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plant room 2021

by Kaylah Stroup August 14, 2021

Throughout the history of this blog, I have always loved documenting and sharing the spaces I call home. Now that I actually own and am learning to renovate a house of my own, I feel even more inclined to do so. We’ve been here just shy of a year now and already SO much has changed. I’ve shared photos of this room, my plant room, a handful of times before but it’s always changing. So, despite the fact these photos are a little over a month old, I want to give them a permanent place here on the blog. Something I can come glance back at in the future.

sources –
love seat
plant stands
arch mirror
brass hand
lamp
circle shelf (similar)
dress

For good measure, in case you’ve forgotten, here’s what the room looked like when we moved into the house! If you’d like to see more of this room check out these posts – plant room renovation + plant room update. I even made a video about it.

exploring Ashtabula Harbor

by Kaylah Stroup August 10, 2021

Special thanks to the Lift Bridge Community Association + Ohio. Find It Here. for inviting us out & sponsoring this post!

Recently Jeff and I were invited to explore the historic Ashtabula Harbor area. I couldn’t hop on the opportunity quickly enough! We’ve been in full-on house renovation mode for nearly a year now so a mini-vacation was definitely in order. One night and two full days was barely enough time here. We squeezed so much in! Here’s a little peek at our trip –

Where we stayed…

We spent the night in the cutest Air BnB! It was a charming 1930s home filled with the coolest decor. Seriously, look at that table made from an old sign! It had a fire pit and the garage had been converted into a summer room. It’d be the perfect spot to rent with a couple of pals. They’re even pet-friendly.

Best of all, it’s within walking distance of not only Bridge Street, the main strip of Ashtabula Harbor, but Lake Erie!

What we did…

Eerie Harbor Ghost Walk! As a lover of all things spooky, this was surprisingly my very first ghost tour! The tour was heavy on the history side of things, as opposed to pushing ghost stories which I really enjoyed. It was neat to learn more about the area with some spooky lore mixed in! Our tour guide was energetic and enthusiastic.

We rented kayaks from Harbor Yak which I cannot recommend highly enough. I love kayaking to begin with but being out on the lake as opposed to in a river is such a rad experience.

Before sending us out into the water they gave us a little rundown of the different things we could head to while out on the water. There is a massive ship docked in the harbor waiting to be scrapped so that was my obvious choice of which way to head. We also made our way out to a sandbar where someone had made a cool little structure out of driftwood.

If kayaks aren’t your jam, Harbor Yak rents hydro-bikes, paddleboards, and canoes as well. You can, of course, go out on your own but they also offer a sunset tour as well as a few other group activities.

Besides having some absolutely top-notch restaurants, the Harbor is also home to many cute shops along Bridge Street. From curated vintage finds to handmade chocolates and of course, locally made art – there is absolutely something for everyone to enjoy. I recommend walking the length of each side of the street in its entirety and popping into each. There are so many neat things to discover.

Pictured below – Farmhouse Vintage + truffles from Marianne’s Chocolates.

Ashtabula County is home to many wineries. Needless to say, a wine tour was a necessity. We visited Laurello Vineyards, M Cellars Winery, and Kosicek Vineyards. I’m going to be completely honest here, I didn’t start drinking wine until maybe a year ago and my taste was quite cheap. What’s up $5 bottles from Target! Visiting wineries 100% changed my tastes. I didn’t realize what I was missing, truly! I had an incredible time learning more about how wine is made, all the science that goes into it, and obviously tasting was fun.

Perhaps best of all, we were chauffeured from winery to winery by Richmond Limo. Y’all, I have never even been in a limo before this. I had SO much fun! Our driver, also named Jeff, was so nice and funny. If you’re looking to safely do some winery hopping without having to choose a friend to be your DD, this is absolutely the way to go. I honestly can’t wait for another excuse to get a limo.

Five minutes away from our Air BnB is Walnut Beach. We went early in the morning and nearly had the whole place to ourselves. The shoreline, covered in small pebbles, is prime for beach glass hunting. If you’ve been following me for any amount of time, I hope my love of Lake Erie has been apparent! It’s just so underrated.

Searching for beach glass at Walnut Beach.

