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life lately : apartment update

by Kaylah Stroup December 1, 2016

This last month the only thing I’ve been able to think about is moving. It’s basically all I talk about, and it’s definitely all I dream about. I’ve had multiple nightmares where we move in and the claw foot tub is missing. Hah! I’m currently in the beginning process of packing. My last move I packed everything in one day. This time I figured since it’s an option, I might as well get a head start. I’ve been boxing all the non-essentials like knick-knacks, books, and movies. I’m not crazy about living alongside random boxes but slowly packing has given me the opportunity to really evaluate what I need keep and what I don’t. I LOVE getting rid of things. It feels awesome.

Sooo, the new apartment! Let me tell you all about it and why we aren’t already living there! My landlords, a sweet husband and wife team, bought a house that needed completely gutted. Both units were available when she first told us about the house but we were particularly interested in the upstairs. Living in the city I feel much more secure on the second story. The downstairs unit was completely finished but the upstairs is still in the works. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. My current apartment is nice but there are lots of little things I definitely wouldn’t choose for myself. The carpet is weird, and the paint colors are… interesting. These clearly aren’t things that would stop me from renting though, especially in the perfect location.

The plan was she’d show us the downstairs unit to give us an idea of what to expect and then we’d go check out the layout of the upstairs unit to see if we’d like it. The second we walked in I was just kind of in shock. Jeff was immediately exclaiming how much he loved the kitchen backsplash and I wasn’t even sure what to comment on first! My mind was basically already made up within minutes that I wanted to live there. We toured the downstairs unit with mouths agape. It was GORGEOUS. They did an amazing job!

My landlord seemed kind of reluctant to show us the upstairs. I think she was afraid of scaring us off. Basically at the time of us viewing it it was no different than any abandoned house I’d ever been in. If she only knew we hang out in places like that for fun. Heh! They showed us around and told us about all the things they were working on up there. Like I mentioned in the post when I announced this move, I was so excited it’s all a blur. I can recall the general layout but the details aren’t there which considering the state it was in is probably for the best. Before the tour was even over I announced “We’re movin’ in!”

Sooo, yeah, Jeff and I are getting completely re-done apartment exactly where we want to live within the city. It’s still so hard to believe. I feel like at any second something could go wrong or that I completely overlooked some huge deal breaker just because it’s so perfect. When we went to see the place they estimated it would 4-6 weeks until it was finished, which puts our moving date anywhere from here to December 12th. To further corroborate this date, when my apartment that I’m living in now was listed on craigslist it said “available December 15th”.

It’s basically taking every single ounce of self control for me to not constantly text my landlord for updates. It was finally too much for me to handle and I reached out to see how it was going on Sunday. She said they had made lots of progress and that it was really starting to look like a home. It sounds like all the really hard work – drywall, electrical, etc – is done and now it’s time to paint and get the appliances in there.

I wish I had photos to share in this post of the new place but obviously, I really have no idea what it’s looking like right now either. You can count on seeing photos as soon as we the keys, which hopefully shouldn’t be too far off.

In other moving related news, I sold my lockers a couple weekends ago. When I bought them I knew they’d never move with me. They were incredibly difficult to get up my stairs, and as awesome as they were I hated that they were so heavy. I’m huge on rearranging furniture and it just wasn’t possible to move them around. Getting rid of them made this move feel even more real especially since I was kind of worried they’d sit on craigslist for a while. I was sad to see them go but happy to have sold them for the same price I bought them for. They were perfect for this apartment. Maybe there will be space in the new apartment for a much smaller set of lockers. They’re sooo nice for storage.

So yeah, that’s where I’m at right now. I kind of feel like I’m in a weird limbo state. I’m very, very excited to move but also obviously, quite nervous. I can’t wait to finally put a date on this whole ordeal and start the process for real.
xoxo

Colonial Park Cemetery

by Kaylah Stroup November 30, 2016

At the beginning of this year Jeff got a new full time job which is obviously really good news but we kind of thought it meant we wouldn’t be able to travel as much as we wanted. Since the very beginning of our relationship traveling has been something that we’ve enjoyed together tremendously. I mean, duh, who doesn’t like traveling with their significant other? We took our first big trip together only a few months after meeting, and that was the start of something magical. I live for our vacations. They’re easily some of the best times I’ve ever had so the idea we wouldn’t be able to take our annual trip out west or go anywhere else was a huge bummer. With some careful planning, determination, and a few all night drives, 2016 turned into the year of road trips for us. I’ve played in the ocean, explored new cities, poked around a creepy old cave, and even managed to cross off one of my bucket list destinations – Roswell!

