Exotic Dressed Beauty - Gene Tierney.

Gene Tierney, a woman I gazed at awe in whilst watching her old movies as I grew up. Her grace, beauty, those eyes, her hair, those shoes, her makeup, those dresses, hats, jewels - she was grace personified. It wasn't so much her presence on screen as what she wore on screen that captivated me. Oh those clothes......(whistles loudly)....beautiful.

Laura 1944.

Funnily enough the films that I admire Gene Tierney in don't contain Tyrone Power. She has a most magical presence in the film The Ghost and Mrs Muir, 1947 which was the first film I ever saw her in. It is my favourite Gene Tierney film for her acting and the script. Not one for beautiful dresses or elaborate costumes, it is a film to nourish the soul. Tierney plays a young widow who moves into a lonely old house on a cliff, by the sea called Gull Cottage, which is haunted by a handsome young sea captain called Daniel, and with whom she falls in love. This is the house I desire to build, I love it so. I have watched and cried at this film easily over a thousand times. It touches my soul deeper than I can ever possibly explain.

Having watched her in the films where she starred alongside Tyrone Power, her appeal lessened and she seemed thin and insipid along side his charms, but that may of course be an immense personal preference on my part.........er hem...(coughs).
I didn't warm to her as an actress in any other film until I saw her in Laura, 1944. Where she played alongside Cliffton Webb, he of Mr Belvadere fame. It is a murder mystery as Tierney's character is the victim, and we the audience are asked to unravel the plot through her letters, friends and personal diaries, along with the policeman investigating her death - who soon becomes obsessed with the deceased character.

My favourite red Tierney dress.

Born in 1920, American actress Tierney died in 1991 aged 70 of emphysema. She suffered from mental health issues after the birth of her first born child and was treated with electric Shock therapy, something that she later claimed took large portions of her memory away. Married twice, her first husband whom she married in 1941 and divorced in 1952, was the noted fashion designer Oleg Cassini, who for several years designed exclusively for his movie star wife. He was assistant costume designer to the legendary Edith Head in the 1930's and later in the 1960's became the favourite designer for the classic American first lady Jackie Kennedy, JFK's wife.
Oleg and Tierney had two daughters together. During her first pregnancy in 1943 Tierney contracted Rubella (German measles) from a brief autograph signing of a fan meet and greet at a movie studio held event. Her daughter was born with severe disabilities due to the illness and had to be intitutionalized. All her daughter's medical bills and life long care were paid for by Tierney's good friend billionaire Howard Hughes.

I love this red dress that Tierney wears in this late 1940's photo shoot, no doubt designed and created by her loving husband Oleg Cassini. It is beautiful. Especially with the lilac sash. It's one I hope to recreate for myself one day very soon. I have a huge stash of old movie clips and photos and hoardes of dress sketches I wish to sew, but it's that old enemy time. Until then I shall just keep collecting and drooling......looking for similar at the Vintage Fairs.
This look on the right with the black and whole striped gloves and head band/turban/wrap are what I am on the lookout for at the moment. It is on my list - all except for the pink corsage flower as the finishing touch, for me I think it should be scarlet red. I love EVERYTHING about this photo apart from that pale pink flower. Her hair, lips, coat - just that flower lets it all down. It is a small bug bear, but there we have it.
I ask you, what woman couldn't fail to look timeless, elegant and absolutely stunning with a genius like Cassini exclusively designer for her?!


Tierney and her designer husband Oleg Cassini.



After their divorce Oleg went onto become engaged to Grace Kelly. He was obviously a man who had an eye for style and beauty, not just on the clothes rail but off as well. He even went on to design and produce a fashion doll named after Gene and his second daughter, Tina. Something that is quite sort after by collectors I am told, although I never had one as a child - I think the doll looks suspiciously like his ex-wife Gene, but then maybe it is more than likely to be modelled on their daughter. It's a shame she didn't end up rivaling Sindy or Barbie for their titles, along with Mary Quant's Daisy doll.

I love the delicate neckline of this outfit. Cupids and their hearts. It reminds me of the latest butterfly cardigans that you see around now in the Vintage and retro boutiques in Brighton. Something that would go well with high waisted slacks, a full circle skirt, pencil skirt or cropped jeans. It is cute not matter what the style of occasion you wish to dress it for, with almost a bedtime peignoir lure to it.

