Zania – Page 3

December 16, 2013December 14, 2013

Holiday Gift Guide 2013

You’ve still got time!!!!

How are you doing with your holiday shopping? If you need a little help figuring out what to get for your peeps, here are some of my favorite items, gift guides and websites from this holiday season. Good luck!

For the men in your life, Uncommon Goods has some creative and unique items that will surely grab your attention. I like the Working Man’s Hygiene Kit. I got my brother the mixtape glasses as a birthday present from this online store and he loved them! Another great thing about this online store is that it gives back to the community by donating a portion of their sales to charity. My friends and I are all over this site.
Credit: uncommongoods.com
Real Simple has a list called 29 Great Gifts for Women: Several things caught my eye like, the Mukki Bracelets, the Tocca Lotion Set, the Agate Print Jewelry Box, the Pink Love Salts, the Alpaca Infinity Scarf and the Sole Society Oversized Oval Crystal Stud Earrings. Many options here for every type of gal.
Credit: RealSimple.com

Credit: RealSimple.com
If you’re in the mood to make your own gifts this year, LaurenConrad.com offers a great DIY Gift Guide. From a Gingerbread Cookie in a Jar to a Personalized Pillow, you can basically do it all and gift it all. We made a body and lip scrub for Yahoo’s Miss Ideas and it was fantastic! It really works and it’s also a great gift! For a list of the ingredients in Spanish and English click HERE and watch the video below:
Exfoliantes naturales | Natural Exfoliants
Episode #10 (7.24.2013)

Credit: via LaurenConrad.com
For the jewelry lovers… I suggest the Jewel Be Mine online store. My friends and I went crazy for their fashionable and affordable accessories. I own this Green Sunburst Bib necklace and the Navy Sailor’s Knot necklace. The young chicas behind this store have incredible taste!
Credit: JewelBeMine.com
For the babies and toddlers in your life, check out this adorable Gift guide curated by one of my favorite bloggers, Joanna Goddard from A Cup Of Jo. I think this double decker bus from The Land of Nod is too cute.
Credit: LandOfNod.com
Give the gift of healthy living! I am in love with the Tone It Up fitness routines and recipes created by Karena and Katrina. I do their routines every morning! Gift the Beach Babe DVD to your girlfriends and they will thank you forever. You can also start watching their new show Toned Up on Bravo TV on January 2nd! I’m so excited!!
Credit: BeachBabe.com
Board games are always a good idea too! I am a huge fan of Ellen Degeneres and she created the Head’s Up Game App which has now been made into a board game. This is seriously so much fun to play!! My family and I once played this for 2 straight hours! This Christmas I’m also getting Cards Against Humanity. I still haven’t played it, but everyone says it’s great! It’s like an adult version of Apples to Apples. I’m all over it. Oh and you can buy it for $25 or download it for FREE!
Credit: EllenTV.com

Credit: CardsAgainstHumanity.com
Need Stocking stuffers? Gift cards are always a good idea. Here are some great ideas on how to snag Gift Cards for less! (via PureWow.com) You can also check out The Container Store’s Stocking Stuffers List. I practically want everything in this list. I own this Travalo Easy-Fill Perfume Atomizer and I take it everywhere I go! So cool!
Credit: ContainerStore.com

Then, if you need help wrapping those gifts, you can watch our Gift Wrapping video from Miss Ideas for some ideas. Shameless Self-Promotion, baby!

Wheww! Hopefully this list has helped you a little bit with your shopping. I know it definitely helped me! Gotta love online shopping! Let me know if you ended up buying anything from the list!

Thanks for reading and Happy Holidays!

(FYI… this is not a sponsored post. I researched these sites and I genuinely like everything that I mention above).

December 10, 2013March 21, 2016

Behind the Scenes “No te necesito” Video Shoot Part 2

Hi!

So I wanted to show you a little more of the “behind the scenes” from the music video for one of my songs, “No te necesito”, that we recorded some time ago. The video is in the final stages of post production and I should be getting the final copy soon. Yay! In the meantime, I wanted to share with you the good and the bad of the transformation of the space. I will always be honest here and part of that is accepting your mistakes and showing you that I’m human too.

Like I mention in the first blog post about this music video, I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on it, since the purpose of this video is just to have fun and promote my music using visuals. That said, the space used to be a green room where artists would hang out while they waited to perform their music in the CD store below. (Yes, there is still a store selling CDs in Miami. It’s called “El Museo del Disco”).

