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first hike of the spring // on film

by Kaylah Stroup April 21, 2014

The first few family hikes of spring are always my favorite. It’s magical watching everything coming back to life. New plants working their way up through the leaves and debris from last fall. Birds chirping and my favorite spring noise, peepers! This year it’s a little bit more special than normal since I’m now a city girl. There are tons of parks surrounding the area I live in but they’re fairly busy with other people also trying to escape the hustle and bustle. Last week I took a trip out to my parents house for a hike and a cookout. As much as I’m loving and adapting well to city life, it felt really nice to escape for a few hours.

And one more, of a snaggle toothed puppy!

xoxo

All of the photos above were taken with a pentax k1000 and Fujifilm 35mm Superia X-TRA 400.

life lately // on film

by Kaylah Stroup April 17, 2014

Just a collection of film photos from the last few weeks. There are a few TIM photos thrown in there. I shot a roll with no real expectations, I just shot. I was pretty excited to get them back. I went to pick them up after watching the clock all day only for the woman behind the counter to sheepishly mutter “I sahry, I esssposed ya films.” I have no idea how she did it but she did manage to not ruin three frames worth, and those three shots just so happened to be ones I really liked. I’m so bummed about it though. I shot at some super fun locations, and of such neat things. Guess that’s one of the risks of not developing my own film. Oh well.
xoxo

Exploring // on film

by Kaylah Stroup April 10, 2014

Just a few photos from some recent adventures. Life is good.
xoxo

All of the photos above were taken with a pentax k1000 and Fujifilm 35mm Superia X-TRA 400.

A love letter to my car

by Kaylah Stroup April 3, 2014

Hey there, sweet thing! Today is our one year anniversary. Exactly one year ago today I signed the paperwork that made you mine. I didn’t even get to drive you home since I didn’t have my license yet, only my permit. I was too nervous to drive on the highway, a highway that we would eventually move very close to and drive on almost every day.

I remember the first time I saw you on craigslist, I took a screenshot that I still have tucked away somewhere. I didn’t even have to sit inside you before I was sold. You were even prettier in person than you looked online. You did have a bit of a funny smell from the previous owner. Something similar to hamster bedding, the clean kind. It was weird but I eventually came to love it and am kind of bummed that it’s either finally went away or that I’m so used to it I can no longer smell it.

Together we’ve gone on many adventures. Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Columbus, Akron, Cincinnati, and so many more places. We’ve seen so many stupid roadside attractions together, including that silly giant basket. We’ve visited at least thirty cemeteries together and I hope we get to visit a few hundred more.

Sometimes you can be a jerk. Right now you’re a little shaky. I know, I know, it’s the pot holes in Lakewood that did it to you so it’s not your fault. I need to get your tires aligned. But how about that time your tire blew out at 2am on the highway in Cleveland before I moved here? Or when you wouldn’t start in Pittsburgh and I had to call AAA and sign up on the spot so they’d jump me? Regardless, you’re still great, I don’t really blame you for any of those things.

You’re a petite little thing but still have lots of space for anything I might find out adventuring and need to haul home. Your tinted windows, and low profile tires (thanks to your previous owner) make you look so slick. Basically, you’re everything I could ever want in a car. If I can’t have , you’re absolutely the next best thing.

Sorry I never gave you a real name, but I hope we get to go on a million more adventures together. You’ve made me a Volkswagen fan forever.
xo

holga TIM

by Kaylah Stroup April 1, 2014

I fiiiinally finished off a roll I had sitting in my TIM since the beginning of the year. I’m not as happy with the photos as I had hoped but they’re definiately still worth sharing. I’ve had this darn camera for at least three years and still haven’t mastered it. It’s still fun to experiment with though.

TIM
shoots half frame photos. By closing one eye, taking a photo, closing up
that eye, opening the other and shooting again before advancing the film
you’ll get two pictures on one print. It takes regular 35mm film so
there is no fussing with sending it out to get it developed if you don’t
want to. It’s fairly simple to use! By leaving both eyes open at the
same time and taking a shot you get two of the thing on the print except
they’re from slightly different angles – which gives you a 3D image.
(You can learn how to view it using photojojo’s tutorial)

This roll had photos from our trip to Savannah, Pittsburgh and a few from Louisville.

Like I said, nothing that really blows my mind on this roll. I think I might have been trying too hard. I took these photos with perfect visions of how they’d turn out and it never works that way with film, and especially with a cheap plastic camera. I’ve already started another roll that I’m just shooting random pictures with, without expectations of what they might look like. Hopefully they turn out more fun than these.
xoxo

apartment living // the living room

by Kaylah Stroup March 24, 2014

I realized last week that I’ve now been living in my new apartment for one month. It’s been the best month. I absolutely love it here, I couldn’t be happier. I feel like I’m exactly where I need to be right now. Initially a little nervous about city living, my fears have disappeared! This place is perfect for me.

Like I’ve mentioned in other posts, I’m mostly settled in. My bedroom still need a little work, really I’m just waiting to find a desk to make into a vanity and then it will quickly come together but in the mean time I’ve finished up my living room. It’s basically the cutest thing ever, in my opinion.

Behind the couch, from where I would be standing to see the view in the above photo, is where I have my desk set up to work. It’s the only wall with blank space left on it in this room, hence why it’s not shown. As soon as I get it all set up I’ll be sharing photos of my new office. To the left is my bathroom, a few closets and my bedroom. To the right is the dining room and kitchen.

