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all the posts!

Rockefeller Park Greenhouse

by Kaylah Stroup February 20, 2019

The weekend before last my best friend, Elycia, and her family came down from Canada to visit us. After getting breakfast and coffee at our favorite neighborhood spot, Jeff had the idea that we should head to Rockefeller Park Greenhouse. The greenhouse was built in 1905 and used originally to grow plants for the city. These days it’s free to visit, warm, and one heck of a great way to spend a snowy afternoon.

We had actually taken Elycia here four years ago when she came up for a visit. At the time she only had one child and he was just a toddler. This time around her son, Milo, was old enough to really enjoy all the plants. He even took some photos of his own. (Kids taking photos melts my heart, just so ya know!) Her daughter, who is nearly 3 already, even ran around with a phone taking photos… although most of the time it was on selfie mode.

Just like every previous visit to the greenhouse, I wondered why I don’t visit more often. Aside from our group, there was only one other family there meaning we basically had the place to ourselves. It was nothing short of a perfect afternoon.

Here is 2015’s visit to Rockefeller Park Greenhouse. It’s always fun to see how much my photography has changed and improved. 

If you’ll be visiting Cleveland, here is a list of a few more of my favorite places.

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Friday Favorites #503

by Kaylah Stroup February 15, 2019
This post contains affiliate links. Check out our disclosure policy for more details.

This jumper is ultra cute!

I’m a bit obsessed with Palate Polish at the moment. They make my favorite polish, Tumeric which I’ve been wearing for a couple months straight now! Next on my list to grab is Chimichurri. (The green shade in the photo below)

Diggin this bodysuit. After my last purchase from Maidenform (these booty shorts) I’m a big fan! Their stuff seems to fit really well and is affordable.

I looooove a good wrap dress! They make me feel so effortlessly sexy. The color of this one is seriously perfect (+ nearly perfectly matches my favorite nail polish.)

On the subject of that really good mustard color – here’s a favorite recent creation of mine. I’m pretty proud of it.

We just got a new comforter for our bed so my interest in making the bedroom ultra cute is renewed. I think this blanket would look perfect at the foot of the bed.

I’m on a major bagel kick this week so I’m really feeling this patch.

These boots!!!! My short pair of rainboots pooped out on me at the end of last year so I’m in the market. These bad boys with bees are a top contender!

How neat is this little lamp?! I have a pink one in my office just like it. Battery operated so you don’t have to worry about making any holes to hang it.

I feel like I’ve made it abundantly clear how much I like cute little trays and boxes for odds and ends. This moth ceramic box is no exception.

This is what my couch dreams are made of. I love love love my blue couch but that color is perfection. I could definitely see it working out with my other decor.

Look closely, this dress is covered in insects!

Link love…

  • Ah! Cicada drawer pulls!
  • Look at this insect dress! I own this one but the first one I linked looks a bit easier to wear. Or maybe I’m just a sucker for black and white.
  • I may loooove black and white clothing but I also really love a good rainbow sweater.
  • Just something silly – pizza bandages!
  • This bodysuit with it’s cute little heart on the butt! I love it!
  • Speaking of cute things with hearts, this onesie! That looks so cozy to lounge in.

Happy Friday!
xoxo

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A letter to 2014 Kaylah

by Kaylah Stroup February 14, 2019

Dear 2014 Kaylah,

You’re moving to Cleveland today!

I’m proud of you for doing something so incredibly out of your comfort zone. You can count the number of times you’ve been in the city on your hands so even now, I’m surprised you decided thats where you wanted to move. I guess you just knew. These next five years will be a wild ride! Giving up all you worked so hard for at a young age sucks (yes, definitely referring the house!) but its 100% worth it. You already know that though…

In your first year in the city, you lean hard into your new friends. They teach you so much about life and about yourself. Some of these friendships regrettably don’t last but you’ll think about those people and how grateful for them you are often. You’ll also meet a man that you end up marrying. HELL YEAH GIRL! He’s really cute and your family LOVES him! He’s going to oversleep and miss your first date, make sure to razz him about it until the end of time.

Three years into your new life you’ll make the cover of Cleveland Magazine. Nope, I’m not lying. THE COVER. You’ll get that news on a day that you really push yourself out of your comfort zone so those two things will always be linked together and ultra special. You also ate some really great pizza that day. Stop talking about it and get back there already, ya dingus.

Things change so much that in five years time, you won’t even remember what life used to be like. The only reason you even remember some of the anxieties you used to have is because you write about them, some publicly and some privately for yourself. Journaling will be so good for you. It’ll help you heal, grow, and best of all, recognize your growth. Know how you’re afraid to bike around the block? Soon you’ll be crushing city streets on two wheels! It’s the best feeling in the world.

Moving to the city opens you up to so many new opportunities. Take them all! Say yes to bike rides, dinner with people you just met (their names are Stefany and Wade and they’re really fun!), and any opportunity to travel! I know right now you’ve only been on like one real road trip but they actually become a pretty regular thing for you. Push your friends to go on more of them with you.

