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Friday Favorites #373

by Kaylah Stroup
You guys, this necklace!!
 (via: J Topolski)
 Aren’t these shades so snazzy!?
 (via: zeroUV)
Welp, this notebook is precious!
 (via: Mossery Co)
Watercolor plant stickers. Perfect for decorating all your outgoing mail.
So, I took this photo and I’ve already shared it on instagram but seriously, this waffle candle by Candelles is THE BEST!
 (photo by me, candle by Candelles)
 (via: Modcloth)
Aren’t these sandals adorable!? Or if you want something funkier – these shoes!!! Amaaazing!
 (via: Bangi Shop)
Obsessed with this patch!
 (via: Broad & Jones)
This dress! SO cute! It’d look perfect with these boots.
 (via: Modcloth)

Link love…
▴ Pink cowgirl boots! (And they’re my size!!!)
▴ Crushing on this pretty pink and green bike. Technically I just need some green tires and my bike would be just as ridiculous!
▴ Pedal Power!
▴ Have you guys spent any time looking around Cratejoy yet? If you like subscription boxes you need to grab a cup of coffee and get browsing! There is a sub box for just about anything you could think of. I want them all!!
▴ Taco earrings!
▴ Love love love this bra!
▴ This looks like it might just be the perfect circle skirt.

Happy Friday!!
xoxo

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On The Cutting Room Floor

by Kaylah Stroup

Last weekend was a good weekend. 

I’m still struggling with the whole “too hot to function, oh no I’m overwhelmed!” thing but Jeff and I were on a roll last weekend. I honestly don’t remember the last time I had such a productive weekend. Not productive on the internet, my inbox is still a mess and I should certainly be a little bit more ahead on my scheduled posts, but I took lots of photos, and got lots of exercise. Saturday I have two whole posts from so more on that next week. Sunday though…

Sunday I…
▴ woke up early and explored an abandoned church! Jeff and I had been scoping out this church for a while now. I haven’t been in any significant abandoned buildings in a while so I feel kind of out of the game. I was a little shaky, and a man screaming about something outside was quite unnerving. I didn’t shoot anything worth writing home about but I’m pleased we got inside. It was a great start to the morning!
▴ ate my way through Taste of Tremont! Figuring there wouldn’t be any parking available, Jeff and I walked from his house which was super fun. It was waaaarm but I’m always pleased to do “city stuff” like that. I feel like a greater part of the neighborhood by being able to walk somewhere. Stupidly, I didn’t take any photos of what we ate but rest assured, it was deeeelicious. Pulled pork, blueberry lemonade, kettle corn, and finally some chocolates from Lily Chocolates.  They have this one truffle right now called Strawberry Fields. It’s white chocolate, basil, and strawberry. It’s literally the best chocolate I have ever eaten! Another Taste of Tremont highlight was all the dogs. SO MANY PUPS!
▴ met up with friends and admired our new public square. Cleveland is on the up and up, man! Our newly renovated public square was recently opened, and boy, it is pretty! After checking out the square we walked for around the city for a few miles. At the end of the night we were treated to the most beautiful sunset. I love this city.

Cleveland
cleveland, urbex, urban exploring

Here’s to making more days like this happen! Clearly, nothing too exciting happened but spending time with my friends, and getting lots of exercise is always great. I’m like a puppy, I need to use up all my energy or I start to go a little crazy.
xoxo

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what we wore : high in love

by Kaylah Stroup
Cleveland Fashion Blog

 

kaylah’s details;

sunglasses – Moorea Seal

dress – Modcloth  (same dress but in a different color!)
cardigan – Marshalls
pins – pizza + bossy c/o Moorea Seal
shoes – Modcloth


jeff’s details;
shirt – Black Market
shoes – Asics

 

Whenever I go to my parent’s house I try to take outfit photos. The main reason outfit photos came to a bit of a halt when I moved to Cleveland was that I just didn’t know where to take them. As a shy person, setting up a tripod somewhere that a lot of people are and posing for photos by yourself is basically out of the question. It’s just weird. In the last two years I’ve found a handful of spots that are fairly reliable places to shoot but nothing compares to the complete lack of people at my parent’s house. When I get there I normally go say hi to everyone, leave Klaus with them, and head off to take pictures before I inevitably get dirty. If you didn’t know, I am a dirt magnet.

