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

The Butterflies Have (Finally) Been Released

It was a perfect day, with great friends, good weather, and much love!!! After such a busy and amazing weekend, I'm finding it hard to gather my thoughts about what it means to me to have you be a part of such a personal celebration of my daughter Bryn. So, I'll just let the pictures do it for me.

play hard ... play hooky

Snow Butterflies

We were all set to hang #brynsbutterflies in the park tomorrow... and then this.

We've gotten well over a foot of the white stuff in the last 24 hours and it's still coming down. At least another 2" or so has fallen since I took these pictures.

Since Bryn's birthday was on a Thursday, I scheduled to install the butterfly yarn bomb for this Saturday (tomorrow). Mother nature has her own plans. I don't want to make everyone trudge through slush, or heaven forbid if a tree branch were to fall on someone.

It's not over though, just postponed until next weekend. I'm sad that we won't be able to do it tomorrow, especially for those of you who were so generous and quick with getting your butterflies to me. Just know that this doesn't change how much it means to us - it only changes the date. Hopefully Bryn doesn't mind.

Bryn's Butterflies

Many of you have been with me long enough to experience the hardest moment of my life. The day we lost our daughter Bryn, a month after her 5th birthday. That was almost 3 years ago. I've had some major highs and lows since then. The highs have mostly come from the crochet community rallying behind me in support and love to make sure her smile is never forgotten.

Every year on her birthday I try to do something special with you all. Two years ago it was Bryn's Flowers - a major yarn bomb on the fence of the kindergarten she would have attended. Last year we handed out candy to let her know we "love her more than candy" - something she used to say to me.

This year, on April 16th she would have turned 8. So to do something that would have made her smile, let's make butterflies. LOTS of butterflies to hang from the tree in her favorite park. Ones that anyone can take if they need something to brighten their day. Bryn made people smile wherever she went. We can help her keep spreading that joy.

If you want to be a part of Bryn's 8th birthday celebration, here's the info you're looking for:

• Pattern: You can use any butterfly pattern you'd like. It'd be best if they're not too small since they'll be hanging in a big tree. Here is a collection of my favorite free butterfly patterns on Ravelry to give you inspiration - http://www.ravelry.com/bundles/10853
• Deadline: My mail is slow... really slow. So to be sure I get your butterflies in time to add them to the tree, please have them in the mail by Saturday, April 11th (Monday at the latest). But sooner is better!
• Extras: We will need lots of thin fishing line to hang all these beauties from the tree. If you don't crochet, or just want to clean out your husband's tackle box, please send it to the address below.
• Address: Send everything to...

Playin' Hooky Designs

Liz McQueen

PO Box 453

Salida, CO 81201

play hard... play hooky

Bryn's Candy

Wednesday, April 16th, is my Bryn's 7th birthday. But it will be the second time we've had to celebrate without her. Last year, with LOTS of help, we put a flower garden on the fence of the Kindergarten she was supposed to go to.

It took me a lot longer to decide how to celebrate this year. I could never find the perfect project, and well honestly, I just ran out of energy to organize something huge. But with your help, we can still do something pretty cool.

I love you more than candy... that's what she said when I tucked her in at night. So this year, we're going to spread love and happiness through candy, and Bryn would have LOVED it!

I scoured Ravelry and  found two free candy crochet patterns on Ravelry that remind me of Bryn.

Here's what you do:

• Pinwheel Candy Pattern - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/pinwheel-candy
• Lollipop Pattern - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lollipop-brooch
• Make up as many or few as candies as you want.
• The brighter the colors the better!
• Write a note, or leave them bare. 
• Put them out as a yarn bomb... leave them in random candy dishes... hand them out to strangers... as long as it will make someone smile.
• Get a picture of the candies in action.
• On Wednesday, post your pictures to Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter with the hashtag #brynscandy.

Thank you for your help! I can't put into words how much it means to me that you're willing to help me celebrate my amazing daughter and keep her memory alive.

play hard ~ play hooky

Update: I did it! I actually finished making all the candies I had hoped to for her birthday tomorrow. If you want to leave a note with your ‪#‎brynscandy‬ tomorrow and aren't sure what to say, here's something I just wrote...

For Bryn, a girl who loved life, lived big, and shared smiles. Here's a handmade candy to celebrate and spread love on her birthday. She isn't here so we'll do it for her. I love you more than candy.

On the Rocks

If you've been paying attention to my Instagram or FB feeds, you may already know that I've been working on something sneaky. With a group of my local crochet girls, BlondieChell and Good Lookin' Hookin', I planned a small yarn bomb for the start of a local event called FIBArk - First In Boating on the Arkansas. It's the oldest (and coolest) white water festival in the States and we wanted to do out part to get involved.

The Idea

It was early this week when I went to my yarnies and suggested we do a yarn bomb for all the people coming to our little mountain town for the fest. The water can get cold down by the river (am I the only one who hears Chris Farley's voice when I say that?) so we decided to keep the rocks warm by giving them bright cozies. I gathered up some rocks from my backyard and got to work. We only had a few days before the start of FIBArk, so we made 13 in all.

Sneaking Around

 

Last night, we enlisted the help of our 4 year olds to pick the perfect spots for our rocks. We tried our best to be sneaky, but there were still a few people hanging out in the park. So as nonchalantly as we could (with two flashlight-toting preschoolers), we found new homes for our rocks, Easter-egg style.

The Theif

BlondieChell was up with the sun to go check on our crafty stones in the light of day. And to all of our dismay, she caught this guy stealing the rocks! We all knew it would happen at some point, but not at dawn only a few short hours after we set them up. And this guy was taking them all! Seriously, what does one man need with a dozen crocheted rocks? So if you're in town for the fest and you see this blurry guy (he may or may not be related to Bigfoot), tell him you know he stole the stones... and that we'll be watching him... ;)

We got Lucky

Bigfoot must've sensed something because he abandoned his pretty-rock-gathering before he got them all. I walked to the river this morning with my kids around 9am and found four of them right where we put them. I don't expect they'll be there much longer, but that's the nature of the beast. If you see them, feel free to snap a pic, pet them, or even relocate them, but don't take them home. Let's show all these tourists how weird and fun us locals are, and that our town has more to offer than first meets the eye. Ok, so they probably won't get that deep of a meaning out of our rocks, but at least it'll make 'em smile.

FIBArk 2013 is just getting started!

PLAY HARD ~ PLAY HOOKY

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