Keep Calm and Carry On

The infamous Keep Calm and Carry on Poster was commissioned by the British Government's Ministry of Information. It was meant to send a message to the people in the event of an attack during WWII. It is fast becoming a hot trend in home decor and is wildly popular on etsy. I had planned on ordering a print of my own to frame, but I just never got around to it. Over the weekend, I stumbled upon a forgotten can of aqua blue paint and a scrap of plywood in the garage. And from those scraps came a brilliant idea....I'll make my own version of the "Keep Calm" poster.

The plywood was already cut, it just needed a bit of sanding. After that I sprayed on a coat of white primer. I did this because I wanted the white to show through when I sanded the edges of the finished board. After the primer dried, I gave it 2 coats of the aqua, with drying time in between.

I used my cricut to cut out the white vinyl letters and crown. I used the Plantin Schoolbook cartridge set on tall ball for the letters and the Home Decor cartridge for the crown.

I really need to see this every single day! It is a great reminder to me to stay positive and focused during tough times. This season in my life without my better half is hard, but it is just that.....a season.....and this too shall pass.

Here is a closeup shot of the sanded edges. I did it very lightly, but now I'm thinking it could use a bit more distressing.

I am a hard woman to please when it comes to decor. I am very rarely happy with this area on top of and above my piano. I don't know what it is, but I can never seem to get it just right. But I have to say, this is by far my most favorite vignette to date. The balancing act of the dark chocolate walls and the piano and the lamps mixed with the white birdcage never really "worked" for me. But with this new addition, I think it balances out the dark and the light without looking weird. I'm happy....hey, maybe I'm not really that hard to please!

So many of you asked about the aqua plates on my piano and where I found them. Warning.....be prepared to hate me. I got them a couple years ago in the dollar spot at Target for $2.50 a piece. I have 4 of them and I wish I had 24! They also came in a beautiful shade of dark mossy green. But you know me and my obsession with all things aqua.....had to have them. I {heart} these plates sooooo much! And they look perfect wherever I put them. They have traveled around my house a time or two, but I think they've found a permanent home here. Well, as permanent as a girl with D.A.D.D (decorators attention deficit disorder) can get anyway!