Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

All teas are not equal - at least not when it comes to colouring canvas. I found a bargain at our local shop a couple of weeks ago - a packet of cranberry tea bags for $2. I drank a few cups of tea, and  put the moist bags onto a sheet of canvas. The stains started pink, and with oxidisation (I think) turned blue. Here is a tag I made for the theme "Myths and Legends" - the tea stains created an interesting illustration for the Aboriginal story of the "Three Sisters" in the Blue Mountains, NSW.

The tourist brochure claims that "Magic Happens ..." in the Jenolan Caves in the Blue Mountains (180 km from Sydney, NSW).  It was truly Christmas Magic last weekend at the annual  Carols in the Caves concert.  We started from Newcastle at 6am, but it was worth the long bus trip there. It was a cool invigorating day, and we enjoyed the amazing vistas on the way, having lunch in the courtyard of the iconic Caves House as well as the beautiful carol singing. It brought out the "child" in everyone... Angels and bright stars appeared from nowhere in cave grottoes...  Shepherds watched their flocks under the cave canopies... Like any show, there were times when the drama is backstage ... how many men does it take to organise a star's wardrobe when the costumes fall from the back of a truck inside the Grand Archway of the Jenolan Caves?  Yes, this is my husband Jim helping ... he just happened to be there!  Ably compered by Peter Vickery o...