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Friday Favorites #541

by Kaylah Stroup November 15, 2019

This post contains affiliate links. Check out our disclosure policy for more details.

How rad is this stained glass aloe plant?! The person who makes them also makes other plants as well!

This shirt!!!

Love this simple blue dress with that cute little back detail!

I stumbled upon this book this morning and promptly broke into tears looking at the preview. I think I’m gonna need a copy.

This light!

How gorgeous is this patch!?

Let people enjoy things.

Pretzel cardigan!

LOVE this moth tote bag.

You know I love anything that’s a cute version of a regular thing – like this elephant teapot!

Sweater crush! Perfect for layering this winter.

I’m obsessed with Gabriela Dec’s custom portraits! Her style is so lovely!

Book smeller! I mean, who can resist!?

Link love…

I don’t know when I’d ever have an excuse to wear a dress like this but I’m obsessed with this velvet maxi dress that has a starry cape!!
Oh look, another starry dress!
This floral bra + undies set is perfect! I love love love when cups are half lace.
I really really want one of these ugly teddy bear-esque hoodies. It looks so cozy!
I went looking for a polka dot jacket and ended up finding a polka dot cat harness. It’s cute but what really gets me are the review photos. I seriously love looking at review photos on pet clothing. They’re like a guaranteed smile.
This black polka dot bralette!
This 3D tooth model chart! Yes, please!
Socks I wanna wear every time I’m out of the city, at my parent’s house (They’ve got some… language.)

In shop news, I’m getting super geared up for the holidays! This week a handful of new key fobs, as well as new wristlets and double zip pouches hit the shop. I’m so pleased with how they turned out.

Happy Friday! xoxo

Last summer my pal Allie blogged about an abandoned diner she explored in Arizona. Check out her post here. She was road tripping around an area I’m fairly familiar with (She was actually in the area for my wedding!) so when I saw her post I was confused about how it was something Jeff and I had never been to over the years. A little further into the post and I realized we’d driven by it time and time again but always missed the exit. Had we known that there was an abandoned diner, we may have made it more of a priority but it was always like “Oh, what was that? Looked cool. We passed it though… maybe next year!”

Needless to say, after seeing her post, it was number one on our to-do list next time we were in the area! Although it was on the way home, it was something I looked forward to basically as soon as we set out on this roadtrip!

It did not disappoint!

I’m truly not sure what else to say about this place. It’s pretty straight forward, ya know? It was a diner and now it’s abandoned. This was my first restaurant of any sort so it was all new and fun for me. The two things I liked the most was the signage inside with prices and the booths, of course!

I’ve talked about this before but there are certain buildings that just kind of resonate with me more than others based on previous experiences. For example, I’ve never worked in a factory so abandoned factory, while big and exciting, doesn’t give me the same feeling as an abandoned school – somewhere I spent many years. Of course, it’s not the same school I went to but it’s very easy to see the similarities between the schools you grew up going to and basically any other school.

All that to say, it’s easy to picture myself sitting here. I’ve eaten in enough diners, a lot of which don’t look too much better. It’s a funny feeling to walk into a place like this and so easily be able to imagine the patrons and folks who worked there.

More posts from this trip;

Check out even more road trip posts under the ‘travel‘ tag.

Until next time, Arizona!

beachcomb with me

by Kaylah Stroup November 12, 2019

For years and years... and years and years making videos is something I’ve wanted to do. I quickly figured out that photography and videography are two very different things though. I feel confident in my photos but video? Nope! I’ve wanted to learn but its just so overwhelming.

Finally, this year I’ve begun experimenting. It’s hard and at times, super frustrating but it feels good to finally be learning a new skill. I’m already seeing improvements in my work and feeling more a tiny bit confident.

This is where I tell you – hello, I have a YouTube channel! Check it out.

Point being, the one idea that I really had in mind that I wanted to play with was a sort of treasure hunting series. Obviously the word ‘treasure’ here is subjective. It only takes a few minutes on my blog to figure out that I’m excited by some pretty silly stuff.

