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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. 
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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. 


abandoned trailer, theres always a chair
 Salton Sea of the Midwest. 

 Abandoned in the desert 2016. 

 Abandoned houses.

graveyard,
Anchor Valley Cemetery.

abandoned, camp building
 Two Guns + The Apache Death Cave.

Kings Park Psychiatric Center.

abandoned, akron, rubber bowl
Abandoned Rubber Bowl.

Tip Top Cereal Company.

abandoned building, Cleveland, sunset
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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favorite outfits from 2016

by Kaylah Stroup December 22, 2016
the dainty squid
 mad for plaid // pink glasses // polka dots stripes + a snail // a pop of color
the dainty squid, kaylah doolan, fashion blog, cleveland blogger
covered in cactus
the dainty squid, kaylah doolan, cleveland fashion blog
a new favorite // on the right track // blue tennis shoes // overalls, again
 five years later
what we wore,
two years!

Every year, at the end of the year, I make a list of my favorite
outfits that I shared on the blog. It’s a fun way to look back and see
all the outfits I put together, and the different hairstyles, and colors
I had. (Or in the case of this year how much my hair grew and what a strange thing it was for me to keep the same hair color! Who am I?) 

At the beginning of this year I made a goal to take lots of outfit photos since I wasn’t so great at it the previous year. There’s always room for improvement but I think I did pretty darn well. I took a lot more than in 2015, and there was a huge number that I considered my favorite so even whittling it down to this number was difficult. It’s actually killing me that I couldn’t take any this week and probably won’t next week since the majority of my clothes are packed up. I’d definitely like to continue my “more outfit posts!” goal into the new year because despite the fact that sometimes I have no idea what to write alongside the photos, I really do love taking them, and looking back on them after some time.

In 2016 I wore lots of stripes, fell in love with oversized cardigans, and of course, wore the heck out of my jean jacket. (That thing has to be one of the all time best thrift finds!) I relied on what has become my signature post (lookin’ to the right. What can I say, it’s my good side!!), and scoped out a handful of new little nooks around the city to sneakily take photos of myself. I talked about beauty and lovin’ your very weird self. All in all, it was a pretty solid year for outfit posts!
xoxo


See past years favorite outfits : 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 + 2015.
And of course, you can find more outfits under the “what I wore” tag.

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what I’m reading…

by Kaylah Stroup December 20, 2016
Look at my nail! I’m obsessed with Incoco nail strips!

I bought myself a Christmas gift, one I never thought I’d buy. I was browsing Amazon’s electronics gift guide for kicks. I always think gift guides like that are… ridiculous? I don’t know about you but I don’t really know anyone who gives huge, expensive gifts like that and if they do, they certainly don’t need a “gift guide” to tell them what to buy. But this gift guide, it got me thinking, maybe I’d read more if I had a Kindle. Maybe I deserve to buy myself something nice, ya know because life is stressful and shopping for others is stressful too. Maybe it’d be good for me. Aaaand then I got an email that said it was shipped and would arrive two days later.  You’re welcome, self!

I’ve always been that annoying person that was like “I like the feel of reeeal books! Why would I ever need a Kindle?” Then I went on two separate vacations where I finished off the book I was reading and didn’t have another to start on. This year I also adopted this minimalistic view where I don’t want to own anything I don’t absolutely love which includes books. I sold nearly all that I owned except for my favorites (Chuck Palahniuk + Mary Roach collections, Geek Love + The Contortionist’s Handbook.) So owning a device I can have in my home and take on vacations that takes up almost no space at all and still can hold thousands of books is right up my alley. I’m honestly surprised it took me this come to come to that conclusion.

I bought the Kindle Paperwhite and I’m IN LOVE. Definitely one of those purchases that I should have made a long time ago. I christened my new Kindle by buying Make Something Up: Stories You Can’t Unread by Chuck Palahniuk. I’m about 60% of the way through (love seeing the percentage!) and probably wouldn’t recommend it* but I’m still obsessed with reading it. I feel so much more motivated to read than I have in a long, long time.

