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2 tips for switching hair color easily

THE best overalls // duluth heirloom gardening overalls review

The Darkroom film developing review

7 tips for maintaining bright hair color

FeatherSnap bird feeder review

remaindered books?! // Book Outlet review

hornet’s nest shadow box

Skull Cleaning 101

custom book embosser review

    wet specimen rose

    by Kaylah Stroup June 16, 2022

    Inspired by my pal Mickey, I decided to make a wet specimen from a rose out of my garden. This isn’t my first foray into the world of wet specimens. (This post is from ages ago but *ahem* you can see another wet specimen I made.) This was my first time ever trying to preserve a flower in isopropyl alcohol though! My dad gifted me this rose bush last spring so it felt like the perfect ‘very special thing’ to experiment with preserving.

    Press play to watch the video below to see how it turned out.

    View this post on Instagram

    A post shared by kaylah stroup 💀 (@thedaintysquid)

    I certainly wasn’t expecting the color to drain that fast! It’s hauntingly beautiful, right?! I’m so excited to change out the alcohol in a few weeks for some fresh stuff. I’m already daydreaming about a shelf full of wet specimen treasures from my garden!

    If you want to try making a wet specimen flower for yourself, all you need is 70% isopropyl alcohol, a glass jar with a lid, and flowers of your choice! Tag me @thedaintysquid if you post any photos of what you make! xoxo

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  • stroup mansion – hallway 2022

    by Kaylah Stroup February 27, 2022

    shirt from Redbubble. PS. You can use code RBC-V22-thedaintysquid for 15% off your Redbubble order, good now til June 30th. Just dropping in to share some current photos from my hallway from the last month. Every tiny project that happens around this house reminds me more and more how important it is to document the …

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  • stroup mansion halloween 2021

    by Kaylah Stroup November 1, 2021

    I knooow, It’s November already. Halloween is over, sadly. BUT I have to document this on the blog. I turned the sweet little rose garden in the front yard into a graveyard for October and I am OBSESSED. I truly can’t believe this is mine. Seeing this daily brought me so much joy. I even …

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  • my first tomato focaccia

    by Kaylah Stroup October 15, 2021

    This year I grew tomatoes for the first time. I mean, I grew A LOT of tomatoes. I didn’t have the best luck with larger varieties but my cherry tomatoes were a major success. I have eaten more tomatoes in the past three months than I have in my whole life. My favorite way to …

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  • stroup mansion – halloween dining room

    by Kaylah Stroup October 12, 2021

    Even though this is our second Halloween in Stroup Mansion, it feels like the first. We had only been in the house a little over a month last year at this time. Decorating for any holiday, even my most favorite one, just wasn’t a priority. Halloween this year though? It feels SO exciting. I’ve been …

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About Me

About Me

Hello!

I'm Kaylah! Renovating a 150-year-old home in Northeast Ohio. Likely found in my garden.

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The Dainty Squid is a for profit blog. and we participate in a number of affiliate programs meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you choose to make a purchase through one of those links. For more details click here

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THE DAINTY SQUID
  • blog
    • all the posts!
    • stroup mansion
    • some of my favorite posts
    • plants + gardening
    • beauty, fashion + hair
    • reviews
    • window shopping
    • explore everywhere
  • about me
  • contact
  • shop