This is my second attempt at making a video for my ‘beachcomb with me’ series. The first video was an utter disaster. I tried making something right after getting my GoPro and I didn’t really have a vision so the video was kind of all over the place.

This final product isn’t necessarily everything I have in mind for the series but I’m actually really really excited about how it turned out. This is a great starting point. I’m excited to look back on this in a year and see how far I’ve come.

In the future, I’d definitely like to talk in these videos and maybe expand the treasure hunting methods – some dump digging, metal detecting, etc. Right now my whole family is super into ‘treasure’ hunting so it’s honestly, a big part of my life right now.

Hope you enjoy! xoxo

More found on the beach posts can be found here.

Friday Favorites #540

by Kaylah Stroup November 8, 2019

This post contains affiliate links. Check out our disclosure policy for more details.

I originally was just going to include this bandana because I thought it was cute. Upon further reading though, I noticed that it actually repels mosquitos, ticks and other bugs ya don’t want on you! How rad is that!?

Because who doesn’t need more cute little storage containers to store tiny treasures in!?

I’m just picturing this gorgeous quilted throw on my blue couch and ugh, soooo good!

This reusable straw that rolls up into a tiny container you can attach to your keychain is the coolest.

This sweater is so cute! I also just really love how happy the model looks.

These earrings!

Creature of the night!

Love these jammies!

I’ve featured this snake lamp time and time again. I want it so badly but I’ve just been waiting for the price to drop. Guess what – it happened! It’s down $20 from the original price.

I wore one of my Sugarhill Boutique sweaters for the first time this season yesterday and I’m hooked all over again. They just fit really nice and who can resist a giant animal on their sweater!? I love this deer one.

This sweatshirt!

Gotta throw in one of my own items since it fits this week’s theme! This constellation boxy bag!

Link love…

This isn’t being marketed as pajamas but I could definitely see myself getting all cozy in this jumpsuit.
Globe folks – this is easily one of the most affordable moon globes I’ve ever found online! And because once I start looking, I can’t stop I’m gonna share a few other globe finds… I love tin globes and this one is no exception. This one’s stand is just weird and I love it!
This calendar!
This lounge sweater looks so dang cozy.
I just love fun socks. Here are some kitty socks. More kitty socks. Oh, and even more kitty socks. (One last pair, these ones with a swear word.)
Love this vanity tray!

Happy Friday! xoxo

hair dye diaries – two tone blue

by Kaylah Stroup November 7, 2019

Ooof. This was an accident. A happy accident but an accident nonetheless! Originally I had half blue / half purple hair in mind. I bought the colors, dyed my hair, and yikes – you’ll just have to watch and see.

Watch below + subscribe on YouTube!

It turned out gorgeous in the end though, right?! It’s not what I had in mind when I started the process but I’m jazzed on the results!

Products used – (affiliate links)

You can find tips & guides in my hair master post – including Bleaching your hair 101, 7 tips for maintaining bright hair color, Two tips for switching hair colors easily. & so much more! I also have a handful of hair videos on my YouTube channel.

Friday Favorites #539

by Kaylah Stroup November 1, 2019

This post contains affiliate links. Check out our disclosure policy for more details.

This dress! I have no idea when I’d ever wear it but there is just something about a sheer starry dress that gets me.

These raccoon socks!

Love this simple black dress. That back cut out adds so much.

This bowl looks like a fancy version of something you’d put Halloween candy in and I love it.

Kitty jammies!

These earrings!

Doesn’t this look like the comfiest, already perfectly broken in tshirt ever? It comes in a handful of colors too!

This backpack purse is so cute. I’m really just a fan of how many pockets it has.

This rug! So, we are currently on the hunt for a house (fun but also not fun!) and I’m just picturing this in my future office, a big room with dark wood floors. Maybe someday.

How cute is this velvet flutter sleeve dress!? It’d be perfect paired with some polka dot tights.