In 2017 I want to spend less time aimlessly browsing the internet. I’m not talking about reading blogs or writing up my Friday Favorites (you wouldn’t believe how long that can take some weeks!) but the time clicking back and forth to check my email, facebook, ebay, etc fifty billion times a day. It’s just wasted time and I don’t even like doing it. It’s almost like a compulsion. I want to spend this newly found “free time” reading. I haven’t picked a number yet but there will definitely be a book goal on my list of things to accomplish in the new year.

I’m so excited to get back into reading like I was a few years ago when bubble baths and tearing through a book were something that happened almost every night. I think me, my Kindle, and my new clawfoot tub are going to be spending a lot of time together. I bought a waterproof case which should arrive shortly after moving in to my new apartment so I am alllll set to get my readin’ on!

So, tell me, what are you reading? What books should I buy next? I finally made a Goodreads account and have gotten some awesome recommendations over there but I love hearing yours!
xoxo

*It breaks my heart to say that. In the past I’ve been accused of being a “fan girl” who eats up whatever he puts out but I’m finally willing to admit that maybe, just maybe, Palahniuk’s work has started to get a little, uh, out there? I still consider Rant my all time favorite book but I no longer feel the need to pick up his books on release day which bums me out immensely. 

Also, I made a little section over there in the right sidebar that I will keep updated with what I’m currently reading in case you’re curious!

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what I wore : mad for plaid

by Kaylah Stroup December 13, 2016
kaylah doolan, fashion blog, green hair
pins, enamel pin, flair, peopleiveloved, honus honus
kaylah doolan, the dainty squid, green hair, saddle shoes
camera bag, harbourside,
plaid coat, the dainty squid, cleveland blogger, fashion blog
cleveland, fashion, blog, saddle shoes, wiw, ootd, the dainty squid

 

details 
glasses – Louise via Warby Parker
plugs – Omerica Organic 
 (use rep code “daintysq” for 20% off!)
coat – Kensie Plaid Coat via Nordstrom
(also on Amazon for $99!)
gloves – H&M (last year. sorry!)
pins – things will work out + crescent moon c/o Moorea Seal,
tooth by Hooptedoodle, Honus Honus pin from the man himself.
shirt – TJ Maxx
camera bag – Harbourside c/o Jo Totes
leggings – Modcloth
shoes – Saddle Shoes via Funtasma
(also on Modcloth!)

Sooo many thing I want to talk about in this post! For starters, these glasses! If you recall I actually posted about them in my Friday Favorites a few weeks ago. At the time I had just ordered them in my home try-on kit (which is free + you should totally do it!) but the second I tried them on I knew they had to be mine. I had purchased two other pairs from another company the week previous but these are like the pair to rule them all. I feel like they just suit my face perfectly. I was kind of waiting on Warby Parker to have some sort of holiday sale but when Cyber Monday came and went without a sale I decided they were worth it no matter what. I’m still really pumped on that decision. I haven’t touched another pair since. Now I just need to get a pair of prescription sunglasses (…or ten) and I’ll be all set!

And this coat!!! Last month I posted about Octer (see here!) Well, they recently emailed me again to introduce me to their new company, Woznow, which is essentially the same thing except with sales! You can search across a whole bunch of different sites and only see items on sale. I knew immediately that I wanted to find a jacket that was warm, but still nice enough to wear with dresses. I have two winter coats but neither are very fancy looking. Luckily Woznow has everything broken down into neat little sections so I just chose the category “coats” and got to browsing! I ended up finding this one, which was marked down 40%! It’s kind of perfect! It’s exactly what I was looking for plus it’s black and white. Even more than that it has SO much room for lapel pins. Hah! Seriously though, it took a lot of self control for me to stop at four. I basically wanted to put all my b+w ones on.

