The meaning of "Keep Calm and Carry On"

If you've so much as glanced at any home decor sites, catalogs, stores, etc, you've probably noticed an abundance of "Keep Calm and Carry On" signs.  I, for one, have been seeing them EVERYWHERE for the past couple years. I find myself constantly contemplating what the phrase really means and where it originated. Well, I've finally discovered the answer and have decided to share it with all of you (in case you don't already know).

Apparently, the British government created the "Keep Calm and Carry On" poster in 1939, at the start of WWII, in an attempt to raise public morale (amongst the threat of invasion). According to Wikipedia, "two-and-a-half million copies were printed, although the poster was distributed only in limited numbers."  The poster wasn't rediscovered until the year 2000, at which point the image had become public domain and has since caught on like wildfire throughout the design world.

Kinda interesting, right?  I think so, anyway.

For a variety of handmade "Keep Calm and Carry On" items, check out Etsy.