DIY Tent Canopy

You guys know that I love a good DIY, especially when it can be done on the cheap! Emerson's room has had a daybed in it since she was born. I thought I would get a lot of use out of it, but it ended up just taking up space, more than anything. I've been wanting some extra seating in our playroom anyway, so I removed the daybed (all by myself...beast mode) yesterday from her room + rearranged the playroom to accommodate the daybed. ANYWAY, my original reason for writing today is to share with you a quick tutorial on creating a tent canopy for your kiddo. I saw an idea on Pinterest a while back that involved creating a nook for your little one to use as a reading/play space. I've seen teepees that are super cute, but in my opinion, are a little more "boyish" and I wanted something girly for my little lady. Emerson's nursery is pretty girly anyway, so I didn't really think a teepee would fit the space. I opted for a canopy that you can DIY, naturally. I fell in love with the idea immediately after I saw this picture. I love how airy and light it is, too! You can find the tutorial that I originally read by clicking here. 

I chose to put my own spin on it. In all I spent about $25, and it took me less than thirty minutes to make. For the canopy I created, you'll need the following materials:

* 2.5 inch Ceiling hooks (You can buy 1 hook for ~ $0.99 at Walmart)

* 1 hula hoop (I wanted a larger hoop so that the canopy would be plenty spacious inside. I got my  hoop at Dollar Tree + they had various sizes. I got the 23 or 26in hoop-can't remember which)

* 1 spool of 1 inch ribbon (I used white)

* 4 floor length sheer curtain  ROD POCKET panels (I used white + I got mine at Big Lots for $5 each, for a total of $20). I almost wish I would've done 5 or 6 to make it a little fuller, but it works for now.

Instructions:
FIRST, you'll need to cut your hula hoop. Mine had a section where it had been taped together with clear packing tape. I simply used a sharp scissors to cut the hoop in half where that tape was.

SECOND, slide all 4 sheer panels onto the hoop when you cut it open, just like you would slide them onto a curtain rod.

THIRD, align the hula hoop back together and tape it back up with clear packing tape. I put several pieces just to be sure it wouldn't come apart, because little hands will be tugging on the panels.

FOURTH, cut 4 pieces of ribbon to the same length. For this part, you'll want to measure how far from the ceiling you want your canopy to hang. I didn't measure mine, I just eyeballed it. I would guess it's about a foot and half from the ceiling (or ~18-20 inches). I wish I would've done it closer to the ceiling though, honestly because there's a lot of slack curtain on the floor and I foresee that being an issue with an on-the-verge-of-crawling baby.

FIFTH, attach each piece of ribbon the the hula hoop in between each curtain panel. So, where each of the 4 panels meet is where you'll tie the ribbon. I hope that makes sense. I didn't take pictures, sorry!

SIXTH, bring all 4 ribbon pieces together in a triangular fashion and tie them in a knot.

SEVENTH, drill a hole in the ceiling and mount your hook where you want it.

EIGTHTH, hang your canopy using the knotted portion of the ribbon from step 6.

NINETH, add cushions, pillows, and/or blankets to the inside to create a cozy little space for your little munchkin.

The final product is shown below.

I do plan on adding lights + some plush cushions (I saw an idea of recovering a dog bed) to hers eventually. For now, she has some soft blankets/quilts on the floor as cushioning. I hope you guys can use this to create something fun for your tiny humans! I'm off to create some DIY rain gutter bookshelves to place next to her new canopy! More on that another day! Until then...