Over the holiday weekend Jeff and I went down to Georgia looking for a soul to steal and spent a few days hanging out in Savannah. I think this trip kind of started off as a joke, or at least it kind of felt like it. “We should go on Thanksgiving, that way we don’t have to decide whose house to go to for dinner!” Then, kind of randomly one day, Jeff sent me a screenshot that he had booked our hotel. We left the Wednesday before Thanksgiving around 8pm and took turns driving through the night. It’s a loooong twelve hour drive but you do what you gotta do!

I had hoped to blog about it how I blog about all the other trips I take, which is in order so it’s kind of like a diary or something for me to look back on but to be honest, the majority of the photos I took were in cemeteries. I had been to Savannah once before a few years ago. It was actually my first big trip with a friend and I had the time of my life. I almost feel like it was an important turning point for me. Anyway, I didn’t take many photos while I was there that time and I’ve been dying to get back to shoot these cemeteries that I have to believe are some of the most beautiful in the United States. So we ate the best chocolate ever*, played some pirate themed mini-golf, ate a pirate themed restaurant, did a whole lot of walking, and of course, spent a ton of time wandering cemeteries. I have so many photos to still work my way through but I’m going to start with my favorites first.

Colonial Park Cemetery is beautiful old cemetery located right in the middle of the city. It was established in 1750, and obviously holds tons of history. 700 victims of the 1820 Yellow Fever epidemic are buried here, along with many victims of Savannah’s dueling era. During the Civil War many of the graves were looted. Rumor has it that Union soldiers even changed the dates on some headstones. Why they’d do that is beyond me, but still, very interesting!

I had actually visited this particular cemetery a few years ago but absolutely, one hundred percent, do not remember it being this beautiful. Jeff and I arrived shortly after sunrise, while the sun was still in a perfect spot in the sky. The lighting was incredible and there morning fog seemed to just be burning off. It was SO beautiful. Lets not forget the Spanish moss. Oh my gosh, is there anything prettier than trees draped in Spanish moss in a cemetery? No, there isn’t! I don’t even know how many times I exclaimed how much I loved it. (Sorry for being annoying, Jeff!) I just can’t get enough!

All the cute shops, beautiful historic buildings, and good eats aside, Savannah is worth visiting just for it’s cemeteries… ya know, if you’re into that kind of thing.
xoxo

*So, I was just going to link to the chocolate place’s website until I realized they also had an etsy shop. You guys HAVE TO try this chocolate. Their Mexican Mayan Truffle is literally the best piece of chocolate I have ever eaten in my life. Also, their retail location is the adorable if you’re in the area!

Thankful

by Kaylah Stroup November 24, 2016

Last month I shared a post titled just me, in my element. It was something inspired by a single photo that I typed up in one sitting (with a second final glance right before hitting publish to make sure there weren’t any major spelling errors, or super crazy thoughts.) The response BLEW. MY. MIND. I honestly don’t know when, if ever, something I’ve written has had such an incredible response. It took me forever to read through all the comments and emails. Replying was even more difficult. So many of you guys shared your stories with me, I was at a loss for words. Shoot, I still am! I genuinely apologize if I somehow forgot anyone, it definitely wasn’t on purpose. It was a wild ride. I laughed. I cried. I felt sad. I cheered! More than anything though, I felt an overwhelming amount of gratitude for this platform that has allowed me to connect with SO many people.