Here are the Before pictures of the bar and stage (respectively);

I mean… seriously… neglected. But it was free and we were able to pretty much do whatever we wanted, for however long we needed, for FREE. Free sounds good to me.

I was inspired to create an “underground” lounge/bar scene where an audience would go to watch a multitude of amateur talent on open mic nights. I think I did an ok job given the tight budget and the resources, but looking back, there are several things I would change.

First, I spent a lot of time planning. Lists and lists of things to do, as well as what to take to the set. The list was enormous. Get ottomans from friend… spray paint wooden frames… clean wine bottles… melt wax on them to give them an old world looky look… spray adhesive to each and every book page… (I had Oprah’s Masterclass playing for audio entertainment. Multitasking)… It was a lot, but it got done with time to spare. These are the pics I posted on Instagram.

Then it was time to set up. Princess Prius (my car) was completely filled with furniture and stuff, to the point that the guard from my building asked me if I had scheduled a moving-out date on the calendar… LOL! No, sir. But BTW, I’m doing this again in a week to get everything back home. See ya!

Then it was time to set up. Like the Tr3s Top 20 set I previously designed, decorating a set is very different than a residential room. I wrote about those differences HERE. I was confident with my design idea because it was clear and precise, but I couldn’t help but doubt myself every now and then.

Now that I see the set, I think the bar area was better designed than the stage. I love the paper walls and the natural fiber rug, but the chair and the ottomans were too modern/bright for the space. The purpose of the chair was to add color, but it didn’t quite go with the design. I do like the vintage suitcase and the open guitar case. Those white boxes on the side needed to be covered in black or something, because they are very ugly. But hey, you live and you learn. Overall I think I did an ok job. Next time it’ll be better.

This was taken during the recording of the video.

Then after all that work… it gets torn down in a second. Oh well. You’ll get to see the final product once the video is released. Stay tuned! I will be posting the video on YouTube and on all social media sites as well as here.

Thanks for reading!

December 5, 2013July 28, 2016

E-Decorating Services

Hi everyone!

Today I want to let you in on a little secret… I’m now offering E-Decorating services! I’ve been working on these packages for some time now and it’s time to share them with you. What is E-Decorating, you may ask? Well, E-decorating is a way in which you and I can work together on a space in your house without me having to actually be there. I know… Jetsons style! I do all consultations and decorating by phone and online. It’s not the easiest way to decorate but if there’s any way that I can help you improve your space for an affordable price then I’m all for it. Yes, you do have to put in a little more effort on your end than you normally would when hiring a designer but hey, in the end, I think it’s worth it. Unless… if you want to fly me to your beach house in the Seychelles, I’m not going to complain… :-)

You can see a list of all of my services and pricing by clicking on the SERVICES tab above. If you have any questions at all, you can email me through the CONTACT page above.

Thanks for reading! Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

December 3, 2013April 22, 2016

5 Ways to Tie a Scarf

It’s sweater weather! Well, it’s more than just sweater weather in some places (Brrrrr) but here I’m bringing back the first episode of Miss Ideas on Yahoo! where we show you how to tie a scarf 5 different ways. Click on the image above to watch the video. Hope you enjoy it! ¡Que lo disfruten!

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November 26, 2013February 11, 2017

#ThankfulNovember

So by now you’ve probably heard a gazillion times how the month of November is dedicated to giving thanks. Well this post is no different! It’s so important to be grateful for your life and everything you have. I publicly shared those things that I’m thankful for in 140 characters or less and using the hashtag #ThankfulNovember on Facebook and Twitter on a daily basis. (If you are not following me on either one of those social media sites you can easily do so by clicking on the links on the right column of this page). I’ve also read several of the things you are thankful for! Some are hilarious!

Well, on this post I will list all of the things that I’m thankful for. Brace yourself… some are funny, others are deep and others just plain cheesy but I mean every single one of them. They are true to who I am. Maybe these are a good reminder of some things you are grateful for. Enjoy!

