Crystal Marcos's Blog - Posts Tagged "holiday"

Here are some of the upcoming places I will be this holiday season. Hope to see you there! http://www.CrystalMarcos.com

Saturday and Sunday, November 13-14, 2010 from 9am-4pm
Crystal will be signing BELLYACHE: A Delicious Tale
at The Brownsville Elementary Craft Bazaar
8795 Illahee Road
Bremerton, WA 98311

Friday and Saturday, November 19-20, 2010 from 10am-6pm
Sunday, November 21, 2010 from 10am-5pm
Crystal will be signing BELLYACHE: A Delicious Tale
at The 2010 Holiday Gift and Food Fair
Kitsap Sun Pavilion
1200 NW Fairgrounds Rd
Bremerton, WA 98312

Saturday, December 4, 2010 from 1-4pm
Crystal will be signing BELLYACHE: A Delicious Tale
at The Bethel Avenue Book Company
1037 Bethel Avenue
Port Orchard, WA 98366

FOR A LIMITED TIME, SIGNED COPIES AVAILABLE directly from my website 11-7-2010 to 1-7-2011 (limit 10/person). Books make a wonderful gift!

In celebration of the holiday season, for every 25th signed book sold using the "ADD TO CART" button, 1 book will be donated to an elementary school. (I hope to be donating many books!)

http://crystalmarcos.com/locations.php

Have a safe and Happy Holiday Season!
Crystal Marcos =)

I am hosting another signed book giveaway for a chance to win a copy of my children's novel BELLYACHE: A Delicious Tale here on Goodreads! Please do enter! I have been getting fantastic reviews! Win it for yourself or give it as a gift!

http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho...

At this event donations will be collected pf non-perishable food items and unwrapped gifts for children in need who live in our community. Those who donate will be entered into a raffle for a Thirty-One Gift Basket.

Saturday, December 11, 2010 from 10am-5pm
I will be signing BELLYACHE: A Delicious Tale at
Tis' the Season Craft & Vendor Festival
The Eagles
4001 Jackson Avenue
Port Orchard WA 98366

Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes that Rule was a definitely delicious find. Let me start by saying I love cupcakes! Not just eating them, but looking at them. They are just so cute! I guess that is why I call my daughter “Cupcake” as a term of endearment.

Even though I have only made two recipes from this book, I feel I can leave a confident review. Well written, easy to follow directions, extra added tips, and the healthy factor makes this a cupcake book I will return to over and over. Both recipes I made were not 100% vegan; partially because I am not a vegan and partially because I could not find some of the ingredients. Through conversations here on goodreads with vegan friends, I am now prepared to make 100% vegan cupcakes to get the full experience. The two recipes I made were the Dulce Sin Leche Cupcakes (I used regular powdered milk instead of soy powdered milk) and the Golden Vanilla Cupcakes with Rich Chocolate Ganache Topping. I made both in double batches for church parties. Each recipe makes 12 cupcakes. I only had to make one serving of the Ganache; there was plenty for all 24 cupcakes and enough to indulge in before throwing the pan in the sink. Oh my, was that divine! I made a substitution on both recipes one calling for maple syrup and the other for brown rice syrup. I used agave syrup instead. I never used it before and wanted to try it. I will say I will continue to use it, it is a winner. The cupcakes were a hit. I decorated the Golden Vanilla’s to look like reindeer which I saw in a FamilyFun magazine http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/rudol... If you are a parent or anyone who cares for children you really should check out this magazine. I am always finding something in it of value. If you don’t want to get the magazine they have a wonderful website. The candies used to make the reindeer were not vegan. Either way the kids and adults loved the cupcakes! My little girl wanted to be lifted up several times to see them on the counter. I also felt better about letting her eat the cake portion of these cupcakes. My hubby snapped two pictures for me to share with you. He is not a professional photographer, no lighting or any fancy stuff was used. You have to admit these cuppies (my little girl’s word for cupcakes) say “EAT ME.”

