Well-seasoned yarncraft.

A recipe:
1   Science project about crystals, involving a cup of saturated salt solution with pipe cleaners stuck into it
1   Knitting bag
1   Cat

Position science project on countertop, near edge. Position knitting bag on floor, directly below science project. Turn back on cat for less than 30 seconds.

Yields: One knitting bag drenched in saltwater, and one daughter disappointed by fate of science project. (Fortunately it was being done for her own amusement rather than a grade...)

On the bright side, the cotton and wool located near the top of the bag were absorbent, so the books and papers in the bottom of the bag barely got damp. The bag itself was a Meijer reusable tote; I'm not excessively worried, because I suspect that over its life it will have far worse things than salt in it.

On the downside, I'm hoping the salt won't do anything horrible to the wool and cotton; the salt crystallized out almost immediately. I guess I have laundry to do.