What we ate…

Where do I start with food? I seriously ate some of the best food of my life over these two days.

Bascule. Shown above. We were able to try a sample platter of their appetizers which actually worked out perfectly because I don’t know how else I would have been able to choose from their menu. Wasabi shrimp? Confit duck wings? Drunken dates? Gosh, yes, please!! My favorite ended up actually being their roasted cauliflower which are made with a house-made curry powder, eggless aioli, lemon, and EVOO. So tasty! Make sure to save room for dessert too! That’s not even a posed photo of me above – that is literally just a gal STOKED about her chocolate pot de creme.

Briquettes Smokehouse. Shown above. This was the perfect spot to grab lunch after kayaking all morning. They have a beautiful patio but we opted to sit inside to hide from the sun for a bit. Their upstairs seating area has a great view of the river!

Jeff had a pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw on the side. (All their meats are smoked in-house!) I filled up on their buffalo chicken dip. It was delicious! I will absolutely be craving it.

Rennick Meat Market. Shown above. Rennick was actually our last meal of the trip. Nearly everyone we talked to at different spots around the Harbor listed Rennick as their number one spot to eat. I was definitely looking forward to it, and I had very high hopes… which were completely blown out of the water.

This truly may have been the best meal of my life. Each item we ordered was, without a doubt, the best version of that thing that I’ve had. If (no, when) you visit, definitely make sure to order the caramelized onion dip and the fried brussels sprouts. Also worth noting – our leftovers reheated beautifully. I don’t think that I’ve ever been so pumped to eat leftovers.

We also grabbed coffee at Harbor Perk and a decadent cupcake from Little Charlie’s Bake Shop! I’ve, sadly, reached the age where sometimes things are too sweet so normally giant cupcakes like this aren’t something I’d go for. Jeff is a peanut butter addict though so we had to try their peanut butter cup cupcakes. Y’all, I did not want to share. It was perfect. The frosting isn’t overly sweet so I could have easily finished one on my own (and probably wanted another!)

Ashtabula Harbor is a hidden gem! It may not show up at the top of lists of places along the lakeshore you must visit yet but it’s truly only a matter of time. They have everything – beaches, history, culture, incredible food and lots of wonderful shops!

floor transition mini update

by Kaylah Stroup August 9, 2021

There are tons of tiny details around this giant old house that I want to change. For example, the floor in the living room needs a lot of love. Until I’m a bit further down my jumbo to-do list, it’s something I’m totally fine with putting off for a while. Listen, I’m already knee-deep in a giant kitchen renovation – no more starting big projects at the moment. The transition pieces between the living room and each of the other rooms off it though? I can’t stand the way they look. Beige marble. Ick. Honestly, anything beige doesn’t really fit my vibe. I’ve hated them since the first time we saw the house.

Randomly, one evening, it hit me. I’ve seen a ton of contact paper DIY projects over the years! Why not give it a try on the awful beige marble transition pieces!?

I ended up purchasing this black marble contact paper. For less than ten bucks per roll, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to give it a try. (The price seems to vary a bunch but always stays cheap. Right now you can even get two for less than ten!)

It was super easy, took less than an hour, and only required the contact paper and an exacto knife. Honestly, most of that time was probably just wasted with me fiddling with my camera since I was trying to film the process.

above – before // below – after

I don’t know how long it’ll end up lasting but I’m certainly happy with it for now! Of course, eventually, I’d love to replace the beige marble with real black marble transitions. Marble isn’t exactly cheap though and we have a lot more pressing matters to take care of in this old home so who knows when it will get done. This is the perfect little hack for the time being!

A Squid approved project!

blue heron

by Kaylah Stroup July 17, 2021

Does it blow your mind that giant birds just… exist? Because it certainly blows mine.

Growing up, there were frequently blue herons around the pond. I’ve seen them many, many times but somehow the excitement still hasn’t gone away. They’re just an incredible site to see.

When we first toured the house, we got to meet the previous owner. He told us some random bits and bots about the house but honestly, it was all a blur. My mind was racing at the possibility of owning such an unbelievable house that talk of what sorts of animals frequented the yard went in one ear and out the other. However, I do recall him mentioning blue heron hanging out around the pond.

