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The other day, a friend of mine shared this video with me about the story of Keep Calm and Carry On. The video explains where phenomenon originated, and how the iconic poster has remained a timeless design. It grabbed my attention because personally, I love designing posters from the Keep Calm and Carry On images. Watch the video below to find out where it all began.

The Story of Keep Calm and Carry On

The Keep Calm and Carry On posters are ones that I have used multiple times in my designs. This trend is one that many designers have utilized and parodied for their own work. The simplicity of the text is what I like the most, as well as the icon on the top, which you can replace with almost anything to match your own design. Keep Calm and Carry On posters can be used to easily communicate any message, while keeping a simple composition and timeless design. Below are a few of examples of my own Keep Calm posters:

A Subscribe button for theaccordance.com

Help Desk Poster

A Led Zeppelin Keep Clam poster

Have you ever made your own version of the Keep Calm and Carry On posters? Share your designs or experience in the comments below!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone! Feel free to download St. Patrick’s Day Facebook Timeline cover and use it as your own Timeline cover!

How to download:

1. Click the above image to open it in a new window
2. Right click the image > Save As to your computer
3. Go to your Facebook profile page, and click on your current cover where it says “Change Cover”
4. From the list of options, choose Upload Photo
5. Navigate to the file (St-patricks-facebook-timeline-cover.png)

Done! Your profile should now display the new cover.

Don’t have Timeline yet? Check out this article on How to enable Facebook’s Timeline Profile Layout.

Are you using my design in your profile page? Take a screen shot and share it below!

There are countless graphic design blogs and resources available on the web. Many of these sites have Twitter accounts to follow, which make it easier to have all of your information available for you to view in one place. These Twitter accounts provide links to tutorials, inspiration, design blogs, freelance opportunities, and free downloads. The following are 6 accounts I follow to enhance and aid in my designing.

Graphic Design Twitter Accounts

1.  Design Echo

@designEcho is an account that tweets frequent updates from the design world. They give tutorials, blogs, and many freelance opportunities. Looking for less updates in your feed? Follow @designEchoLess. If you’re interested in typography like me, you can follow @typographyEcho

2.  Design Follow

One of my favorites, @designfollow is the Twitter account for designfollow.com. With updates on hundreds of design resources, tutorials, and examples of designs for inspiration, you can find almost anything you need from Design Follow. I usually favorite a lot of their tweets so I can refer back to them later.

3.  Design Modo

@designmodo gives daily tutorials, templates, and examples of certain aspects of design for your inspiration. They are the account for Design and Web Development Magazine. In addition to Graphic Design resources, they tweet articles and links for Web Design and Development, Photography, Business, and Social Media.

4.  Envatovectors

An account for “all things Vector related,” @envatovectors tweets almost daily with graphic design news, tips and tutorials, freelance opportunities and stock items.

5.  Graphic Design Junction

@graphicdesignju provides daily resources for designers. Examples of their tweets include “50 Dazzling Advertising Print Ads,” and “50 Creative Logo Designs For Your Inspiration.” Graphic Design Junction definitely provides the quality and quantity that designers are looking for.

6.  99 Designs

Looking for freelance opportunities? @99designs is “the original & leading home of design contests,” providing designers with freelance opportunities through design contests. The twitter account for 99designs.com, they are your go-to for freelance jobs.

What do you think of the Twitter accounts I follow for design? Are any of them familiar or surprising to you? What Twitter accounts do you follow for design resources? I’m always on the lookout for more, so let me know in the comments below!

On February 26, 2012, my family and friends gathered at Wilder Mansion for the release of a touching and enlightening book written by my aunt Janice Kiefer, and co-author Debbie Obradovich. The book, titled Infinity, is “the story of Infinite Love Between Mother and Daughter,” and tells the story of my aunt’s enormous grief from losing her daughter–my cousin–Lauren Kiefer, and another‘s desire to help by offering enlightenment.

Lauren Kiefer was just 24 years old when she was taken from my family. On Christmas Day, 2006, Lauren was murdered in her home after returning from a family holiday party. Infinity recounts the emotions and devastation my aunt experienced, as well as the spiritual enlightenment that followed.

My aunt Janice, mother of Lauren and co-author of Infinity, wanted to involve my family in producing the book and honored me with the opportunity to design the cover art. Janice provided the photos and text for the front and back covers, and I was given complete creative freedom for the look and feel of the designs. It was an emotional project to approach, but I felt privileged to have this chance to honor my beautiful cousin in the best way I can: through design.

I worked thoughtfully on the design for about a month. In past years, our family has used a light blue color in brochures and flyers to promote events that honor Lauren, as well as on her foundation’s website. It’s also a color that, to me, has an angelic feel. I wanted to combine the light blue color with clouds to try to capture her spiritual transcendence, which is a major aspect of the book’s overall message and meaning.

I am proud of the result, and I feel it captures the essence of Lauren’s spirit and beautiful light she still shines on us today. My aunt mentioned to me that it was exactly how she envisioned the covers to look, and I am so grateful to have been a part of this project and learning experience.

Me with authors Debbie Obradovich, Janice Kiefer, and my dad Steve Rokicki who produced the book.

Guests signed congratulatory messages to the authors on a large-scale version of the cover art.

For more information and where to get a copy of Infinity, please visit infinitylauren.com. For more information about Lauren and her memorial foundation, please visit rememberlaur.com.