“You can always improve your work/life balance.”

The words might have come right out of Oprah’s mouth but in fact they’re from someone closer to home – Kate Nicholson, a Lennox Head resident, and co-creator of O.B Designs (which stands for Odd Bod in case you’re wondering). The company, which Kate founded with Leesa Hallahan, a graphic designer, makes beautiful and functional toys and gifts for children, which are exported around the world.

It wasn’t a career path that Kate imagined for herself – or that her family imagined for her which she growing up in the US. “It was actually assumed I’d become a doctor or a lawyer,” she says, “but then I was travelling around the world surfing after I’d finished college, with no idea what I wanted to do, and I met my husband, who was from Ballina, while I was in Bali – surfing off Lombok.”

But although true love coaxed her to Australia, Kate still needed a way to create a living, and fortunately she’d already discovered that she had a handy knack for buying and selling.

“I actually supported myself for four years buying and selling jewellery,” she says. “I spent my last $500 in Bali and bought and then sold the jewellery at a profit in Florida – after that I funded myself for all my trips in the South Pacific.”

During that time Kate discovered a few important things about herself. “It’s vital to be self-motivated if you’re going to run your own business,” she says, “and you have to be disciplined, and prepared to keep on growing. It was when I realised that I really didn’t know how to expand my business that I found a job working as an international buyer for a water sports company in Byron Bay – and it really taught me how to manage a business.”

When Kate was on six months maternity leave after her daughter Eve was born, she began to wonder if it might be possible to bring her business acumen to her own project so that she could focus on working from home, rather than a full-time job. Coincidentally she’d found she was disappointed by the toys available for children. “Really it was only Fischer Price, or toys that were really expensive,” she says, “so I began to wonder if it might be possible to create a range of kids’ toys that were attractive, functional and not too expensive.”

Leesa and Kate – the O.B. Design creators.

At the same time Kate had become friends with her co-worker Leesa, and when she approached Leesa with the idea that they might work together, Leesa jumped at the chance. “Leesa created some prototypes of our dingarings – and that was it, they are still one of our best-loved products ten years on.”

Now a mum to three children, Eve, Willow and Hunter – who starts school this year, Kate hasn’t been short of ideas for more toys, and with Leesa the pair of them have dreamt up (mostly over coffees) hundreds of designs that are now sold around the world.

To say it’s taken off is a bit of an understatement. What started as a small project with one little warehouse in Ballina has now spread its wings to a giant warehouse in Sydney.

“What a relief that was,” says Kate. “We got to the stage where we just needed to get other people to package and post all the products, and we found it was more cost-effective to do it from Sydney.”

In terms of how she manages the business, O.B Designs has a Shopify website which syncs with her warehouse and accounting software. After ten years of business based in Australia Kate and Leesa are branching into the USA, which for Kate has the added advantage that she can her family more often.

“I often think about how life has taken me on this journey,” she says. “I think a lot of people give up on the road towards building a successful business perhaps partly because they are either creative or good at management and so Leesa and I are a good mix because we are one of each, with a splash of the other for good measure! At the same time it’s so important to remember that there will always be set-backs, there will always be times when things go wrong and it’s how you get over those times that really counts. We are still absolutely committed to the core ethics of the business – providing beautiful, functional and not too expensive toys to the world, and that’s what keeps us motivated.”

It isn’t hard to imagine that in a few years time there’ll be a book about this extraordinarily successful local business, not to mention inspirational quotes a-plenty from Kate Nicholson.

For more information go to: https://www.obdesigns.com.au/

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Facilitated by complementary healing practitioner, father and musician Michael Benhayon and businessman and father of five Ray Karam, the session will provide a forum for fathers to explore any issues or challenges they might face as their daughters enter the teenage years.

Teacher Kristy Wood has been volunteering at a number of Girl To Woman local market stalls in the lead up to the event. Here she shares some of the conversations she has had with dads regarding the upcoming Festival, and what she’s noticed over the past few years.

“I remember at one of the markets, a mother and father walked into the stall with their six-year-old daughter,” says Kristy.  “The daughter sat down to have her nails painted and the father asked what the festival is about. When we shared that it was about celebrating and appreciating girls for who they are and what they bring, he loved the idea and said it was very needed.”

The man told Kristy that he was a truck driver who had worked in the industry for many years. He explained how he used to work long hours and how he would try to push each job to get it done as fast as he could. “Now since my daughter has come along, it’s totally different,” he said.  “There’s nothing more that I love than to come home to her, and while I want to get back to her as quick as I can, I don’t push it anymore because I want to make sure I get home safely.” When he went on to say how much he loved having a daughter, his daughter overheard him speaking and was thrilled. “When she came along it changed me,” he said, “it softened me and I just totally adore her.”

About twenty minutes later another family came along who also had a six-year-old girl. Within minutes her father was opening up to Kristy about the pressures of working long hours as a medical specialist.  He also realised the need to look after himself more, because it had begun to affect how much he could interact and be there for his daughter. “Now I make sure I rest when I can because spending time and being with her is really important to me,” he said to Kristy and went on to tell her, “You get home from these night shifts and then a few hours later in the morning my daughter comes into the room and her smile just brightens up the place.”

