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what I wore : #iamunique

by Kaylah Stroup
details
jacket – Knitted Dove
belt – gift
cardigan – Modcloth
necklace – Erica Bello Jewelry
tights – amazon
bag – Target
moth brooch – handmade
tooth brooch – Vinca via Fab

Yeah, what I said yesterday about an outfit post hiatus – nope. Haha. It was kind of funny that as soon as that posted I was like “I feel like taking outfit photos!” It was snowing pretty hard, and the roads were a wreck but it was surprisingly not that cold outside. Jeff and I headed down to my new favorite outfit spot, where the kitty lives. (I didn’t see that majestic little beast. Hoping I do next time!) We shot some photos together, most of which I did an awesomely bad job focusing on or else I would share. Then while I shot more photos of myself he wandered around and took some photos of the trains that were stopped on the track. I somehow always forget what a big difference getting some fresh air makes on my attitude. It was a really nice way to start the day. Getting a super awesome dessert with breakfast at Bonbon after the photos doesn’t hurt either…

This outfit is part of  #iamunique campaign by Unique Vintage.  It’s a year long campaign to celebrate how you express your own unique style, embrace your own unique body, and embody your own uniqueness. I’ve been chosen to be apart of the Style Society along side four other awesome bloggers.  I’m so excited to be a part of something so positive like this. You can use hashtag #iamunique to check out some of the others involved and share your own photos!

Shout out to my horse belt for working open one of the buttons on my dress! I was going to photoshop it so it looked buttoned but figured it wasn’t a huge deal. I may take oodles of photos of myself to share but they certainly aren’t all perfect. I toss so many photos for dumb things like my collar sitting wrong, or my necklace hanging the wrong way. It’s stupid, really. So on that note, here is one of those slightly out of focus shots of Jeff and I that I mentioned above because despite the fact it’s soft, it’s really adorable.

Hope you have a most excellent Thursday!
xoxo

oh, also, say hi to blue/green hair!

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Favorite Outfits from 2014

by Kaylah Stroup
It’s a liiiittle late in the year to be doing a 2014 recap but despite that fact I can’t seem to get this one off my mind so I’m writing it anyway! Each year since I started doing outfit posts I’ve done a little round up at the end of the year with my favorites. Last year was kind of different for outfit posts. I moved at the beginning of the year which means I lost all favorite spots to shoot. I took a couple months off but honestly REALLY missed posting outfits.

It took a lot for me to venture out and find new spots in the city. I’ve glossed over it a lot in the past but I definitely have my fair share of quirks. One of which is that I’m extremely shy. I take that back, I used to be extremely shy (put me in the kinda shy category now) so going out into the city to find spots where I could do the most awkward thing ever – essentially take a ton of selfies – was rough. Slowly but surely I’m gaining confidence, and feeling less and less weird about what I do. It’s funny because in these photos, especially ones from closer to the time I moved I was the most uncomfortable I had ever been but by golly, I look the happiest. Each outfit shoot was a victory for me. They pushed me out of my comfort zone and I was rewarded with photos I loved.

Other than being little reminders of how far I’ve come with anxiety, it’s really neat to watch my style evolve. 2014 was definitely a game changer for my wardrobe. I went from dresses nearly all the time to wearing lots of jeans. I actually bought more jeans last year than probably anything else. My closet had maybe three pairs before that. My outfits now need to be able to handle anything as opposed to in previous years where I didn’t get out of the house much and the extent of what I really did was grocery shopping and light hikes in the woods.

Right now I guess you could say I’m on a short hiatus. It’s freezing here, and outfit photos, although I know I would love the photos, just don’t sound like that much fun. But I’m sure 2015 will be full of them, just give me a few weeks.
xoxo


See past years favorite outfits : 2011, 2012 + 2013

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snowy marina

by Kaylah Stroup
Winter seems to finally have really hit in Cleveland. We held out a while but finally started getting snow. These last two weeks or so have been pretty brutal; below freezing temperatures, and some decent accumulation. My first thought every first big snow is “it’s time to go to the beach!”