Well, I’m off. I’ve been fighting a cold for nearly a week now. For a few days it was basically just me without a voice but it finally succeed in making my whole body feel icky. This is the first time in at least four years I’ve gotten sick so it’s not all bad. Just need to relax so I’m all better to finish packing and move! Hope you’re having a lovely week!
xoxo

Disclaimer – I received free product (the coat) for the purpose of this review. That said, strange style choices + opinions are my own!
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Christmas Wishlist 2016

by Kaylah Stroup December 12, 2016

 Christmas sure is sneaking up this year. Probably because for the first time ever I have something I’m more excited about than Christmas – MOVING! My landlord called yesterday and gave us a move in date… two days before Christmas. Clearly not the most ideal but I’m still stupid excited.* That also puts it into perspective how close the holiday is and how absolutely unprepared I am. I have zero shopping done, although I do plan on doing some today. Cross your fingers I’m successful. It’s tradition to share my Christmas list on the blog each year. It’s a little silly but I love looking back at the lists and seeing just how little my tastes have changed. (2013, 2014, 2015) In 2016 I’m hoping for…

1. Ninja coffee bar brewer. 2016 will be known as the year I fell in love with coffee… and the year that my Keurig died. It’s fine though because I wanted to upgrade to something that I could make better coffee with.
2. Use Your Delusion by Honus Honus on vinyl. Honus Honus, lead singer of my all time favorite band Man Man, released his first solo album this year. Love him, love it, need it on vinyl! Simple as that.
3. You Go Girl print. I would LOVE a print from my favorite graffiti artist. Literally no idea where to go about finding one though. I found the image used in the collage above in an interview with the artist but I can’t seem to find any sort of web presence for them which is equal parts frustrating because I want to support their art, and intriguing because I love mysterious people! PS. If you’re from NOLA + know anything about YGG or where I can find prints of their work – let me know!
4. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This won’t be released in time for Christmas but you’re crazy if you don’t think I’m dying to get my hands on it. I cannot wait to play!
5. This rug! Still not really sure what I’ll really need for the new apartment but I know there is always room for a new rug. I’ve still got a huge crush on this one.
6. Set of three floating shelves. Yeah, admittedly not the most exciting thing to put on a wish list, but I really dig these shelves. I’d like them in black.
7. Apple Watch. For the longest time I wasn’t interested in getting an Apple Watch…then it hit me all of a sudden! Honestly, it’s between Fossil’s smartwatch and an Apple Watch. I can’t quite decide which I’d like better. The Fossil one is soooo cute. I saw a lady wearing one at the airport earlier this year and couldn’t help but stare. Wanted : fancy, shiny gadget for my wrist.
8. FABRIKÖR. I’ve been in love with this weird little cabinet from Ikea since the moment I laid eyes upon it. I knew it’d be perfect for all my weird things. Seriously, picture it filled with dentures and medical models. It’s so me! I had no where to put it in this apartment but I will find a space for it in the new place!
9. Bubble bath. With my new claw foot tub I predict 2017 will be the year of the bubble bath. I think about it all the time. I hope Santa brings me alllll the bubble bath!
10. Bathtub caddy. I’ve wanted one of these bathtub caddies since the moment I knew they existed. The problem was they don’t really work with a normal tub since there isn’t a lip on the one side for it to sit on. Once again, claw foot tub changing everything!

Guess I should stop browsing for myself now and work on getting these names crossed off my list! What are you hoping to find under the Christmas tree this year?
xoxo

*more posts on moving here – moving, yet again! + life lately: apartment update. 

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six things I started using in 2016 that rule!

by Kaylah Stroup December 8, 2016

Can you believe it’s time to start writing end of the year round up posts? Me either! I have no idea where the year went but I do know that I started using some really awesome things over the last twelve months. I’ve never really done a round up post quite like this one but there was a handful of items that I really wanted to blog about because they made such an impact on my life. So, in alphabetical order, the six best things I started using in 2016 are…

Aveda Hand Relief Moisturizing Creme. THE best lotion, ever. Not only does it leave my hands so soft and moisturized, it also smells heavenly. Shortly after getting this I got my hands on another Aveda lotion, their candrimā™ body lotion, which is equally as amazing. So maybe it’s just Aveda? Either way, I have literally never used a better lotion! My skin gets incredibly dry in the winter (because I really reeeally love hot showers) so this lotion has been a godsend!

