Vale Design : Freelance Package Design & Branding

DIY Free Printable Coloring Page Downloads

2013-05-10T09:30:00-04:00

{An Oldie, but a Goodie} Happy Friday / weekend everyone! See you back here Monday!

For people who do not know me, I love to color. I color with my nieces every chance I get. I think all adults should have a mandatory 20 minute coloring break during the day. It is so relaxing. When my nieces come to visit, I like to have personal printouts for them to color. So today I am sharing some of my personal free printable coloring pages with all of you! There is even one in there for Mother's Day! These would be great to keep the kids entertained at family gatherings, used at kids birthday parties or even for wedding receptions! Enjoy!

Download IHEARTMOM here.

Download FLOWERS2 here.

Download FLOWERS3 here.

COMMON SENSE RULE: For personal use only. Not for commercial use. ©erinvaledesign.com

Vale Design Portfolio Update

2013-04-18T10:00:00-04:00

The Vale Design portfolio has been updated with new business identity systems, collateral pieces, concepts and package design work. Come see what we have been working on!

Interested in working with Vale Design? Contact us at evaledesign@yahoo.com

Alt Summit For Everyone

2013-04-17T10:00:00-04:00

I almost dropped my coffee.

If you are like me, a busy designer / mother / person in general, you may not have had the time or finances to attend one of the Alt Summit conferences. Well buckle up buttercups...now we can! Alt Summit is now offering Alt For Everyone. It is their first completely online conference. Per the Alt website, "You can spread your classes out like you would at a traditional conference, or pack them all into one day if you need to manage your work schedule or babysitter availability." Registration is $125.

Conference will offer the following:

- 7 online classes of your choice
- 1 online keynote session
- 1 virtual social meet-up
- a box of goodies right to your doorstep (how cool!)

Check the schedule. Click to register.

I am so excited and I want to thank the Alt team so much for making their informational classes available to all of us.

{image credit Alt Summit}

Quote :: Fred Rogers

2013-04-16T09:15:00-04:00

Erin Vale

mmm...Monday :: 20Lunch Wrap Ideas

2013-04-15T10:00:00-04:00

INGREDIENTS

tortilla wraps
protein
healthy fruits & vegetables
tasty dips
your imagination

DIRECTIONS

Assemble. Roll. Enjoy!

**I am officially back to work...well part time. I have two large branding projects that will keep me busy for the next couple of weeks. During the day, I am busy wrangling my 16 month old, sketching and doing online research any chance I get. When my weeks are this crazy, I tend to reach for super simple, healthy, fueling foods. Wraps are always quick and convenient, for both me and my busy toddler. I was glad to Pinterest stumble onto this post with 20 wrap ingredient combination ideas. Original post here. Enjoy!

{image credit Pleasure Palate}

Learned & Loved No 04

2013-04-12T10:00:00-04:00

LEARNED

4 Life Lessons We All Need To Learn from Bréne Brown via OWN

Sprout Robot (tells you when & what to plant by zip code)

Work Smarter, Not Harder via Young House Love (great tips on here! love the "things to blog about" secret pinterest board idea.)

Freshbooks (researching this accounting/invoicing system for my business)

Cashboard App (researching this accounting/invoicing system for my business) per Naturally Ella suggestion

Wish i Knew Wednesday emailer series via Jess Lively (free business advice is always good)

Food Bloggers Against Hunger via Eat This Poem

Free Bulk Basics brochure from Whole Foods (list grain to liquid cook ratio and cooking instructions)

LOVED

Lonny April issue

New Honest Diaper Designs (love those strawberries!)

A Spin on Salad via Cupcakes & Cashmere

Nail Polish Guide via Cupcakes & Cashmere

Cupcakes & Cashmere (visually lulled me into dreamland the other night. so many pretties...)

