Save on American Girl at Costco!

American Girl dolls were created by former educator and reporter Pleasant Rowland, and were first released in 1986 under the the company she founded, Pleasant Company. Inspired by her love of history the original doll characters were each designed in a specific time period and included their own series of books, outfits & accessories and even doll furniture that aimed to teach girls about American history through the perspective of each doll. Kirsten - a Swedish immigrant living in 1854 America, Samantha - an orphan growing up in 1904 New York, and Molly - a girl growing up during World War II in 1944, made up the original three dolls. Over the years additional historical dolls were added including a Native American girl (Kaya from 1764), a Mexican girl (Josefina from 1824), and two African American girls (Addy from 1864, and Cecile from 1854). In 1995 Pleasant Company expanded the doll line to include more contemporary dolls, including the Girl of Today line (now called Truly Me) that consists of dozens of different dolls with different combinations of hair color & texture, different eye colors, and different skin tones so girls can choose a doll that looks most similar to themselves.  In 1998 Pleasant Company was sold and became a subsidiary of Mattel. American Girl dolls are marketed for girls aged 8-12 while the Bitty Baby line of infant baby dolls are designed for younger children (age 3 and up). Bitty Baby dolls are slightly smaller and cost less than the pricer American Girl Dolls.

The much beloved and acclaimed American Girl dolls have been enchanting young girls* for nearly 3 decades, but they have often been criticized for being too expensive with a single doll now costing $115+ and additional doll outfits costing a staggering $24-$42 each. But now, through Costco you can scoop up a historical doll (now dubbed BeForever dolls), gift cards and various American Girl play sets for 20%-30% OFF the retail price!

*including me! As a young girl my grandmother bestowed upon me Samantha, Molly & Kirsten, their book sets, and of course outfits that matched my dolls clothes that I adored. My dolls and their books still reside in my room at my parents house, (albeit apparently all in need of a good dusting and Kirsten in need of some assistance standing up , lol). 

Anyway, at Costco, for only $99.99, you get the 18" BeForever American Girl Caroline Abbott doll from 1812 (item #1011441). Caroline comes dressed in her classic pink empire-waist dress with matching shoes. Also included is her Captain of the Ship paperback book AND as a bonus you get Carolines ice-blue party gown with matching accessories! The Costco price represents approximately a 30% savings off the retail price of the doll with her book and an extra outfit. 

For younger girls, the American Girl Bitty Baby Doll set (item #945090) comes with a 15" Bitty Baby, several mix & match outfits, a toy baby bottle, a toy rattle and the included satin suitcase keeps everything together. At just $99.99 the Costco price represents an approximate savings off more than 30% off the retail price for the doll and multiple outfits & accessories. 

Avid readers will love the American Girl BeForever Mini Doll & Book Set (item #915614). Each set includes a 6" mini historical doll with stand, 3 full length books and an exclusive bookmark. Choose from Josefina (1824), Addy (1864), Samantha (1904), Rebecca (1914), Kit (1934) or Julie (1974). Each set is just $39.99.

Costco also carries a selection of American Girl craft and activity kits! The American Girl Pet-House Sets (item #915596) each come with a plush posable pet, a friends forever mini book, a build-a-pet-house craft, and pet accessories! Choose from Terrier, Pomeranian, Cocker Spaniel and Sheepdog. Each set is only $29.99.

The American Girl Read & Create craft kits (item #1008804) include a 30+ page idea book and accessories. Choose from Doll Pets to create a pet spa, Art Studio to create mini art work, Grace's Baking kit, and Doll Boutique.  Each kit is $24.99.

You can also choose from three different American Girl activity kits: Doll Tees Felt Fashion, Doll Hair Salon, and Doll School. Each kit is only $9.49. 

And of course Costco saves you 20% off the retail price with 4-packs of $25 American Girl gift cards (item # 995166, for a total value $100) for only $79.99!

Remember, selections vary by warehouse! If you don't see an item you want at your local warehouse ask an employee to look up the item number for you and you may be able to find what you are looking for at another nearby Costco warehouse.

Until next time,

the Costco Connoisseur

#GoingToAllTheCostcos

P.S. - Selections and prices listed above will vary from different Costco locations.

P.P.S. Don't miss out on the latest roadshows and other Costco deals I spot in between blog posts- use the links below to follow me on Twitter and Instagram, and like my new page on Facebook!

Follow me on Twitter! @CostcoConoiseur

Follow me on Instagram! @theCostcoConnoisseur

Like my page on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Costco-Connoisseur/

Costco Ends Black Friday Cookbook Giveaway

I heard a terrible rumor the other day that I hoped was not true, but I have just received confirmation and sadly I must report that Costco will no longer be giving away free Costco Cookbooks on Black Friday.

