Fabrics just got Better
Most people associate Better Homes and Gardens with the decorating magazine or their venerable red-plaid cookbook. But this is the 21st century, so Better Homes and Gardens is expanding its ‘‘portfolio,’’ according to its parent company, Meredith Corp. The company has just launched a line of Better Homes and Gardens home-decorating fabrics, soon to be followed by holiday ornaments and bedding. The cotton fabrics are available in five styles, including a garden toile design and festive stripes and dots. ‘‘Designs are toward the cutting edge, but not over the edge,’’ says Max Wilker, a spokesman. — LINDA MATCHAN Fabrics, ranging in price from $12 to $18, will be available this month at Jo-Ann Stores, though assortment varies by store. www.joann.com. 888-739-4120..

Cats gone bad
Many books chronicle the cuddly side of cats, but ‘‘Bad Cat’’ provides 244 photos of cats displaying their dark side, complete with captioned patter. ‘‘I think the play date is over,’’ says Rosie, age 2, as she sits by a dead gray squirrel. ‘‘Damn, no radio,’’ complains Spanky, age 5, as he gingerly exits through a broken car window. The photos were captioned by Microsoft engineer Jim Edgar, who started mycathatesyou.com, a website of demented- and demonic-looking cats, in 2001 as an inside joke. Posted on the Internet, it became a huge hit among cat fans submitting odd photos of their pets and resulted in this paperback. The website has a forum and plenty of funny captioned photos, so actually there’s no reason to buy the book except as a gift. Available for $9.95 at mycathatesyou.com and at Copley Flair, 583 Boylston St. CAROL STOCKER

Relax, it’s portable

Short of pulling a trailer, carrying the comforts of home has rarely included a bed, a recliner, or even a chair. But LoungAir has made it easy to do all three with its inflatable twin-sized mattress, recliner, and chair in one. It can travel with you for overnight stays at friends’ houses or be used for your own overnight guests. Kids can enjoy it for everything from sleepovers to watching television and playing video games. The LoungAir is made from puncture-resistant vinyl but has a velourlike finish; when inflated in the mattress position, it weighs about 10 pounds. For extra comfort, the firmness of both the upper and lower mattress parts can be separately controlled. The package includes pump and travel bag, which altogether weigh 12 pounds. — STACEY PERLMAN

$99.95 at loungair.com or by calling 877-240-6158..

Metalhead
Bottle Cap Man (or woman; the gender is unclear) hails from a small village in Guatemala that’s well-stocked with bottle caps, since many of the region’s beverages are sold in bottles, not cans. He’s one of a family of bottle cap people — there are also Bottle Cap Boy, Girl, and Dog — commissioned by Melange, a California wholesale company specializing in global contemporary crafts. The bottle cap people are created by several members of one Guatemalan family and are ‘‘absolutely brand-new contemporary ethnic folk art,’’ says Karen Gibbs of Melange. They’ll be available in the next few weeks. $25-30 each. melange-collection.com. 661- 823-1584.

Spirited shakers
CerealArt is a Philadelphia product design company that proudly blurs the boundaries between high and low culture. Owner Larry Mangel searches out critically acclaimed contemporary visual artists who also happen to be interested in consumer culture, and turns their artwork into products. One artist he works with is Canadian Marcel Dzama, whose solo shows in London and New York have drawn rave reviews. Dzama’s delicate drawings — hand-tinted with watercolor and root beer — are inhabited by strange creatures like tearful ghosts, human trees,