Digit. I already shared my love of Digit here. Nothing has changed since then except for the fact I’ve saved even more money! I really don’t think there is any one who wouldn’t benefit from using Digit!

Diva Cup. I’m sorry if you’re flinching already. This has been something I’ve wanted to write about since I first bought it earlier in the year. I know a lot of people are really grossed out talking about periods but I’m not and I honestly consider my diva cup LIFE CHANGING. Seriously. I used to constantly stress about leaking so my period was a nightmare. SO much anxiety. But with my diva cup, I know I have nothing to worry about! I honestly don’t know why it took me so long to get one but I will never ever ever go back to tampons. Paired with a period tracker, I use Flo, you will never stain your favorite undies again! I love it so much that I could probably ramble on and on about my diva cup forever. I absolutely encourage you to look into getting one.

obsessed with my rose gold Fitbit band. sooo pretty! 

Fitbit Alta. I actually had this post almost finished before I realized I forgot to write about one of my Fitbit. Ahh! Whoops. While, I admit, I’ve fallen a little bit and don’t hit 10,000 steps every single day like I did when I first bought it its still a huge motivation to move more. Since getting my Fitbit I, without a doubt, get so much more exercise.

NuMe Curling Wand. I can’t believe how beautiful my hair looks when I use my curling wand. It helps me achieve my dream hair. For the longest time I was a fan of using foam curlers but after getting my curling wand the curls I get from the foam curlers just don’t cut it anymore. You can read my post on my curling wand here.

Wet n Wild H2O Proof Liquid Eyeliner. Back in October I made a list of my favorite beauty products. In that post I mentioned how I loved Stila eyeliner but always went looking for a cheaper alternative when I ran out. I FINALLY found an eyeliner I like more. For $3.99 you’d be crazy not to at least try what I now consider the ultimate eyeliner. It’s so easy to get nice, crisp lines and this stuff stays on so well! It comes out solid solid soliiiid black in one swipe. I can do a perfect cat eye in no time flat with this eyeliner. There is no need for me to ever purchase a different product now that I’ve found this one.

Also, it’s not really along the same lines as the things listed in this post but Professor in a bow tie is a pretty darn fabulous thing that happened this year. Pets by Carvas rules. I really didn’t think it was possible for me to think that cat was any cuter but somehow he is. It makes me smile every single time I see it. Every kitty needs a bow tie.

Did you find any products this year that are off the hook? I wanna hear all about them.
xoxo

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my perfect day

by Kaylah Stroup December 7, 2016

I’m very excited to move. Maybe a little too excited to move…  I’ve been an anxious mess this last week because life just feels like it’s in limbo. I really do not enjoy not knowing what date I’ll actually be moving. I could get a text this week that the apartment is ready or it could be next year (Goodness, I hope not!) As hard as I try not to be, I’m horribly impatient. I have all my knick-knacks packed up and my shelves are empty. The majority of things have been taken off my walls and this place just doesn’t feel like home anymore. I’ve always been very weird and protective of my things. I love having a clean, organized space for all the things that make me happy to be displayed and without that something just feels off.

I’ve been struggling to do just about everything these last few days. Being self employed you don’t really get sick days. I mean, I can take as many days off as I want but it’ll come back to bite me in the butt when it’s time to pay the bills. I’ve wasted so much time sitting at my computer desk just staring at the screen trying to find the right words to type to appear positive, and save face but the truth is I just feel like a bubble wrap puppy.*

Instead of sleeping until it’s time to move, which lets be real is exactly what I want to do, I thought it might be helpful to talk about my feelings, and try to search for ways to make myself feel more like myself. I know that I need to work but sometimes it’s more important to take a step back and deal with your feelings first. Just like when you’re stuck in the mud, you can’t sit and spin your tires forever. You have to take a different approach. That’s why today I’m setting out to have the perfect day!

