Sue - Silk Corsages

A new product launch at Clarissa Hulse Towers! These Corsages have been beautifully made using some of Clarissa’s most wearable prints and colourways. I’m going to get a couple, the Japanese Anemone in Cream which will look great pinned to my denim jacket and the Neon Pink Briar and Fuchsia will be perfect for a wedding coming up later this month!

Here are a couple of pics. I thought the centre of this massive poppy was mind blowing.

And also, I loved the evening light on these grasses.

 I have been SO busy recently. Ellie from Ideal Home Magazine interviewed me last week and posted a sneak peak on their blog - http://homeshoppingspy.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/clarissa-hulses-studio/. It shows photos of our (rather messy) studio. The full article will be out in the November issue.

Also I had a very exciting day last week when I gave a talk in conjunction with Cockpit Arts at ‘Futurising’ which, is a careers event helping recent graduates. I found it alarmingly easy to talk about myself for 20 minutes! You can find the podcast of it here - http://futurising.org/events/

More to come soon…

 I have to say I absolutely LOVE  this set of Vintage Dining Chairs. There are 8 chairs in total and I’ve used a mix of Fuchsia, sunset & grape hues to compliment the dark wood, with the two armchairs upholstered in matching patchwork.   

What a great way to breathe life and a splash of colour into a dining room.

Ahh…this is really sweet. I just had to share it with you -

http://www.littlebigmagazine.com/lifestyle-interiors/designer-profiles/qa-clarissa-hulse-textile-designer

 My friend Susie’s getting married in June and she’ll love this wedding gift set…it comes with a set of lavender bags, a gorgeous padded clothes hanger and one of our large photo albums. I’m going to suggest she fills the album with her own behind the scenes wedding photos, starting with the hen night…

 Virginia Creeper silk Lampshade - This print is my absolute favourite, particularly when its  combined with one of Clarissa’s signature acid brights colour combinations - gorgeous!

Vintage chair in Fern woven fabric -   

Not only do I love this chair but I set up the shoot for it in the studio the other day and I’m really proud of the photographs!

The event at John Lewis was a huge success with me giving lots advice to punters about decorating etc. I was really well looked after and me & the kids were given a slap up tea afterwards in their brasserie (which i heartily recommend if you are ever over on Oxford Street!) So a big Thank You to everyone there!

Oh dear…someone once warned me about making rash promises on a blog and I have fallen into the trap of promising many varied and exciting updates and not delivering. And SO much has happened over the past two months! I keep having endless ideas but not having two seconds to put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboards!

Firstly I would like to tell you all about the Home Event that is taking place on Oxford Street over the first May bank holiday weekend. (You can have a look here for more info).  All the department stores are taking part and are running special events, offering bargains and having highly skilled and interesting experts (!) available to help people with doing up their homes. I have been asked by John Lewis to come and chat to customers in the bed linen department on May 1st between 2-4pm. So, if you are interested in meeting me and hearing my stories of how the designs came into existence then please do come along. I have been given quite a large space to deck out in my wares which, is quite a privilege. Do come, as I would love to meet you - unless you hate my work, in which case please stay at home

To mark the event, all the men in the fabrics department will be wearing ties made from my fabric which, I think is just so SWEET, bless them! (They thought of the idea). Photos to come, I promise…!

I just have to share with you a little story that really warmed my heart. When I was in JL last, having a meeting about this event, a man, probably in his mid 60s came rushing over (he worked in the security department of JL) saying “are you Clarissa Hulse?” to which I replied that I was indeed. He said, “I just want to say, I saw your Burnet Bed linen on the bed and I just had to buy it. I’ve never in my life bought any bed linen, I leave all of that sort of stuff to my wife, but I thought it was so fantastic I had to have it. My wife thinks I’m completely mad.” I was so touched as he sure did not look like my typical customer.

I have just come back from a holiday staying with my parents in Greece. They live in the Peloponnesian mountain range in Southern Greece; very remote and beautiful. I feel vaguely rested for the first time in ages and full of the joys of spring (hence the blog!) The blossoms were just awesome. I feel a design coming on…

Blossom from a Judas tree.

 This Ombre printed stripe design translates beautifully into a silk lampshade. 

CowParsley Bedlinen - This is a stunning bed linen design with a pewter print on an ice blue cotton sateen. It is contemporary and unusual and feels nice too - I can’t wait to sleep under it!

Yarrow upholstery fabric in Pebble & Black-  This is my favourite design and I’m going to buy some of this fabric by the meter to make a pair of long curtains - it is a sophisticated design in a silver and black weave and is pure luxury!

Natalie: Coffee Beans bed linen and Coffee Beans Reeds silk cushions 

 I love white bed linen but it’s great to have a splash of colour and the embroidered designs in reds and turquoises do just that. It reminds me of summer holidays by the sea. I’ll add a few Coffee Bean cushions from the brights palette to complete the look – and bingo – I’ll be dreaming of the seaside!