:...(

In the US, since 2003 Costco has given out a free The Costco Way cookbook to members who dared to brave the Black Friday crowds to shop. The cookbooks had hundreds of recipes from different Costco vendors all featuring various Costco items, and there were recipes for all types of meals and occasions.

The only place I venture out to on Black Friday is Coscto and I always looked forward to each years 200+ page, paperback cookbook. I am shocked and disappointed they have decided to discontinue this beloved tradition.

I reached out to Costco to ask why they chose to end the cookbook giveaway and I was told instead of distributing the cookbooks this year they have launched a new section in the Costco Connection Magazine called Farm to Table. This new section features seasonally available produce and recipes from Costco suppliers.

I flipped through the last few months of the Costco Connection magazine and sure enough starting with the September issue I found a section called Farm to Table. Well guess what? It's just a bunch of photographs of produce and a couple of recipes. Between the September, October and November issues there is a grand total of 24 pages of Farm to Table, but only 11 total recipes, and grapes, tomatoes & citrus are featured items in ALL three months.

September 2015:

October 2015:

November 2015:

The only polite word that comes to mind to describe this is: LAME.

While this may be the end of an era, there is a small silver lining: all original 13 cookbooks in the series will live on in digital format on Costco.com.

http://www.costco.com/costco-connection-online-edition.html

Until next time,

the Costco Connoisseur

#GoingToAllTheCostcos

Follow me on Twitter! @CostcoConoiseur

Follow me on Instagram! @theCostcoConnoisseur

Like my page on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Costco-Connoisseur/

Get your Flu Shot at Costco!

Flu Season is upon us here in the US - have you gotten your flu shot yet?

The CDC recommends that everyone 6-months of age and older get vaccinated against the influenza virus. Getting a flu shot isn't just about protecting yourself, it's also about helping to protect others from the flu as well. The flu shot provides a direct form of protection from the flu virus but people with egg allergies, compromised immune systems and babies under 6-months old cannot receive the flu shot, and instead must rely on herd immunity for indirect protection.  Herd immunity occurs when a majority of the population gets vaccinated against a contagious disease thus lowering the probability that an unvaccinated person will come in contact with an infectious person. 

Pharmacist at your Costco Pharmacy can administer the flu shot with no appointments necessary. Just walk in, fill out an immunization consent form and pay the $14.99 fee. Remember to bring your insurance card too because Costco accepts all major forms of insurance and many insurance companies cover immunizations given at pharmacies so you might end up paying nothing!

Costco Pharmacies also provide other immunizations as well:
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
HPV
Meningitis
Shingles
Tdap
and more!

Visit your local Costco Pharmacy for a complete list of available immunizations.

For more information about the flu, including flu symptoms visit the CDC website.

Until next time,

the Costco Connoisseur

#GoingToAllTheCostcos

Follow me on Twitter! @CostcoConoiseur

Follow me on Instagram! @theCostcoConnoisseur

Like my page on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Costco-Connoisseur/

Crafting & Coloring with Costco!

Costco has lots of items to bring out your inner artist or crafter with crafting kits and coloring books for the whole family.

Spice Box Books makes crafting kits for kids and adults and you can pick them up at Costco for 40% off the retail price! Make friendship bracelets to wear and share with the Best Friend Bracelets kit, or turn a boring rock into a piece of art with the Rock Painting kit.

Build and fly paper airplanes with the Ultimate Flying Paper Planes kit, or add some pizzazz to your art work with the Glitter & Sparkle kit.

Amaze friends & family with the Magic Tricks kit, make adorable fluffy friends with the Yarn Animals Spool Knit kit or try your hand at making clay creatures with the Clay Bots kit.

With the Spice Box Books Art School kits for adults you can learn techniques for beginners and art enthusiasts alike. Each kit includes instructions and art supplies. Learn how to draw portraits, still-life, and landscapes with the Pastels kit. Learn how to create your own acrylic masterpiece with the Acrylic Painting kit. Learn different styles and techniques to create your own watercolor works of art with the Watercolor Painting kit.

Learn how to utilize different sketching and drawing techniques with different materials with the Drawing* kit. Relax and de-stress with the meditative drawing & coloring Zen Art kit. Color beautifully patterned coloring sheets with a variety of included markers & watercolor paints.