I knew the beach I usually go to to do outfit photos, and collect trash from probably wouldn’t be too great, at least not this early in the winter so I ventured out of my side of town and over to the east side.  I wasn’t a hundred percent sure where to go but I knew there were marinas over there. Long story short I pulled into a park to turn around, and got my car stuck. My poor little VW Golf is pretty horrible in the snow, combine that with tires that are basically just for show, being downhill, and a warmish day where spinning my tires just turned the snow into ice. I wasn’t stuck for long before I realized I had no chance of getting out on my own and called Jason . We spent over an hour trying to work my car out before crossing our fingers, and just gunning it through the grass toward the sidewalk. It was kind of a fun little adventure. Things like that are way easier to look at from the bright side when you have friends who are always willing to come rescue you from stupid situations.

Anyway, I fiiinally made my way to the marina. It was just as beautiful and other worldly as I’d hoped. I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of visiting the lake in the winter. I feel lucky to live so incredibly close to the water. You guys, my new apartment is a quick bike ride from my favorite beach. I cannot wait til it’s warmer out.

Like I mentioned, these were taken on a warmer day so a lot of the ice had already begun to melt. Since I’ve never actually been to this marina when there wasn’t snow it was kind of hard to traverse. With everything covered in snow I had to be extra careful to not take a wrong step.  I’m looking forward to going back when the temperatures drop real low again and I can climb around a little bit more confidently.
xoxo

You can other frozen Lake Erie posts from previous years here, here + here.

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abandoned greenhouse

by Kaylah Stroup

A little while back Jeff, Brandon, and I took a short trip outside the city to check out an abandoned greenhouse. We’d known about this place for a while but it didn’t seem like anyone was in a rush to get there. We were barely inside before the three of us were completely in awe. The complex is absolutely massive. Some glass tiles from the ceiling had begun to fall but had been caught by the thick vines that covered so much of the place. There were huge stacks of terracotta planters in multiple spots throughout, and the sun was in the perfect spot in the sky for great pictures. This was definitely one of my favorite adventures in a while.

Ohio, Abandoned, Greenhouse
Before it closed, this was one of the biggest and best greenhouses in the area. Not 100% of the accuracy of what happened but one story goes that they got the idea they could bypass paying for expensive city water and just pump water straight from the lake to water their plants. They got everything all set up except one of the valves had been installed backwards. When they turned it on, lake water flooded homes nearby. They went bankrupt after that.

Other stories suggest it was an infestation of whiteflies or competition with tomato growers in Mexico that caused the greenhouse to go under. Whatever happened the plants didn’t seem to get the memo. Even this late in they year the growth, although dead for the most part, was hard to navigate through. I can’t even imagine how incredible this place looks in the summer when everything is alive!

I doubt I even have to mention the fact I am absolutely interested in going back to photograph this place as soon as spring comes around. Honestly, I’d love to see it in all the seasons! Don’t be surprised if you see more photos of this place in a few months.
xoxo

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New Apartment Sneak Peek!

by Kaylah Stroup
I’ve been living in my new place for just about a week now. Other than the furnace going out on my second night here it’s been amazing. How ironic is that since I was just complaining about my old place having a furnace I couldn’t control that was always set WAY too high. All my things are unboxed and for the most part, placed in the general area where they’ll stay. This place is going to be SO cute when I finally finish decorating.

My apartment has two bedrooms which is great because I can now have a separate room for my office. I chose the larger of the two bedrooms for my workspace. It’s actually the biggest office I’ve ever had (except for when I was working in the basement of my old house, which kind of doesn’t count) Aside from being massive, the room has two big windows that have a view of … wait for it… MY PORCH. Maybe that’s not a big deal to you but the one thing I really really missed moving to Cleveland was having flowers. At my old house, before I moved to the city, I had tons of plants. Each spring that was what I looked forward to the most. Now I finally get to have plants again. 

I’m sure you’ve noticed after looking at a few of the photos, it’s… a bit colorful.
The funny thing is, I didn’t even notice at first. After my first tour of the place Jeff and I were talking about it in the car and he mentioned something about the yellow walls to which my response was “what? yellow walls? where?!” I guess I was too busy checking out the general space and layout to even think about the wall colors. Then I kind of freaked. I planned on asking if I could paint it. Who could say no to white or beige, right? My next time in the place the landlord was raving about how great the colors were so I didn’t mention it. The next time was to sign the lease which clearly stated “no painting” so colorful walls it is! 
I’ve actually really come to love the colors already. They aren’t something I would choose but they’re working out really nicely with my things. My plants and maps look awesome up against the yellow. I’m pretty sure when I finally get everything hung I’ll like the colors even more. Builds character! This place is kind of quirky, and I’m digging it.

