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Friday Favorites #539

by Kaylah Stroup November 1, 2019

This post contains affiliate links. Check out our disclosure policy for more details.

This dress! I have no idea when I’d ever wear it but there is just something about a sheer starry dress that gets me.

These raccoon socks!

Love this simple black dress. That back cut out adds so much.

This bowl looks like a fancy version of something you’d put Halloween candy in and I love it.

Kitty jammies!

These earrings!

Doesn’t this look like the comfiest, already perfectly broken in tshirt ever? It comes in a handful of colors too!

This backpack purse is so cute. I’m really just a fan of how many pockets it has.

This rug! So, we are currently on the hunt for a house (fun but also not fun!) and I’m just picturing this in my future office, a big room with dark wood floors. Maybe someday.

How cute is this velvet flutter sleeve dress!? It’d be perfect paired with some polka dot tights.

Link love…

If you’re on the hunt for a simple, water-resistant warm coat, I can’t recommend this one highly enough. It’s been cold and rainy here lately and this bad boy has been perfect.
I’ve linked to this colorful dress before but I just realized the price went way way down on it!
This bra and undies set! Yes!
Dog overalls. You HAVE TO look at the photos. There is a customer review photos where they got family photos done and the whole family is wearing denim including the dog. I loooove stuff like this.
Digging the pattern on this sleep romper.
I snorted about this patch – I wish I was Nessie’s girl!
A canister for your secrets!
I want to live in this blanket sweatshirt.
I knew that Rifle Paper Co did a collab with Keds but I didn’t realize there were rainboots involved!!!

In case you missed it, I had a big shop update this week! New fabrics, key fobs + mini wristlets. Also, all items that were tagged ‘Halloween’ are marked off 25% until this evening.

Happy Friday! xoxo

Slug Bug Ranch

by Kaylah Stroup October 30, 2019

One of the very last stops on June’s road trip was Slug Bug Ranch… and what a grand last stop it was!

Slug Bug Ranch is a mere 35 minutes from Cadillac Ranch which I had the opportunity to visit with my parents last summer. Picture last summer’s route as the letter ‘T’. We drove up the center of the letter. Cadillac Ranch is to the left side of the top of the T, and Slug Bug Ranch to the right side. Although not too far out of the way, it would have been starting the main haul of our trip in the wrong direction so we decided to only hit Cadillac Ranch. To be honest, I assumed Cadillac Ranch would be the better choice anyway since it’s definitely the more popular choice.

Wrong. I mean no shade to Cadillac Ranch. We had a great time there and I wouldn’t trade those memories for a thing but wow, Slug Bug Ranch was AWESOME.

Slug Bug Ranch’s main attraction is five Volkswagen Beetles, buried hood-down in the ground. Just like Cadillac Ranch, they’re covered in layers and layers of paint. Even the ground, plants and spiderwebs nearby are covered in paint.

The Crutchfield family who owned the Longhorn Trading Post and Rattlesnake Ranch (pictured a handful of photos below) built Slug Bug Ranch as a way to gain a bit of attention when a huge corporate Travel Plaza popped up on the opposite side of the interstate. They figured with something this fun and eye-catching they’d be able to stay in business. Sadly, their plan didn’t work and only a year later they were forced to close. Judging by the amount of paint, travelers still find their way here all this time later.

We arrived right as the sun was beginning to set. There wasn’t a soul around except us. It was perfect.

More than that, I had no idea there were other abandoned structures there. Two small homes, the trading post, and a gas station plus a handful of other cars are on the property. We went there expecting to spend ten or fifteen minutes shooting some cars but ended up staying until we could no longer handle the ravenous mosquitoes. We explored every nearly every inch and had a blast doing so. This road trip had a ton of amazing stops but this might have been one of my favorites.

Longhorn Trading Post and Rattlesnake Ranch. Check out this shot from 2006!

Sunset behind an abandoned truck in Texas

More posts from this trip;

Check out even more road trip posts under the ‘travel‘ tag. If cars half-buried in the dirt are your thing, check out International Car Forest of the Last Church.

Friday Favorites #538

by Kaylah Stroup October 25, 2019

This post contains affiliate links. Check out our disclosure policy for more details.

Polaroid Originals just keeps coming out with films I need to buy! How cute is this ‘gold dust’ frame?

Paint it black and yes, please!! I am very into this planter.

This camera strap!

This back patch! I recently got this coat, that patch would be perfect on it.

These earrings are so pretty!