*NOTE: Although there are no disclaimers on the box, according to Amazon.com reviews of the Drawing kit the instruction book includes artistic nudity that some may find offensive and not appropriate for children or younger artists. The Spice Box Books website lists this Drawing kit under their Adult Arts & Crafts section insinuating that it is intended for adults, not children.) 

And speaking of coloring, did you happen to catch the article about Coloring for Adults in the October issue of the Costco Connection? The article explains how coloring can have positive affects on your mental health and how coloring is catching on with adults. Several studies have shown the positive benefits of coloring for adults include: reduction in overall stress, reduction in anxiety, general feeling of relaxation and even improved dexterity in the elderly. I loved coloring as a child and as I grew older I found a renewed love of coloring while in high school when a broken ankle required surgery. While laid up in the hospital my mom brought me stained glass art coloring books & markers that helped me to relax and keep my mind off the pain and the monotony of being stuck in the hospital. And today, even as a full blown "adult" I still color several times a week and get together with my cousin for coloring sessions! If you haven't tried coloring as an adult I cannot recommend it enough.

With adults jumping on the coloring bandwagon a plethora of coloring books aimed at adults have hit the market in the past year, and just in time for the holiday season Costco is stocking several coloring books in their warehouses for 40% off the retail price! Check out the widely popular adult coloring books from Johanna Bedford like Secret Garden, Enchanted Forest and Lost Ocean or The Time Garden by Daria Song. (I picked up the time garden for myself and received Secret Garden as a gift!)

Animal Kingdom by Millie Marotta  and Blossom Magic, Magic Gold, Mandala Magic are also great choices!

Costco also carries deluxe double editions of the Creative Haven coloring books including Flower Art, Paisley Patterns, Geometric Designs and Mandalas. (I picked up flower art and geometric designs for myself!)

5 January 2016 Update: Keep an eye out at your Costco for a big display of new Creative Haven Coloring Books like this one:

The Color Me Your Way coloring book series from P.J.C. Smart have large, 16" x 11" oversized coloring pages.

The official Outlander and Game of Thrones coloring books can also be found at Costco for 40% off the retail price!!

For those with some crochet experience you can crochet your favorite Disney Princess, Classic Disney, Frozen, Star Wars, Peanuts, or Wizard of Oz characters with these adorable  Crochet kits. Each kit contains everything you need to create 2 complete projects. The illustrated instructions include patterns to make a total of 12 different projects - however you will need to purchase extra yarn separately if you wish to make ALL 12 patterns. (I couldn't resist picking up the Star Wars kit, and Mom if you are reading this I am going to need a crochet refresher lesson!)

Younger fans of yarn crafts may like the Fashion Angels Darn Yarn Super Set. The kit includes looms, yarn and other supplies needed to make 8 full projects including a hat, gloves and a scarf. This item is also available on costco.com.

The My Friendship Bracelet Maker kit includes a loom and supplies to make a variety of different friendship bracelets following their step-by-step video guide available with their downloadable app. This item is also available on costco.com.

The American Girl Ultimate Crafting Kit includes a 20 page idea book and over 1500 pieces to make your own jewelry for you and your American Girl Doll. 

From the makers of Play-Doh, the DohVinci Mega Color Mixer kit lets you mix your own colors together to create fun, brightly colored, 3D designs with no mess. (From what I can ascertain from the extremely positive Amazon.com reviews of DohVinci products the "doh" seems to be a cross between Play-Doh and puffy paint- but without the mess of puffy paints - and kids seem to love playing with this stuff!) This item is also available on costco.com.

The Giant Art Jar includes supplies and an instructional idea book for over 100 different arts & crafts projects.

For the more advanced artists the 150+ piece Art 101 Emerging Artist Essentials kit includes acrylic, watercolor, & oil paints, various brushes, a learning guide and more all packed in a wooden case.

For those specifically interested in acrylic paints, the Palmers Paints Acrylic Paint Studio is perfect! The 25 piece set comes in its own plastic storage bin with handle.

The Sculpey Oven-Bake Clay Studio kit is great for older artists and adults who wants to play with clay. The 54-piece kit includes a rainbow assortment of clay, and all the tools and intructions you need to make a variety of different clay projects.

The Girl's Book of Adventure and The Boy's Book of Adventure are books that each include 40+ ideas for fun projects, skills and crafts for kids to learn. Together the two books are a great compilation of skills and activities for well rounded kids. But in my humble opinion the girls book on its own seems pretty sexist with activities including learning how to tie a sarong and learning how to cook with honey while the boys book includes learning how to identify insects & birds and how to read a map. I do not have children yet, but if I did I would buy both books and go through all the activities with my sons and daughters together to break down the stereotypes that cooking is a "girl activity" and camping a "boy activity." Costco sells each book for 40% off the cover price.