Sometimes the negativity involved with blogging makes me want to hibernate. I’ve never seriously considered giving up The Dainty Squid but I’ve definitely had times when showing up here every day to share my life was the last thing I wanted to do. I’m not exactly a social butterfly so putting myself out there can be a challenge to begin with but then pile that on top of the fact that the internet can be a REALLY cruel place. I can’t even begin to list all the stupid things I’ve read about myself, and gotten in comments. Honestly, it can be easy to forget how many people I do have cheering for me.

I normally share a list of things I’m thankful for each year but with that post and all the responses so fresh in my mind I really just wanted to dedicate the whole post to you guys. I am so incredibly grateful for all of you out there reading. I feel lucky that so many of you show up here day after day to read about my silly adventures, look at all the photos I take, giggle at my adorable pets, and celebrate all of life’s little victories with me. It’s crazy to me that there are so many of you out there all around the world who visit my little space on the internet daily. (Seriously, how in the heck did all you guys from the UK find me?! I’ve got huge numbers over there!) It also never ceases to amaze me when people tell me how long they’ve been reading The Dainty Squid. I mean, so many of us have basically grown up together! It’s wild.

More than ever I feel super connected to my blog and everyone out there reading. Your comments, emails, tweets, and even likes mean so much. I may not know very many of you personally but you’re still a huge part of my life.

Sorry to include a photo of Squid mean muggin’ y’all in this post where I tell you how much I love you.

So yeah, THANK YOU! Thank you. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!
xoxo

underground

by Kaylah Stroup November 23, 2016

There are some shenanigans my friends and I get into that I don’t blog about for one reason or another. Exploring tunnels is one of these things for a handful of reasons. One important thing being I would never want to encourage you to do something potentially dangerous. Flash floods are real, and air quality should always be something you’re thinking about. Second, they aren’t really all that glamorous, and in the past I really struggled with how to photograph them.

I’ve expressed my frustrations with night photography in the past but this like a step past night photography. These tunnels are completely dark in most cases. No light at all. It’s up to you and your flashlight to put together a cool shot. The dozen or so times previous to this that I’ve been underground I didn’t really take all that many photos. In a situation that is kind of new to me it’s tough for me to want to experiment when the people around seem so confident and like they know exactly what they’re doing. I don’t know if that make any sense at all especially since I’m confident my friends wouldn’t judge me for any potentially crappy photos.

This time I was really feeling it though! It’s such a great feeling to be excited to sort through your photos at the end of an adventure. I’m so thankful to have friends who put me in unique situations and encourage me to grow as a photographer, whether they mean to or not.

someone lost their purse!

In the past I always just set up to take the same or very similar shots that my friends were taking. Basically just long exposures where someone was silhouetted – kind of like this one or this one Jeff took of me. It was almost like I felt I couldn’t shoot anything other than that because I was just learning to take long exposures to begin with so I wanted to get that perfect shot. This time I went into with the notion that I wanted to capture the experience, not the perfect photos, and I am so so so excited about what I got.

My favorites of the bunch are the long exposures weird light trails from out flashlights, and ghost-like figures, like the one below. I picked that up near the end of our little adventure on accident and then promptly decided I had to shoot like that more. The first photo in this post is absolute favorite. I had everyone walk away from me while I took a thirty second exposure. It was a super long, super dark, thirty seconds which I spent singing quietly to calm the thoughts of tunnel monsters but it was so worth it.

My goal as a photographer is to always be growing, experimenting, and learning new skills. In the last two years I have done SO much of this. I’m curious to see where I’ll be in another few years. I can’t wait to get back and play around more!
xoxo

Klaus @ the beach!

by Kaylah Stroup November 21, 2016

world’s most handsome puppy!

These last few weeks Klaus and I have had to schedule our walks around the times that my landlord wanted to show my apartment. Klaus is an excellent dog. He never chews anything he shouldn’t. He’s never had an accident in the house. He doesn’t just randomly bark like some dogs buuuut he does bark at strangers. If someone comes over he doesn’t know, pulls in our driveway or walks in front of our house while we’re outside – that’s when he barks. Not only that but he has a REALLY frightening bark. I trust that he would never hurt me but if I didn’t know him I would definitely be scared of him. Obviously, I figured it’d probably be best to get him out of the house while it was being shown to potential renters.