On this occasion when I told my mom I was going to go take outfit photos she said “Both of you? Everyone looooves when you do those!” So although it wasn’t in the plans, I was “forced” to take photos with my handsome dude. (We totally would have coordinated if I thought of it before leaving the house!) I wasn’t sold on the photos as we took them. They just weren’t wow-ing me but I’m pleased with how cute they turned out. We really should do this more often.
xoxo

Also, why stilts? Because they were leaned up against the garage and when there are stilts near by you can’t just not use them as a prop! Duh!

 

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vintage globe collection

by Kaylah Stroup

If you’ve been around these parts for any amount of time, you probably know that I’m a collector. You might even say I collect collections. It’s in my DNA, I swear! Although his aren’t as precise as mine and organized, my dad definitely has a few collections. My nephew too! Basically, when I like something I just want lots and lots of that thing. As much as I’d love to be a minimalist, I enjoy my possessions too much. They’re a huge part of what makes home feel like home to me.

A few years ago I had a little series here on The Dainty Squid where I shared photos of my collections. Since the start of that series many things have changed. Uh, well it’s been five whole years. My life is completely different. Some of those collections came with me, like the teeth, but others I’ve outgrown, like the cuckoo clocks. When I look back through my old posts I see peeks at my old life, and it’s super fun to see how even though things are completely different some things never change. I’d like to start the series over now, share new photos of what my collections are like, and just document what it’s like in my home at this time of my life. Isn’t that really what this blog is all about? To start with I have some photos of my globe collection for you!

collection
globe collection

My globes have all come from estate sales, garage sales, and auctions. A few have been received as a gift as well. I’m very thrifty when it comes to my collections, and this one is no exception. Much to my disappointment, in the last few years the price of globes has sky rocketed. I guess that’s what happens when things become super popular. When I first started collecting it was easy to find them for five bucks or less but anymore, especially online, you’re going to be paying A LOT more which is a huge bummer.

I’ve been collecting globes for probably around five years now. Just like anything else, there is an ebb and flow to my obsession. Sometimes I’m actively hunting every chance I get, but most of the time I just let them come to me. I’ve actually slowed down a lot recently due to space issues. Twenty one seems to be enough for now. It’s also at the point where I don’t see any point in spending great sums of money for something I already have more than a few of. Not to say that if I happened to find the *perfect* one there wouldn’t be space for it but until I see the next one I just can’t live without, I don’t need anymore.

Actually, I take that back. I’m slowing down on globes of the planet Earth. Did you even know they made globes of other things?! The moon! Mars! They’re generally A LOT more expensive though. I’ve managed to get my paws on three moon globes in the last few years, seen above, but Mars globes continue to elude me. They’re fairly abundant online but the prices keep me away. Maybe someday I’ll find a lucky Mars globe in an auction box for dirt cheap. Fingers crossed!

globe collection

Below is a size comparison between my largest and smallest globes. The tiny one is actually a pencil sharper that was a gift from a penpal. The largest I picked up at a garage sale a few years ago. The person selling it requested I take really good care of it because she had a lot of fond memories of playing with it as a child. I paid a whopping three dollars for it. Score of the century if you ask me! It’s lived in three houses with me but in each has yet to find the perfect place to be displayed simply because it’s so large.

Do you collect globes? If you didn’t already, I’m sorry if you start because of me! When I started this post I was trying to think of when I started what my motivation was since it seemed like an important part of the story but I was drawing a complete blank. I figured it was just one of those things that kind of happened, like I bought one, then another, and then it just became a thing. When I typed the words “do you collect globes?” though it triggered a memory of a photo I saw on flickr many moons ago. I guess that’s where it all started for me. I saw a photo of someone’s collection, maybe just five globes or so, but I loved how they all looked together. All these years later I still love the colors and how a grouping of globes looks!
xoxo

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DIY Shower Melts

by Kaylah Stroup
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #StimulateTheSenses #CollectiveBias
Nature's Truth Essential Oils

You guys know I’m not too too crazy about the summer heat. I try to embrace it but I never fully can. One of my qualms about the heat is that I can’t take my bubble baths. Baths are a huge part of my life in the cooler season. At least twice a week you can find me reading, brainstorming or eating dinner in the bath tub. No shame in my tub game. In the summer it’s just not possible, I would roast. I do take a lot of showers though! Most hot days I have to take one before bed to even be able to sleep (Life without air conditioning! Woo!) I also enjoy my post bike ride cold showers.

