And the city says...

For #brynsflowers2017, I needed to ask permission from my town so that all our hard work isn't taken down the very next day! So..... We've gotten the official go ahead to install the yarn bomb!!!!! YAY!!!!! Bryn's birthday is this Sunday, but the planters we are yarn bombing won't be taken out of their storage spot and placed on the bridge until May. We still get snow in April and the city is concerned with snow removal so they have to keep the bridge clear until snow season is REALLY over. I'm pretty bummed that we can't do the installation for her birthday. BUT it's not that far off, and it gives me more time to sew all the pieces together. Thank you to everyone who worked hard to get the squares to me as quickly as you did!! I'll be posting update pictures as I sew, sew, sew. play hard ... play hooky

Thank you's from a Kindergarten Class

The response to Bryn's Flowers from my community has already been amazing. So when I received a book in the mail with thank you's written and drawn by one of the kindergarten classes, it really touched my heart. To think that Bryn may have been in that class is hard, but good at the same time.

This evening I went by the fence to secure some of the flowers that have blown loose. That same kindergarten teacher happened to be driving by so she stopped to talk. She said that all the kids still talk about how much they like it. When they ask why it's there, the teacher tells them "There was a little girl who was supposed to be here this year, but she can't be. So her mom made this for her." Smiling through tears!

As I've done throughout this whole journey, I wanted to share the pages with you. I blocked out the names of the kids for privacy. I hope they make you smile! :)

Bryn's Flowers

Last summer, I experienced the darkest moment of my life; I lost my 5 year old daughter, Bryn. My sassy, funny, and amazing daughter suffered a massive asthma attack one month after her 5^th birthday. She fought harder and survived longer than anyone thought possible, but after two days her little body ran out of strength. I kissed my baby girl for the last time as she quietly passed away in my arms. The slow walk to healing can take many forms. So far my journey has included crochet and yarn bombing.

Bryn left us just a few short days after her last day of preschool. She never went to her first day of Kindergarten; a day she talked about with such enthusiasm that her whole body shook with excitement. She never got to walk through her classroom door, meet her new teacher, or experience the joys of a 'big girl school' so I decided to create a yarn bomb to be there in her place. After months of planning, over 300 volunteer crocheters from 35 US states, 7 Canadian provinces, Puerto Rico, Germany, Italy, and Australia have come together for the biggest project I’ve ever attempted. Their outpouring of love and support helps me get through each day as the one year mark of her loss approaches.

Tuesday, April 16, would have been her 6th birthday. To celebrate and help give us strength, family, friends, a group of local volunteers, and even strangers walking past gathered on Saturday to install this epic project, showing just how many lives were touched by my sparkling girl.

This is a look back on the journey...

It begins...

My organizational skills are put to the test

Last minute preparations

People around the world showed their support by wearing Bryn's favorite color

 YARN BOMB!!

Bryn, I love you more than candy

#BrynsFlowers from the last few weeks

If you've just started following this huge project to honor my daughter, you can find more about it by following the link below and by clicking on the #brynsflowers tag to the right.

http://playinhookydesigns.blogspot.com/2013/03/bryns-flowers-yarn-bomb.html

March 22

March 25-26

March 26-April 2

PLAY HARD ~ PLAY HOOKY

Over the weekend

I was starting to think that I wouldn't have enough flowers... and then this was waiting for me on Monday and it made me feel a lot better

Over the weekend:

- LOTS more flowers in the mail!

- My totes are filling up

- More international packages

- Thank you for the little "extra's" you've made and given our family!

I added a new flower to the mix today to have some medium-sized ones. I fell in love with it and made 14 of them this afternoon!

PLAY HARD ~ PLAY HOOKY

Today's flowers

March 13 & 14

Flowers from the last two days and a map of the volunteers so far!