Over the next five years, you’ll fall in love many times. With a bicycle, with food, with the city, with Lake Erie, with a man that knows exactly how to take care of you and most importantly, with yourself! That sounds cheesy but it’s true.

Just wanted to let you know life in 2019 is amazing. Things won’t always be easy but you’ll always be reminded that you did the right thing moving to the city.  Keep your chin up & always always always say yes to new adventures!
xoxo

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2019 office tour!

by Kaylah Stroup February 13, 2019

For the past few years, basically since the beginning of  The Dainty Squid, I’ve been sharing photos of my office as I move, shift directions, and constantly rearrange. I love documenting my space and being able to look back at how it’s changed. Its fun to watch how my style evolves and how, in some ways, it stays exactly the same.

At the end of 2018, I decided to get back into sewing in a big way so the biggest change in this year’s office tour is the addition of a sewing area. For Christmas, I got a new desk, specifically for my sewing machine, that I placed on the opposite wall of the desk that holds my computer. It’s exactly what I didn’t realize the room was missing. I mean, obviously, it wouldn’t have been of much use to me a year ago when sewing was just about the last thing on my mind. Things really worked out though. This room really never felt complete but with the addition of a little sewing corner, it couldn’t be more perfect.

I can swivel from my computer to my sewing machine with little effort yet it doesn’t feel too crowded. Its ultra cozy and when I keep the door closed it really heats up in here. (We’ve had a brutally cold few weeks!) Needless to say, I’ve been spending a lot of time in this sweet little room the last two and a half months.

to the left of this frame, I have my lightbox & pouch storage. (there’s a shot of that area in this post) (my wedding bouquet!)

sources –
photo shelves
computer desk / sewing desk
clear office chair
full sized skeleton
cactus neon light
denture coin pouch
color LED lights behind the computer (buy some, they rule!)
bat print
Grid memo board is a repurposed dog crate (read more here!) Here’s an affordable one if you’re on the hunt!
Large witchy hand print is by Hugo Gyrl, found at Glitter Box.
Rainbows made with crystals (read more here!)

previous office tours –
▴ 2018 ▴ 2017 ▴ 2016 ▴ 2015

 

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found on the frozen beach

by Kaylah Stroup February 7, 2019

Another day, another colorful little display of lighters found in the sand.
… or the snow.

We had some impossibly cold temperatures last week. (Here’s Klaus to prove it. Technically that ‘proves’ nothing but he’s really cute all bundled up.) Then right after that, the temperatures came right back up to nearly 60 degrees. Sitting in my office watching people walk by the window without their winter gear on hard to watch. I needed a piece of the action. It was one of those days I had to go to the beach. The snow in our front yard had promptly melted but the beach was still frozen. It was warm but the sand was still covered in up to a foot of iced over snow in some spots. It had apparently melted a bit though as new treasures were within view. I picked up lots of random odds and ends to be put in the trash but once again, was left wondering why in the world there are always so many lighters.

beach plastic, lake erie, wendy park, cleveland ohio lake erie, wendy park, coast guard station, beach trash

CHECK OUT MORE ‘FOUND ON THE BEACH” POSTS HERE!

If you like my ‘found on the beach’ collections – prints, phone cases, and more can be found here.

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six things I loved in January

by Kaylah Stroup February 5, 2019

▴ Maidenform ‘tap pants’. Let’s call these what they are, booty shorts. They’re super comfortable and gosh darn it, they look good. For under $20, you basically can’t go wrong with them. I like them so much I even ordered a second pair in another color with a matching top. Sexy/comfy is my favorite!

▴ foldio3 + halo bars lightbox. For the relaunch of the Dainty Squid shop, I wanted an easy way to photograph products. In the past, I had a little homemade set up with posterboard and two OttLites. The thing with that was I had a specific place built in my office that it worked. It wasn’t something I could move around. My office these days isn’t as large and I wasn’t sure where I’d set up a photo area or if it was something I would be able to leave set up all the time. I wanted something I could easily tear down when I was done with it for the day.

I hunted around the internet looking for the best lightboxes but couldn’t really decide. Everything seemed to have some huge negative. Then I stumbled upon the foldio3… The foldio3 is ranked by many photography websites as the absolute best of the best. It’s a bit pricey so I really took my time on this decision but ultimately couldn’t get my mind off it or find anything that even came close to being as awesome looking.

I’m very pleased with my decision to splurge. It’s super easy to set up and tear down. (It’s just magnets!) The lights are adjustable, super bright, and easily replaceable if they burn out. It’s exactly what I was looking for. Perfect for any small business owner looking for an easy lighting set up.

▴ Moon mousepad. My old mousepad was gross. I needed a new one. This one is adorable and super cheap. That is all!

▴ Moon PopSocket. Okay, but for real, why did no one ever tell me how amazing PopSockets are!? I asked for one for Christmas because I was curious about them but didn’t really want to buy one myself. (Don’t get me wrong, they’re cheap but I wasn’t super sure I’d love it.) Anyway, it was love from the second I put that bad boy on my phone. It’s just so much easier to hold on to your phone and it’s fun to play with. I ended up getting a new phone in the middle of the month and subsequently needed a new case. A new PopSocket was the first thing I ordered after the case! I will never not have one on my phone from now on.