Earlier in the year I reviewed some bath products and in the comments someone mentioned a shower bomb. I had never ever heard of or even thought about that being a thing. Something to make showers more relaxing? YES, PLEASE! Because I never shower for as long as I bathe I couldn’t bring myself to spend any money on something that would be washing down the drain almost immediately. Then it hit me – why not make some!? These babies are simple to make, they’re cheap, easily customized, and of course, make those cold showers that are necessary in the summer even more relaxing!



Supplies needed; 
Baking Soda
Citric Acid (found in the canning section of the grocery store!)
Nature’s Truth Essential Oils
Silicone Mold (frozen smiles mold from Target)

1.  Whisk together one (1) cup baking soda with a third (1/3) of a cup citric acid.
2. Add a very small amount of water and mix that in. I found it helpful to use a spray bottle and stir after every spritz to avoid accidentally using too much water. You want it to be damp, and pack-able but not soaked.
3. Add in your essential oils! How much you use depends on how potent you’d like your bombs to be. I used around 20 drops but feel free to use more or less!
4. Pack it your mold. It doesn’t have to be a silicone mold (but that’s what I had on hand and c’mon, denture shower bombs?! YES!) You can use a cupcake liner, or even make them into little balls of your own.
5. Set aside to dry. Dry time will depend on how wet the mixture is as well as how humid your home is. I put mine on the deck on the sunny day and within less than two hours they were good to go!
6. Place at your feet, and enjoy! Water hitting these directly will dissolve them almost immediately so try to keep them in a corner where the water only splashes on them. Be sure to store the other in an air tight container for future use!

As you can see there is tons of room for modification in this “recipe”. The amounts listed above made one full tray of the silicone denture molds, as well as four standard sized cupcake liners (filled about half full.) Unlike a bath bomb, the benefit of these is just the smell which is why I didn’t use any artificial colors or add anything else fancy.
I ended up making two batches and chose to use Nature’s Truth Essential Oils in Happiness and Energy. Happiness is sweet and fruity, while Energy is more earthy and citrusy. I purchased these from Target.com. Check the vitamin aisle if you want to shop in person at Walgreens or CVS! I also totally convinced my mom to purchase some as well by telling her all the ways I love to use essential oils. My favorite of which is to put a few drops in the foam filter of my vacuum. Instead of smelling like dog every time I turn it on it smells like lemon. Even if you don’t make these shower bombs, you need to do the vacuum thing. Seriously, life changing!
shower fizz tutorial, shower bombshower fizzie, tutorial, DIY
Will you be making some shower bombs? They’re so simple to make, yet so perfectly satisfying!

xoxo

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what I wore : blue tennis shoes

by Kaylah Stroup
kaylah doolan, modcloth, fish dress, tattoos, green hair
lapel pin, hoyfc
outfit post, kaylah doolan, cleveland blog, fashion blogger, green hair
cleveland fashion blog, what I wore, ootd

 

details 
sunglasses – Moorea Seal
dress – Modcloth

Can I tell you guys a secret? One time I cried because the thought that Jim Carrey probably wouldn’t be attracted to me popped into my head. I guess I should have started with these two facts first; 1) Jim Carrey is my one and only celebrity crush. I’m not like crazy obsessed or anything. I realize he’s just a normal human being (plus he has a daughter older than me!) but he’s SO funny, and SO handsome! 2) I’m a crier. I cry when I’m happy, when I’m sad, when I’m mad, and definitely at the sight of cute animals. So me crying over that isn’t exactly a huge deal.

I don’t think I’ve ever thought that I was “ugly”. I’ve kind of always just been “well, that’s me” about my looks but I’m definitely guilty of wishing I looked like other people at times. I have a good
side that I prefer to be photographed from (which you’d have to be pretty oblivious to not have picked up on by now! Hah!) and I’ve always been little self conscious of my round face. One eye is a little bit
squintier than the other and when I got braces a few years ago my orthodontist pointed out what a large chin I apparently have. …Seriously, what a butt! That aside, even if I had been born with the “perfect” face, I’ve chosen to do things to my body, such as covering a large portion of it in tattoos and always having an unnatural color of hair, that aren’t always seen as beautiful by people. It’s what I think is pretty, and how I like to look though. If I had a quarter for every time someone commented I’d be prettier with natural hair or without tattoos I’d be able to finish tattooing the rest of my body, AND keep my hair permanently fresh! There are definitely times when I think how much easier things would be if only I had “normal” tastes. I feel like that’s something that anyone with tattoos, funky hair, or a penchant for unique clothing can related to at least a little bit.