A little late to the party on this one (just 125 years) but I am obsessed with this painting by Pierre Bonnard. It’s the best worst thing ever. It’d fit right in my apartment. I’m gonna have to grab a print of it ASAP.

Ah! This eye rainbow maker!

Loving this pull over!

I’m normally a big fan of all things black and white but something about this quilt is calling my name!

The Fresno Nightcrawler! Fauna Obscura actually has all sorts of fun cryptid related products.

Digging these socks!

Link love…

Because black and white polka dot bralettes are definitely my thing.
This ghost doily is the absolute cutest. Just picture it with a spooky candle sitting on it.
If I were to simplify my wardrobe and only wear one shirt forever, it’d probably be this one. 3/4 length sleeves, long, slim fit. UGH. It fits so well. I’m gonna need to get a week’s worth of them.
I just want you to look at this silly dog. This one too.
It’s a dinosaur paper towel holder! Holy smokes.
I really really love the idea of this book, There Is No Good Card for This: What To Say and Do When Life Is Scary, Awful, and Unfair to People You Love. I definitely want to check it out.
Don’t we all need a dress covered in space cats!?

Happy Friday! xoxo

doolan family school bus – part 6

by Kaylah Stroup October 22, 2019

Its been four whole months since my last bus update aaaand holy cow, a lot has changed since then! I really don’t even know where to start.

I kind of got out of the habit of shooting photos and video because it felt like not too much was happening. The work that was getting done wasn’t as big and epic as say, laying down the flooring or building benches. But wow, looking back at my older bus posts and videos (all linked at the end of this post) I realize now that I definitely goofed up by not shooting more. So much has gotten done. As of right now, the bus is even painted a pretty new color BUT because there’s so much else to catch up on, I’m going to save that for another day.

Prepping, priming, and painting has been a huge undertaking. When you only have one day per week to work on something like this, it’s gonna take forever. I think I can speak for the whole family when I say we’re very excited that it’s finally done.

We decided on a two-tone paint job. The top is white, and the bottom… my mom’s favorite color. Like I said, I’ll share more next post. Before any painting could be done though we had to clean the exterior of the bus really well, rough up the old paint a bit, remove all the stickers, and give it a good wipe down. All that before two coats of primer, and then finally paint. It took a lot of work but was truly satisfying. Watching the yellow disappear was niiiiice. I don’t even recognize the bus in these photos.

The inside of the bus has been getting lots of love too! The dividing wall between the main part of the bus and the bathroom/storage room was finished. The sliding door installed. Countertop laid down. Sink and stovetop installed! Wooo. It looks good!

More than that, it’s now painted as well. We chose a nice, bright grey based white to brighten up the interior. I absolutely love how it turned out.

We picked out a simple gray fabric for the cushions which I am definitely procrastinating on making. The parts of the benches where you can still see wood will be getting covered with dark wood trim. We got a bit of it done already, though it’s obviously not shown in these photos. I’ll tell you what, it’s looking slick. The cushions are really going to tie the whole space together though and make it seem so much closer to being finished.

*Ellie really loved carrying paint brushes around. Such a good little helper pup.*

Priming the schoolie — *Priming the outside.*

Here is the accompanying video. I feel like my previous videos were very similar to the blog posts they went with but since it’s been so long there’s stuff in the video that isn’t in the pictures. The video also gives you a way better feel so the layout and what the back room looks like.

I CANNOT wait to hit the road.

Check out previous bus conversion posts here – 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5.

Friday Favorites #537

by Kaylah Stroup October 18, 2019

This post contains affiliate links. Check out our disclosure policy for more details.

This trinket tray!

If you ever need recommendations for cozy cardigans, I’m your gal! I recently got this one and I basically never want to take it off. So snuggly!

This mirror / jewelry holder! Its under $20 too!

The most perfect Halloween sweater!

Very very into these corduroy shoes!

Didn’t know that a doorstopper could be very my style! Also, on the subject of cute doorstoppers, look at this mouse.

Still crushing on my shower curtain from RedBubble! (PS. You can check out more of my favorites from them here!)

Oh hello! Love me a good piece of statement furniture.

Spotted this and had to share! I actually bought the same vintage nutcracker while on our wedding roadtrip.

I have gotten so many great new fabrics lately. I’m batty about this one though… heh!

Continuing on the hand theme that I apparently chose this week, look at this shelf! Ugh, so good!

