Like I mentioned a couple weeks ago, I've been researching and brainstorming ideas for crafts we can make with kids at Down to Earth's North Idaho Fair make-and-take booth in late August. Since I figure a lot of us have children home from school right now, looking for fun things to do, I thought I'd share with you some of the projects I came across during my search.

Make these with your kiddos now, and then mark your calendar for Wednesday, Aug. 25, 4 to 7 p.m., when we'll be crafting up a storm together (somewhere between the donkey barn and the rodeo) at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds.

*Party hats. Follow this tutorial (from my About.com kids' parties site) using fabric, as instructed, or go totally green by making the hats from newspaper.

*Butterfly mobiles. I first saw this idea from the Queen of Tarte booth at the 2009 Farm Chicks Show (see photo above), and crafter/author Kayte Terry has a tutorial on CraftStylish for something similar. For pennies, you can make one of their versions instead of paying $79 for this one sold by Pottery Barn last year.

Buy a butterfly-shaped hole puncher to make the job easier and use junk mail, newspaper or other scrap paper to make the butterflies. Terry uses an embroidery hoop for the base of the mobile, but you could also use a stick, like Ms. Tarte did. Not into butterflies? Cut any shape you like or purchase one of the many themed hole punchers available at craft stores these days. Birdie mobile, anyone?

*Also from Kayte Terry on CraftStylish, how about making apple-print tote bags with the kids. Fabric stores usually sell blank canvas bags like the one pictured there, but you could also sew your own from old clothes. Don't need a tote bag? Stamp the apples onto a reusable lunch sack. That'd make a great back-to-school project for the family.

*I love, love, love these twig ships from Rhythm of the Home. What a great activity to do on a camping trip or day trip to a lake (we've got a few of those around here, you know). Make them ahead of time or pack the supplies with you, then watch the boats float.

*Nature crowns. Maya Made is the queen of turning objects from nature into beautiful crafts. What kid wouldn't love making and wearing one of these flower crowns?

*Go fly a kite! Maya Made also offers instructions for making a simple kite with kids. Notice how the tail is made from a plastic Target shopping bag? Brilliant!

*With the Fourth of July coming up, how about making some old-fashioned Independence Day crafts? Country Living has a slideshow of beautiful patriotic projects on its site. I especially love the paper-hat placecards and the county fair-style ribbons. Can't you see kids wearing those around at the North Idaho Fair?

*Paper flowers. I don't think a birthday goes by in our house without a few of these tissue paper flowers and pom poms being made for decorations. You can use tissue paper, as instructed in my About.com tutorial, or go green by using newspaper instead.

There you go! I know we've had a rainy start to summer here, but now you have no excuse say, "There's nothing to dooooooooo!"

(As always, please feel free to add more ideas to the list by leaving a comment below, and send me a picture if you end up following one of these projects so I can post it here.)

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