The Best Water Bottle from Lifefactory (glass. BPA free! purchased at Whole Foods)

Bréne Brown blog

Updated the Vale Design portfolio (over due & more updates coming)

Lost Love via A Cup of Jo

Make Your Own Salad Dressing via A Cup of Jo

Top Pops - 55 All-Natural Frozen Treats To Make At Home (in my amazon cart already)

Perfect Pops: The 50 Best Classic & Cool Treats (also in amazon cart)

Living With Kids via Design Mom (loved Laura's quote about little people and their equal share on space)

Happy weekend everyone! See you back here on Monday!

{image credit Vale Design}

My Favorite Quote + Free Printable

2013-04-11T10:59:42-04:00

I collect quotes.

They are all over my house in some fashion. On our blackboard wall, on this blog, in my quotes journals, etc. They are everywhere. I love the bullet point therapy session they provide. You hear it. It sinks in. It clicks.

The quote that I am holding in my heart right now is by Theodore Roosevelt. "Comparison is the thief of joy." Read it again. Comparison is the THIEF of joy. Comparing yourself to others will ROB you of your life.

I am a woman. I was once a teenage girl and I was once a little girl. Now I am the mother of a little girl. As women, I think we are trained at an early age to look around at others and made to feel like the person in the mirror is not good enough. Look left and right. What does she have that makes her so happy? Why is she so much prettier than me? What about that couple makes them so happy? Why is that mother mothering better than me?

We all do it. We all questions outside of ourselves instead of looking inside. God forbid we acknowledge that we are enough. When in reality, we do the best we can and that is good enough. If I spend all my time comparing myself to others, I am going to miss out on the joy that is my life. The look my Husband gives only to me, his wife. My daughter's giggles that she gives only to me, her mother. I REFUSE to miss my joy. Some days it is a second by second reminder, but the power of this quote brings it to my mental surface. I stop. I take a breath and I speak my gratitude. Gratitude births joy.

As a mother, I do not want my daughter to suffer as I did through my teens and 20's, but in reality, she will. I want her to know that she is good enough. I hope that by growing up with this quote on our gallery wall and all the other quotes I will rain down on her, that some will stick. That some small tidbit will give her the courage to say "F - it. I am going to be me and I am good enough." I want her to know that in the whole huge world of comparisons, she is prefect to me, her mother and I want her to feel that joy all the way down to her toes.

So for all of you that need a daily reminder, here is my favorite quote as a 5x7 DIY FREE PRINTABLE for you. Enjoy and remember not to let that so-called perfect person, scenario, couple, job, etc. rob you of your joy.

Download Quote Theodore Roosevelt here.

COMMON SENSE RULE: For personal use only. Not for commercial use.
© erinvaledesign.com

Before & After :: Built Ins

2013-04-10T09:00:00-04:00

It has been a long time coming. 2 houses. 7 years worth of dreaming and designing them. Now, they are reality and they are MAJESTIC.

I am a huge advocate for organization. I do not believe in wasted space. Everything should have a thought out place. I am slowly making my way through this "typical, characterless, pleasantville, suburbia" house and adding more organization & built in elements. Ahh, I miss all those amazing bungalows in Chicago...

So far, we changed our back catch-all closet to a second pantry (pictures soon). We had our contractor close in a front entry room to create our beautiful office with custom built ins. Then, it was time for him to tackle our family room. We knew we wanted him to create our new built ins in the same style as the office so the house would have a consistent feel.

Requirements:

1. Our daughter started walking and we wanted the TV to be up and off the floor.

2. Create organizational cubbies so all future knick-knacks and family photos have a home.

3. Create a visual showstopper!

I am happy to say that all criteria have been met. I walk down the stairs slowly now, just to peek around the corner...to make sure it is real and I am not dreaming!

Some of the furniture has been updated and other pieces (couch especially) were on hold until the built ins arrived for sizing and placement. We also have a whole side to our room back and we have some canvas family photo art in mind. Think big black and white photo of a grandfather in a Yankee uniform...

Process:

I was so happy when we finally started demo on the old fireplace surround. It was too high and there was not enough visual weight to it.

Each section was built seperately offsite and was brought in and assembled. The back of the bottom cabinets have open sections for easy access to outlets and cable outlet.