Costco also carries a variety of other activity books for kids including the Biggest Book of Search & Find (perfect for a few hours of quiet time!) and learn to draw books for kids. The 501 things for the Quick Draw Kid book covers the basics of drawing and cartooning and the Funky Things to Draw book teaches drawing and shading techniques. 

Learn to draw your favorite Disney characters with Disney Art Studio kits! Each kit includes everything you need to learn how to draw and paint your favorite Disney characters from: Frozen, Disney/Pixar movies, Palace Pets from Disney Princesses, and classic Disney characters.

On Costco.com I found the original Spirograph Art Studio for 25% off the retail price! Spirograph is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year and this art studio kit is the perfect way to introduce a new generation to the joys and wonder of this classic creative toy.

Don't forget to check the office supply section of your Costco warehouse (or costco.com) for an assortment of markers, crayons, colored pencils, construction paper, glue sticks and other crafting supplies!

Until next time,

the Costco Connoisseur

#GoingToAllTheCostcos

P.S. - Selections and prices listed above will vary from different Costco locations.

P.P.S. Don't miss out on the latest roadshows and other Costco deals I spot in between blog posts- use the links below to follow me on Twitter and Instagram, and like my new page on Facebook!

Follow me on Twitter! @CostcoConoiseur

Follow me on Instagram! @theCostcoConnoisseur

Like my page on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Costco-Connoisseur/

Halloween at Costco!!!

Halloween is literally right around the corner - it's THIS Saturday! Are you ready??

If you're looking for some last minute decorations or Halloween themed activities and treats look no further than your local Costco Warehouse.

Some Costco warehouses have gigantic Pumpkins ready to be carved into jack-o-lanterns for only $6.99 each!

Spooky decorations abound like this Stacked Skulls that has motion activated beedy red eyes and it even makes creepy noises!

Or this Giant Spider with posable legs.

This beautiful painted Skull with top hat takes on a more Dia de Muertos flair than a Halloween one, but it's perfect for either occasion.

This festive Harvest Wreath sets an Autumn mood for your home that will take you all the way through Thanksgiving.

Pick up a Halloween/Autumn themed Dowdle Puzzle for an evening of quiet family fun! 

Or grab a spooky book like Ghostly Tales from the book table for a night of telling ghost stories.

Costco has Halloween themed movies too, like these 2-pack of R.L.Stines Goosebumps Movies bundles for older kids who like a little fright.

And for the adults, you can't go wrong with a classic like The Rocky Horror Picture Show! This 40th anniversary blu-ray edition includes special features, collectible fishnet stockings & gloves, and a CD of the original movie soundtrack!

For the younger Halloween crowd pick up an activity book like these Halloween themed Create-A-Face books for hours of facing making silliness. 

If you're hosting a Halloween party don't forget to pop into the Costco bakery to order or pick up one of their famous Sheet Cakes decorated especially for Halloween.

For Halloween treats that go beyond just candy try Cheetos treat sized bags, or if you're on the East Coast you can pick up some delicious Utz Pretzels in special Halloween packs that come in an orange pumpkin shaped plastic bin that you can reuse!

If you dare to explore Haunted Houses, want to "hunt" zombies in a live action Paintball Game, or try your luck in a Corn Maze - search keyword "Haunted" on Costco.com to discover discounted e-tickets to several Halloween themed attractions across the US. (All tickets are emailed to you after purchase so no waiting on the mail.) Your local Costco warehouse may have discounted tickets too - check where the gift cards and movie tickets are displayed.

Of course it wouldn't really be halloween if there wasn't CANDY, so grab a bag (or two) of the Kirkland Signature Mini Favorites, Funhouse Treats or All Chocolate Variety that include your favorite national candy brands at special low Costco prices!

And finally, send your trick-or-treaters off in style to collect their candy in these cute Flipeez Halloween Treat Buckets. The cloth covered buckets come in four festive varieties and they are also perfect for displaying candy at a party or doling out treats to trick-or-treaters that stop by your house :)

Have a Happy Halloween Everyone!!

Until next time,

the Costco Connoisseur

#GoingToAllTheCostcos

P.S. - Selections and prices listed above will vary from different Costco locations.

P.P.S. Don't miss out on the latest roadshows and other Costco deals I spot in between blog posts- use the links below to follow me on Twitter and Instagram, and like my new page on Facebook!

Follow me on Twitter! @CostcoConoiseur

Follow me on Instagram! @theCostcoConnoisseur

Like my page on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Costco-Connoisseur/