Kristy realised it was as if these men had so much that they wanted to share about how much of a joy it is for them to have a daughter, but they had not had an avenue to say it. She reflected on these men as she drove away from the markets.  How often do parents, she wondered, and fathers in particular, stop and get the opportunity to share with others the blessing that a daughter brings to their lives?

“As a teacher I’ve noticed that, as girls approach their teen years, those who have fathers who openly cherish and adore them and have not held this back, are often the young women who have a more solid sense of themselves,” she says. “They are more comfortable in their own skin and are not as easily swayed but able to hold more steady in themselves. I’m thrilled we’re facilitating an event that will encourage fathers to talk about the special relationship they have with their daughters.”

The Girl To Woman Festival takes place at Lennox Head Sunday the 21^st of January. For more information and to book tickets, please visit the website: https://girltowoman.com.au. The first 150 young women who book online will receive a free giftbag.

For more information and the full program see: https://girltowoman.com.au

 Esoteric Women’s Health is a major supporter alongside a team of 50+ volunteers who organise and donate their time to put on the event on behalf of the community: www.esotericwomenshealth.com

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A couple of years ago, I went camping with my family at Mt Warning. It was just two nights, and although it rained a little, that weekend is still one of our favourites. I think it was the simplicity of cooking with just one pan. Maybe it was the exercise, walking up the mountain. Maybe it was plenty of space and time for the children to chat to themselves, and play with dry leaves and sticks.

The second night, we ate under shelter in the communal kitchen. Kids played handball. We watched. One older boy joined the game. He was about eleven, and was wearing a wolf suit – one of those tatty onesies you see around.

‘I wonder if that’s a wolf dressed as a boy, or a boy dressed as a wolf?’ quipped my husband. The kids proceeded to speculate while we ate.

The next Monday, back at home, in front of the computer, I tapped out a story about a boy in a bear suit. The boy was a bear, but he was frustrated people didn’t take him seriously. So he ran away. On his bear travels, he met a bear wearing a boy suit. And so the story went.

Archie and the Bear: A boy wearing a boy suit meets a bear wearing a boy suit.

I read it to myself, and laughed. When my husband came home, he laughed too. Later that afternoon, my girls had me reading it repeatedly. Never had my stories had such a good reception. I worked on it, tidied it up, and sent it to the publisher. She really liked it too. A few months later, she offered me a contract.

Some stories are that easy. Well, they come easily. But like a Zen painting, they don’t just appear.

In Zen Buddhism, an enso is a circle, drawn in ink with just two brushstrokes. It expresses a moment. It symbolises enlightenment. It is the expression of years of discipline and study coupled with a state of ‘no-mind’. Although the stroke appears simple, and is often complete in less than seconds, much more came before it.

Like the Zen calligrapher, I have studied and practiced writing for many years in both formal and informal ways. I always wrote as a kid, and of course through school and university, I wrote. Much of that was elective.

Zanni Louise – years of practice.

When I moved to the Northern Rivers, I was compelled to get more serious about my writing. I had fallen into a job, writing learning and training materials, which meant I was writing up to 8,000 words a day. Still, I had words probing at the periphery of my consciousness. Whenever I breastfed my baby, or pushed her in her stroller, full stories started tumbling out.

My husband and I were reading a lot to our daughter. And we were also making silly little rhymes. Sometimes, they made us laugh, so I wrote them down. One time, I even sent one to a publisher, to no avail.

When I started blogging, I was writing every day. Sometimes, it was just a line or two on social media. Mostly, though, it was much more than that. Writing had gone from being a thing I sometimes did, to being the thing I did most often. Of course, physically, I was most often nursing, feeding or rocking my small baby. But writing can be done in the head, or on scraps of paper within reach, or in conversations with a husband.

A friend challenged me at some point to count the hours of the week I spent writing. Even when I didn’t include my paid work hours, I calculated I spent seven hours writing each week. Some of that time was verbally writing stories, by recording them on my phone while I walked the baby. A lot of that time was comprised of half-hours here and there when I sat down to write a blog post, or just an idea for a story. Some of that time was going to a writer’s workshop. I was happy with that. Seven hours a week was a decent amount of time to spend on your hobby. If I spent that learning piano, I might actually be able to play.

The thing I found is that the more I wrote the more I wanted to write. Stories and ideas would lead to more stories and ideas. And maybe it was because my writer’s channels were well-oiled and open thanks to 8,000 words a day of training material, and frequent blog posts, but when I did get the chance to tap out the story, it came pretty naturally. And that inspired buy trusted tablets pharmacy me to write more.

That’s not the full story, though. Writing magic doesn’t just happen. Playing the perfect tennis match isn’t just a consequence of lots of practice. Likewise, writing a descent story is reliant on a combination of elements. The weather… No, not really the weather. But other things, like mood, and peace and quiet, and a good idea, and a relaxing weekend camping. And maybe just a hint of magic.

