Im the Third...and I am an anglophile.

What do you do with a used cabinet door that you bought at a thrift store for $1?

There was only one, so unfortunately, I cannot replace the cabinet doors in my kitchen.

At first, I thought I would paint it, distress it and paint some crazy sign to sell at the Antique Show.

But then, I thought I had one more space on my wall that I could use a sign.

I am an anglophile. I love most all things British (though in fairness, I also love the Irish. I also consider "British" in this sense to include Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.) I have visited many times and can never get enough. And yes, I think often of visiting my pals in Northern Ireland. I enjoy the traditional music, the culture, the people, the food, the styles, many of the authors, and the ease of travel (with or without a car).

So lots of sanding took place!

 And what is better than using my favorite phrase while showing some British love at the same time?

I started with the white background and added a red stripe.

Can I just say, thank God for painter's tape? :-)

Then I added some fun blue stripe and added and antique knob.

Then came the fun part. Stenciling on the phrase!

For those of you that know me: "Keep calm and carry on" is often my go to phrase. I like to repeat it to myself as a comfort in stressfull situations. As an event planner, it comes in handy.

The stenciling phase saw me stenciling one letter at a time, whiping it off if it didnt look right or letting it dry if it was straight. Then, moving on the the next letter.

It shows up better in person than here in the pic, but it is really a nice little thing to have. Many of you may notice a missing crown that goes above the phrase in most prints. I do not have one for two reasons: 1. I could not find a stencil of a crown that looked right and was the right size. 2. I tried to make one and it failed. I tried to hand paint it, and I failed. :-)

I still love it as it is.