The last few months I’ve been feeling this almost childlike understanding that everyone looks different, and that THAT is what makes people beautiful. Also that another person’s beauty doesn’t take away from mine. We can be completely opposite in looks and still both be attractive and you know what… IT RULES! I’m going to have to give credit to the internet for this. I’ve never felt that advertising had a huge impact on my views of beauty but I think that might actually be impossible. Even if you don’t realize it, you’re affected by advertising. But seeing so many selfies everywhere I look – instagram, blogs, facebook, etc – is pushing that advertising to the side! Yeah, the ads are still everywhere but so are so many other faces, and styles that prove that beauty isn’t just this one image.

I obviously don’t think taking selfies is the most important thing in the world or that it’s all we should do with our time but I can’t deny the impact they’ve had in my life. Sharing selfies shows that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. That there isn’t just one beautiful image that everyone needs to replicate. I look at others and I see they have the same “flaws” I have but guess what? They’re still beautiful!

I’ve been wanting to write this post for a while now, just to talk about how much I love seeing everyone’s faces, and personalities on social media. I actually had some of it in a draft along with some random selfies but a post with this fish dress seemed even more appropriate. It’s weird, no question there. More people probably go “what the…” than people who think “wow, that’s cute!” yet I’m still crazy into it! The post ended up a little more all over the place than I had planned but it would take forever to write about all my feelings on beauty, even this post I’ve come back to a few times to add in thoughts. I’m sure as soon as it goes live I’ll think of something else I want to add on the subject.

So, maybe Jim Carrey wouldn’t be into a girl with green hair, lots of tattoos, and who thinks a dress covered in fish is funny but I think I’m pretty rad and I hope that by being true to my very strange self I’m encouraging others to do so as well.
xoxo

 

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Six years with Professor

by Kaylah Stroup

Two nights ago I was laying in bed sharing a pillow with Professor, who was licking coconut oil out of my hair, when it occurred to me “I think our anniversary is coming up.” I wrote down a reminder to check in the morning and drifted off to sleep. It was the first thing I thought of when I woke up. A quick search on the blog and I found that July 6th, the next day, marked six whole years with Professor. Six years on the sixth – it’s a special one! I’ve really been slacking off with my animal posts these last few years, which I regret. I’m definitely trying to get back into the swing of it and what better excuse to do so than an anniversary?!

If you haven’t been around since he first showed up (which wow! hi! crazy if you have!) here’s a little bit of a recap for you. My parents live in the middle of nowhere, and one evening my mom spotted the tiniest little Siamese kitty walking in the driveaway. Knowing that was my dream cat, she scooped him up and brought him over to my house so I could say hi and take some pictures before taking him to her boss at the time who had a cat rescue. Basically everyone in my family knows that if you see a cute animal, you better tell Kaylah because she’ll want to take pictures of it.

I was falling in love from the second I saw him but had no intention of bringing another cat into my life. After hanging out with him for a day it was time to take him up to where my mom worked to give him to her boss. After getting there I texted my mom to see where she was. She responded she had the day off and to just go find her boss. I think this might have been the only time in my life when being sickeningly shy actually worked in my favor. I decided to take him home with me because there was noooo way I was going to talk to her boss all alone. On the way home I stopped off at my parents to chat with my mom and it was there I made the decision to keep him. Clearly it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

All these years later and he’s still the same goofy kitten I fell in love with. I call him my perma-kitten because despite his age he still acts like a kitten. He has unlimited energy and is often seen (and heard) darting from one side of the house to the other for no apparent reason. He’s also an all star cuddler! Literally the most cuddly thing in existence. Sometimes he just cannot be close enough. His hobbies include chasing flashes of light (like reflections from your phone), lounging in the sun for hours, never shutting up, and ripping open bags of treats. He’s a little devil but could absolutely turn the biggest cat hater into a fan.

