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some of my favorite posts

St. Louis Cemetery No. 2

by Kaylah Stroup March 7, 2017

Lots of people have a list of places they’d like to visit, and some people (me) even have a list of cemeteries they’d like to visit in those cities. New Orleans ranked pretty high on my ‘need to visit’ list just because of their cemeteries. There wasn’t one in particular that drew me there, I just knew they had a bunch that were like none other I had been to before. Without ever having visited one in person I still ranked them high on the list of most beautiful US cemeteries.

On our first full day in the city Jeff and I walked to St. Louis Cemetery No. 2. This cemetery is located just a few blocks away from St. Louis No. 1 which is the oldest cemetery in the city (and the most famous!) As of March 2015, No. 1 is closed to the public without a tour guide due to vandalism. While a cemetery tour is right up my alley, and we ended up taking one later in the day, I really wanted to explore at least one of New Orlean’s cemeteries at my own pace.

St. Louis Cemetery No. 2 is broken up into three square blocks. Each is similar in the sense that it is laid out with a main center aisle to walk and two smaller parallel aisles. This makes it super easy to see everything and know you’re not accidentally missing a chunk of the cemetery. We started off in square 1 (here’s a map of it, look how organized it is!) and had the whole place to ourselves.

From the second I stepped inside I was in LOVE. I didn’t know where to look or what to shoot first. I found the whole experience very overwhelming, in a good way. I honestly don’t even know what else to say about it so let’s get on with the photos! Photos I’ve been dreaming about taking for yeeeears!

St. Louis Cemetery No. 2, cemetery, mausoleum

St. Louis Cemetery No. 2 was everything I had hoped and dreamed NOLA cemeteries would be! Usually when you’ve dreamed of something for so long it can never meet up to your expectations but on this rare occasion, it actually did. I cannot wait to go back.
xoxo

I shared some of my favorite spots in New Orleans here if you’re interested!

Professor has an instagram!

by Kaylah Stroup March 5, 2017

Earlier this week my little toasted marshmallow got his own instagram account, aptly called fessermakesfaces. Yep, I am that lady. Back in March of last year I made him his own hashtag but recently I’ve been fighting the urge to just post non-stop pictures of him on my regular account. After a tiny bit of contemplation and the response of “I’m surprised you haven’t made him one already!” from Jeff, I decided to not fight the urge any longer and create a place where it’s all Professor all the time!

You can find him here, @fessermakesfaces. Hope you’ll follow along! 😉
xoxo

PS. Who are some of your favorite pets to follow on instagram? I LOVE Darren & Phillip aka The Blue Boys.

rainbows in my home

by Kaylah Stroup March 1, 2017

I’ve been thinking about getting a rainbow maker for a while now. Both my last apartment, and my current one get lots of direct sunlight. Watching that light move across the wall throughout the day is one of the most relaxing things ever. The only thing I could think of that could possibly make it better was a rainbow! I had seen a solar powered rainbow maker by Kikkerland that I was interested in getting but it had such mixed reviews that I held off. Looking back at it now, it has four stars out of five but for the price too many people were mentioning it died within a month. I wasn’t really sure what options I had, everything seemed too expensive or was too hokey looking.

Fast forward until a few weeks ago when Jeff and I were at a local toy store when he spotted a prism and mentioned how he’d like to get it for photography. I told him to hold off, Valentine’s Day was approaching and I figured I’d be able to get a much better one online. I ended up deciding on this one since it had such awesome reviews and claimed to be made specifically with photography in mind. As soon as it came, and before I wrapped it up for him, I gave it a little test run.

I held the prism up to my living room window, which is where we get the most direct sunlight, and BAM instant rainbow! I ended up falling back in love with the idea of having rainbows in my apartment so much I decided to try another product. My second purchase was a sun catcher. Instead of just sitting in the window like I had the prism, it hangs on the window from a little suction cup. It’s not exactly my decor style but the rainbows it produces are AMAZING!

the rainbow sun catcher in my window

I decided to write this post for two reasons. One being I really love the photos I’ve gotten so far, and wanted an excuse to share them. Ahem. And two, when I was looking into how to have rainbows in my home I couldn’t find very much information. There didn’t seem to be many solid reviews, and there definitely weren’t any good photos. I wasn’t sure what product would be best for what I wanted so hopefully this post will help someone else who would like a little color in their life!

Prism
▴ Makes shorter square rainbow, like in the photo below.
▴ Can either sit in window or be held in your hand.
▴ Best if used while being held since the rainbow is smaller, and correct angle needs to be hit with light.
▴ You have more control over the resulting rainbow than with the sun catcher, as in you can move it around the room, and change the shape and size slightly.
▴ Your cat is probably going to love to chase the light it produces.