Whatever the specific ingredients, keeping the creative muscle active, but healthy and unstrained benefits a good story.

I guess I should be planning my next camping holiday!

To win a copy of Zanni Louise’s Archie and the Bear, simply post a comment below or on our Facebook page stating why you would like to win.

Zanni Louise is a children’s author, based in Northern NSW. Her first picture book, Too Busy Sleeping, is a CBCA Notable Book. Her second picture book – illustrated by David Mackintosh – Archie And The Bear, is released this May and published by Little Hare. Zanni has been contracted to write five other books for children, which will be available in 2018. Visit www.zannilouise.com.

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Many years ago, on our first family holiday in Byron, we were driving from Ballina airport in our hire-car, when I spotted what looked like a medieval castle up ahead, with a giant knight, fully equipped in armour standing out the front.

“What on earth is that?” I said, and our then-eight-year-old son of course immediately wanted to stop, then and there.

Little did I know at that point that the Macadamia Castle would, in the future, become a place of almost weekly visits, when a family pass was essential. Little did I also know that I would become adept at mini-golf, and even less did I know that 15 years later, with my children fully-grown, I would be there as an honorary (if ancient) participant in two holiday workshops, Wildlife Guardians (for seven to eleven year-olds) and Keeper for a Day (for twelve to eighteen year-olds).

I couldn’t have possibly guessed how much fun it would be tagging along with the workshops, or how much I would learn. As a long-time guinea-pig owner when I was a child in England for instance, I never knew that that little guinea-pigs like orange, or that in fact they have very high vitamin C needs, and so, particularly if they don’t have much access to natural grasses and clover, oranges are an essential part of their diet.

The participants in Wildlife Guardians create enrichment enclosures for their guineapigs under the watchful eye of Keeper Georgia Shapter.

Also (and I can already hear the cries of disbelief, but it’s true), I never knew – or more correctly had never stopped to think about the fact – that kangaroos and emus can’t walk backwards, and this is why they’re on our Coat of Arms, because Australia must go forward, which of course suddenly makes much more sense of Advance Australia Fair, the anthem to which none of us can ever remember the words. (Well, at least I can’t.)

I’m in the company of senior keeper Georgia Shapter, who is in charge of the young Wildlife Guardians holiday workshop, and the next day’s Keeper for a Day. Georgia, who has worked at the Castle for 15 years, knows all the animals by heart. (And for those of you who may have wondered if Elvis the blind goat had passed away – he’s living his life out on a property and is still very much alive.)

The young Wildlife Guardians had a ball creating ‘enrichment’ enclosures for their guinea pigs, with cardboard tubes, fresh sawdust and food, and lots of behavioural comparisons. The wombat’s life was also very much enriched by the hiding of parcels of fresh corn in her enclosure, and by the time she’d finally worked out where they all were, it was time for some alpaca behavioural training, because, said Georgia, he’d developed a dislike of the keepers in their uniforms, although he was very friendly towards the visitors.

“It’s because we have to put tick collars on him,” she told me, “and also we have to shear him, which he isn’t very keen on.” The behavioural training was designed to reintroduce him to the idea that the keepers could be nice too! “We just want him to realise that we come with treats,” she said, a touch sadly.

The next day the young keepers-in-training learned some of the harder facts of life – that, for instance, 80% of a keeper’s job, is clearing up animal poo. The kind of fact that is going to quickly weed out the animal lovers from those who really want a career in animal care. Being older, they were able to help with food preparation and to have a greater interaction with the animals.

“We’ve been thrilled with the fact that quite a few kids who’ve done Keeper for a Day have then made a choice to go on and work in the industry,” said Georgia.

Without a doubt, the whole group said, their favourite place was the aviary, where they were able to go to town with their interior decorating skills, placing grevillea and bottle brush blossoms so that the parrots could indulge their sweet tooth.

Food time for the birds at the Macadamia Castle aviary.

What they’d learnt, which had surprised them, was how carefully sterilized all the bottles and feeding equipment for the baby animals had to be. “We have to take every precaution with the babies,” Georgia explained. “Particularly because many of them have been orphaned and they don’t have the same immunity they would have if they were in the wild with their mothers.”

Of course, while the workshops were going on, the everyday business of the Castle was underway as well – and being the holidays it was in full swing, but these workshops are part of a new initiative towards education that the Macadamia Castle management are exploring.

Keeper Georgia Shapter with her group of young Wildlife Guardians.

“We’re surveying customers to find out what they want to see,” said Georgia, “and whether perhaps we move more towards being a native animal park so that we can better educate Australians – and visitors to Australia about the amazing wildlife we have right here on our doorstep.”

The Macadamia Castle, along with the kangaroo and the emu, is marching forward, although I’m sure the massive knight-at-arms who still colourfully guards the entrance, isn’t going anywhere in a hurry.

Photographs and text by Candida Baker

For more information on holiday workshops or general information call the Macadamia Castle on 6687 8432 or go to macadamiacastle

The Macadamia Castle is open seven days a week, 8.00 am to 5.00 pm. Workshops take place during the holidays and there are limited numbers of places.

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