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Mom’s daylilies

by Kaylah Stroup July 14, 2021

Some of the very first additions to the beautiful garden I started this year were plants dug up from my late mother’s garden. There was nothing I was wildly excited about at the time. The things I brought home to my garden, I grabbed simply because they had belonged to my mom. I knew no matter what, I’d end up loving them but when the irises bloomed I realized I had underestimated just how important these plants would be to me.

Out of the handful of carloads packed with her flowers, these daylilies were honestly what I was least excited about. I had even considered putting them elsewhere in the yard because I wasn’t sure I’d want them in my flower garden. Once again though, the second they bloomed they moved straight up to the top of my favorites list. Each day more flowers open. It’s a wonderful sight.

I honestly don’t really have much more to say than that. I just wanted to share some photos of this special moment. Hopefully this is the first of many years of blooms. I hope that her plants can continue to grow and multiply in my yard so I can divide them and pass them on to folks I love.

Gardening is magic. ✨

before + after // closet door

by Kaylah Stroup July 11, 2021

this post contains affiliate links.

Another before + after post. This time, the closet door in my bedroom! I know that doesn’t really sound wildly exciting but I am truly jazzed on this little update.

All of this started when I decided to paint my closet gold. I actually wanted to paint it three different shades of gold. I bought my three shades but after getting the first coat on, I realized they weren’t different enough. You couldn’t really tell at all. I ended up mixing them all together for the second coat. For the third coat, I chose my favorite of the three and bought a fresh gallon. I decided I liked the color so much I’d paint the back of our bedroom door with it. I LOVED it immediately.

There was a part of me that thought I should probably paint the closet door the same color but I was nervous I’d end up hating it. It’s definitely a bold color choice, and I didn’t want the gold to be overwhelming. I figured I’d just leave it white and if at any time in the future I thought it felt right to paint it, I would.

Well, it finally hit me the other night while lying in bed, the door needed to be gold. I woke up the next morning, cleaned it off, fixed some holes, and painted it! I could not be happier with how it turned out!

when we purchased the house // after removing the carpet squares and starting to repair the walls.

finished room with the white door // & now with that gorgeous gold door!!!

It’s kind of wild how much a couple coats of paint can really change the whole room! I’ve already decided on a few more spots around the house that will be getting the colorful door treatment at some point. Can’t wait to pick out more colors.

Clearly, I still need to hang things on the walls. As I mention every single time I point out my kind of naked (at least for this maximalist) home, I definitely think that finding the right pieces takes time. While I really really would like stuff on the walls right this second, I don’t want to just throw any old thing up there. Gotta find the pieces that speak to ya, you know? It’s our ‘forever’ home, there’s no rush.

Still pretty bare but a definite improvement from this, eh!?

sources
wall color – White Batten by Sherwin Williams
door color – Gothic Gold by Glidden
ceiling fan
rug
curtains
TV stand – thrifted
gold plant stand

found on the beach

by Kaylah Stroup July 8, 2021

For years and years, I’ve been picking up trash on the beach and collecting interesting pieces. I never meant to start a trash collection but there was just something about all the colorful pieces I couldn’t resist. Any trash trash like wrappers, balloons, plastic bags, etc goes into a garbage can. Toy soldiers, hair clips, and fake food? That sort of stuff comes home with me.

I’d always knew I’d like to do something with it but just never really felt very motivated to do so. I have a large tote bag jam-packed full of goodies that has moved with me from apartment to apartment. When we bought our house, I briefly considered tossing it all before moving but just could bear to part with my potential art supplies.

I’ve been working hard on renovating the house since the day we moved in. Literally, the first day in the house we started kitchen demo! Over the past eight months, my focus has been more on renovations as opposed to actually decorating but recently, I’ve been bitten by the decorating bug. I’ve become super motivated to finally hang things on the walls. We had too much stuff to hang on the walls of our apartment but the house is so much larger that we are in serious need of some new art.

