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Project 365 + why you should do one too!

by Kaylah Stroup December 31, 2014

At the beginning of the year I made one of my goals to do a 365 photo project. Back in 2010 I completed one (but for some silly reasons didn’t share it on the blog, just on flickr which I have since deleted. D’oh!) and since then I’ve been itching to do another but always made excuses until the beginning of this year. Even though I haven’t taken my photo for the day yet, I’m fine counting my chickens before they hatch and saying this year’s project 365 was a success!I’m so happy with my project 365 that I’d like to encourage others to take on a year long project as well! Project 365 is a super simple concept – one photo a day for the whole year. Lets first get it out of the way that you don’t need a fancy camera, the camera on your phone will work just fine. You don’t have to be good at photography, and you can’t use the excuse “my life isn’t that exciting!”

Here are some reasons you should do Project 365 in 2015…

Everyone likes a challenge right? I like a project that I can do a little of each day for a long period of time. The feeling of accomplishment at the end of the year is great!
You’ll get to know your camera better which in turn will make you a better photographer. You’ll learn more about lighting, composing, and how to use your camera in just about every situation.
It’s a great way to help remember all the little special moments in your life! At the end of the year you’ll get to look back and see what you did that day, who your were with, what your hair looked like, what you were wearing, etc. It’s a lot of fun looking back through the pictures, especially when you can look back and see things that you would have otherwise forgotten! Photos are awesome little triggers to other memories alongside what is captured. The photo below, in the box, of mine and Elycia‘s feet doesn’t mean much to you but I can tell you so much about that day that I’m not really sure I would be able to remember otherwise. Nearly all of my photos spark lots of other little reminders about when it was taken.
You’ll get less shy about taking pictures in public. This is something I’ve struggled with for a long time. I’m so weird about taking photos in public but forcing yourself to do it often is the only way to get over it. You’ll become more calm in public with your camera and not feel so strange about pulling out your camera to snap that perfect picture!

Tips for a successful 365 project…

Take your camera everywhere! Did you read that..? E-V-E-R-Y-W-H-E-R-E. Everywhere you look there is a photo opportunity! Have a really great meal at your favorite restaurant? Take a picture! Love the way the rain looks hitting your window? Take a picture! That squirrel that always hangs out in your yard? Take his picture!
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. You’ll have awesome days, and you’ll have days you want to delete your photos. In my experience, I’ve found that even the photos I hate when I take them, I end up happy that I have them.
Don’t quit if you miss a day (or three!), it’s not a huge deal in the long run!
Tell your friends and family you’re doing it. It’s a much easier project to complete when you have others supporting you. They’ll be a great reminder especially in the beginning when forgetting you’re doing the project just might happen! Setting a timer on your phone to go off until you get into the swing of things will help too.
Keep up on the project. Going to edit your photos? Do it the same day instead of letting them pile up. Staying on top of the project is one thing that I know helps me tremendously. I edit and add the photos to my 365 post every two or three days that way I never have a large backlog.
Keep a list of things you might possibly want to photograph so you never have a day where you say “there’s nothing left to take pictures of!”

I like blogging about my 365 project weekly just so I can easily look back on them. But there is lots you could do with your project even if you don’t have a blog. Websites like Blurb, and Tiny Prints allow you to create your own photobooks! How awesome would it be to have years and years worth of these to look back on?! A 365 project means you’ll have something everyday to upload to instagram. There are tons of groups on flickr to connect with others doing the same thing. There are even websites such as 365 Project, and Blipfoto where you can upload your photos daily. Basically what I’m saying is there is no reason not to do one! So, what’s stopping you?
xoxo

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Favorite 10 abandoned spots in 2014

by Kaylah Stroup December 30, 2014

Earlier in the week I was going through my posts from 2014 to make up a little list of my favorites from the past twelve months. It was a great year, so naturally I had a lot of favorites. I was trying to keep the list varied but kept finding I wanted to add posts about abandoned places. They just kept adding up so I thought it might be fun to do a little recap of my favorite abandoned spots I visited in 2014. Well, I should reword that, these aren’t necessarily my favorite spots but ones that yielded the prettiest photos and my favorite blog posts.

The Rubber Duck Factory.

Bombay Beach.

Church.

Victoreen Instrument Company.

Amusement Park.

Home, Sweet, Abandoned Home.

There is still so much to see in Cleveland but I’m hoping, in the new year, to make a few trips specifically to see some abandoned places I have my eye on. Here’s to 2015, may it be chock-full of adventures.
xoxo

You can find the rest of my posts on abandoned places under the “abandoned” tag.

