Vale Design : Freelance Package Design & Branding

Quote :: Shakespeare

Think I will have to make a typographic design out of this quote and put it in the nursery for our daughter...

Lessons of a Turtle

My sister-in-law and I saw this book, Lessons of a Turtle {the little book of life}, while we were on our second annual Topsail, NC beach vacation this year. It is a small book written and illustrated by Sandy Gingras. We fell in love with it. So I was super excited and surprised when it showed up at my door this weekend! It has the sweetest little sayings and cute corresponding illustrations. This book would make a cute baby shower gift or book for a little reader. Thanks A & L!

{image credits Sandy Gingras}

Registered finch&hawk Logo

It only took a year and a half, but my finch&hawk® logo is now officially and legally registered through the US government. Look at that cute ® icon! So excited. If you would like a couple of pointers on how I went about the process, visit this Freelance 101 tutorial :: How to Apply For A Trademark {the basics}.

{image and logo credit Vale Design}

mmm...Monday :: Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

For the cupcakes

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons espresso powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1/2 cup coffee or espresso, for brushing

For the whipped cream

2 1/4 cups heavy cream, chilled
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

For the garnish

Ground cinnamon
Caramel Sauce

DIRECTIONS

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Stir together and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend together the pumpkin, granulated suagr, brown sugar and oil. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixture on low speed, add the flour mixture in two additions, mixing until just incorporated.

Fill the cupcake liners about three-quarters full. Bake until the cupcakes are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pans. While the cupcakes are still warm, brush them two or three times with the coffee or espresso, allowing the first coat to soak in before repeating. Let cool completely.

To make the frosting, place the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium-low speed at first, gradually increasing to high speed. Blend in the confectioners' sugar gradually. Whip until stiff peaks form, being careful not to over-beat. Use a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip to frost the cooled cupcakes, Sprinkle with ground cinnamon and drizzle with caramel sauce. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate.

**I stumbled onto this recipe via Pinterest. These look like such a Fall tasty treat! Original recipe found here. Cake adapted from Williams Sonoma. Enjoy! {ps that caramel sauce recipe would make such a great homemade holiday gift for someone with a sweet tooth!}

**Don't miss Annie's Eats new recipe for Pumpkin Donuts! Adapted from Pinch My Salt, originally from Bon Appétit.

{image credits Annie's Eats}

mmm...Monday :: Roasted Chicken with Balsamic Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (4-pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces (giblets, neck & backbone reserved for another use)
1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

DIRECTIONS

Whisk the vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper in small bowl to blend. Combine the vinaigrette and chicken pieces in a large resealable plastic bag; seal the bag and toss to coat. Refrigerate, turning the chicken pieces occasionally, for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove chicken from the bag and arrange the chicken pieces on a large greased baking dish. Roast until the chicken is just cooked through, about 1 hour. If your chicken browns too quickly, cover it with foil for the remaining cooking time. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Place the baking dish on a burner over medium-low heat. Whisk the chicken broth into the pan drippings, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the baking sheet with a wooden spoon and mixing them into the broth and pan drippings. Drizzle the pan drippings over the chicken. Sprinkle the lemon zest and parsley over the chicken, and serve.

**I do not like chicken, but I have been trying to make myself eat some here and there. I like it to be roasted. Then it is tasty and juicy. I made this recipe last week and served it with these Baked Parmesan Mashed Potatoes and steamed broccoli with a Cooking Light cheese sauce. We invited my parents over. Dinner was a big hit! I used 1 package of chicken tenders {about 1 pound} and roasted them for about 30-35 minutes. It was just the right amount for everyone. Original recipe found here. Enjoy!

Etsy Find :: Amber Alexander

I wanted to share my two latest purchases for our dining room "bird art wall." See other purchased bird art here and here and here and here. For those of you who do not know this about me {or could not figure out by the name of my Etsy shop} I am obsessed with Goldfinches and Hawks {specifically this Red Tailed Hawk.} I stumbled onto Amber Alexander via this Pinterest pin. GORGEOUS watercolor work. I think her artwork would make lovely gifts for the upcoming holidays or maybe even a nursery...

{image credits Amber Alexander}

Fall Tutorials & Free Printables & Handmade Gift Ideas

Everything Etsy features links galore to tutorials, handmade gift ideas and free printables. Bookmark them people. The holidays are coming!