The main focus on the walls in my office is two large prints from my favorite graffiti artist. See a peek here. The color scheme is a little bit different than what I’m normally drawn to for things I’d decorate my own space with so needless to say, I didn’t really own anything else that fit with them. I’ve been hunting down art with similar colors but kept coming up short on something large… so I made something of my own!

I could not be happier with how this turned out. The colors work perfectly with the rest of the art in my office and it’s so nice to see some of my trash actually get used. The only downside here is that shadow boxes aren’t cheap and now I’m obsessed with the idea of making more.

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.

upcycled planter boxes

by Kaylah Stroup July 6, 2021

Shortly after we moved in, we discovered two giant fiberglass tubs (along with a boatload of other trash) behind our garage. The idea popped into my head almost immediately, I wanted to make them into planters!

The plan had been to cover them in wood somehow but soaring lumber prices and the fact that I always have about five hundred other projects going on meant that my beds just kept getting pushed to the back burner.

Recently though, I managed to score some free wood. We set aside some pieces for other things around the house, and the rest went to my little planter project!

I didn’t really have much of a vision for this project, just that it needed to be covered in wood. I didn’t want to see any part of the fiberglass tub. Luckily my dad was a huge help and absolutely nailed the design.

We made two since that’s how many tubs there were. The first was kind of an experiment. He led the way and showed me what to do. The second one though? We cranked it out in record time. It felt really good. DIY projects of this nature and power tools, in general, are still fairly new to me so when things just go hella smooth like this it feels damn good. The feeling of confidence that comes along with actually understanding a project and being able to do huge chunks of it on my own is wonderful.

I’m capable of many, many things. Things that I don’t even realize yet! That being said, it really helps to have such a handy dad to show me the way! I’m sure I could have done this completely on my own but it probably would have taken a heck of a lot longer.

After cutting and assembling, I sanded them down, carried them outside (holy smokes, yes, they are heavy!), and stained them. Before putting the top piece on, I lined the tubs with landscaping fabric to give me a bit of separation from the fiberglass.

Finally, I filled them with dirt and planted! One contains two types of radishes, as well as red onions. In the other, I planted a few of my tomato seedlings, basil and some marigolds.

I have them sitting on a big concrete pad that is in our yard. My plan for this pad has always been, literally since the second I saw it, to build a greenhouse here. Alas, those darn lumber prices have put a hitch in my giddy-up. For now, it’s the perfect spot for a few raised beds and our picnic table. It may not be the greenhouse I’ve been dreaming of but it’s still a cute little spot to grow plants!

Klaus LOVES looking at what’s going in the beds.

Only seems right to include a photo of my first radish!

20+ cute planters (that won’t break the bank!)

by Kaylah Stroup June 29, 2021

this post contains affiliate links.

*black planter (comes in a set of three!) // white planter (comes in a set of five!)*

With over one hundred house plants in my collection, hunting down cute planters has become a sport to me. I am constantly on the lookout for snazzy pots to add to my collection! Here are a handful that are already around my house and some I’ve got on my wishlist. Nothing on this list is over $50.

*butt planter // planters with tiny legs (a set of three!)*

Remember, drainage is essential! Most of the planters shown in this post already have drainage holes but if you end up with one without, it’s super easy to drill your own. Check out my how to drill holes in planters tutorial.

Still not satisfied?

goodbye spring!

by Kaylah Stroup June 28, 2021

This post’s title sounds dramatic. Goodbye spring! I’m also over a week late here since summer officially rolled in the 20th BUT this was my favorite spring season… probably ever so it only feels right to write a little something about it.

If you’ve been following me for a long time, you may recall that although I spent the last six years in the city it’s not where I came from. I grew up on seven acres, surrounded by woods. I lived to ride 4-wheelers, catch frogs, play in the pond and sit by the fire.