Some of the very few odds and ends that aren’t packed up yet. I just got this tiny glass display box from Moorea Seal, I cannot wait to actually put something cool in it. Maybe a tiny skull?

I guess there are lots of forms of perfect days. There is the kind I can accomplish by myself, just quality alone time. Then there is the perfect day spent with friends. I’m not talking about crazy once in a lifetime perfect days like your wedding, or some incredible vacation but the kind of really great day that is like a reset button. Sometimes leaving the city and visiting my parents for the day is just that, and other times a day out exploring with my friends does the job. 

My perfect day spent alone involves cleaning my apartment first thing after waking up. I know, I know. What a weirdo. Not a ton of cleaning though, just enough to make you feel accomplished. I guess in this case, it would involve packing up another little corner of my apartment instead of cleaning. Doing my hair and make up, and putting on an outfit that makes me feel like a million bucks. Then going shopping… or rather browsing. My favorite stores are TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Home Goods. Basically the same store just under different names. I don’t even need to buy anything. There are days when I truly just enjoy looking at things, feeling fabrics, and trying on things I have no intention of purchasing. Just being out and about is always good for my mental health. After shopping I’d wander around a cemetery or hit up the beach, both are equally relaxing places for me. Then I’d come home and make dinner. Nothing super complicated but something that involves a little bit of work then some time in the oven or on the stove. Something that warms the house and fills every room with its tasty aroma. Chorizo stuffed peppers! To end the evening, I’d cuddle up on the couch with Klaus and the cats, actually find a good documentary to watch, and paint my nails. I may not paint my nails as fancy as I used to but it’s still one of my favorite things to do.

What’s your idea of a perfect day?
xoxo

*Okay so, “bubble wrap puppy” is what Jeff and I say when I’m feeling super sensitive. It is based on this meme.  Ex. “What’s wrong?” “I don’t know, I just feel like a bubble wrap puppy today.”

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Old Sheldon Church Ruins

by Kaylah Stroup December 6, 2016
sarcophagus, cemetery, ruins

On the way home from Savannah, the week before last, Jeff and I made a pit stop in Beaufort County, South Carolina to check out some really neat looking church ruins I had found photos of online. Researching any vacation for us includes searching for abandoned spots and really neat old cemeteries in the area. This kind of touches on both! While it’s not actually abandoned by any means, it’s on the National Register of Historic Places, the ruins of this old church are way rad and totally up our alley.

The church was originally built between 1745 and 1755, at the time it was known as Prince William’s Parish Church. It was partially burned by the British during the American Revolution in 1779. The interior and roof were rebuilt in 1826. Then thirty nine years later it was set ablaze yet again, this time by the federal army. It was never repaired. Apparently what wasn’t destroyed in the fire was used to help rebuild homes in the area.

Surrounded by gorgeous old trees, draped in Spanish moss, this spot couldn’t have been more dreamy.  I always enjoy checking out the ruins of old buildings but the cemetery was what really excited me about this place. The first photo in this post? Ugh! It doesn’t get any more beautiful than that in my opinion. The fall colors, the sarcophagi, and Spanish moss! Be thankful you weren’t there in person with me, I would not shut up about Spanish moss. I’m honestly surprised I’ve mentioned it so few times on the blog.

Judging by the amount of photos, reviews, and the number of people that showed up at the end of our visit this is a super popular spot. As of October 2015, they no longer allow weddings on the property but they do still have a special Easter service each year. Jeff, and I showed up shortly after sunrise on a Sunday morning, while the sun was still at that perfect spot in the sky. We were the only people there for nearly an hour. I had so much fun roaming the property. Well worth the short detour!

south carolina, church

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