November 6: Today I’m thankful for SLOW COOKERS. Cuts my time in the kitchen by a whopping 75% (or more!)
November 7: Today I’m thankful for FLATS. Comfortable & fashionable. See my favorite flats on @Pinterest here.
November 8: Today I’m thankful for MORNING WORKOUTS. Refreshing. It’s extra special with the videos from the @ToneItUp trainers!
November 9: Today I’m thankful for SOCIAL MEDIA. Keeps me up to date with friends, family, news, deals, inspiration, ideas, events, etc.
November 10: Today I’m thankful for FRIENDS. Both the real ones and the TV show!! LOL! My world is a better place with them in it.
November 11: Today I’m thankful for the MIAMI FALL WEATHER. Love the breeze, the warmth & lack of layering clothes. Island girl talking.
November 12: Today I’m thankful for TO DO LISTS. Can’t live without them. Crossing things out gives me pleasure. Dork? Yes. Love!
November 13: Today I’m thankful for WOMEN EMPOWERMENT. This is extra special when women help other women achieve their dreams!
November 14: Today I’m thankful for my iPHONE. Wakes me up, alerts me & entertains me. It’s my office assistant & my memory.
November 15: Today I’m thankful for SCENTED CANDLES. Always have them on in my house. Pick your favorite fall scent at @TheYankeeCandle
November 16: Today I’m thankful for LOLing! I actually don’t make noise when I laugh, but the joy that comes along with it feels great!
November 17: Today I’m thankful for my PUERTO RICAN ROOTS. U can take the girls from the island but u can’t take the island from the girl.
November 18: Today I’m thankful for the smell of HOME COOKED MEALS. Always made with lots of love. Can’t go wrong. Unless you burn it.
November 19: Today I’m thankful 4 SCANDAL, THE BLACKLIST, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, MODERN FAMILY, ELLEN, THE BACHELOR, PROJECT RUNWAY & HGTV
November 20: Today I’m thankful for SHARING. Laughs, stories, kindness, food, aid, prayers, support, ideas, tips, memories, love & joy.
November 21: Today I’m thankful for the POPPING SOUND PRODUCED BY BUBBLY BEING OPENED. Synonym for celebration & good times. Cheers!
November 22: Today I’m thankful for WAKING UP EVERY MORNING. I breathe. I live. I’m alive. That’s good enough for me.
November 23: Today I’m thankful for SUNSETS. Those colors!!! They bring out the best in the sky. It’s my daily spectacle.
November 24: Today i’m thankful for ANYTHING GIFT WRAPPED. The curiosity. The anticipation. I love tearing up that paper!
November 25: Today I’m thankful for my HUSBAND. 2 years ago on this day we started our marriage. He is more than I ever imagined possible.
November 26: Today I’m thankful for VACATION TIME. So much more enjoyable after working hard. Islands, snowy mountains, family time!

What do you think of my #ThankfulNovember tweets? Want to read the rest of my #ThankfulNovember messages for the rest of the month? Check back to this post or my Twitter and Facebook feeds until the end of the month.

Now… What are you thankful for? Leave your comment below or on any other social media site with #ThankfulNovember.

Thanks for reading and have a wonderful Thanksgiving week!!

November 21, 2013July 28, 2016

Before & After: Tr3s Top 20 Set Design

It’s finally done peeps!

Two weeks ago I posted a “Before/Process” blog post about the design for the set of MTV’s Top 20 show on Tr3s. (You can read it HERE). Well, it’s finally done!! Here are a few of the Before and After shots. As you can see, it is modern yet cozy and comfortable. It also has various different sets (5 to be exact). So versatile! Enjoy!

This is how the room looked like before the Zania magic happened.

Here are a few of the Latin artists that have appeared on the sets! They look so happy to be there! LOL! BTW, you can follow Top 20 on Instagram @Tr3s_Top20.

This is how it looks like behind the cameras. This was a hard place to design since it needed to be multi-functional and there is always chaos in some corner; cables, lights, filters, boxes, more lights… You get the point. Overall this was a great experience. Now on to more projects!!!

That’s a wrap!!!!

Want me to design your space? I can cater to your style and needs. I have some packages that you can view and decide which one fits for you! Click on the Services tab above for more info.

November 14, 2013February 11, 2017

Chocolate Shortbread Logs

Straight from The Baking Corner, here comes the November recipe: Chocolate Shortbread Logs adapted from the book “Cookiemania – 100 Irresistible Recipes for Cookiemaniacs“. These delicious cookies are the perfect combination of crunchy and soft. So easy to bake and so delicious. I bet you already have the ingredients at home! The part where you dip the cookies in chocolate is my favorite! Perfect recipe for kids! Enjoy! ¡Buen Provecho! Continue reading “Chocolate Shortbread Logs”

November 5, 2013April 16, 2016

Miss Ideas #22 – Bedside Table Renovation | Renueva tu mesita de noche

This is one of my favorite makeover projects that we did for Miss Ideas on Yahoo! en Español. Actually, it’s one of my favorite DIY projects ever! You know, there’s no need to spend a lot of money for great design. This bedside table only cost us $10 at a thrift store and then we glammed it up to make it look absolutely stunning. Take a look at the video and you’ll see how we turned a boring piece into a masterpiece! You’ll love this bedside table renovation! Enjoy! For sourcing reference on the wallpaper, go HERE.

