I’ll call this series of posts Project Playroom because it is a work in progress, the making of a DIY Play Market staring with the awning. Lots of little projects leading up to one big reveal. I just have to pace myself and work on things as I feel up to it! We took the old LBB office and cleared it all out into a much bigger office. It was going to be the nursery but those plans are on hold for a bit until I am cancer-free and we figure out how we want to add to our family. So now it’s my new “writing room” and Boo’s new playroom….we needed a room just for that almost-four-foot-tall Barbie dream house she got for Christmas.
Boo loves her kitchen and she’s always wanted a market/grocery store to go along with it…..so I thought I’d devote one small corner to just that. Brett found this old awning that someone had tossed out:
I took off the existing awning to reveal the frame and Brett got out the power tools to make it a tad smaller. He’s always so great when I ask him to do little projects….you know I love my power tools, but I’m not feeling quite as strong as I used to so I don’t trust myself with the saws right now….I’d like to keep all my fingers and limbs if I can:
I used my seam ripper to take apart the existing awning cover. This is the easiest way to make a new pattern! Just take apart something old, trace it onto new fabric, and then put it back together the same way! That’s how even the biggest of companies do it!
I bought some bright yellow canvas, bias tape, and thread:
I traced all my awning pieces onto the new canvas:
I sewed the pieces together and tested the fit of the awning on the frame. Looks good!
I made a little template so that I could cut the bottom into a scalloped edge:
I stitched white bias tape all around the raw scalloped edges:
The finished edges!
I used a simple freezer paper stencil to add the word “MARKET” to the front. The letters could be cut out by hand but my Silhouette machine cut them out in under a minute. You can see more about freezer paper stenciling here in my beanbag tutorial.
I used a sponge to dab white fabric paint onto my letters:
While the letters were still slightly damp, I carefully peeled off my freezer paper stencil and touched up the letters with a small paint brush:
Brett hung the market awning up in the playroom. Now I’ve got to create the actual market and stock it with lots of goodies!
I just ordered this antique milk scale off of Ebay the other day to hang in her market! Isn’t it cool? It will be the perfect addition.
Click here to check out Project Playroom for all of our related projects!
I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE it 🙂
Love, love , love it!!!
What a great find! Your daughter will love it! My youngest son loved his funky vintage kitchen that my mom found somewhere years ago. it was made to look just like a real one, back in the 40s. His favourite part was antique broom and mop. He was a tidy kid. 🙂
Does you mind ever stop! I thought I was hopeless when I have to always be creating something but I think you may be a tad more crazy than I! Keep it up! I love reading about your ideas.
Don’t forget to rest sweet!
You’re the coolest mom! If I show my daughter this I’m going to have to do this for her.
Amazing! Now I just need a space in my house, and a power saw. I think I know what I am going to get my husband (myself) for his birthday this year!
cute cute idea love it!!!
This is fantastic! I am in awe!
Oh, I love this!! It turned out so well. Looks like a real market awning.
Soooo adorable! Awesome Job!
AH, I wanna be a kid in your house! How fun. I used to want to make a little market for my future kids… with a store, a library, a zoo, and cute little “nooks” in a room for them to play in. Cough, you need a zoo and little library next. And, yay about adding to your family when you’re healed. My neighbor adopted a baby from South America and couldn’t have been more excited. I want to adopt one day too. (If that’s how you plan on adding… even though it’s totally not my business and this is probably a random comment, you need more babies one day.. of the human and/or puppy variety). 🙂 Anyway, love how you used an old discarded awning and made it cute and fun for Boo.
oh gosh … i really want one of these … way to cute!
oh how pretty! bet boo loves it!
just love the market. cant wait to see what you do with the rest!!
That looks brilliant. This series is perfect timing as we’re doing up our playroom and I have plans to include a grocery shop in there.
It is way cool!
Love it, can’t wait to see it all complete!!
Hello Ashley, I am new to your blog and I love it. My granddaughter would love the market. I wanted to write and tell you how inspired I am by you and “Choose Joy”. So much so my latest blog post is about you and “Choose Joy”. Thank you for sharing your life and inspiring me. I would like to put the Choose Joy button on my blog. I am not sure how to do that without having the html text to add a gadget????? Do you make the html text availiable to copy and paste into gadgets on the blog design?
I have prayed for your healing Ashley and will continue to do so.
Ah! I LOVE it!!!! It is soooo cute!
Oh my gosh! You are the coolest mum EVER! (along with my own, of course)
I’m worried that I am never going to have the skills to make these kind of projects for my kids, haha.
So cool!
How fun!
ADORABLE!!!
Simply fabulous!
I am a sucker for awnings!!!! What a great find and re”up”…better than before!!! I remember my Papa building me a stove that the burners were made from the old metal filters from coffee pots….I still remember how great it was….I know she will get miles of fun and play for the market place you and Mr LBB are creating for little boo!
Glad to hear that Boo is getting some TLC via the make over 🙂
Way cool that you could repurpose the awning for Boo’s room too 🙂
the entire LBB family are in my thoughts and prayers!!
Keep on…keeping on!!!
XOXO
Kelly D < :0 )
love it!
Love this!!
Hi Ashley. Did you get your writing room painted? I ask because I have the ability to perhaps get some volunteers in your area to do a simple paint job for you, to take something off your plate and to just be kind to you! You have my email address if that would be of any help for you!
Outstanding job on the awning! I admire your persistence!
So adorable! Love it!
This is so creative -as always!!! Totally love the idea 🙂
Boo is one lucky little shopper – love the bright yellow awning and your scallops look great – I struggle when I do scallops or curves!
You are so inspiring in so many ways, thank you for sharing so much of your life. It is refreshing your zeal for life, we should all be so inclined. I wanted to add a side note to your awning or maybe something for you to add to your “I’m going to try it list :+} I use PVC for my awnings, it works well inside or outside. I use thick wall unless the project needs to curve, for a bedcrown or something like that. Feel free to email me for more info – Prayers & Blessings to you & your family – K
Fantastic! I love it! You’ve inspired me to do something creative with my little ones’ “shop”
Girl, you really rock. I wish I had an ounce of your creativity and motivation.
Very cute like the awning
I find it amazing how much energy you have with all that you are going through. It motivates my lazy butt to get in gear. I am trying to re-vamp my daughter’s bedroom and you are inspiring me. Thank you for always motivating me to do things whole heartedly and with joy 🙂 ~Meg
I’ve decided I need one of these. And, a kid to go with it.
Ok, maybe not the kid, just the cute mini- storefront to look cool.
HGTV once had a “millionaire houses” type show that had a whole tiny town in the basement… you pressed a button on the driveway to lower the car to the basement and could drive down the basement “town street” to the drive-in theater. I wanted one of those so bad. This sounds like a more realistic alternative. 🙂
Very nice and cheery! I love cheery colors for kids.