Sun catcher
▴ Makes many long skinny rainbows that fill the room with no effort on your part.
▴ Attaches to window with suction cup.
▴ While you can remove it from the window its probably best to just leave it be so you really don’t have any control over where the rainbows go.

For me, the clear winner here is the sun catcher since it produces SO much more color. That’s not to discredit the prism though. It’s definitely a fun little toy to play with, and like I mentioned above, Professor loves it. Either way, both of these items make for fun photos.

Had to post this one because it looks like he’s producing those rainbows and that it takes a lot of effort on his part.

You don’t even have to say it, I agree, it’s a liiittle bit tacky but I can’t help myself. The rainbows make me smile every time I walk into my living room. So much so that I bought a second sun catcher for my kitchen as well.
xoxo

Updated 8/17 – It’s been over a year since I originally wrote this post and in that time I’ve only fallen more in love with rainbows, and purchased even more items to make my home magical. Check out the rainbows these crystals make! Also, I bet you didn’t know your home was missing a disco ball!

what I wore : green + pink

by Kaylah Stroup February 21, 2017

green hair, the dainty squid, cleveland, fashion blog, banned clothing

green hair, the dainty squid, outfit of the day, fashion blog, cleveland blogger

kaylah doolan, cleveland blogger, fashion blog, green hair, floral dress

details

glasses – Louise via Warby Parker

sweater – Charter School Cardigan via Modcloth

dress – floral halterneck dress c/o Blue Banana (also on Amazon in more sizes!)

belt – thrifted

shoes – Modcloth

I am madly in love with the combination of light pink and green. Actually light pink is kind of my jam right now. I just looked over at my right hand where I have on the rose gold Apple watch, my mouse is resting on a pink mouse pad and I can see my Kindle which has a case of the same color. I haven’t fallen so hard for a color in my life. I’m not sure what it is but I think it’s probably partially because it goes with my hair so nicely and since this hair color doesn’t seem to be going anywhere soon (despite the “Is that for St. Patrick’s Day” comments that make me want to rip it all out) I guess it’s a good thing I’ve fallen for a color that compliments it so well.

Hope you’re having a lovely week.
xoxo

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three years!

by Kaylah Stroup February 14, 2017

1st apartment alone. 2014.

I love holidays. Honestly, any excuse to celebrate is fine by me! It’s Valentine’s Day which is really just a day for overpriced flowers, and cheesy proposals. I have no problem with either… well, I did make Jeff agree to never propose on a holiday but that’s neither here nor there. Today I’m not only celebrating Valentine’s Day but I’m celebrating three years in Cleveland! It’s weird because on one hand I feel like I just moved here, and on the other it’s like I’ve been here my whole life.

I’ve briefly touched on the subject many times, most recently in a post titled ‘just me, in my element‘ back in October. Maybe an important read if you’d like a little bit of backstory on me? Making that leap, and moving to Cleveland on my own was one of the most important decisions of my life thus far. It was terrifying to have never lived alone, to be struggling with social anxiety, and to leave this “cozy” life I had built behind. It was the right choice for me though. I can honestly say I have never once looked back after making that big decision.

Feb+March 2014. We spent a lot of time in the photobooth.

We haven’t talked in a while (All my fault. Ya girl is the worst at texting back!) but I owe a debt of gratitude to Mickey for basically showing me that a woman can be successful, and happy on her own. She was just this single girl out there, doing her thang and killin’ it. I didn’t realize it at the time but I got a lot of my strength from her those first few months. I don’t think we ever really discussed what I was going through, and to be honest, I don’t even feel like I knew what a big deal everything was until much later. It’s funny how sometimes life just throws you the right people at the right time. She definitely helped me land on my feet. Thank you so much, Mickey.

I think without meeting her I may never had the idea to even move here in the first place. Growing up in the middle of nowhere, the city was kind of a scary for me. Okay, it was reeally scary to me. I adapted quickly though. In a post back in March of 2014 I wrote “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.” It’s only gotten better since then, especially now that I’m living in my absolute favorite neighborhood in my dream apartment.

Instagram photos from February 2014. I can still smell that apartment if I think about it real hard.

I know a lot of people think Instagram holds no real value but I love looking back at these photos from that pivotal point in my life. The one of the keys, despite being a really ugly poorly composed photo, is one I’m especially happy to have. That photo was from this day in 2014. It blows my mind how radically different my life is now compared to three years ago. At the risk of being cheesy by using the most silly, overused example out there, I really was like a goldfish in a small tank. Cleveland has been the great body water I needed to grow.