Este es uno de mis proyectos favoritos de Miss Ideas en Yahoo en Español. Puedes transformar una simple mesita de noche a una pieza totalmente única y especial. Toma un poco de tiempo y dedicación pero te aseguro que vale el esfuerzo. Hazle click a la imagen de arriba para ver el video. ¡Quedarás super impresionada! ¡Que lo disfrutes! Para ver en donde conseguimos el papel de empapelar, puedes ir AQUI.

Para mas videos de Miss Ideas vayan a ESTA pagina. For more Miss Ideas Videos, please go HERE.

October 31, 2013February 11, 2017

Happy Halloween 2013!

We really enjoy Halloween here at Zania.net. To celebrate the festivities, I’ve made some delicious Crisp Candy Corn Treats (click HERE for the Martha Stewart recipe), crafted some DIY mummy jars, decorated my door with our gleeful skeleton, put together a low budget costume for myself but I have yet to carve a pumpkin! Oh well. At least I was able to put together a cute Jack O’Lantern post for all of you to see. If you haven’t seen it, you can check it out HERE.

This year, we’re headed out to Lincoln Road in South Beach, FL with friends. I will be dressing up as Mary Poppins! I love that Julie Andrews. I’m just going to have to stop myself from singing “just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down…” Make sure to follow me on Instagram as I will be sharing my favorite costumes of the night!

What have you done this Halloween? Upload pictures of your crafts, decorations or costumes on my Facebook Page HERE.

Have a Spooky and Safe Halloween!

October 30, 2013April 22, 2016

Think Pink!

Hello readers!!!

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, I’ve created this Think Pink board with all things pink that will definitely leave a smile on your face. I surely had fun picking them out. I just love how they all look classy and fun! Check it out!

1. Strut X-Large Table in Watermelon from Blue Dot – This glossy baby is a looker. Would work great as a conference table too. Who wouldn’t want to work with this as a backdrop?
2. Dozi Paperclip Holder by Alessi – This magnetic porcupine is so cute it hurts! Ouch!
3. Tori Collection Pink Diamond Tufted Headboard – No matter her age, the gal who sleeps with this headboard behind her will definitely have sweet dreams.
4. Woopsy Hot Pink Desk Lamp – Looks so real! Kids of any age will love this little piece of design in any space.
5. Jonathan Adler Throw Blanket Nixon Hot Pink at Layla Grace – I’m a huge fan of Jonathan Adler and this throw is just one of the many pieces I love from him. So soft too.
6. Picnic 100% PVC recycled rug from Surya – If recycled isn’t enough, this is also an indoor/outdoor rug! How convenient!
7. Painted and Digital Pink and Orange Pattern Art – A series of three of these would be great on any wall. A nice touch of modern.
8. Jonathan Adler Wallpaper Sun Pink at Zinc Door – I mean, just look at this wallpaper! A touch of flare (pun intended) and whimsy from the man himself. Lovely. Try this on a niche, the inside of a trunk or accent wall!
9. Worlds Away Charleston Pink Indoor/Outdoor Bench – This is a great way to add color to any modern space. Imagine this over a green lawn! Beautiful combination of colors!
10. Pink Eames Management Chair on eBay auction – I love a comfy office chair. I hear Herman Miller doesn’t disappoint. Well, honestly, who cares about comfort if your chair looks this good! LOL!

We all know someone who’s been affected by breast cancer. If you can, make a donation to Susan G. Komen for the Cure HERE. Your help will be greatly appreciated. Also, ladies make sure to get screened for mammograms! Early detection is key!

As a side note, every year, Eugene, our Halloween skeleton (he lives on our front door for 31 days) wears his Pink Ribbon on his chest supporting the cause. Here’s a pic!

I hope you are all doing fantastic and are planning fun Halloween festivities with friends and family.!! I’ll be sharing mine on Instagram! Have a great day and thanks for reading! To see the more Think Pink! images on my Pinterest board click HERE.

Side note: Thank you for your patience while moving this site to this new self-hosted site. We had some glitches along the way, but that was to be expected. After working in the technology industry for 5 years, I know that nothing is ever a smooth ride. As time goes by, I will be making improvements, additions and some editing on the features you see here. Thanks again for all your love and support! xoxo

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