Happy New Year! I hope the first two weeks of 2019 have been wonderful for you.
Our winter break was long and relaxing. I had a lot of time to ponder my Word of the Year for 2019. Each year I choose at least one word to set the tone for my home (and family and work) in the new year. It’s a really fun exercise.
Have you chosen your word yet?
For years now, I’ve been sharing the Word of the Year Workbook (get the latest version below—for free!) to help you choose your word.
Each year, I love reading the comments and emails about your words—which one you chose and the story behind it.
But this year I want to do more. I want to help you display your word in your home.
I always put my Word of the Year on display in my home to keep it top of mind. I’ve displayed my word on a pillow, spelled out with stencil letters, and in a frame. This year I wanted a pretty sign that I could easily move around throughout the year.
But I searched Etsy high and low and couldn’t find what I was looking for. Most of the sign options are “farmhouse” style with a white or wood background. As you know, I’m not a neutral girl. I’ll take all the color I can get. Also, I wanted something modern, not rustic.
So, I decided to make my own sign. Two, actually.
“Dream” is my personal word for 2019. Two wise friends told me recently, “that it’s good to dream,” when I was worried my ideas were too big to ever come to life. I realized I always hold myself back from dreaming big. I don’t want to do that anymore.
“Explore” is my word for my family. We moved to Texas less than six months ago. We love exploring our new home. As we get more settled, I want to make sure we continue exploring and trying new things.
To make these signs, I combined three of my favorite things: color, metallic gold, and hand-lettering.
I love these signs so much, I want to make more—with your words! For a limited time, I’m offering to design and hand-letter your Word of the Year on a colorful sign. Get all the details in my new Etsy shop.
Because one of my big dreams is to see my handmade creations in your home!
If you need help choosing a word, grab the free Word of the Year Workbook at the end of this post.
Here are a few of the other designs I’ve created:
These signs are 8×8”—big enough to get noticed, but small enough to fit in anywhere. They’re painted on artist wood panels, so they’re lightweight but sturdy. They come ready to display—at 1.5″ thick, they are free-standing on a table or shelf. They can also be wall mounted—wouldn’t they be cute in a gallery wall?!
Here’s a behind the scenes look at my process from sketchbook to finished sign:
I use chalk to transfer my final sketch directly to the painted sign.
Then, I hand-letter in gold. Each sign gets two coats of gold for maximum shine.
When the sign is finished, I shift it back and forth in the light to watch it glisten.
When you order your custom Word of the Year sign, I will personally design and hand-letter your word in capital letters with special flourishes on your choice of background color.
To keep turnaround time as quick as possible, I plan to work in small batches. Right now, I have the first 20 blank signs ready to be painted and lettered.
I will make signs on a first come, first serve basis. So, skip the line and place your order ASAP. All you have to do is pick a color and tell me your Word of the Year. Please allow me 5-7 business days to design and create your sign. At this time, I’m only able to ship signs within the United States via USPS Priority Mail.