Despite my best efforts, he’s never really liked the beach. Any time in the past I’ve taken him he’s just been a nervous wreck. This last showing, I just didn’t feel like walking around the neighborhood again so I loaded him up and we went to the beach to give it yet another chance. Surprisingly this time, he didn’t completely hate it! He even put his front paws in the water which is huge deal considering the fact that I think the noise of the waves coming in was what really freaked him out the most on previous visits.

We wandered to the far end of the beach, and I did my best to tie his leash up to some driftwood. It wasn’t super secure but he was happy to just lay down beside me while I fiddled with all the tiny pieces of trash I gathered for a new found on the beach arrangement. It ended up being a ton of fun! I loved sitting in the sand with him and just soaking in the sun. Warm November sunshine, time with Klaus, and making pretty things out of nothing – these are a few of my favorite things.

It took long enough but this puppy and I might finally be beach buds! I just need to find a better way to tie him up, maybe just a way longer leash? Any ideas?
xoxo

just a gratuitous pet post…

by Kaylah Stroup November 17, 2016

donut squeaky toy – under $10 + makes me smile every time I see Klaus with it. SO worth it.

A few years ago I was really into taking photos of my pets and sharing them on the blog. I would often have posts that were just a bunch of photo of cats, and Klaus. No real message, or purpose, just “look at my cute pets”. Eventually I fell out of the habit of it. I miss sharing those photos, and always felt like I needed to take more but it just didn’t appeal to me. The other day I figured out why. I don’t want to say there are only so many different shots you can take, because creativity should solve that, but yeah, in general, there are only so many different shots you can take in the same house. Klaus is easier because I can get photos of him outside. The cats lives exist indoors only though. I have enough photos of them on my big blue couch. No matter how many times I take another shot, even if it’s six months later, it’s still going to be essentially the same. Does that make sense?

My three critters and I will be leaving this apartment in under a month. (You should probably read this post if you missed that little announcement.) All those photos I was so tired of, I’m now trying to soak them up. Capture those moments that have been the same since we moved in two years ago and put them in a bottle (uh, my computer?) to save forever.

The photo above makes me laugh so hard because it reminds me of my all time favorite movie, Forrest Gump. Theres that scene where Jenny brings Forrest back to her dorm and her roommate wakes up to hear their conversation. Here’s a screenshot if you’re not familiar. That’s exactly what Klaus’ face looks like, especially with that ear up like he’s listening.

Below is the scene I’ll probably miss most from this apartment, each of the animals in their own sunspot. One any given day, this is where you can find them. These three are all massive cuddle bugs, but NEVER together. They will only cuddle with Jeff and I so them laying in this little arrangement together is about as close to cuddling as they get. I hope the animals will be able to find a similar spot in the new apartment to lounge in the sun.

Look at that smile! It looks like a nervous smile and I was originally going to type something about how maybe it’s because he’s nervous about the move but who am I kidding? That dog, although he loves me very much, definitely likes Jeff more. Those two are BFFS. I think his little puppy heart might explode when he realizes that Jeff lives with him.

I’m really excited for the five of us to live together. All of the animals love Jeff, even Squid who literally only liked me until he came around. He’s super sweet with them and definitely loves them but I’m excited for him to know them I know them. Which, good grief, sounds like the craziest thing I’ve ever typed but, just like people, I don’t really think you can know pets until you live with them. These three just bring so much joy to my life, I’m excited for someone else to experience it like I do.

Moving will probably be all I talk about for a while. I’m just super excited, as I’m sure you can imagine. Being able to photograph the cats in a new location will definitely be a plus too! 😉
xoxo

christmas cards + Tiny Prints giveaway

by Kaylah Stroup November 16, 2016

I did it. I fiiiiinally did it. It’s mid November and I have Christmas cards already! Wooo! I’m pretty sure it’s been on my to-do list every single year for basically forever. Only once in the past have I ever gotten cards printed. Even then I used a photo from the previous year and it was one of just one cat. This year my Christmas card is bringing you the whoooole family. Well not in one photo because let’s be real, we would definitely need helpers but that’s not to say we didn’t try (and end up with hilarious results!) I’m so stoked about these!

