5 Non-Toxic, Organic Craft Ideas

With all this beautiful summer weather, it’s hard to believe these sunny days won’t last forever. It’s so important to be able to enjoy the comfort of your own home, so you won’t be too disappointed when the next rainy afternoon rolls around.

Arts and crafts are a great way to pass the time, no matter how young or how old you are. Not only do you get to embrace your creative genius, you can produce some really useful household items that will serve you well for years to come. 

Here are a few fun organic craft ideas to keep you busy and creative.

Do you have any glass jars waiting to be recycled? Many of us do! Why not pull some out to act as your canvas and let your inner Picasso out?

Select a range of colors that compliment each other and pick one to be your base coat. From here you can decorate your glass jar however you like. You can paint floral or minimalist patterns, or even fun and wacky characters. At the end of the day, you get a cool decoration to hold pencils, flowers, or candles.

Be sure to avoid any potential health risks associated with dangerous, untested chemicals in your art supplies by opting for organic, non-toxic paints.

On a day you're not stuck inside, take a walk and look for flowers. Be mindful of how much you pick. You don't want to take too much from one plant! The best flowers for pressed art have thin stems so look out for pansies, daisies, black-eyed Susans, cosmos, larkspur, marigolds, bleeding hearts, or zinnias with small blooms.

When you get home, fold the page of a newspaper in half and place the flowers on one side. Make sure they're laying flat and not overlapping, then fold the other side to cover the flowers. Place the newspaper inside of a book - preferably a heavy one with many pages - and wait 4 weeks for the flowers to fully dry. 

Once dried, you'll be able to take them out and turn them into beautiful pieces of artwork! Try framing your floral design or gluing your pressed flowers onto thick paper to create a thoughtful, handmade card. There's no shortage of possibilities!

You might be worried that putting newspaper into your soil could harm your vegetation, but fear not – newspaper ink is now 100% organic.

Newspaper starter pots are easy to make and they work great. Simply cut a sheet of newspaper into three long strips and wrap them around an old aluminum can. Fold the newspaper over the open edge of the can, pressing down to really get it to stay in place. Slide the can out, and voila — you have a cool, biodegradable seed starter pot! Plant flowers and once they've blossomed, you'll have your very own garden ready for your pressed flower art.

This is one of the simplest, yet most impressive pieces of DIY homeware we’ve come across. Select an old picture frame or find one while thrifting and attach a sheet of chicken wire in place of where the photo would be. From there you can use miniature clothespins to stick up reminders, family photos, and fun souvenirs like concert tickets or postcards.

Hang your new message board from a piece of string and bring a fun new decoration to your kitchen wall. Using non-toxic paints, you can paint the frame in a funky color to make your DIY message board even more eye-catching.

Cardboard is one of the most versatile arts and crafts materials you can find. Why not get creative with the cardboard packaging from your organic Naturepedic mattress? 

Not only is cardboard 100% recycled, it is the perfect material for upcycling. It can be transformed into almost anything you can think of — from decorations for your Christmas tree, to a scratching post for your cat, to a fun playhouse for your kids.

Days spent indoors never need to feel boring again!

At Naturepedic, we know that our craft is only worthwhile if it serves our environment. We ensure that our products contain natural, organic materials that are certified to the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). See our website for more information on our commitment to sustainability.