I planned on doing a “sources” list but when it comes down to it, basically everything in the room is second hand, from a thrift store, ebay, a gift, etc. The couch is from Thrive Furniture. The fox and beetle pillow are from Target. If you’re curious about anything else specifically, just ask!

I love this place dearly.
xoxo

Jerry’s Junk // on film

by Kaylah Stroup March 13, 2014

One of my favorite stops on Mickey and I’s latest trip was in Louisville, Kentucky at Jerry’s Junk. I want so badly to have an easy way to explain this place but it really something you just have to see first…

Jerry Lotz is a collector, clearly. He owns five homes in the neighborhood, all of which are packed to the brim with a wide variety of items. The place that draws people in is on the corner of Frankfort and William street. The lawn is covered and when you peek inside the windows (Don’t worry, he lives upstairs) you can see the inside is filled up with odds and ends as well. You could hang around for hours and still keep spotting new things.

Mickey and I just stopped to take photos but soon met Jerry who we ended up spending over two hours with. Jerry showed us around two of his homes, taking us inside to get a closer look at things we might be interested in. He told us stories of his childhood, and told us how his daughters don’t appreciate his collection. We volunteered ourselves up for adoption! He told us how everything he owns has a story behind it and even shared some of the stories. The funniest part is, the whole time he’s talking to us he’s dragging around a rake. It was SO hard to hear.

But really, it was incredible to be able to talk to him and hear all about his collection. Even though I could never see myself amassing a collection like this, there’s just something that draws me into collections and their owners. It’s like I just get it, I understand how it feels to be passionate about weird things.

Even a few spots not specifically on his property were adorned with his things. Below are some things found in the sidewalk.

Above is the man himself, Jerry Lotz.

It was truly one of the most fun experiences ever. Mickey and I each bought a really great “souvenir”, I’ll tell you all about that another day though. Jerry is so very kind. If you’re ever in the area “Jerry’s Junk” is a must visit!

xoxo

All of the photos above were taken with a pentax k1000 and Fujifilm 35mm Superia X-TRA 400.

cabinet(s) of curiosities

by Kaylah Stroup March 4, 2014

Back in October I shared some peeks of my cabinet of curiosities,
since then my collection has grown and bigger than that, I’ve moved. My
new apartment has the best built in cabinets with gorgeous glass doors
on each side of the entrance to my tiny kitchen. The second I saw them I
knew I’d fill them with skulls, teeth and the like. I also chose to have my hutch, that at my old residence held weather houses, in the dining room to house the rest of my collection. I absolutely love how it looks.

It’s really fun to have these things I love so much on display instead of tucked away in my office. From my desk, which is set up in the back corner of the living room, I can see into the dining room where I have the perfect view of the hutch.

Not the best photo, thanks iPhone panorama feature, but here’s one last photo so you can get the gist of the room’s layout, and a better look at those beautiful built ins.

I’m really loving this place. For the most part, I’d say I definitely had creative control over my last place but this one is mine. Every little corner is mine, everything in it is mine, and I can make it look exactly how I’d like which is almost kind of overwhelming in a way. I’m a little bit stumped on what to hang on the walls. As you can kind of see in that last photo I have some prints taped to the wall. Not permanently of course, but just to see what it would look like. Previously I was a cluster-er when decorating. For example, all my paint by numbers went on one wall, all the cuckoo clocks together on another, etc. So, my first choice is to hang my taxidermy in there because it would fit so well with the rest of the things but I’m thinking of mixing it up and spreading my taxidermy out throughout the place. Plus those prints really are perfect for in there. We’ll see! I’ll surely share full room photos are soon as I figure out what to hang more permanently than with tape.
xoxo

South of the Border

by Kaylah Stroup February 25, 2014

While in Georgia, Mickey and I decided to get road trip tattoos. We got matching peaches that ended up being even cuter than either of us had imagined. During our short visit to Anonymous Tattoo we told the artist all about our trip and how we were obsessed with silly roadside attractions. He asked if we had stopped at South of the Border and suggested if we hadn’t already stopped we make it a priority. We looked it up and decided to hit it on the way home since it would only take us a little bit out of the way.

It didn’t take long before we started seeing signs for South of the Border. I have literally never seen so many billboards for one thing in my life. I don’t even understand how they could possibly make enough money to cover the advertising costs. The closer we got the more there were and the more excited we grew.

South of the Border is a strange, strange place. There are over a dozen large animals, at least two restaurants, an ice cream parlor, a bunch of souvenir shops, a motel, and even an indoor reptile exhibit. It’s all so wildly colorful too!

According to their website “Our trademark has always been a value-oriented service ~ we provide a clean, safe & fun environment for travelers of all types to visit on their way to or from the southeast.” I’m not so sure about that. Mickey and I used one of the bathrooms while we were there. As we walked in the attendant scowled at us and then sat down in a rusty old chair. Needless to say, she didn’t get tipped.

It’s apparent the place seen better days. It’s a bit sketchy and I probably wouldn’t want to be there at night but it sure was awesome. Running around from animal to animal taking pictures was a blast. I’m not sure any roadside attraction could ever top this but you best believe I’m gonna look.
xoxo

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