▴ Raise Hell Eat Tacos shirt. Love love love this shirt! It’s soft, it’s comfortable, and it fits well. It actually sold out after I linked to it over on Instagram but its still available in a tank top, a gray t-shirt, and a patch. The company who makes it, Pyknic, sells all sorts of great food-related clothing items!

▴ Exercise bike. It feels very cliche to say I got an exercise bike for Christmas and started improving my fitness in the new year BUT I don’t care one bit because holy smokes, I feel amazing.

I started riding consistently the second week of January and I’ve ridden every day since for at least 20 minutes per day. I have literally never felt better in my entire life. I have so much more energy than I did before and my body image is through the roof. Obviously, this is what I hoped for with getting an exercise bike, I just didn’t expect the results to be this dramatic nor did I expect to like riding as much as I do.

I think the key to working out consistently is to actually find something you enjoy. I liked yoga but I dreaded doing it every day. I enjoy running but after hurting my ankle back in October I still haven’t felt confident enough to get back out there (as in – ugh, my darn ankle still gives me problems!) But every day I actually look forward to my bike ride. I love sweating it out and starting my day on a positive note. I feel so accomplished. I’ve even gotten Jeff hooked on it too!

What great new things did you try in January?
xoxo

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Friday Favorites #501

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

I know it’s completely the wrong season to be obsessing over dresses like this but gosh, this dress is so pretty. Pair it with these sandals and I am summer ready!

Skeleton slippers!

Dog planters!

This top!

I’ve already shared the color version of this pin but I just found this one today. So cute!  (Here are Squid’s toe beans for you!)

These shoes! In case you’re curious about the quality, I’ve owned a couple pairs of Golden Ponies over the years and they’ve always been lovely.

A favorite creation from this week. That fabric glows in the dark!

How neat is this bookmark?!

Loving this dress! I’m on the hunt for something cute for my husband’s book release party and this would be perfect!

This bedding set! I’ve said it a million times but I am just such a sucker for that grid pattern.

How cute is this catch-all tray!? This same pattern also comes in a decorative box… and a rug!!!

Love this eye table. …Not that anything will ever beat the bird leg table.

Link love…

  • Cactus earrings! Super cute & only $12.
  • Aren’t these undies the cutest!?
  • Love this starry print dress.
  • A $300+ bean bag is 100% not in the budget but y’all, this thing looks amazing! Gosh, don’t you just want to snuggle up in it!?
  • This eye rug is perfect!
  • These rainboots are GORGEOUS.
  • Totally unrelated to everything else in this post, if you were looking for a sign to adopt a pet – consider this your sign! I sat down to write my Friday Favorites but got distracted looking at Petfinder. As renters, we can’t bring any more fuzzy critters home but maybe you’ve been thinking about it… DO IT.

Happy Friday!
xoxo

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scenes from frozen Lake Erie

by Kaylah Stroup January 29, 2019

It’s basically never too cold to keep me away from Lake Erie.

frozen lake erie

found on the beach

Except maybe tomorrow when the temperature is supposed to be a whopping one degree. I think I’ll just stay home and drink coffee, cozied up under a blanket in my office instead.
xoxo

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Friday Favorites #500

by Kaylah Stroup January 25, 2019
This post contains affiliate links. Check out our disclosure policy for more details.

This scalloped pinafore is too cute! It comes in red too.

This photo honestly does nothing to show how absolutely perfect this satin romper is in person. It is legitmately perfect! I bought one in store and ended up buying a second color online a few days later because I loved it to much. Bonus – its on clearance!

Oh! I love these earrings!

I’ve got a major quilt crush!

I love slipper socks especially when they’re covered in kitties!

Camera enamel pin!
…because there’s always room on your jacket for at least one more pin.

A recent purchase I’m way into – this shirt! (I shared some fit and sizing details in a review in case you’re interested! Be sure to read if you’re going to grab one for yourself.)

Because there are never enough pairs of overalls in my wardrobe! Loving this corduroy pair.

I’m a huge fan of all things black and white but y’all, I cannot resist multicolored things like this gorgeous french press.

These shooooes!

This zebra sweater!!

In case you missed it yesterday, I had a big shop update! Lots of new fabrics and a new size pouch. One of my favorites that didn’t sell out yet is this raccoon flat bottom pouch. That fabric just kills me. (I also have a standard sized pouch in that fabric too!)

Link love…

  • Bought these silky shorts last week. Holy smokes. LOVE THEM! They fit so well & look super cute.
  • Avid readers club!
  • This cardigan looks soooo cozy.
  • I am obsessed with this candle! Technically, its a Christmas candle BUT I don’t think its really a holiday scent. I wouldn’t even say the scent is super peppermint-y. I can’t describe what it smells like other than just freaking incredible. Even when its not lit, I can smell it.
  • Moth dress!!
  • Loving these sheets! That black and white sprinkle pattern is very cute.

Happy Friday!
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