Get Up, Dress Up - Lori Holt Millie's Dresses Wall Hanging

 Look your best and you will think and act your best. 

Hey there from Nannyland,

I've been patiently waiting for just the right quilt block to exemplify my life's mantra and I found the perfect one in this beautiful vintage dress block called  Millie's Dresses by Lori Holt.  The minute I saw it I knew I was going to make a wall hanging for Nannyland with a sign above it symbolizing the daily motto I have followed since I was a teenager.

I'm going to confess to what may be a controversial practice in today's "free to be me" climate.  I have been engaging in an obsessive ritual that some might consider compulsive at worst and quirky at best.  I've been getting up every morning, since I was a teenager, dressing in an outfit appropriate to be seen in public, and  completing a full hair and makeup routine.  My daily mantra is always "Get Up, Dress Up."  There, I've said it.  My girls can back me up on this.  No matter what my daily challenge is, be it toothache, earthquake, surgery, cancer treatment, family crisis, girls camp...you name it, I'm going to be looking as spiffy as possible to greet the opportunities and challenges of the new day.  

Now, some of you might be thinking, "Could she be more vain?," but I have found the affect is just the opposite.  Once I've taken care of my own grooming, I don't think about it the rest of the day and I can go about my activities with confidence.  I can smile at strangers and engage with the people I meet, look for ways to do service, welcome visitors to my home without peering through a crack in the door, do errands any time for myself and others, hang with the people I love and just generally be present in the world.

I get this is not for everyone. The majority of my friends and family look and feel fabulous everyday, as they should, without focusing on eye shadow color or hair gel.  And don't get me started on those people with the thick mermaid hair, long dark lashes and glowing skin that don't ever need to look in a mirror!  This is just a ME thing that has helped me get through some difficult times, feeling like I can take on the day with faith and composure.  

I ended up in emergency a couple of weeks ago with some pesky blood clots and was happy that I had on full make up to offset the very unattractive, ill-fitting gown. I'm very happy that not one of my doctors or attendants seemed impressed with my lipstick color, but I, myself, didn't feel like a poor sick old lady who just dragged out of bed, and that meant something to me. The doctor commented on how healthy I was and said he didn't think blood thinners would be a problem for me since I didn't look like a person who falls a lot.  Because I obviously had the wits to apply make up, people! So that's my story and I'm sticking to it.  Get Up, Dress Up. It's worth the effort, I swear. 

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

I'll just be here blissfully creating until your next visit.

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)