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abandoned gas station

by Kaylah Stroup March 21, 2019
Abandoned gas station in rural Ohio

The weather isn’t really warming up too much, but we’re all feeling those spring vibes. We’ve been trying our best to get out early each Saturday morning to wander and take photos. Waking up before the sun even rises on a Saturday isn’t necessarily easy, especially since Squid has been cuddling with us every night for the duration of the night and leaving a warm cozy little spoon of a cat sucks, but it is so worth it.

This gas station was a happy accidental find on the way to our destination (which had sadly been demolished.) There was just something about it that felt like the desert. The temperature was the exact opposite but this hollow shell of a building transported us all to a far away place, if only for a second. Perhaps it’s not as interesting as thirty or so trailers and cabins packed full of stuff but it was still a super fun little stop that yieled some nice shots.

Close up of the pump at an abandoned gas station.

Use the ‘abandoned‘ tag to view more posts on forgotten buildings across the US.
Also, be sure to check out my husband’s book – Abandoned Cleveland.

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Friday Favorites #507

by Kaylah Stroup March 15, 2019

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

This snail planter is perfect. I love that it’s quirky and fun yet not super obnoxious. Not that I have a problem with obnoxious decor, ahem.

I seriously just love everything moon related that Urban Outfitters carries. This bathroom rug is no exception.

I am all about these colorful patchwork shoes.

BB Dakota has some SUPER cute dresses out right now! (left, right)

Loving this shirt!

I’m going to need you to direct your attention to this geode bath bomb! HOLY SMOKES. Its beautiful!

YES!

I’m pretty sure Strange Planet’s comics are the funniest things ever. I laugh so hard I cry at nearly every one of them. This is my current favorite. His comics are also basically the only place on the internet its okay to read the comments. It’s normally just people adding onto the comic which is hilarious.

Aren’t these shadow boxes so neat?! I can think of all sorts of fun little things I could display in there.

Its almost romper weather! I’m so excited.

Of course I like this juice glass and want a whole cupboard full of them.

Link love…

  • Love this plant! I will definitely be hunting for one when the local garden stores starting getting new plants in for the season.
  • This polka dot dress is so cute, especially styled the way it is in the photos!
  • An essential oil diffuser that is actually cute! I might just really really like that it comes in black…
  • I really just love Katy Pillenger’s whole shop. Her style is so cute.
  • I’ve trained the sites I visit enough just to automatically recommend me striped dresses and that makes me very happy. Look how cute this one is.
  • More is more!
  • A recent purchase I’m very excited about – new rainboots! I was in need of short pair to wear to the beach and these are perfect. I love them so much.
  • Earlier this week I discovered someone on instagram who makes quilt blocks that look like dogs. Isn’t this Saint Bernard just the stinken coolest!?!

Happy Friday! xoxo

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collection of curiosities 2019

by Kaylah Stroup March 13, 2019

Its been a while since I shared any photos of my cabinet of curiosities! Although I’ve shared photos of my living room in this apartment, I haven’t even taken any specifically of my curiosities. These last few weeks I’ve been on a spring cleaning kick so when I dusted everything off here and rearranged I knew it was time to get some updated photos. (That living room post definitely needs updated as well! Soon!)

I’m essentially at the point where I have so much stuff in my collection of weird stuff (skulls, taxidermy, misc bones, medical models, etc) that I have my own mini museum. I even have a good portion of stuff stored away because there simply isn’t room in this apartment to display it. My dream home definitely includes a room with tons and tons of shelves that can be used to show off my oddities.

Even though I live with these things and see them literally every single day, seeing them like this gets me excited about them all over again!

My braces!
Whiskers from Klaus, Professor + Squid

Sources – The cabinet is a lucky auction find. It cost a whopping ten dollars. Most items were found at auctions, estate sales, random websites across the internet, the trash (seriously…), and sometimes folks are even nice enough to send me things that would fit in my collection perfectly.

I’ve compiled more related finds here if you’re in the market for some oddities of your own.

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Friday Favorites #506

by Kaylah Stroup March 8, 2019

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

Guess I’ve been out of the loop on new camera releases because I just discovered this bad boy today, the MiNT InstantFlex TL70 2.0. It shoots instax mini film and the one review that includes a photo has me convinced its a great camera!

Loving this wrap dress!

I don’t reeeeally need a new pair of Palladium Boots but spring kind of is a great excuse. Love these ones!

Very interested in this candle scent.

Mustard shorteralls! Yes, please!

Digging this dress. Perfect for summer!

Moon phase clock.

This dress! I love the simple star pattern and of course, that back!

How absolutely incredible is this embroidery piece!? You can buy a pattern to make it yourself! Honestly, just everything in this shop is rad.