When I moved to the city, I acclimated quickly. I loved the hustle and bustle. It felt natural. I almost couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Being a regular at the coffee shop around the block? So rad! Being able to hop on my bike and be downtown within ten mins? Amazing! Living within walking distance of so many places, restaurants, and things to do was something I had never experienced before and loved deeply.

Eventually, it started to wear on me. I wanted to walk outside and not be yakked at by my neighbor who clearly didn’t understand I couldn’t hear her over my dog barking. Taking Klaus out became a constant source of stress because our landlord decided to make the apartment below us an Air BnB. New people sitting directly outside my door drinking until all hours of the night? That equals one very unhappy dog. I just wanted space of my own. Space to roam. Somewhere I could be alone outside.

Immediately after moving here, I felt relief. Our house is so much larger than we were ever imagining we’d end up with. Even though the weather quickly turned, just having more indoor space made my heart soar. I had things to do that didn’t involve just sitting in the same teeny tiny apartment and that felt great.

Each new season in our new house has been exciting. Fall was such a lovely introduction to our property. We watched the leaves change and admired all the beautiful colors of fall while sitting fireside in the yard. When winter came around, I anxiously awaited the first snow so I could see how incredible the house looked with a pretty white dusting. The cold weather also gave me an excuse to stay inside and work on renovations that would make the house feel like home.

Spring though? It’s turned me into a broken record. Multiple times per week I text Jeff something along the lines of “Oh my gosh, I love it here. Can you even imagine living anywhere else?” I truly can’t remember a time I was so excited to be outside each day. I walk the trails through our woods multiple times per day, just soaking up all the details.

Spring seemed to start slow. The buds on the trees stayed tiny for so long. Then, all of a sudden, it just exploded. I blinked and our whole yard was filled with life. Green everywhere you look! Watching all the plants grow and grow and grow has been amazing. I’ve loved discovering all the different things planted around our property. There wasn’t much going on in terms of landscaping but spring showed us an abundance of daffodils. The honeysuckle blooms were next and wow, there were a lot of them. Then, time in my garden started. I never thought that pulling weeds would be something I enjoyed but I truly feel at peace sitting there in the dirt.

I’m constantly discovering cool new insects I’ve never seen before in person. Each new flower is a cause for celebration. I feel a kinship with all the animals I spot foraging around our yard. The sound of birds greets me at the start of the day, and frog singing puts me to sleep. I couldn’t ask for more!

All that to say, I’m so unbelievably happy here. I can’t wait to see what summer brings.

before + after // office corner!

by Kaylah Stroup June 27, 2021

this post contains affiliate links.

Just a little before and after of one corner of my office. This was the first room in the house that we tackled when we moved in. After the initial renovations, it sat mostly undecorated for quite a while. I needed to figure out the best way to set up my sewing area and computer desk. My office in our last apartment was so small I had a desk for each of those things on opposite walls and was able to roll in my chair back and forth between the two. This room would clearly call for a different set up. Aside from that, I was hesitant to put any screw holes in the beautiful walls I had just repainted and organizing my shelves never felt quite right.

Check out the original before + after video of this room on my Youtube channel.

Slowly but surely, she’s coming together and morphing into a gorgeous room. Decorated exactly my style! Yesterday, while sitting at my computer desk, I glanced over at the far corner and realized I needed to take a photo. Even if it’s not quite perfect yet, it’s come a heck of a long way!

I love it here.

sources
chair
throw
rug
side table
light fixture

easy seed organization!

by Kaylah Stroup June 17, 2021

this post contains affiliate links.

how to organize seeds — *Teva flatorms for LIFE!*

If you’ve been following me for a while, my head-first dive into gardening this year probably isn’t much of a surprise. Now that I have a yard of my own, gardening basically consumes my every thought! I am HOOKED.

Early in the year, I started purchasing seeds to start indoors. (I bought this little greenhouse. HIGHLY recommended. Makes such a big difference when starting seeds indoors.) At first, just storing the individual seed packets inside a tote bag was fine. The more seeds I collected, the more I realized that organizing them would be essential if I didn’t want to waste fifteen minutes sorting through seed packets every single time I wanted to find one specific thing.