Yes, I am afraid it is her designer husband and his creations that fascinate me more about Gene Tierney, than Gene Tierney herself. Even though she had by some standards a tragic life and one of some hardship, I myself see her more as a stunning clothes horse for her husband's genius creations. Perhaps I am being too harsh on her, but really it is not so much Tierney I notice or watch in films, as her dresses that glide by my vigilant eyes.
Yes she is beautiful, yes she is a good actress, but her appeal is more for a male audience I think. All those fluttering eyelashes and demure smiles. No, my interest alone is her outstanding wardrobe - one that I envy with a clear passion. Would that Oleg Cassini design for me! x

Gowns galore to have a hissy fit over. One of the types of gowns Cassini is known for today is his Wedding gowns, of which he had a line out when he died in 2006. Beautiful, elegant and understated, almost echoing the ball and evening gowns of his ex wife Gene Tierney. What a muse she must have been for him, along with Grace Kelly and Jackie O.
If Tierney is wearing an outfit between 1941 and 1952 you can bet it will be have been designed by her clever husband. What better way to advertise your creations than on one of the most beautiful women in the world.

Chickens !

Chickens are a big reoccurring theme in a lot of my work.

Mr and Mrs, be nice to each other.....

I've finished! I finished both Mr and Mrs Buzz's quilts today. Matching Mr and Mrs Triangle quilts. 'Blue Lightening' and 'Strawberries and Cream'. To show them just how much we appreciate them. It was all very emotional when they realized they were for them to take home after we presented them at the end of Diggy's archaeology lesson this morning. I am so pleased they like them.

Blue Lightening. Mr Quilt.

Strawberries and Cream. Mrs Quilt.

Chicken Quilt.

Union Jack.

Early this morning I started the project I have wanted to do for quite a while - make some individual cushions for  the living room. I got started with these two, completing them this evening. I think they'll do - they may even last a whole week without the kids spilling something on them or the dog jumping up at them!? I give them three days - at the most!

Strawberries and Cream.

Not the food kind, but the fabric variety. It's what I have named Mrs Buzz's quilt, that I am currently busy stitching together. When it is a colour block quilt like these are, it's a lot of faffing about. The whole quilt and blocks have to be laid out and I spend hours shifting them around into place, so the colours blend and don't jarr with each other. It's like one giant colour jigsaw puzzle. As I never absolutely plan things down to the last detail. I will always wing it.
Now the fronts of both Mr and Mrs Buzz's quilts are finished I can concentrate on the backs. Then it's time to piece together. I am nearly finished on the strawberries and cream one. Why the title? Well, the colours remind me of Summer, raspberries, strawberries, bramble leaves, bowls of mixed cream and berry juice in a swirl, walks in the country and picnic blankets. I have used a cream contrast instead of a bright white like I did for Blue Lightening, so I think Strawberries and Cream is quite a fitting name.

Blue Lightening.

Quilt is pieced together and ready for the backing and either a boarder or no boarder, wide or thin, or just edging? That decision stage, the finishing part that can make or break a design. I usually go for clean lines on a design like this, and that's what I think I'm going to stick to - clean lines.
I've decide to title this quilt 'Blue Lightening'. Not a very imaginative title as quilting goes, because the pattern is called lightening and well it's blue!

Denim Diva.

Made entirely from outgrown and worn jeans.

Summer Days and Winter Nights.

After a long chat with a dear friend on the phone, she suggested I recharge my batteries with my 'me time' activity. Sewing does this for me. It is a time and activity that I can drift off into. I am not conciously thinking, I am just in the moment. More than adequate to restore my batteries.
 'Summer Days and Winter Night's', This is what I've been toying with to call my next quilt. Yes, I got bored of the blue, so I've taken a short detour break. It's all done, just needs batting and we're good to go again. I have yet to find the time to go into Chi to get some. Sooooo...........thought I would try and see what the streak of lightening design looked like with different colours for a Mrs quilt and I have finished it already. In fact I like it soo much, I've decided to make one for myself. 
As this extra quilt for us is going to be made up of bits spare material fat quarters, and the girls old summer dresses and winter flannel pj's, I thought the title 'Summer days and Winter's nights' was rather fitting. Plus I'm making the quilt in the summer and it will be used in the winter.

Journey of a quilt.

People often ask about the sewing journey of a quilt as it progresses, so I thought I would show you the journey of the Ringing Singing Tree quilt in pictures.

Growing Triangles.

The Blue Lightening  quilt is coming along quite quickly. Still not sure about the colours, but they blend and mix together well. It's just a personal preference issue for me, need to get all the blues cut and stiched into triangles and then I will be able to see better. Got a couple more new blues to squeeze in there before I start to think about the boarder and then finally piecing together.

Mytroyshka Quilt.