Both the color and the style of this bag really win my heart. (Same color, different shaped bag!)

I went ahead and bought this shirt earlier in the week. I am very excited to rock it.

Link love…

  • This starry dress!
  • Another great dress! This one is actually customizable too! Before adding it to your cart you can change the sleeve style and dress length. (Comes in yellow too!)
  • People I love: cats. Also, people I want to meet: dogs.
  • I bought this bra earlier in the week and I am obsessed! I even grabbed a second color after seeing how much I liked it on.
  • LED shower head! YES! I already own (and absolutely love) a toilet light so heck yes, I do think my bathroom needs more fun lights.
  • These overalls made from what looks like sweatpants material look SO DANG COZY.
  • Ohh! Ohh! This iridescent phone holder! Suddenly my plain black one is no longer sufficient.
  • Looooving this bodysuit. Best of all, Boohoo is having a huge sale right now and its marked way down.
  • The Dainty Squid shop had a big update this week, which included lots of coin pouches and some one of a kind clutches!
one of my favorites!

Happy Friday!xoxo

Even more finds…

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abandoned trailer park 2019

by Kaylah Stroup March 6, 2019

Four years ago Jeff and I discovered what would quickly become one of my most favorite abandoned places. This former vacation hot spot is a place we visit nearly every year, and some times more than once. Colorful trailers and cozy cottages line a small overgrown road. Each one filled with personal items. It’s like one day everyone just left and never came back.

Despite having visited so many times it always feels so new and exciting!

One of the most shocking differences this visit was how overgrown it was. Our very first visit was in March of 2015. It was still technically winter so it was quite barren. I remember being completely enthralled by the line of brightly colored trailers. When we returned in June of the same year I was shocked at how grown up it was. The green of the leaves was overwhelming. I even noted in a post from that visit that toward the end of the road there were some trailers so completely overgrown with trees, and other plants if you weren’t specifically looking for them you could easily miss them.

This visit was similar, I was overwhelmed by the growth except there were no leaves. Small trees have started growing into something a bit more substantial. Most of the small cabins near the front of the property were actually hard to get into. My winter jacket and double layer of pants protected me not only from the cold but from the briars. Squeezing my way into some of those spots in a tshirt and shorts seems unthinkable. I also imagine that once the leaves make a return most of the cabins will be nearly invisible.

  • 2019
  • 2016
  • 2015

The trailer park is the only spot I can think of that I’ve ever been where after visiting so many times I still feel like there is tons more to shoot. I never leave feeling completely satisfied. There’s always something more I could have looked at, another door I could have went through. This basically guarantees that each visit I find some new detail I absolutely love and wonder how I could have possibly missed it before. (The made bed a couple of shots above caught my attention this time.)

This chair though! I’ve been taking a photo of it every time we go just to document its decay. It’s barely recognizable these days. When summer comes around again it’ll probably go missing in the tall grass.

Until next time, trailer park.
xoxo

Check out past posts from this location – March 2015, June 2015, May 2016, March 2017 & May 2017.


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Friday Favorites #505

by Kaylah Stroup March 1, 2019
This post contains affiliate links. Check out our disclosure policy for more details.

I love both of these shelves, the moon and the eyes!

Galaxy dress!

Moth man!

Look at this glow-in-the-dark moon bank! (Here’s a globe bank as well. I probably just need both of those.)

This mug!

Way into this windbreaker!

Loving this moon phase bedding.

I love this print so much. I’ve had it on my wall for years.

You are doing great.

Moon phase pencil pouch!

Love this dress! Similar ones are available in blue and cream.

How clever is this coffee scoop that doubles as a bag clip!? (Also available here, possibly with free shipping)

Link love…

  • Look at this straw cactus bag!
  • Loving these moon sticky notes.
  • Cactus shorts! And a cactus cardigan! Eeep!
  • Isn’t this moon phase garland so pretty?!
  • These star covered shoes!!!
  • I’m a sucker for jewelry with crescent moons. This dainty moon necklace is no exception.
  • This moon phase mirror is so cute. It even has hooks so you can hang your jewelry from it. (Plus its on sale!)

Happy Friday!
xoxo

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abandoned mattress factory

by Kaylah Stroup February 26, 2019

Last Saturday we woke up early for a little morning adventure. We’re trying to get better about getting out of the house and exploring more. Especially in this weather, it’s too easy to be lazy and spend your days inside.