I wanted to share some holiday fun we had as a family this year. Everyone always says the favorite thing babies get for Christmas are the boxes the gifts come in. I saw this project in Family Fun magazine and knew instantly this would be a hit, http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/cardbo.... It certainly was! Here are some pictures of a Recycled Kitchen we made from boxes that presents were delivered in.




My daughter Kaylee, Maxwell, and Alyssa love it. They have played with it every day they have been to Nana’s house. It was so worth the time and effort. The supplies to make it cost about $15 and it took a few evenings to construct. Many of the items we already had at home. The smile on the kids’ faces priceless! Take a look at how wide Kaylee’s smile is! It has been about a month with three babies playing with it on a regular basis and it has held up quite well. It just goes to show you that you don’t have to spend tons of money for your children to have a happy Christmas.


For the past couple years, on Christmas Eve, we play a super fun game we call “Recycled Christmas”. Everyone has something at their house in great or maybe even in new condition that they have never opened but it continues to sit at your home taking up space. The object of the game is very simple you bring a gift perhaps even 2 that someone else could use. (You will go home with the same amount of gifts you brought.) Some suggestions for wrapping your gift: in newspaper, recycled wrapping paper, or your children’s drawings. Have everyone draw a number to see who goes first. You could use a deck of cards to avoid wasting paper. (If you brought 2 gifts you take 2 numbers) The first person chooses a gift and opens it to show everyone, the next person has the choice to take that gift or choose a new gift. The play goes on until everyone has had a turn. A present can only be stolen 3 times until it is out of play. When the last person goes, anyone who agrees to trade a gift with another person can.

A few other suggestions for making your Christmas a little more green (both earth friendly and pocket friendly):

~Shop at secondhand stores or consignment shops-I picked up a cash register that just needed a little elbow grease and my sister didn't believe it was the same one when I was done with it. My daughter loves it! Books are great to buy there as well. Many look brand new.

~Reuse gift tags and bows

~If you buy wrapping paper, wait for the after Christmas sales and look for 100% recycled paper.

~Give someone a book you have already read with a special note inside about why you are giving it to them now.

November 12 & 13, 2011 from 9am-4pm
I will be signing my Award Winning Children's book BELLYACHE: A Delicious Tale
at the Brownsville Elementary PTSA Holiday Craft Bazaar
8795 Illahee Road
Bremerton, WA 98311

This is a popular and very fun holiday fair! I enjoyed myself last year. Come support locals!

I really enjoy Gift Bazaars, I would be here even if I wasn't selling my book. =)
This is the largest one in the County and lots of fun. Come on out and support Locals!

November 18-20, 2011 from 10am-6pm Friday and Saturday and 10am-5pm Sunday
I will be signing my Award Winning Children's Novel BELLYACHE: A Delicious Tale at The Holiday Gift and Food Fair in the Kitsap Pavillion
1200 NW Fairgrounds Rd
Bremerton, WA 98311

I'm having a Scentsy online party to help out a friend with her business. I normally don't do this but I really like Amber and I really like the product. If anyone is interested in buying Scentsy wickless candle products, below are deals going on now. Please feel free to take a look! The party ends on December 13th.

1. Foam Frenzy: a limited assortment of hand sanitizing foams are buy 1 get 1 free.
2. Buddy Holiday: some large Scentsy buddies are buy 1 get 1 free.
*Deals are good through the 31st while supplies last and can be found in the Combine & Save section on Independant Consultant Amber Abalos' website.

Please shop this link:
https://ambera.scentsy.us/Scentsy/Buy...

DAY 1: In the Spirit of Christmas Facebook "Like" Appreciation Giveaway! For 3 days, I will post a new chance to win. You have until the time of my next posting to make a comment on the post to be entered. It's that simple! EVERYONE who has liked my Facebook page can enter and you can win more than once just by answering the holiday question every day! The prizes get bigger each day! Good luck!

For more info please see my FB page:
http://www.facebook.com/CrystalMarcos