One crown. One bold moment.

It was one of those "50 over 50" shoots and I showed up in an obnoxiously fluffy skirt and a crown. I mean, if you’re going to celebrate a milestone, you might as well do it big, right?

A few hours and a whole lot of laughter later, the photographer looked at me and said: “You need to write a book. And this photo? This should be the cover.”

Plot twist—that’s not exactly how it happened. I didn’t debut with a dramatic memoir and a crown on the cover.

But that crown?
That was the beginning.

I’m Sonja Yantzer, founder of Zestful Productions—and also Rayna Jo Zest, my creative pen name and alter ego. Rayna means “queen,” and that shoot was the moment I stopped playing small with my creativity.

That crown became a symbol of permission.

Permission to be bold.
Permission to be playful.
Permission to be just a little extra.

In 2024, I published Oliver the Owl: The Culinary Pro, inspired by my dad’s 36 years running a family restaurant. One book turned into two with Oliver the Owl: A Sweet Season, a holiday story dedicated to my mom. Just weeks after its completion, we learned of her terminal diagnosis.

While caring for my mom during her illness, I opened my Etsy shop—right at her kitchen table. Creating wasn’t a strategy; it was survival. Design became my outlet. Storytelling became my anchor. One idea turned into another, and Zestful Productions started to take shape.

Today, Zestful Productions is a full-blown creative brand—children’s books, bold designs, creative services, and curated vintage and antique finds. Every piece has personality, heart, and a story behind it.

And the crown?
It stayed.

Because confidence isn’t about being perfect—it’s about showing up as yourself.

Extra? Maybe. But ordinary was never the goal.