I think I had really been putting it off all this time because I was intimidated by the idea of having to design them. Shooting photos is fun for me, but your girl isn’t a designer. Luckily Tiny Prints has a ton of different cards that are super cute and stylish to choose from where all you have to do is upload your photo and fill in a little area of what your names are. Although if you don’t share a last name with your partner that’s not so easy. I debated for quite a while on what to put on our cards. In true Jeff + Kaylah form I wanted to do something silly and combine our last names but I figured just putting first names would save everyone from confusion. In hindsight I probably should have just gone for “Stroolans” and put it in personalized gold foil to make it really pop! Hehe!

I chose gold foil stamped cards, which look sooo much prettier in person than I could ever capture in photos. They also offer silver, rose gold and red foil, so it was a tough choice. Our cards are also flat which I purposely sought out so I wouldn’t have to think of anything to write on them when I send them. Just being real here, that might be one of the worst parts about sending holiday cards!

If you’d rather your holiday card serve a purpose, Tiny Prints also offers ornament cards so the recipient can just hang them on their tree. It’s such a good idea I almost feel guilty having not gotten them because I know my mom would have loved one. She already said “You have to mail me five of those!!” about the cards. Oh mom…

I’m beyond happy with how the cards turned out. I envisioned this perfect family photo of Jeff, the two cats, Klaus, and I but like I said above that just wasn’t going to happen. What we ended up with is even better though. I love how Klaus is giving us some sort of weird face on the front and how stoic he looks on the back in the shot of him and Jeff. Swoooon! I think my favorite part might be the shot on the inside of the envelopes though. That’s like the icing on the cake. I’m really excited to send them to everyone in our families but on the other hand I kind of just want to hoard them for myself. One is definitely getting saved to hang on the fridge in our new place.

the dainty squid, custom holiday card, christmas cards

Tiny Prints was kind enough to offer to sponsor a giveaway as well! You could win $100 TinyPrints.com store credit to purchase whatever your heart pleases. Enter using the widget below, you have until Friday, December 2, 2016 at 12:00am PT.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winners will be randomly selected and notified by CLEVER by Friday, December 16, 2016
Terms & Conditions: The
official Terms & Conditions are included in the widget; here is the
high-level eligibility criteria: Age 18+ US resident only Only one
winner per household

One last thing, a stack of the cards featuring the very best part, Klaus’ crazy eye. You’re welcome.

xoxo

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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moving, yet again!

by Kaylah Stroup November 15, 2016

Yesterday I got a text from my landlord saying that after the handful of showings she’d done someone was interested in renting my apartment! If you haven’t been catching all the hints I’ve been dropping these last few weeks you’re probably like “whaaaat?” but I’m moving!! Ahh! Yes, for the third time in just as many years. This one will hopefully be for a lot longer though. There’s nothing wrong with where I live now aside from some gross neighbors. I have two bedrooms, a porch, washer and dryer, and I’m pretty attached to my living room. I’m definitely settled in. Buuuut Jeff and I are moving in together! Double ahhhh!

I’ve been looking diligently for what feels like forever. I’d say we both started seriously looking after getting back from our trip out west though. We had a specific neighborhood in mind. Our must haves were two bedrooms, washer and dryer, and that pets were allowed – of course. Let me just say it was stupid hard to find. I’d see the perfect place then see the two worst words, “no pets”, and the search would start all over again. I know it wasn’t that long of a search, all things considered, but I can’t lie, it was starting to feel hopeless. It felt like what we were looking for, in our price range, just didn’t exist or stay on the market long enough for us to find it.

One evening Jeff and I were walking around the neighborhood we want to live in when he mentioned an apartment listing he’d seen and how it looked like the coolest spot ever, except for the fact it said “no dogs!” I knew exactly the apartment he was talking about because I had seen it too and though “Oh my gosh, Jeff would love this place!” When I got home that evening I emailed the guy telling him what a precious pup Klaus is and how he’s basically the best dog ever. I figured it couldn’t hurt to ask, right? He emailed me back almost instantly and said to give him a call.