The other thing I’m over the moon about here is that I have a laundry room! At my old apartment there was laundry in the building but it was down four flights of stairs. After hauling your laundry down all those stairs there was then the possibility the only two machines down there might already be in use. (I also had neighbors who were great at leaving their wet clothes in the machine for days at a time) Even at my old house laundry was in the basement. This is my first time with same floor, in suite laundry. I’m so pumped to be able to wash clothes at my leisure!

I’m also excited that the washer and dryer are in a pretty decently sized room. The one thing this apartment is lacking is closet space. I don’t have a ton of things to store but I do have a few odds and ends – like my tent, sleeping bags, etc – that need somewhere to be placed. Right now I’m thinking the laundry room will be a catch all storage room. There’s also a chance I might turn it into a massive closet / dressing room. We’ll see!

And of course, the animals! They’re adjusting to the new place much quicker than they did to my old apartment. Squid hid in the litter box the first night but after that has been completely comfortable. Professor has been exploring since a few hours after his arrival. As for Klaus, I’m not even sure he realized we moved. As long as he’s with his two favorite people, Jeff and I, he’s a happy pup!

I also think the move brought the animals closer together. Klaus has wanted to be friends with both cats since day one but they’ve always wanted nothing do with him. In the past few months Professor has been warming up to him, and even laying in bed at the same time as him – never touching, of course. But Squid, she’s always kept her distance. If he’s even in her sight, she’s gone. This last week though? They’ve been hanging out a lot more. They were even caught laying on the same rug enjoying a ray of sun together. Slowly but surely they’re all getting more and more comfortable. I’m overjoyed! Above is the very first picture I have ever taken of the three of them together.

I’m looking forward to making this place my favorite yet. It has such potential. I keep wanting to type that I can’t wait to show you more but really, I just can’t wait to see how this place turns out. After a year in my old place I was finally just figuring out exactly how I wanted things. Hopefully this apartment gets put together a lot more quickly. I’ll be sure to share more pictures as I finish off rooms!
xoxo

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abandoned school

by Kaylah Stroup
Last week we showed some out of town explorers a few of our favorite spots around Cleveland. One of our stops was the abandoned middle school I blogged about a while back. This was my third time shooting it and I’m still not satisfied. I just want to shoot every corner of this place. This school is one of the very first abandoned places I ever shared
here on the blog. It’s also one of the very first I really really loved. It’s just so wonderfully colorful, and even after all these years of being abandoned it’s  still packed with things. Things that help you get an idea of the lively place this used to be. Notes filled with secrets, and papers with names. Little pieces of what used to be.

I guess in the grand scheme of abandoned buildings this place isn’t
really all that great but for some reason I can’t get enough. I just feel a special attachment to it. I’ll honestly probably cry when/ if it gets demolished.

The first time I went I didn’t own the 10-22mm yet, which quickly became my absolute favorite lens to shoot with. For the longest time I swore I didn’t need anything other than a 40mm or 50mm but abandoned buildings got me itching to shoot wider. I wanted to show more than the tiny details. Other than my bike, that lens was my best purchase last year. I’m pretty excited about the shots above. The first one is probably one of my favorites I’ve ever taken in that school.

Hope you’re having an awesome start to your week!
xoxo


See more posts about this school here, here + here.

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Movin’ on up!

by Kaylah Stroup
Things have been a bit quiet here on the blog front lately. Maybe not post wise, but I’ve been bad at responding to comments, emails, and everything else in a timely manner. Why? I’m moving! I’d been looking for a new apartment since around mid-summer. I wasn’t hunting too seriously up until recently but I had been keeping my eyes peeled for things that fit my criteria. I wanted out of Lakewood, to be closer to downtown, in a specific neighborhood that offers bike lanes, and a bit of a more friendly, down to earth atmosphere. Every time I’d find something that looked perfect, I’d end up scrolling to the bottom of the post and seeing those two awful words – “no pets”.  It’s 120% not even an option to move without those three goofs so the hunt went on. At times I was almost positive I was going to be stuck in this apartment for another year. It’s not like it’s all bad, that apartment was exactly what I needed a year ago, moving to the city for the very first time. But I’ve outgrown it, it no longer suits all my needs.