After a quick search, I ended up finding this photo organizer. Sixteen four by six containers that all fit neatly into one larger box. It is PERFECT for organizing my seeds. Half of the containers are for my flower seeds and the other half for my veggies. From there, I have them grouped by other categories such as perennials or tomatoes. (Gosh, I have so many tomato seeds! I can’t help it!)

Knowing exactly where each kind of seed is stored makes it so much easier to see what I have and make sure it gets in the ground at the right time. It helps prevent me from accidentally repurchasing things I own. (Do you know how many times I ordered radish seeds because I kept not being able to find them when I’d look? Too many.) It’s also super easy to store when I don’t need it and tote it out to the garden when I’m ready to plant! Honestly, can’t recommend it enough!

I feel like this organizer plus a couple packets of seeds would make the perfect gift for a budding gardener or new homeowner!

Perfect gardening shirt from RedBubble. Check out some of my faves here + don’t forget to use code ‘RBC-G21-thedaintysquid’ for 15% off.

Happy gardening! xoxo

garden view – june 2021!

by Kaylah Stroup June 16, 2021

Welcome to my garden! It’s very much still a work in progress but I just have to document how beautiful she is in her first spring! I’ve been working my buns off to get this baby in shape. She’s a bit bare in some spots still but I am still so proud. My garden is off to one heck of a wonderful start. Let me tell you a little about it!

My dad and I built the arbor from reclaimed wood from the kitchen… and that kind of started the whole bed. I wanted to build an arbor for clematis to grow on. I figured after we finished it that’s when I’d decide on placement. My dad, on the other hand, had a different idea. We did a tiny bit of assembly before he wanted to get it placed in the ground which meant picking out a spot for it immediately. After we got that finished, I spent the next week or so digging out the massive circle-shaped bed.

My plan for this bed is all flowering perennials. I’m envisioning it packed to the brim with plants. I want this bed to be something that truly takes time to view. Each angle providing you with a peek at different showstoppers!

We met a woman working at a local garden center that recommended going a different garden center every week for a year and buying whatever was flowering at the time so that you’d never be without flowers. While I haven’t committed to the every week thing, I have definitely been inspired by that idea. I want flowers of all shapes and sizes blooming all the time.

Other than continuing to fill the bed up, my other big plan to place flat stones on the inside grassy area of the circle. I don’t want to have to worry about keeping the grass in there mowed. Right now, I still have a space large enough to sneak the lawnmower in but that probably won’t be for much longer. I’m sourcing the rocks from my parent’s creek which has the major positive of being free but it also means spending the time finding them and hauling them. I’d love to get it done before the end of this growing season but honestly, who knows. There are always five hundred other projects going on…

dianthus, iris

I have plans for many different kinds of beds on my property. Obviously, I’m growing veggies. I have my perennials. I’ve been dreaming of a cut-flower bed for literally years. I also really wanted a memorial garden for my mom. After she passed, we planted a tree for her at my parent’s house. I pictured myself doing the same here with maybe a little bench to sit on, some pretty flowers, etc.

Now that I’ve started this bed though? It doesn’t feel necessary. There’s no one tree that I feel represents my mom to me so buying something random for a memorial bed doesn’t feel special. What is special though is replanting flowers from her garden in mine.

My dad has given me free rein of all her flower beds. For the last month or so I’ve been working on digging up her plants and bringing them home. Things I thought weren’t so exciting or that maybe I wouldn’t really want – like iris – have brought me so much joy as they bloom. I didn’t expect flowers to feel so important but here we are!

lavender, clematis

I’m so excited to see how this bed is looking in another few months. Shoot, I’m excited to see it in another few weeks! It’s been so exciting to watch some of the plants I got in the bed first lose their nursery pot shape and start to spread a bit. This is truly the most satisfying hobby! xoxo

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