Up until the other day I had only been lucky enough to spot this beast from a distance and it was usually him taking flight after hearing the door close behind me. The other evening Jeff spotted him from the sliding glass door in the kitchen. I ran full speed to my office, grabbed my new telephoto lens, and tried to sneak outside as quickly as possible.

I snagged these three shots. The evening lighting and our lush woods set the perfect scene. While I’d love to get a little bit closer next time, I’m still over the moon that I get to share a yard with this critter. I will also never get over animals using our the little wooden bridge Jeff built. I’ve watched rabbits cross it, we have a stray cat that sleeps on it somtimes and I even spotted a groundhog on it once but this is the first one I’ve photographed. I hope it can eventually turn into a series.

Did you know great blue herons are anywhere from 3 to 4.5 feet tall and can have a wingspan of 5.5 to 6.6 feet. Yet only weigh 4.5-7lbs because of their hollow bones!

Mom’s daylilies

by Kaylah Stroup July 14, 2021

Some of the very first additions to the beautiful garden I started this year were plants dug up from my late mother’s garden. There was nothing I was wildly excited about at the time. The things I brought home to my garden, I grabbed simply because they had belonged to my mom. I knew no matter what, I’d end up loving them but when the irises bloomed I realized I had underestimated just how important these plants would be to me.

Out of the handful of carloads packed with her flowers, these daylilies were honestly what I was least excited about. I had even considered putting them elsewhere in the yard because I wasn’t sure I’d want them in my flower garden. Once again though, the second they bloomed they moved straight up to the top of my favorites list. Each day more flowers open. It’s a wonderful sight.

I honestly don’t really have much more to say than that. I just wanted to share some photos of this special moment. Hopefully this is the first of many years of blooms. I hope that her plants can continue to grow and multiply in my yard so I can divide them and pass them on to folks I love.

Gardening is magic. ✨

before + after // closet door

by Kaylah Stroup July 11, 2021

this post contains affiliate links.

Another before + after post. This time, the closet door in my bedroom! I know that doesn’t really sound wildly exciting but I am truly jazzed on this little update.

All of this started when I decided to paint my closet gold. I actually wanted to paint it three different shades of gold. I bought my three shades but after getting the first coat on, I realized they weren’t different enough. You couldn’t really tell at all. I ended up mixing them all together for the second coat. For the third coat, I chose my favorite of the three and bought a fresh gallon. I decided I liked the color so much I’d paint the back of our bedroom door with it. I LOVED it immediately.

There was a part of me that thought I should probably paint the closet door the same color but I was nervous I’d end up hating it. It’s definitely a bold color choice, and I didn’t want the gold to be overwhelming. I figured I’d just leave it white and if at any time in the future I thought it felt right to paint it, I would.

Well, it finally hit me the other night while lying in bed, the door needed to be gold. I woke up the next morning, cleaned it off, fixed some holes, and painted it! I could not be happier with how it turned out!

when we purchased the house // after removing the carpet squares and starting to repair the walls.

finished room with the white door // & now with that gorgeous gold door!!!

It’s kind of wild how much a couple coats of paint can really change the whole room! I’ve already decided on a few more spots around the house that will be getting the colorful door treatment at some point. Can’t wait to pick out more colors.

Clearly, I still need to hang things on the walls. As I mention every single time I point out my kind of naked (at least for this maximalist) home, I definitely think that finding the right pieces takes time. While I really really would like stuff on the walls right this second, I don’t want to just throw any old thing up there. Gotta find the pieces that speak to ya, you know? It’s our ‘forever’ home, there’s no rush.

Still pretty bare but a definite improvement from this, eh!?

sources
wall color – White Batten by Sherwin Williams
door color – Gothic Gold by Glidden
ceiling fan
rug
curtains
TV stand – thrifted
gold plant stand

found on the beach

by Kaylah Stroup July 8, 2021

For years and years, I’ve been picking up trash on the beach and collecting interesting pieces. I never meant to start a trash collection but there was just something about all the colorful pieces I couldn’t resist. Any trash trash like wrappers, balloons, plastic bags, etc goes into a garbage can. Toy soldiers, hair clips, and fake food? That sort of stuff comes home with me.