Our first stop of the day was an abandoned mattress factory on the east side of Cleveland. This factory is one I’ve been in before, although last time I only left with a couple photos I liked. (You can find the single shot I shared in this post.) Needless to say, I was happy to go back and come away with lots of photos that I love. Abandoned factories aren’t my favorite. I mean, I won’t say ‘no’ to an abandoned building. BUT they can feel a bit repetitive. I don’t have a personal connection with factories. I’ve never worked in one nor have I even been in one that wasn’t abandoned. Most of the time they’re completely empty and to me, the most exciting thing in abandoned buildings are the things left behind. This factory has two things that make it a bit more exciting for me though…

First, the buckling floors.

In abandoned buildings when the floor does this we call it a whale. Ya know, like there is a whale under the floor. I tried googling that and found nothing so….? The ones in this building are the best I’ve ever seen in person.

The second thing making this building interesting to me is… trash.

Yup. Trash. This building is fairly close this factory which has had issues with illegal dumping in the past. (Between 30,000 and 40,000 tons!!) So it comes as no surprise this one has a bit of dumping problem as well. The trash inside and around this building is different though. Massive piles of shredded paper, files, and stickers. The piles outside have been exposed to the weather so long that they’ve essentially become solid lumps.

Empty factory or not, I still enjoy getting out early in the morning with my friends and taking photos.
xoxo

Use the ‘abandoned‘ tag to view more posts on forgotten buildings across the US.
Also, be sure to check out my husband’s book – Abandoned Cleveland.

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Friday Favorites #504

by Kaylah Stroup February 22, 2019
This post contains affiliate links. Check out our disclosure policy for more details.

I absolutely love this jumpsuit!

I’ve thought Creature Cups were really awesome for a while now but this photo of their spider mug really just made me wonder if I could actually drink from one. I don’t mind spiders but…. I just don’t know.

This fox fabric is one of my favorites. I’m particularly fond of the pencil pouch since you can see so many of the foxes!

This tote!!!

Oh my goodness. Could this be any cuter?! I think not.

Love this snake incense holder! Not as much as I still love this snake lamp though.

Always always always a fan of sweaters with animals! Lovin’ these dinosaur and duck ones.

Everyone could use some inspirational socks! While we’re on the subject of animals and socks, here are some raccoon socks! …And some super cute fox socks.

Of course I love these cicada earrings!!

This is Klaus’ current favorite toy. It’s nice because there are no dangly parts, like legs or ears, for him to chew off yet it’s still noisy so its fun to chew on! I want to get him this film roll one too.

My favorite planet!

This pin!

Link love…

  • Another day, another bug dress. The cut of this one isn’t necessarily something I’d pick for myself but I do love how feminine it is considering the print.
  • A button up top covered in tiny foxes!
  • This bat dress!
  • Here is a cat bed that is shaped like a piece of bread. You can even buy a blanket to go with it that is a fried egg. I LOVE stupid stuff like this.
  • Forever a fan of these toucan kitchen sheers.
  • Cat socks… for your furniture. Listen, I don’t know why they exist but they made me laugh.
  • I don’t drink so I have zero use for this narwhal corkscrew but gosh, it’s cute!
  • A find that always makes me smile, this cat toilet bowl brush.

Happy Friday!
xoxo

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TDS shop update!

by Kaylah Stroup February 21, 2019

Okay, I obviously have to lead with this photo of THE dainty Squid doing quality control. SO CUTE!

I’ve been working my buns off the last couple weeks on a big update for the shop. This morning over 50 new listings went live. Two brand new sizes, and a bunch of new prints. I’m so excited to finally share!

New size number 1 – above – the XL flat bottom pouch! Since before I even officially opened up people have been requesting larger and larger pouches. I thought my flat bottom pouches were a nice size but after making this bad boy I realize maybe they are a bit more petite than I previously thought. The XL flat bottom pouch measures approximately 9 inches (23cm) at its widest point by 4.5 inches (12cm) tall. The flat bottom is 2.5 inches (6cm) across.  It’ll hold a lot!

New size number 2 – above –  the clutch! The first one of these I made was kind of an accident. I had cut the fabric for something else too short and decided to just add another piece of fabric on top of that. It looked precious! I knew I had to make a few more and thats how this little line of one of a kind clutches came to life. I only have seven of them right now so don’t hesitate if theres one you have your eye on. Each one even comes with a handmade zipper pull. (I am 100% obsessed with the zipper pulls! I wish I could add them to EVERYTHING, alas it’d take up all of my time making that many of them!)

Check it all out here!
xoxo

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About Me

About Me

Hello!

I'm Kaylah! Renovating a 150-year-old home in Northeast Ohio. Likely found in my garden.

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THE DAINTY SQUID
  • blog
    • all the posts!
    • stroup mansion
    • some of my favorite posts
    • plants + gardening
    • beauty, fashion + hair
    • reviews
    • window shopping
    • explore everywhere
  • about me
  • contact
  • shop