I am so happy to live where I do, to have grown as much as I have, and to have been able to meet so many great people in this city. I’m extremely proud of myself for taking that leap, and so thankful for those who helped me along the way. Basically if we’ve been in touch in the last three years, you’ve probably impacted my life in some meaningful way. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

My Valentine + the city I love so dearly.

No matter what your relationship status is, don’t forget to celebrate yourself and all the people who help make your life special today! I hope you have an amazing Valentine’s Day!
xoxo

2017 bulletin board / office sneak peek!

by Kaylah Stroup February 2, 2017

Almost as long as The Dainty Squid has had a home online I’ve been sharing photos of what my bulletin board looks like at the beginning of each year. This is my sixth year of bulletin boards! Links to past years at the bottom of the post. I try to change things up at the end of each year. I like to take everything down, and start over. I enjoy the fresh start, and any excuse to redecorate is fine by me. This year I actually moved on the first, and just before that I finally thrown out that old bulletin board I had been using for all these years. I had a very specific look in mind for my new office and it certainly didn’t include a nearly ten year old cork board that was so well used it was missing chunks.

A while back I spotted this wire grid wall over on Urban Outfitters’ website. It was love at first sight. I knew immediately that was exactly what I wanted in my office. The only issue was the price. It’s 100% not worth that much money…like ever. No matter how cutesy it is or how well they photograph it – it’s just wire. I tried buying gridwall online but was always confronted with the issue of super high shipping costs or having to buy in bulk. I hunted all over for something similar at stores like Lowes, and Home Depot. I figured they’d have some fencing that would work but I just kept coming up empty handed. I eventually found this one which is gorgeous, gold, and has accessories you can buy but it was a bit smaller than I wanted. I had pictured my new memo board as the focal point of the room.

As a last resort I called my dad to ask if he had anything I could use. He was a bit confused by what in the world I wanted it for but suggested an old dog crate he had in the garage. I wasn’t completely sold on the idea of using a dog crate but figured it was worth a shot since I wasn’t having luck anywhere else and was more than ready to get started on my office. I had my dad trim it into rectangle for me then I dragged it home. Two coats of spray paint later aaaand it’s exactly what I had pictured all along. So, I ended up spending a grand total of six dollars and nineteen cents on this project and that was just for the pretty gold clips I’m using to hang things with.

It was annoying process trying to find the supplies to do this project without spending a fortune. There were even a few moments where I was like “Screw it, I’m buying the one from Urban! I don’t even care anymore!” But I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out, especially after hanging some stuff on it.

I say this every single time I share photos of the office I’m currently in at the time but this is my favorite one so far! My style feels a lot more developed than it was even last year. Despite the fact I still have a few projects I want to work on, such as painting that Ikea cart (you know the one, the one that everyone owns!) and hanging things on the wall, this office is looking gooood! For now I just have a bunch of photos of my snazzy dog crate heh! and a few peeks at other corners but you can definitely expect to see a full room tour as soon as I finish up.

Sources;
office chair
gold binder clips
tooth print
give me coffee or give me death patch
tooth patch
black cat print
where is my mind print
Rug is from TJ Maxx. Calendar is from Target’s dollar section. Shark trash can was thrifted. Portrait of Professor by Emily Ledbetter.

Take a peek at past year’s bulletin boards here – 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 + 2016.

the critters

by Kaylah Stroup January 31, 2017

It’s been just around one month in the new apartment, and things have been so incredible here I figured it was time for a pet update. That and I have a whole bunch of cute photos of them that I want to share. In the first post that I shared an update on the new place I mentioned how the animals were behaving much better than expected. When I moved to my first apartment alone back in 2014, the cats hid in the litter box for nearly a week. They were absolutely terrified and were honestly quite skittish the entire time I lived there. In my next apartment they hid for a few days after moving but quickly warmed up, and made the place their own. With this move, I expected they’d hide for a few days then everything would go back to normal. I was mistaken. There was no hiding and almost immediately they were out exploring their new surroundings. Its obvious they are SO happy here, and were from basically the second they walked in.

I’m sure the fact that this apartment is completely brand new and doesn’t have any smells that belong to other animals is probably a big part but I would also venture to guess that they sense how happy their people are and that makes them happy. I know, or at least I firmly believe, that animals can read our emotions and do their best to respond in what they feel is an appropriate manner. Despite any reservations Jeff and I had about moving in together I think it’s safe to say things have been better than ever! Judging by how happy the cats and Klaus have been I’d say they agree.