This year I…

by Kaylah Stroup December 29, 2014

became a city girl!

got a cozy little place to call my own.

traveled more than I’ve ever traveled before.

fell madly in love.

spent more money on photobooth pictures than I want to think about + managed to convince the lead singer of my favorite band to get in a photobooth with me.

made one of my best purchases ever.

explored oodles of forgotten structures.

dyed my hair a bunch of beautiful colors.

saw my city from vantage points most will never experience, some high…

and others low…

above photo by Jeff

collected more and more plants.

watched the sun rise in a ghost town in the middle of the desert.

rode a jackalope.

above photo by Mickey.
ate more macarons than I’ll admit to.

saw wild horses for the first time ever.

ran into dinosaurs just about everywhere I traveled.

made pretty pictures from trash.

picked up a relaxing new hobby.

rappelled in a cave!

above photo by Jeff

slept in a wigwam, more than once.

swam in the ocean in February.

above photo by Mickey.

started to get the hang of night photography.

And oh so much more!
xoxo

For the past few years I’ve been doing a “This year I…” post. See 2011, 2012, 2013.
If you do a “This year I…” post, leave a link in the comments. I’d love to check it out.

Merry Christmas

by Kaylah Stroup December 25, 2014

Wishing you a Merry Christmas from all of us over at The Dainty Squid! I’m taking the day off to relax (…errr holidays are never actually that relaxing, are they?) with my family. I’ll be back tomorrow at least five pounds heavier, full of Christmas candies, and with your regularly scheduled post.
xoxo

Ps. If you forgot how to wrap your cat for Christmas, or just need a smile today, for ya!

what I wore : plaid + polka dots

by Kaylah Stroup December 23, 2014

details

sweater – Modcloth (a few years back)

flannel – Black + White Flannel via Old Navy

jeans – Skinny jeans c/o Macy’s

boots – c/o

camera bag – Jo Totes

necklace – Saturn Necklace made by Rock Sugar Jewelry

lapel pin – Pintrill

I can’t believe near the end of December this is what I’m wearing. Don’t get me wrong, out on the pier it was COLD and windy – if you couldn’t tell by my hair. But seriously, for this time of the year, this weather is amazing! As much as I’ve been sulking about it being cold, it could definitely be a lot worse. Snow has been few and far between this year. It’s strange.

I think this might be my new favorite outfit, at least for now. Ya know, until next week when I have a new favorite. Hah. These are the same jeans from this post, I kind of can’t get enough of them. In high school I owned a ton of different colored jeans but really had no idea how to style them. In fact I probably just wore them exclusively with Nirvana tshirts. Eventually I wrote them off as something that were hard to wear. These are my first colored pair since then and I’m having way too much fun trying them with just about everything in my closet. I really like that the color is still kind of normal, it’s not too outrageous but adds a touch of fun to an outfit. Must get more colorful pants!!

On an unrelated note, I can’t believe Christmas is at the end of this week. Guess who is 100% unprepared. ME. Whoops. Hope you have an awesome day, maybe one you don’t spend stressing about the fact you need to shop for just about everyone still.
xoxo

The Rubber Duck Factory

by Kaylah Stroup December 15, 2014

Last week some friends came up from Columbus to spend the day exploring Cleveland with me. I was racking my brain all week, trying to decided which places I knew of in the area would be perfect to take Jesi. We both prefer spots with things still left in them so that’s what I was really going for. I mapped out four fun spots. Our first stop would be the rubber duck factory. It’s not actually a rubber duck factory at all but I’m the sure pictures below will be able to give you some indication as to why its called that by other local explorers. It’s a large building, most likely used as some sort of warehouse. Now it’s filled with colorful graffiti, broken pallets, oodles of paperwork, and obviously rubber duckies. In a few rooms the roof has caved in. The building has very clearly seen better days and my guess would be that there’s no saving it now. Its in rough shape.

This was my third time visiting the building. The first time I visited this building I didn’t take any photos at all. The second time I went back I was excited to shoot the ducks but was ultimately disappointed when I found maybe a total of fifteen. I assumed people stealing them one by one eventually added up. This last time I knew there had to be more. So the three of us each set off to gather some. Even if we only ended up with fifty or so like I presumed would happen I would have been happy but after a few minutes, we hit the jackpot. In the lower level we found where they were all hiding. We grabbed boxes, started filling them, and within no time at all our pile was massive!

We ended up spending a few hours in that one building, just gathering ducks, taking pictures, telling TMI stories, giggling, and having a grand old time. It was perfect.
xoxo

Prints available on society6.

