Hi, friend. I’m Tanya - the heart behind ZQueenBee.
I’m a wife, mom, homeschooler, coffee lover, creative soul, entrepreneur, and follower of Jesus. I’m also someone who has learned that life can be beautiful, hilarious, messy, heartbreaking, and incredibly meaningful, sometimes all in the very same season.
That’s really what ZQueenBee is about.
It’s a place for real life. The faith that carries us. The families we love. The recipes that become favorites. The books we stay up too late reading. The homeschool days that go beautifully, and the ones when absolutely nothing goes according to plan. The places worth exploring, the things worth creating, and the ordinary moments we sometimes don’t realize are precious until later.
I was born and raised in Durban, South Africa, and moved to the United States when I was 18. Creativity has been woven through my life for as long as I can remember.
Over the years, I’ve worked in fashion, modeling, business, fitness, and event production. I’ve owned businesses, taught dance fitness, produced events, worked with brands, and somehow always found myself doing what I love most - creating, connecting, encouraging, and bringing people together.
Long before ZQueenBee, I spent several years blogging for a popular children’s website, sharing family activities, recipes, crafts, local happenings, product reviews, and ideas for making memories with our kids. I had the opportunity to partner with wonderful brands and even serve as a Disney Junior Ambassador, hosting themed family events for new movie releases.
But life has a way of changing us.
Motherhood changed me. Marriage changed me. Homeschooling changed me. Building businesses, raising children, starting over in new places, and walking through seasons I never would have chosen have all shaped the woman I am today. Through every change, my faith has only grown deeper.
The name may be playful, but the heart behind it is simple. Home is my hive.
It can be busy and noisy. There may be schoolbooks on the table, something baking in the oven, a project half-finished somewhere, somebody asking me where something is that is directly in front of them; and there's a very good chance I've reheated the same cup of coffee more than once.
But I wouldn't trade the beautiful chaos.
ZQueenBee grew from my desire to create a place where women, especially moms, could come exactly as they are.
You don't have to have the perfect home.
You don't have to have motherhood figured out.
You don't have to have unwavering faith every moment of every day.
Sometimes we need ideas. Sometimes we need to laugh. Sometimes we need a recipe for dinner; and sometimes we simply need someone to remind us that God is still present in the middle of whatever we're walking through.
The Heart Behind What I Write
One of the deepest lessons of my life has been that we don't always get to choose our seasons. Some arrive quietly. Others change everything. But again and again, I have seen the faithfulness of God in places I didn't expect to find it.
That is a large part of why Strength for Today became so important to me. What began in a difficult season grew into something much bigger: a desire to share encouragement with anyone who may be waiting, hurting, questioning, rebuilding, or simply needing the reminder that God has not forgotten them.
I don't write because I have all the answers. I write because I've needed those reminders too; and if something I've walked through, learned, laughed about, created, cooked, discovered, or prayed through can encourage another woman along the way, then sharing it is worth it.
Through ZQueenBee, you'll find faith and encouragement, honest motherhood, homeschooling, family adventures, recipes and sweet treats, books and movies, creative ideas, things to do around Birmingham, and plenty of everyday life in between.
Some days we’ll talk about Jesus.
Some days we’ll make something.
Some days we’ll find somewhere fun to go.
Some days we’ll eat cheesecake.
And some days we’ll admit that motherhood is a lot and laugh about it together.
Because I believe God meets us in the meaningful moments - and in the beautifully ordinary ones, too.
So pour yourself a cup of coffee and stay awhile. I'm really glad you're here.
Welcome to my little hive. I'm so glad you're buzzing by. 🐝
Have a story to share, a collaboration idea, or something I can pray with you about? Whether you’re reaching out to say hello, work together, or simply connect, I’d truly love to hear from you.