The night before Christmas eve I found the place! I was hunting craigslist, as had become habit every night, and there it was! I immediately emailed, explained I would have called but it was late and I didn’t want to interrupt any family get togethers but welcomed the landlord to interrupt mine as soon as they got a chance because I was beyond interested. She called the next morning while I was on my way to my parents and we set up an appointment for the day after Christmas. I was filled with butterflies. What if this was it? Would I have to move immediately? What if the place was a dump inside? What if they changed their mind once they saw photos of Klaus or when they saw my hair and tattoos?

All my fears were erased when I walked in the door and saw the place. It was perfect. Wait, back up a second, I lied. All my fears weren’t actually erased, they just changed. Now I worried that it was too good to be true. What if they were scam artists? What if someone else jumps in and rents it before me? The take home from that story? I’m the queen worry wart, or maybe just princess. Queen title goes to my mother! (Hi Mom!)  I hate having to make quick decisions that will affect my life for a long period of time, and dang, moving is scary. But hey, the best things are always scary at first. A few days later I signed the lease and I’m actually already staying over at the new place!

Packing up my things left me full of mixed emotions. I’m obviously beyond excited I finally found the perfect place for where I’m at at this time in my life. But at the same time, I’m sad to leave this place. I’ll miss the free heat that was always set WAY too high, sometimes frustratingly high, and the huge windows that filled the space with tons of natural light.* That apartment will always hold a super special place in my heart for being the very first place that was MINE. Despite the fact I was a homeowner before moving to the city that apartment is way more special and holds way more amazing memories than that home ever did. There couldn’t have been a more perfect place for me at the time than that one!

So, you’ll have to forgive me if I’m a bit slow getting back to you or if the blog seems a bit slow for a day or so. But once I get things in place, these next few months will be full of new room tours, new adventures, and so much more! I can’t wait to tell you all about my new place! Now I’m back to unpacking and trying to figure out where to put all my dang globes!
xoxo

* I will not miss living on the third floor, carrying groceries up ALL THOSE STAIRS, expensive laundry in the basement, and the lack of air conditioning! BUH-BYE

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what I wore : making friends with the locals

by Kaylah Stroup
details
button up shirt – Fun and Board Games Top c/o Modcloth
jeans – H&M
boots – Palladium Boots
necklace – eBay
 

I made a new friend while shooting outfit photos. This majestic little beast waltzed out from a crack in the abandoned building I was shooting up against and trotted straight over to me, meowing up a storm. When I would start to ignore her she’d walk away but as soon as I showed her the slightest bit of attention she’d run right back over. She liked being talked to a lot but was a liiiittle bite-y when it came to being pet. If I took pictures today my outfit details would include “scratches on hand – c/o of feral cat” I’m going to have to say it was worth it though because I was tickled pink to meet such an otherwise friendly feral cat. I wish I could become buddies with every animal I meet this quickly.

Actually as soon as I realized how friendly and social the cat was I called up Mickey, who is pretty awesome at finding homes for animals, to come scoop this guy up. She was there in basically five minutes but immediately pointed out the cat’s tipped ear, meaning she was part of the Trap-Neuter-Return Program. That didn’t stop the cat from hopping in Mickey’s car while the door was open though! Hah!

I’ve got my fingers crossed this fluffy little babe is there next time I go to shoot outfit photos there. I’ll come bearing treats.
xoxo

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found on the beach

by Kaylah Stroup
Back in May of last year while wandering the beach I noticed I was seeing a lot of lighters. Every few steps I was finding one. I decided to pick all of them that I
found up in hopes that I’d maybe find enough to take a neat picture. By the time I was done, maybe an hour and a half
later, I had found fifty lighters total. I decided to stash them away in my car and continue collecting them throughout the entire summer. I was curious how many I’d find and I, of course, wanted to take a nice big color order photo of them all together.

Well, I collected a total of 199 lighters. In those seven months I visited the beach maybe twice a month or so which really isn’t very often for me at all. I can’t even imagine how many I would have found if I went more often. After I cleaned up the lighters I headed to the other side of the beach to shoot some photos only to find at least eight more on the walk. 

It’s crazy to me how much litter washes up the beach. While the amount of lighters and trash I pick up is shocking it’s nothing compared to everything else that makes it way onto the sand. I was particularly taken aback on the day I went to lay out my lighters for the above photos. SO. MUCH. PLASTIC. It’s so colorful, it was weren’t absolutely disgusting it might kind of be pretty.

xoxo

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