Link love…

If you’re on the hunt for a simple, water-resistant warm coat, I can’t recommend this one highly enough. It’s been cold and rainy here lately and this bad boy has been perfect.
I’ve linked to this colorful dress before but I just realized the price went way way down on it!
This bra and undies set! Yes!
Dog overalls. You HAVE TO look at the photos. There is a customer review photos where they got family photos done and the whole family is wearing denim including the dog. I loooove stuff like this.
Digging the pattern on this sleep romper.
I snorted about this patch – I wish I was Nessie’s girl!
A canister for your secrets!
I want to live in this blanket sweatshirt.
I knew that Rifle Paper Co did a collab with Keds but I didn’t realize there were rainboots involved!!!

In case you missed it, I had a big shop update this week! New fabrics, key fobs + mini wristlets. Also, all items that were tagged ‘Halloween’ are marked off 25% until this evening.

Happy Friday! xoxo

Slug Bug Ranch

by Kaylah Stroup October 30, 2019

One of the very last stops on June’s road trip was Slug Bug Ranch… and what a grand last stop it was!

Slug Bug Ranch is a mere 35 minutes from Cadillac Ranch which I had the opportunity to visit with my parents last summer. Picture last summer’s route as the letter ‘T’. We drove up the center of the letter. Cadillac Ranch is to the left side of the top of the T, and Slug Bug Ranch to the right side. Although not too far out of the way, it would have been starting the main haul of our trip in the wrong direction so we decided to only hit Cadillac Ranch. To be honest, I assumed Cadillac Ranch would be the better choice anyway since it’s definitely the more popular choice.

Wrong. I mean no shade to Cadillac Ranch. We had a great time there and I wouldn’t trade those memories for a thing but wow, Slug Bug Ranch was AWESOME.

Slug Bug Ranch’s main attraction is five Volkswagen Beetles, buried hood-down in the ground. Just like Cadillac Ranch, they’re covered in layers and layers of paint. Even the ground, plants and spiderwebs nearby are covered in paint.

The Crutchfield family who owned the Longhorn Trading Post and Rattlesnake Ranch (pictured a handful of photos below) built Slug Bug Ranch as a way to gain a bit of attention when a huge corporate Travel Plaza popped up on the opposite side of the interstate. They figured with something this fun and eye-catching they’d be able to stay in business. Sadly, their plan didn’t work and only a year later they were forced to close. Judging by the amount of paint, travelers still find their way here all this time later.

We arrived right as the sun was beginning to set. There wasn’t a soul around except us. It was perfect.

More than that, I had no idea there were other abandoned structures there. Two small homes, the trading post, and a gas station plus a handful of other cars are on the property. We went there expecting to spend ten or fifteen minutes shooting some cars but ended up staying until we could no longer handle the ravenous mosquitoes. We explored every nearly every inch and had a blast doing so. This road trip had a ton of amazing stops but this might have been one of my favorites.

Longhorn Trading Post and Rattlesnake Ranch. Check out this shot from 2006!

Sunset behind an abandoned truck in Texas

More posts from this trip;

Check out even more road trip posts under the ‘travel‘ tag. If cars half-buried in the dirt are your thing, check out International Car Forest of the Last Church.

Friday Favorites #538

by Kaylah Stroup October 25, 2019

This post contains affiliate links. Check out our disclosure policy for more details.

Polaroid Originals just keeps coming out with films I need to buy! How cute is this ‘gold dust’ frame?

Paint it black and yes, please!! I am very into this planter.

This camera strap!

This back patch! I recently got this coat, that patch would be perfect on it.

These earrings are so pretty!

A little late to the party on this one (just 125 years) but I am obsessed with this painting by Pierre Bonnard. It’s the best worst thing ever. It’d fit right in my apartment. I’m gonna have to grab a print of it ASAP.

Ah! This eye rainbow maker!

Loving this pull over!

I’m normally a big fan of all things black and white but something about this quilt is calling my name!