Link love…

This cheetah rug!
Loving this opalite ring.
I found THE best bralette and it’s under $10. I wish that sharing a photo of me in a bra was more my style because I want everyone to see just how gosh darn cute this thing is. I feel like a lot of bralettes aren’t that great for folks with bigger boobs but this bad boy makes them look phenomenal! I feel so sexy in it!
Eye am every into this wallpaper!
I’m obsessed with this cheetah sweater.
You ever see an item of clothing and you’re like “yeah, that’s terribly ugly but I love it!”? That’s me with this colorblock shirt.
This incense holder!
These are the world’s coziest pajama pants, just so ya know!

Happy Friday! xoxo

Pssst. If you still want more, I have tons and tons of Halloween finds here.

six months / things I want to tell you

by Kaylah Stroup October 14, 2019

Yesterday marked six months since my mom suddenly passed away.

I don’t blog about grief as much as I want to. Well, I mean, I don’t want to but I do feel like it’s healthy and… important, honestly. Having conversations about loss is essential. As a society, we suck at talking about death. Sure, everyone loves murder podcasts and documentaries but I feel like that really does absolutely nothing to prepare you for the gut-punch that is losing someone important to you. Grief needs to be normalized. We need to learn how to talk about and deal with these feelings so we can be there for our friends when they’re going through it and so that we can know how to better care for ourselves when the inevitable happens.

These last six months have had lots of highs and lows. I hate to say it’s been the worst six months of my life but uh, I guess technically, it has been. Grief is one heck of a rollercoaster. It hits you out of nowhere the second you take a breath and think “hey, maybe I’m okay after all.” It’s exhausting.

I used to text my mom nearly every day, we chatted on FaceTime often and even though I hate talking on the phone, I still called regularly. I feel like I have so much I want to say to her. Nothing truly groundbreaking but gosh, it really really sucks to lose the person you liked to bs with the most.

I don’t think my mom can read my blog anymore, obviously, but I felt like maybe it’d be therapeutic to type out some of the things I want to say to her…

Things I want to tell you;

Dad bought me candles. I don’t think he has any idea how much candles remind me of you since spending stupid amounts of time sniffing them at TJ Maxx was our thing. I cried the whole way home. He’s done it two more since that first time. It’s really sweet.

I think about you every single day. Multiple times a day. You’re in my dreams too. Basically the only thing I dream about these days. In my dreams, you’re always alive. I know that you’re dead in the dream but you show up, I exclaim ‘mom, you’re alive?!’ and we catch up. I’m glad I’m not dreaming about you being dead but I wish you’d still be here when I woke up.

The kids are getting so big. You’d be so proud of them. I know you always wanted kids from me too but I’m pretty sure the grandkids you already have max out of the cool meter anyway. I love them so much.

I try to bake cookies for dad every week. They’re not as good as yours but everyone seems to enjoy them anyway.

I bought a ring with your ashes and hair inside. It had a long turn around time but I secretly hope it shows up today. I know my first thought upon opening it will be “Ah, I gotta show mom!” That happens a lot.

I’m gonna be in a magazine! I wanted to call you as soon as I got off the phone with them.

Thanks for always letting me be me and never questioning my style and choices, no matter how whack they were. Looking through old photos has me wondering what the heck I was thinking a lot. You never made me feel stupid, even though I definitely looked like a total dork a lot of the time.

We work on the bus every weekend. I feel guilty because we didn’t do this while you were here. You’d have loved all the family time. Some weeks bus day just can’t come soon enough for me.

Speaking of the bus, we painted it your favorite color.

I really want to move closer to home. I want to be closer to family. Again, I feel bad this revelation didn’t come sooner.

Everything feels different.

I miss you a ton.

I love you.

More posts on grief, my mom and loss in general –

▴ my mother’s plants ▴ grief & road trips ▴ I cry over four leaf clovers ▴ grieving in the digital age ▴ the greatest loss

Friday Favorites #536

by Kaylah Stroup October 11, 2019

I’m teaming up with Etsy today to bring you a super special Halloween version of my Friday Favorites. It may not look all that different than my normal FF posts but this only contains items from rad small businesses!

This post also contains affiliate links. Check out our disclosure policy for more details.

Sorry, we’re dead! Satsuma Street has all kinds of cool Halloween themed cross stitch patterns in their shop. I’m especially fond of this headstone.

How cute is this bat enamel pin!?

Ghost kitty!

This skeleton blanket! The same company, Frankie Print Co, also makes this tiny skull blanket too.

Spooky candles from Lichen & Limestone! I bought bat wings and frog’s breath. They both smell SO good and the wood wicks make such a relaxing sound as they burn.

A little something to help you sleep like the dead.

Creepier than a cemetery at midnite.

