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        The miniature log cabin collection of Ray and Kathy Mongenas of Loveland caught the eye of designer maven Martha Stewart.

        The Mongenas, antique dealers and co-founders of the Indian Hill Antiques Fair, traveled to Westport, Conn., Oct. 18 with about 50 pieces from their collection and were filmed covering the basics of the log miniatures with Ms. Stewart for her TV show. That program will be broadcast 10 a.m. Nov. 6 on Channel 12.

        Mr. Mongenas caught the log cabin collecting bug from helping his daughter build a cabin for a school project about 20 years ago.

        “The father-daughter project has now grown to a collection of over 300 pieces,” he says.

        “Companies such as Avon and Log Cabin have used them as advertising containers,” says Mr. Mongenas. “There are banks, smoking stands, card cases, birdhouses, lamps and whiskey bottles made like log cabins.”

        “There's even a pressed glass log cabin dating back to the presidential campaign of William Henry Harrison.''

        The couple exhibit their antiques in shows across the country and have booths at the Oakley Antique Mall and Duck Creek Antiques on Madison Road and at Hunter Horn and Miller's in Lebanon. Information: 683-8888.

Wise Buys

        Fall back, check batteries: Before you go to bed tonight, turn your clocks back an hour. Eastern Standard Time returns 2 a.m. Sunday.

        At the same time, the International Association of Fire Chiefs and Energizer, the battery giant, remind us it's time to change batteries in smoke alarms.

        On the smoke alarm front, the First Alert folks are checking in with the new First Alert SA302, which allows users to test and silence the alarm using any household remote control device. Point and click for five seconds to test or silence the alarm.

        Powered by a 9-volt battery, it sells for $29.99 at hardware and home stores. Information: www.firstalert.com.

On the Web

        Phone aid: Forty celebrities, including Cindy Crawford, David Duchovny, Minnie Driver, Reba McEntire, Susan Sarandon and NASCAR legends Richard and Kyle Petty, are doing their part to fight domestic violence by decorating wireless phone nameplates for “The Celebrity Signature Wireless Phone Campaign” by Yahoo Everywhere, the Wireless Foundation, Motorola and Sprint PCS.

        Consumers can see and bid on their favorite celebrity's design at promo.yahoo.com/celebrityphones as well as donate their no-longer-used wireless phones at www.donatephone.com or buy a new phone at mobile.yahoo.com/store.

        Funds raised will be used to protect victims from abuse and raise funds and awareness for the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and for the September 11th Fund established by United Way and the New York Community Trust.

        Contact Joy Kraft by mail: c/o The Cincinnati Enquirer; phone: 768-8467; fax: 768-8330; e-mail: jkraft@enquirer.com.
       

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