Flax and white flowers, today’s theme had everyone twisting folding, shredding, looping flax leaves to be arranged with white flowers. If you are struggling with ideas, browse Norman Sparnon’s book ‘The Poetry of Leaves’.

The best way to be inspired or discover new ideas is to experiment or ‘play’ with the material pushing the boundaries as far as your dare. For example, remove the spine of the flax, gently coax the flax softening so it will curl without crinkles. The wind the flax around a pencil or similar, hold in place with a rubber band and place aside or even water for as long as you can. You will have a gorgeous curved form ready to arrange. Another idea – shred the leaf with a pin or if keen use a kenzan and pull the leaf through the needles but it does leave a mess of the kenzan, which is very fiddly to clean.

Invent something new and maybe share your discoveries with us.