Because sending Halloween cards should definitely be more of a thing!

I have loved this ring by Datter for so long. I already own the matching earrings.

I love Sweet Omen’s work!

Best for last? Perhaps! I am so excited to finally have gotten my hands on this Future Ghost shirt!

Link love…

3D printed skull planter! They have light up ones too!
A pin for people who like coffee + dead things.
Nobody tells me what to do!
Cat skeleton patch! I actually have this wisdom tooth backpatch from the same folks on my jean jacket.
Not especially spooky but just offbeat enough to be included – these hand earrings!
The patch for every Halloween Lover!
A glow in the dark graveyard enamel pin!!!
This bat sticker. Its so precious!
This handmade cat pillow. I love that black cats really get their time to shine at Halloween.
How can skull soap be so dang cute?

Happy Friday! xoxo

abandoned Fort Courage, AZ

by Kaylah Stroup October 8, 2019

Throwing it back to June’s massive road trip again today. Check out the bottom of this post for links to previous posts.

After relaxing at The Wigwam (aka heaven on earth!) Jeff and I started our long drive home from Arizona. Just over 2,000 miles. 30 hours without factoring in any stops! Our friend, Jake, who we had taken the first half of the trip with had a business trip that he’d be flying off to from Phoenix so it was just the two of us heading back to Ohio.

The idea of that drive home seemed a bit daunting but I was excited to cover some new ground. If you haven’t gathered the fact that the journey is just as/ if not more important than the destination to us then uh, you must be new here! Hello! Nice to meet you!

The first eleven or so hours would all be fairly familiar territory. The route is one we’ve driven a handful of times but that’s totally cool by me because we always seem to find a new place or two to stop each time.

Like this place! This is a spot that has caught my attention every single time we’ve driven past it but we were always too late to get off at the exit. The first time we drove by it, it caught my attention but I don’t think I fully realized it was abandoned. It just looked like another huge business off the highway, probably selling dusty old trinkets. The next year, when we went by it again, I knew it was abandoned but of course, we didn’t have time to get off at the exit.

This year though? It was a priority. I had a pretty good idea of what we’d be getting into and I was determined to actually make it there. I marked it on the map and let Jeff know far in advance where the exit was.

Fort Courage was far beyond my expectations!

Fort Courage was built in the 1970’s to replicate the fort from the TV show “F-Troop”. Reviews left on their page reveal that they really didn’t have very much in way of F-Troop merchandise (probably because they weren’t officially affiliated!) But thanks to the sales of miscellaneous travel souvenirs and the ever needed snack, they managed to stay in business for quite a while.

On the property, there was a gas station, large gift shop, Pancake House (dude, it was awesome. I have photos for another day!) and a whole bunch of buildings that would later become apartments.

We were unable to get into all of the buildings but still had a heck of a fun time wandering around what was open. Approaching the buildings behind the main gift shop, I wasn’t sure what to expect. At the time I didn’t know that those were abandoned apartments. It didn’t take long to figure it out though. They were packed full of things. It’s like one day everyone just up and left!

More posts from this trip;

Check out even more road trip posts under the ‘travel‘ tag & more ghost towns here.

Fort Courage is for sale! $995,000. 57 acres and boasts “no competition on an 8 mile radius” Buy it and be just a short trip from me over at Two Guns!

Friday Favorites #535

by Kaylah Stroup October 4, 2019

This post contains affiliate links. Check out our disclosure policy for more details.

How cute is this sweater!? I bought this one last week and it fits great so now, of course, I’m on a total sweater kick!

This phone case is just… batty!

I’ve definitely featured things from this line before but would you just look at this pillow!? That is 100% my style. There are also matching coasters.

So obsessed with these spooky bags I whipped up yesterday!

This snake mug!

When we finally buy a house, one of the first silly purchases I’m making for it is a hand doorknocker. I like this one too.

Green corduroy overalls! Yes, please!

Uhh... this sweater!!!!

This rug!!! Soooo good!

Very very into this pin!

These jammies!

Link love…

A dress covered in dinosaur skeletons!!
These 3D body charts are pretty cool.
I usually think oil diffusers are pretty ugly but this mirrored one is rad.
Skeleton pink flamingos for your yard!!
Oh gosh, I need this for my collection of medical models.
I know most kitties wouldn’t actually wear these vampire wings but oh my gosh, the product photos are too cute.
This red + sheer polka dot bra and undies set! Hello!
Attention corgi lovers, you need this photo frame!
This velvet pencil skirt covered in horses is ridiculous and amazing.

Happy Friday! xoxo

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