His latest obsessions are coconut oil, and drinking water from a glass. He can hear me opening the coconut oil jar from the other side of the house and will immediately coming running. He would love it if I let him dip his face in but is more than happy to have me wipe some on his nose or to lick it off my legs. Such a little weirdo! And the drinking water out of a cup thing? No idea why he started but he went from not paying an ounce of attention to my glass to not being able to resist. It’s impossible to keep him away!

The only thing that’s really changed is the color of his fur! Seriously, check out his fur in the photo below from 2012! I thought he was sooo dark then but he just continue to change. I’m starting to think in another few years I’ll have two black cats instead of one. My little guy went from being a toasted marshmallow to a burnt one.

summoning a demon with Squid + Klaus. I mean, I’m not sure why else they’d lay in this weird configuration.

I could type for hours and still never properly express how much Professor means to me. The world would seriously be a better place if everyone had a fuzzy little kitten like this in their life. Here’s to many more years with this little creep!
xoxo

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Independence Day 2016

by Kaylah Stroup
sparklers

Every year for the fourth of July my parents throw a big party. It always easily one of the best weekends of the summer outside of any roadtrip I happen to take. Food, family, fireworks! This year was a little different than normal with the fourth falling on a Monday instead of the weekend. Jeff, Klaus, and I went out to my parents Saturday morning, and left rather abruptly Sunday evening due to illness. You’ll have that I guess… It was still an absolute blast of a weekend even if it got cut short.

Jeff pointed out one of the best things about get togethers at my parents house is that everyone kind of does their own thing, and I totally agree! It’s not this forced, everyone sit around and make awkward small talk thing. People play croquet, there might be a few in the pool, the kids might be looking for frogs in the pond. There are four wheelers to ride, and there’s always something to snack on. As much as I love the city it is always SO nice to escape back to the country. My parent’s have the most relaxing property!

I spent the majority of my weekend in my hammock… and it was basically heaven! Last year I slept in my hammock for the very first time. I was skeptical but literally had the best sleep ever. Needless to say, I’ve been counting down the days until it was time to camp at my parent’s house again. Jeff recently bought me a new hammock because my other one was a little bit too small so I gave old one to my nephew. We set them up one on top of each other, like bunk beds. I called top bunk! I was hesitant at first but actually found it beyond relaxing to be that high up. I could have stayed there forever. (Seriously, buy a hammock. They’re SO COZY.)

Highlights of this weekend included;
▴ Hammocking, of course!
▴ Truly bonding with my nieces.
▴ Watching my brother struggle to get out of the highest hammock. (pictured above) 
▴ Having Jeff’s sister + her baby come out for a few hours. First time any parts of our family met each other!!!
▴ Being treated to one of the prettiest sunsets I’ve ever seen at my parent’s house.
▴ Starting new traditions.  Annual family cannon building? Yep. This year it shot marbles…
▴ Fireworks that end up looking like flowers in photos. You totally caught that above, right?!

Hope all my American pals had an excellent holiday weekend, and those elsewhere, not celebrating, still got to enjoy some sparklers anyway…because sparklers are always appropriate! 
xoxo

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what I wore : blue + brown

by Kaylah Stroup
what I wore, fashion blog, cleveland, kaylah doolan
pin game, lapel pins
fashion blog, cleveland blogger, green hair, dainty squidThe Dainty Squid
kaylah doolan, cleveland fashion blog, wiw

 

details
sunglasses – TJ Maxx
dress – Dear Creatures (via Modcloth)
cardigan – Modcloth
belt – Modcloth
lipstick – Colourpop Bumble

A lady walking her dog watched me take these photos… and that’s
just about the most interesting thing I have to tell you about this
outfit. I swear, sometimes figuring out what to write in posts is stupid
hard. You start to overthink it, and then it just becomes impossible.
I’ve been putting off writing this post since the day I took the photos.
Now it’s crunch time, the night before I want to post, and I’ve been
sitting here watching a movie with my laptop open. “Working”, ya know? I
finally gave into Netflix’s suggestion and watched The Fundamentals of Caring which proved to be a very good distraction from the keyboard that was calling my name.

Hope you’re having a lovely Thursday! Maybe go watch that movie so we can pretend this post was about recommending you something to watch..?
xoxo

PS. Check out the last two times this dress was featured on The Dainty Squid here + here!

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