The Fresno Nightcrawler! Fauna Obscura actually has all sorts of fun cryptid related products.

Digging these socks!

Link love…

Because black and white polka dot bralettes are definitely my thing.
This ghost doily is the absolute cutest. Just picture it with a spooky candle sitting on it.
If I were to simplify my wardrobe and only wear one shirt forever, it’d probably be this one. 3/4 length sleeves, long, slim fit. UGH. It fits so well. I’m gonna need to get a week’s worth of them.
I just want you to look at this silly dog. This one too.
It’s a dinosaur paper towel holder! Holy smokes.
I really really love the idea of this book, There Is No Good Card for This: What To Say and Do When Life Is Scary, Awful, and Unfair to People You Love. I definitely want to check it out.
Don’t we all need a dress covered in space cats!?

Happy Friday! xoxo

six months / things I want to tell you

by Kaylah Stroup October 14, 2019

Yesterday marked six months since my mom suddenly passed away.

I don’t blog about grief as much as I want to. Well, I mean, I don’t want to but I do feel like it’s healthy and… important, honestly. Having conversations about loss is essential. As a society, we suck at talking about death. Sure, everyone loves murder podcasts and documentaries but I feel like that really does absolutely nothing to prepare you for the gut-punch that is losing someone important to you. Grief needs to be normalized. We need to learn how to talk about and deal with these feelings so we can be there for our friends when they’re going through it and so that we can know how to better care for ourselves when the inevitable happens.

These last six months have had lots of highs and lows. I hate to say it’s been the worst six months of my life but uh, I guess technically, it has been. Grief is one heck of a rollercoaster. It hits you out of nowhere the second you take a breath and think “hey, maybe I’m okay after all.” It’s exhausting.

I used to text my mom nearly every day, we chatted on FaceTime often and even though I hate talking on the phone, I still called regularly. I feel like I have so much I want to say to her. Nothing truly groundbreaking but gosh, it really really sucks to lose the person you liked to bs with the most.

I don’t think my mom can read my blog anymore, obviously, but I felt like maybe it’d be therapeutic to type out some of the things I want to say to her…

Things I want to tell you;

Dad bought me candles. I don’t think he has any idea how much candles remind me of you since spending stupid amounts of time sniffing them at TJ Maxx was our thing. I cried the whole way home. He’s done it two more since that first time. It’s really sweet.

I think about you every single day. Multiple times a day. You’re in my dreams too. Basically the only thing I dream about these days. In my dreams, you’re always alive. I know that you’re dead in the dream but you show up, I exclaim ‘mom, you’re alive?!’ and we catch up. I’m glad I’m not dreaming about you being dead but I wish you’d still be here when I woke up.

The kids are getting so big. You’d be so proud of them. I know you always wanted kids from me too but I’m pretty sure the grandkids you already have max out of the cool meter anyway. I love them so much.

I try to bake cookies for dad every week. They’re not as good as yours but everyone seems to enjoy them anyway.

I bought a ring with your ashes and hair inside. It had a long turn around time but I secretly hope it shows up today. I know my first thought upon opening it will be “Ah, I gotta show mom!” That happens a lot.

I’m gonna be in a magazine! I wanted to call you as soon as I got off the phone with them.

Thanks for always letting me be me and never questioning my style and choices, no matter how whack they were. Looking through old photos has me wondering what the heck I was thinking a lot. You never made me feel stupid, even though I definitely looked like a total dork a lot of the time.

We work on the bus every weekend. I feel guilty because we didn’t do this while you were here. You’d have loved all the family time. Some weeks bus day just can’t come soon enough for me.

Speaking of the bus, we painted it your favorite color.

I really want to move closer to home. I want to be closer to family. Again, I feel bad this revelation didn’t come sooner.

Everything feels different.

I miss you a ton.

I love you.

More posts on grief, my mom and loss in general –

▴ my mother’s plants ▴ grief & road trips ▴ I cry over four leaf clovers ▴ grieving in the digital age ▴ the greatest loss

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