• 101 Festive Fall Tutorials

• 101 Simple Handmade Gifts

• 101 Pretty Free Printables {featuring Vale Design printables!}

{image credits Everything Etsy}

Vale Design Work :: Brown Bear Photography

New Vale Design branding and business card designs for Brown Bear Photography. You can see the full logo exploration here. The client chose to move forward with two different logo versions to be used in various branding aspects of her company. Business cards were printed via Moo Cards with 9 different client photographs on the back.

mmm...Monday :: Goat Cheese, Lentil & Brown Rice Rolls

INGREDIENTS

Butter, for greasing the baking dish
6 large Swiss chard leaves (about 1 1/4 pounds)
Salt

Filling

2 cups cooked short grain brown rice
1 packed cup baby arugula leaves, chopped
1 cup goat cheese, at room temperature (8 ounces)
1 cup cooked green lentils
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
One 26-ounce jar marinara or tomato-basil sauce
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces)
2 tablespoons olive oil, or unsalted butter diced into 1/4-inch pieces

DIRECTIONS

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish. Set aside.

Remove the thick stem from the center of each chard leaf. Cut each leaf in half lengthwise. Trim the ends from the leaves to make each leaf-half about 7 inches long and 5 inches wide. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the chard leaves and cook for 10 seconds. Remove the leaves and rinse with cold water. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

For the filling: In a medium bowl, mix together the brown rice, arugula, goat cheese, lentils, mint, olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and garlic. Season with additional salt and pepper.

Spoon 1/3 cup of the filling onto the end of each chard leaf and roll up like a jellyroll.

Spoon 1 cup marinara sauce on the bottom of the prepared pan. Arrange the rolls, seam-side down, in a single layer on top of the sauce. Spoon the remaining sauce on top and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Drizzle with olive oil or dot the top with butter, if using, and bake until the cheese begins to brown and the rolls are heated through, about 25 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve.

**It is nice to finally have my appetite back! I saw this recipe on the Giada at Home Viewer's Choice: Vegetarian show. I am always on the hunt for new veggie recipes and this one looked so pretty and so healthy. Definitely going on my "make this week" meal planner. Original recipe found here. Enjoy!

Mae Chevrette Ocean Poster

I think this Mae Chevrette poster, found via Pinterest, will have to make its way into our ocean themed master bedroom/bathroom. It will compliment our Ikea wave wall art so nicely. For more of my ocean themed finds, follow me on Pinterest!

Have a great weekend everyone! I am going to enjoy this fall sneak peek by stopping into Le Dolce Vita Patisserie for some caramel apple cider and apple cider and pumpkin donuts. I LOVE fall!

HUGE Ikea Wall Art

I knew it when I saw it. I had to have it! On a recent Ikea trip to look for nursery items, I turned the corner and there it was. The PREMIÄR. A HUGE image of a wave printed on canvas. HUGE! The husband and I have been searching for a large piece of ocean themed art to fill our large master bedroom walls. Eureka! I am obsessed with the ocean and have been in the process of transforming our master into an ocean retreat. These were our original ocean master bedroom/bathroom mood boards. We will definitely share pictures when we are finished. Ahh, I can hear the waves crashing right now...

{image credits Mark Johnson sold through Ikea}

Our Bump...

I am actually 25 weeks today, but I thought I would share a shot of our little lady at 24 weeks.

{image credits Vale Design using iPhone app Plastic Bullet}

DIY: FREE PRINTABLE Childhood Cancer Awareness Activity & Coloring Sheets

It was brought to my attention last week that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month. My reader kindly asked if I would do a printable for this. I immediately went to my friend Kristen {of Paper Crave, Domestifluff and Craftig fame} to help me design some joint free printables. We brainstormed and have each created an activity page{s} and a coloring sheet. If you are a parent with a child who is suffering from cancer, our hearts, strength and creativity go out to you all! ~ Erin & Kristen

**Designer Notes: Try laminating the tic tac toe board and cut out pieces to strengthen them for airplane rides, road trips or trips to the doctor's office.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Download MazePear here.

Download MazeApple here.

Download HappyHalloween coloring sheet here.

Download TicTacToe board and pieces here. {This is a multi-page pdf}.

Download HopeBalloon coloring sheet here.

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

**AN OLDIE, BUT A GOODIE **