Some of the biggest breakthroughs since moving;

▴ Squid tolerates Klaus! One of the biggest reasons I wanted to adopt a puppy instead of a full grown dog was because I wanted the cats to be able to teach that pup who was boss from the start. I didn’t want to worry about this new dog hurting my babies. My plan worked out a little too well. Squid, without even putting much effort into it, somehow communicated to Klaus that she was the one in charge. For the longest time he wouldn’t even enter a room if she was in there. If I was on one side of the house and he was on the other but Squid was in the middle, he refused to run past. These days they’re more than happy to share the couch, even if I’m not in the middle. They often lounge in the same ray of sunshine, and sometimes even share food. Cats, obviously, aren’t supposed to eat dog food but Squid randomly became interested in stealing pieces from Klaus’ dish last week.

▴ Klaus and Professor are thiiiiis close to cuddling. Last March I caught them in bed together – not touching or anything – and it was such a big deal I wrote a whole post about it chronicling their relationship. Read that here! This last month has been full of instances like that. Professor is even totally comfortable laying on top of Klaus when I’m around which absolutely kills me. It’s taking forever but I have hope I’ll eventually catch them cuddling.

▴ Squid is seriously just a new cat. She has always been a little reserved but since living here she has been so free! She’s always somewhere rolling on her back, showing off her belly. I’ve had Squid since she was six months old, nearly ten years, and she’s more relaxed than I’ve ever seen her in her entire life. She was my first cat, and it wasn’t until I adopted a second that I realized she was the kind of kitty that would have preferred to be the only one in the house. It always seemed like she was happiest when all the other animals were in another room. These days that same relaxed happy cat I had only seen when it was just me and her is out all the time! Squid is living loud (literally, so many squeaky little meows!) and proud these days.

I love this photo of Professor. He looks so chubby and content sitting in the sunshine in his new home.

So yeah, that’s how things have been lately, and it’s awesome. Seeing the animals so happy makes me happy.
xoxo

This year I…

by Kaylah Stroup December 29, 2016

kept the same hair color for nearly the whole year + didn’t chop it all off when it started to get long!

built a couple forts, played with trash, collected beach glass, and stacked rocks along the shores of Lake Erie.

graced the cover of a magazine! ahhh!

then, the next month, I had a big feature in another magazine! check it out here!

finally saw a real headstone with a skull and crossbones on it!
yeah, my bucket list is a little strange…

got glasses!

(…and then another pair, and another and somehow ended up with a small collection!)

started geocaching + found lots of neat places along the way.

put cicadas on my cicacda because yo dawg, i like cicadas.
aka watched 17-year cicadas emerge with great excitement.

celebrated two years with my favorite human + got an apartment together…
that we still haven’t moved into.

turned twenty-six and honestly had the best birthday party ever.

hunted down waterfalls all over Ohio.

took more road trips than ever before and discovered tons of hidden gems along the way.

grew a ton of plants then gave nearly all of them away except for my absolute favorites.

created a hashtag for my cat and his stupid faces.
these ridiculous photos never fair to cheer me up.

crushed on the ocean…

… and the desert.

discovered that I love coffee.

like REALLY REALLY love coffee.

and found lots of little things to smile about.

And oh so much more!
xoxo

For the past few years I’ve been doing a “This year I…” post. See 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 + 2015.
If you do a “This year I…” post, leave a link in the comments. I’d love to check it out.

10 favorite abandoned spots of 2016

by Kaylah Stroup December 28, 2016

Although I didn’t go inside, this was one of my favorite exteriors. Don’t try to deny the fact it looks like a puppy!

The past two years I’ve made lists of my favorite abandoned places I visited over the course of the year. Despite the fact this year’s numbers are low, I think I actually only blogged about just over ten spots, I still wanted to make this list. Because I really love making lists, and because a lot of the places I explored this year hold some sort of special value to me. From the Knox County Poorhouse where I showed up on demolition day by accident but ended up getting a personal tour from the owner to the Rubber Bowl where my mom had seen the Rolling Stones many years before or Two Guns which I consider “our spot” since Jeff and I have such fun memories there. My numbers weren’t huge but the adventures were great.

Knox County Poorhouse.

Salton Sea of the Midwest.

Abandoned in the desert 2016.

Abandoned houses.

Anchor Valley Cemetery.

Two Guns + The Apache Death Cave.

Kings Park Psychiatric Center.

Abandoned Rubber Bowl.

Tip Top Cereal Company.

Cleveland Rocks!

Bonus spot – not abandoned at all but it still kind of fits in the same category. This was one of my favorite nights, and I’m still excited about those photos.

Hopefully 2017 will include more abandoned buildings. I certainly miss it. Here’s to another year of great adventures!

xoxo

Check out previous year’s favorite abandoned places here – 2014 + 2015.

You can find the rest of my posts on abandoned places under the “abandoned” tag.

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