After some brainstorming, my husband and our contractor devised this "tubing system" to hide all the tv components and power cords. We also have a tube for any future "see-you-later-cable-internet-only-tv-watching". It is an easy system. Feed the cord through the bottom left cabinet and it shoots up through the opening behind the TV.

The board, TV wall mount and power box installation for that seamless finish.

The tile that we chose for the new fireplace surround. This was the hardest part. We went to a lot of places and I photoshopped some of the contenders. We were looking for something neutral. That way if we choose to paint the room orange or something down the road, the tile will not have to be replaced. We chose stone and mother of pearl 1 inch x 1 inch tile and finished it with a charcoal grout. We looked at a neutral grout, but the tiles did not stand out as much, so we ended up with a darker grout.

Here is how the room looked 2 years ago. Yikes! (excuse the mess. the baby was new.)

Here is the side by side before and after. Come on now. The room became visually taller and wider. The new built ins push your eyes up and out. It is divine. Now, I need to fill those cubbies!

**Yes, I have a very neutral palette in the room. I like layering neutral textures (hello Candice Olson). It is so easy to rotate in some color for the holidays.

Materials list:

Tile: Floriana Oyster Glazed Porcelain
Grout: Charcoal
Knobs: Similar to these
TV: Vizio
Paint: Flagstone by Martha Stewart
Ottoman: Noah Tufted from Joss & Main
Rug: Joss & Main

**Our contractor, Tim Burton of By Others Construction, is TOP NOTCH. Period. I will not let anyone else work on my home. Trustworthy, knowledgable, loyal, fair and I would say middle range pricing, but worth every cent. I think I would call him artisan as well as contractor. He can do anything. Indy people...if you need his contact information I would be happy to share. Email me at evaledesign@yahoo.com. National people...he travels quite often for jobs. Email me if interested. Not sure I want to share him...but I will with all of my close friends!

Quote :: Buddha

2013-04-09T14:57:18-04:00

Erin Vale

mmm...Monday :: Quinoa, Crispy Kale & Zucchini Salad

2013-04-08T12:30:00-04:00

INGREDIENTS

3 cups chopped kale
1 zucchini, strips made with using a peeler
1/2 cup raw walnuts
1.5 cups chopped wild greens or herbs
5 dates, seeds removed and chopped
1.5 cups sprouted quinoa
3 cups water
olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
sea salt
pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a saucepan mix 3 cups water with the sprouted quinoa and cook on high until it boils. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until water is completely gone and quinoa is fluffy.

Put walnuts on a baking sheet and let cook in oven for about 8-10 minutes. Until lightly toasted.

Meanwhile, chop while herbs or greens. Put in a bowl. Add juice of 1 lemon and 1 tsp olive oil plus a pinch of sea salt and cracked pepper. Let sit.

Put chopped kale into a bowl and add 1 Tablespoon olive oil, pinch of sea salt and cracked pepper to taste.

Using a peeler, peel the zucchini into thick strips. Add them to the kale mixture.

Remove walnuts from the oven and transfer to a bowl to cool. Lay the kale and zucchini on the baking sheet and let cook for about 8-10 minutes or until light and crunchy {don't let them burn} depending on your oven.

When quinoa is all cooked. Add 3 Tablespoons olive oil. Sea salt and pepper to taste. I sugget you add more sea salt than you might think you need. It really brings out the quinoa flavor.

Chop the dates and remove the seeds.

Add everything to the kale in layer. I did quinoa then kale/zucchini then microgreens then toasted nuts.

MIX before serving. You might want to add more sea salt and pepper. Taste test before serving.

**We are big spinach eaters in my house, but lately we have been upping the nutrition factor by rotating in more kale. It is a bit intimidating to work with and eat at first, but after a couple of recipes, it is just another dark green. Quite tasty too. Plus, mixed in with one of my favorite little power packed grains, what is not to love?! This would be a great light lunch or a happy little side dish to any meal. This recipe was found on Pure Mamas, one of my favorite food blogs for healthy & tasty recipes. Original recipe found here. Enjoy!

{image credits Pure Mamas}