissolving soap scum from shower doors, preventing thread from tangling, collecting cat hair, cleaning baked-on foods from pans, deodorizing sneakers. We called Procter & Gamble's Kelly Anchrum, associate director of fabric and home care, external relations, to check out the official line.

"There's nothing to our knowledge based on our testing to support these alternate uses," she says, "but if it's about freshness, we encourage constructive uses of Bounce."

That said, I tested Bounce strips on my kitchen countertops, where ants had been parading for weeks, despite multiple uses of high-powered ant caps. The result? Ants wouldn't go near the strips - but quickly found routes around them.

To get the official Bounce uses, go to www.thebouncehouse.com. But the unconventional tales are more fun. Just type "Bounce Fabric Softener" into your search engine.

`Down boy': Turning on a light with an armful of groceries turns most of us into contortionists. With VOS Systems Inc.'s new gizmo - IntelaVoice Dimmer - magic words will turn lights on and off and alter the intensity of lighting with simple voice commands. It plugs into a standard AC outlet. $29.95 at Discovery Channel stores and Hammacher Schlemmer stores and catalog. Information: Web site

Shop talk

Pretty pulls: Betsy Fields of Colorado is one of today's designers of all that fancy cabinet hardware you see in magazines, especially the creations that reflect animals and nature. Lowe's has brought her work out of specialty shops with its line of more than 40 designs, some Lowe's exclusives.

Decorating tips: Adrian Durban Florist checked in with ideas on how to spice up holiday decorating:

Extend the red and green color scheme to burgundy and darker greens or go brighter to shades of orange and fuchsia with teals and bright greens.

Take a traditional wreath to the florist to find a shade of rose to fit your dÈcor, then add roses in water tubes for color.

Insert water tubes and some colorful flowers into your garlands or greens along the length of the mantel.

Accent a mirror with ivy and pine and scented fresh flowers, such as Star of Bethlehem, fresh-cut orchids or amaryllis.

Instead of a giant dining room centerpiece, use two or three smaller ones along the table intertwined with grapevine or ivy.

Return to antiques: Kay Koski, longtime antiques dealer from Maple Lane Antiques in Neville, Ohio, has set up shop in Moscow at 1786 U.S. 52 with furniture, vintage glassware, pottery, garden dÈcor, sports memorabilia and advertising collectibles.

Information: (513) 553-2747.

Many of the little towns in the region, including Ripley and Augusta (a ferry ride across the Ohio), are great places to shop for the holidays.

Contact Joy Kraft by phone: 768-8467; fax: 768-8330; e-mail: jkraft@enquirer.com.