PLAY HARD ~ PLAY HOOKY

Bryn's Flowers - Along the Way

The journey for this project started last September when I had the idea to create a yarn bomb for Bryn at the elementary school she would have gone to this year. You may know that I created and put up a yarn bomb at her preschool (it's still up!) last fall, so this will be my second in her honor. At first it was going to be something small, maybe a sleeve for a pole on the playground, but then it took a turn. I saw an incredible yarn bomb by the Ladies Fancywork Society - in 2010, they were commissioned to create a flower 'garden' for construction fences across Denver. Immediately I knew it was something Bryn would love and something that I could involve the entire crochet community in.

So far I've had an amazing, and overwhelming outpouring of love, support, and eagerness to be a part of the most epic project I've ever attempted. Fans of my Playin' Hooky page jumped at the chance to be involved, resulting in close to 300 members of the FB group I created in an attempt to keep things organized. Members had the chance to choose from 11 different flower designs, butterflies, bumblebees, pinwheels, stems & leaves, and even a rainbow. I created an online sign up sheet (again to keep things organized - both my parents are engineers so this kid had no chance of escaping OCD) and within an hour, all of the slots for crocheted items were filled. I had no idea I would get that kind of response! I've since had to add more items on two occasions so that everyone who wanted to help could have the chance to send something.

The designs we're using to yarn bomb the fence

Along with all the crocheting that's going on, I get daily words of encouragement, support, and love (and even German chocolate - scroll down) from everyone involved. I get so much strength from all of you. If you're local and want to help with set up, please let me know!

So that's where we are. I'm starting to get 6-10 packages a day with gorgeous items from all over the country (11 states so far) and even a couple from Germany and Australia. I'm going to try and update everyone through pictures, so if you're on Instagram or Twitter search #brynsflowers to see my daily photo-diary and other's contributions to the project too! You can also follow some of the pictures on my Facebook page.  Here are some pictures to get you caught up.

March 8: My first package notice!!

March 11: I had so many packages that they gave me a locker, I got my first International shipment from Australia, I'm trying to stay organized, some of the flowers in that day's mail.

March 12: My second International package came from Germany - and it didn't just have flowers in it. GERMAN CHOCOLATE!!! Happy

March 12: Today's flowers, a look at the fence we'll be covering, the German awesomeness

This was a special bird made by Beate (the same crocheter who sent me chocolate so I love her). It reminds me so much of a paper bird that's hanging on Bryn & Tara's ceiling that Beate gave me permission to hold it back from the yarn bomb and use it in the decoration of the room some how. 

PLAY HARD ~ PLAY HOOKY

Bryn's Flowers - a Yarn Bomb

The Yarn Bomb that inspired me
by the Ladies Fancywork Society

This year would have been Bryn's kindergarten year at Longfellow Elementary. She was so excited about going to school and meeting all her new friends. When she talked about kindergarten, her eyes lit up, her smile got bigger, and her whole body shook with excitement.

Then we lost her. An experience that changed our lives forever. Even though she never got to walk through her Kindergarten door, meet her new teacher, or experience all the joys of a 'big girl school', we can help keep her presence there.
I've been working with the school administrators and teachers to plan a fun and cheerful way to remember her and bring a smile to the kids, faculty, and parents. We will yarn bomb the chain link fence with crocheted flowers and butterflies - two of Bryn's favorite things.

Some of you know that I created a yarn bomb in memory of my Bryn at the beginning of the school year. Now that Spring Break is coming up, along with her birthday in April, I want this BIGGER yarn bomb in her honor.

Here's how you can be a part of this memorable and meaningful event:

• Join my group on Facebook (If you don't have a FB account, let me know and I'll make sure you can still participate)
• You can crochet items, help with set up or help with clean up, or send me zip ties
• Read the volunteer information to find the online sign-up sheet and all the details you will need to know as a volunteer
• Pick your favorite flower, pinwheel, butterfly, or rainbow color from the album in the group
• Sign up using the online sign-up sheet (the link is only available through the FB group)
• You may sign up for more than one item, but be aware that they need to be in the mail by March 18th to get to me in time

The flowers, pinwheels, butterflies, and bees we will use to decorate the fence

my Bryn

PLAY HARD ~ PLAY HOOKY