I’d always knew I’d like to do something with it but just never really felt very motivated to do so. I have a large tote bag jam-packed full of goodies that has moved with me from apartment to apartment. When we bought our house, I briefly considered tossing it all before moving but just could bear to part with my potential art supplies.

I’ve been working hard on renovating the house since the day we moved in. Literally, the first day in the house we started kitchen demo! Over the past eight months, my focus has been more on renovations as opposed to actually decorating but recently, I’ve been bitten by the decorating bug. I’ve become super motivated to finally hang things on the walls. We had too much stuff to hang on the walls of our apartment but the house is so much larger that we are in serious need of some new art.

The main focus on the walls in my office is two large prints from my favorite graffiti artist. See a peek here. The color scheme is a little bit different than what I’m normally drawn to for things I’d decorate my own space with so needless to say, I didn’t really own anything else that fit with them. I’ve been hunting down art with similar colors but kept coming up short on something large… so I made something of my own!

I could not be happier with how this turned out. The colors work perfectly with the rest of the art in my office and it’s so nice to see some of my trash actually get used. The only downside here is that shadow boxes aren’t cheap and now I’m obsessed with the idea of making more.

CHECK OUT MORE ‘FOUND ON THE BEACH” POSTS HERE!

If you like my ‘found on the beach’ collections – prints, phone cases, and more can be found here.

upcycled planter boxes

by Kaylah Stroup July 6, 2021

Shortly after we moved in, we discovered two giant fiberglass tubs (along with a boatload of other trash) behind our garage. The idea popped into my head almost immediately, I wanted to make them into planters!

The plan had been to cover them in wood somehow but soaring lumber prices and the fact that I always have about five hundred other projects going on meant that my beds just kept getting pushed to the back burner.

Recently though, I managed to score some free wood. We set aside some pieces for other things around the house, and the rest went to my little planter project!

I didn’t really have much of a vision for this project, just that it needed to be covered in wood. I didn’t want to see any part of the fiberglass tub. Luckily my dad was a huge help and absolutely nailed the design.

We made two since that’s how many tubs there were. The first was kind of an experiment. He led the way and showed me what to do. The second one though? We cranked it out in record time. It felt really good. DIY projects of this nature and power tools, in general, are still fairly new to me so when things just go hella smooth like this it feels damn good. The feeling of confidence that comes along with actually understanding a project and being able to do huge chunks of it on my own is wonderful.

I’m capable of many, many things. Things that I don’t even realize yet! That being said, it really helps to have such a handy dad to show me the way! I’m sure I could have done this completely on my own but it probably would have taken a heck of a lot longer.

After cutting and assembling, I sanded them down, carried them outside (holy smokes, yes, they are heavy!), and stained them. Before putting the top piece on, I lined the tubs with landscaping fabric to give me a bit of separation from the fiberglass.

Finally, I filled them with dirt and planted! One contains two types of radishes, as well as red onions. In the other, I planted a few of my tomato seedlings, basil and some marigolds.

I have them sitting on a big concrete pad that is in our yard. My plan for this pad has always been, literally since the second I saw it, to build a greenhouse here. Alas, those darn lumber prices have put a hitch in my giddy-up. For now, it’s the perfect spot for a few raised beds and our picnic table. It may not be the greenhouse I’ve been dreaming of but it’s still a cute little spot to grow plants!

Klaus LOVES looking at what’s going in the beds.

Only seems right to include a photo of my first radish!

20+ cute planters (that won’t break the bank!)

by Kaylah Stroup June 29, 2021

this post contains affiliate links.

*black planter (comes in a set of three!) // white planter (comes in a set of five!)*

With over one hundred house plants in my collection, hunting down cute planters has become a sport to me. I am constantly on the lookout for snazzy pots to add to my collection! Here are a handful that are already around my house and some I’ve got on my wishlist. Nothing on this list is over $50.

*butt planter // planters with tiny legs (a set of three!)*

Remember, drainage is essential! Most of the planters shown in this post already have drainage holes but if you end up with one without, it’s super easy to drill your own. Check out my how to drill holes in planters tutorial.

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