We ended up going to see the apartment and despite it’s flaws – being in the wrong neighborhood, awkward layout, top of our price range, etc – we filled out an application! We definitely both felt uneasy about it but we were looking on the bright side, we’d finally be living together! I was already brainstorming all the ways I’d deal with the quirks of this place, and how tremendously outdated it was. I really had my heart set on another neighborhood, and the lack of windows meant I’d easily get depressed. That’s not to say this place didn’t have it’s upsides though. I tried to write off any hesitations as some normal nervousness involved with moving in together.

I am very much looking forward to combining my weird things with Jeff’s weird things. True love, amiright?

The guy made it sound like we basically had the place so I contacted my current landlord to let her know she’d most likely hear from this new guy and that I’d be moving. She text me back to let me know she was sorry to see me go, that I had been a great tenant and that if this fell through she had a place in Tremont that they were in the process of renovating. Let me stop this little story right now to tell you that is the neighborhood we wanted to be in all along!!! I took a screenshot and sent it to Jeff who was all “get more details! now!” She described it and I couldn’t believe what I was reading. I think that Jeff and I were both sold before even seeing it.

We obviously went and checked it out as soon as humanly possible. It’s literally everything we were looking for, and exactly where we want to be. Plus we get the bonus of keeping my landlord which is great because she’s wonderful! Jeff and I keep asking each other questions about the new place because we were both so excited that it’s all kind of a blur. One thing I know for sure is that IT HAS A STINKEN CLAW FOOT TUB. Hah! Seriously, I have wanted one for as long as I can remember!! That’s just the tip of the iceberg though. Needless to say, I mailed our deposit the next day! In a few short weeks, which are dragging obviously, I’ll be in a brand new apartment with my handsome boyfriend and our pets. AHHHH!

So yeah, that’s whats going on right now in Dainty Squid land. I’ll obviously be sharing more about our new place when the time comes but for now I just had to get that off my chest before I explode. I hate talking about things before they happen, in case something falls through, but with my current apartment now being rented, and the deposit check cashed, it’s all feeling very real… AND VERY EXCITING.
xoxo

Hartsgrove Center Cemetery

by Kaylah Stroup November 14, 2016

fog, headstones, hartsgrove ohio, cemetery

Over four years ago, on the way to go camping, I stumbled upon a beautiful foggy cemetery. It was one of the first cemeteries I ever blogged about and it was definitely the first foggy cemetery I ever shot photos of. For a looong time those photos, although technically not the best, held the title of my favorites. I mean, what could be more spooky than a foggy cemetery?

It never gets all that foggy here, and when it does it usually never really reaches any of the cemeteries, at least not that I’ve ever been able to witness. It tends to stay a lot closer to the lake. All these years I have been waiting for the opportunity to shoot two of my favorite photo subjects, fog and headstones, together again. Other than an abandoned house, I don’t think there could be anything more perfect to shoot surrounded by fog.

My parents live around an hour away from my house. Half of the drive is highway, and the second half is back roads. I went to visit them the weekend before last and as soon as I got off the highway I hit a wall of fog. Not like “Oh, it’s a little bit foggy. Cool!” but like “HOLY COW, I cannot see the car directly in front me.” It was basically zero visibility. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to pull over and shoot but I knew that I had to take the opportunity to get some photos.

When I remembered those photos from a few years ago and that a small cemetery was coming up in a few miles – my mind was made! The fog had cleared a bit before I made it there but it was still an absolutely beautiful sight! It took four years but I fiiiiinally got the photos I wanted. Paired with the gorgeous autumn leaves, I really don’t think these could have come out any prettier. I am so pleased!

falls, leaves, headstone, cemetery, ohio

One of my favorite things about fog is how it highlights all the spiderwebs! Such works of art.

While writing this post and searching back through the blog under the keyword “fog” to find the links to old posts I realized that they almost all start the same – about how we just don’t get much fog here and how excited I am to shoot it. I’m starting to build quite the collection of foggy photos. It’s still not getting old for me though! I am so jealous of you guys who live in foggy areas, although I’d probably miss the chase of rushing to a location before the sun burns the fog off.
xoxo

cemetery explorin’ buddy.

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