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Christmas Wishlist

by Kaylah Stroup December 14, 2014

1. // Love LOVE love this sweatshirt from Top Knot Goods!
2. // Certainly wouldn’t mind finding this film under the tree. I love all the fun frames that are coming out for instant film, but I like color frame the most.
3. // I’ve known about pitcher plants for a while but recently I wandered into Petitti Garden Center (which if you’re not from Ohio, is a local chain of nurseries) and saw one in person for the very first time. My mind was made right there on the spot, I need one. I’d prefer from there since it’s adjusted to the weather here but if you’re elsewhere and now also need one (totally understandable!) you can buy them on Amazon. They even have good reviews!
4. // I’ve kind of been wanting an iPad lately. Mostly because I want to play minecraft but I mean surely I could use it for business purposes as well, right? Haha
5+7. // Have you guys gathered that I’m positively obsessed with Palladium Boots yet? Well I really hope Santa brings me a new pair. This glow in the dark pair has been on my wishlist since the second I saw them, and lately I’ve been yearning for this pair.
6. // Sex Bomb is my absolute favorite product from Lush. Granted I’ve only tried a handful of things from them, I just can’t imagine anything better than this bath bomb. I haven’t used one in nearly a year. I’m clearly overdue!
8. // After having problems with my eyes focusing for a while, a trip to the optometrist revealed I needed glasses. I love these ones!

9. // I am all about this sweater from Avenle!
10. // I’ve been on a bit of a sweater kick lately, if you couldn’t tell, and I’ve realized my closet is lacking in items to layer underneath them. This button up would be perfect.
11. // Always in need of cute postcards.
12. // I recently discovered I do actually like tea, and oddly enough, after all these years of trying and hating everything, I’ve liked nearly every kind that I’ve tried which is super encouraging. I basically want to try all the teas. Top of my list? This chocolate bananas foster tea! Are you kidding me?! It sounds SO amazing.
13. // Winter is video game season for me. I love curling up under a blanket and getting involved in a game. Two I’m wanting to play are Hyrule Warriors, and Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze.

What’s on your list this holiday season?
xoxo

Dittrick Medical History Center

by Kaylah Stroup December 10, 2014

Recently it came to my attention there was a museum I’d reeeeally enjoy right under my nose, Dittrick Medical Center. I think a reader might have mentioned it to me a year or so ago, before I moved to Cleveland and I bookmarked it as something to visit in the future but forgot about it completely until my pal, Jason, invited me to visit with him and a group of friends. My first visit was short but I was instantly enthralled. I immediately knew I’d have to head back for a more thorough visit and to take some photos. The permanent exhibits at the museum feature medical instrument collections to document the development of medicine. You’ve heard of the Mutter Museum, correct? Well it’s similar in a sense except instead of specimens, it’s the tools. There are stethoscopes (pictured in this post) as well as a handful of other diagnostic instruments in their various different stages of evolution. There are also a few period rooms including a 1870’s doctor’s office, a 1900 pharmacy, and a 1930’s doctor’s office.

In another gallery adjacent to the main Dittrick Museum gallery is The Percy Skuy Collection of Contraception Through the Ages. There’s a wide range of contraception items, prototypes, manufacturing devices, and literature. With over 800 items, it’s one the of the world’s largest collections of contraceptive devices. One of my favorites sections was the folklore and oddities case which includes a handful of outlandish-seeming contraceptive practices. In the museums collection are a mule’s earwax, weasel’s testicles, and a bone taken from the right side of an all black cat.

It’s a relatively small museum, I’d say it’d take the average person around an hour, if that, to check out. Seeing as admission is free, yes FREE, there is really no excuse not to visit! It’s absolutely worth a peek!
xoxo

Foggy Cleveland

by Kaylah Stroup December 9, 2014

One day last week Mickey and I spent the day cruising around Cleveland. We stopped at a few abandoned places, got macarons, and spent a bit of time in the photobooth at Big Fun. It had been raining on and off all day, and on our way back toward downtown we noticed fog had rolled in. We ditched our plans of hitting one more abandoned spot and decided to do some walking around the city instead. Shooting the fog was a must. I feel like we don’t get fog that often here, or when we do it’s for a very, very short amount of time. You notice it, grab your camera, and when you finally get somewhere for neat pictures it’s gone.

For once the fog stuck around all evening. We walked around the whole city looking for pretty views. These were all taken within the span of around an hour and a half and are in the order they were taken. As you can see, this time of the year it gets dark SO quickly. I would loved to have kept shooting for longer but I was without a tripod, and we had fed the meter all our quarters.

Cleveland, christmas lights, city at night

I didn’t take that many photos and I realized while editing the ones I
did take, I don’t really have any idea how to shoot city photos. I am,
without a doubt, more comfortable shooting nature photos. Like I’ve mentioned a handful of times before, up until I moved here cities in general were absolutely foreign to me. The time I had spent in them was always short, and mostly just to attend concerts. I was a tiny country mouse in a big scary city, the last thing I was was comfortable enough to take photos. Now that thats all changed photographing the city is something
I really would like to practice a lot more. Since I absolutely love making
goals, I am making “practice taking city photos” one of my 2015 goals! It’s not that I think these are bad, but give me the same amount of time in the woods and I would come out with three times as many photos. I’m just not fluent in city photography… yet.

I already posted the above photo on my instagram a few days ago, but couldn’t resist another chance to show it off. I absolutely LOVE finding buildings that look like they have faces. I love how happy this one looks.
xoxo

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