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BeadCrate Subscription Box Review – August 2016

Ragan Buckley
ByRagan BuckleyAug 25, 2016 | 4 comments

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BeadCrate
5 overall rating
2 Ratings | 0 Reviews

BeadCrate is a monthly subscription box for beading enthusiasts. Choose from “The Hobbyist”, “The Enthusiast” or "The Collector". You can also buy a single box to see if this subscription is for you. This is a review of “The Enthusiast”.

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My Subscription Addiction pays for this subscription. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

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The Subscription Box: BeadCrate

The Cost: “The Hobbyist” for $7.99 a month, “The Enthusiast” for $15.99 a month or "The Collector" for $35 a month. Save with longer subscriptions. 

The Products: A selection of beads curated around a monthly theme (or beads that are just cool and random).

Ships to: US (free for “The Collector,” $5 for “The Enthusiast,” and $4 for “The Hobbyist”)

Check out all my BeadCrate reviews and the Craft Subscription Box Directory for more great beading, craft supply, and DIY project boxes.

Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

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This letter/information sheet accompanied the shipment. The theme this month was “Cherry Blossom.” I am not normally big into pink stuff, but I liked the possibilities here.

A note on prices: Items like this can come from a variety of different suppliers at many price points depending on how many you buy, etc. I couldn’t find a lot of these exact beads from common sources (e.g., Fire Mountain Gems) and it’s of questionable value to pick something similar because a slight difference in grading or size or material and you are looking at half or double the price (or an even greater difference). Even different colors of the same size and shape of glass beads are priced differently due to materials needed to make the colors!

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Beadalon Bracelet Stainless Steel Memory Wire

I love memory wire. I even have special cutters just for memory wire. It is so easy to make something quick but nice looking with memory wire!

8 x 4 mm AB Flowers (Czech glass, about 25 beads)

I like most Czech pressed glass shapes so I was happy to see these. I used some of them in my project (see below).

3 x 3 mm Opaque Pink Bicone Crystals (machine cut, Czech, 10 beads)

These are SO SMALL. I don’t know how I am going to use them yet but I’m sure I’ll get an idea eventually.

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4 x 4 mm Rosaline Bicone Crystal (machine cut, Czech, 10 beads)

I am adding to my collection of 4 x 4 bicones here (this is a good thing). These go really well with the rounds pictured in the middle, too.

8 x 3 mm Rosaline Dime Beads (Czech glass, about 25 beads)

I love all flat rounds so I was happy to see these. You can see them in one of the bracelets I made (pictured below).

6 mm Coated Hot Pink Firepolished Faceted Rounds (Czech glass, about 25 beads)

These actually go really well with some rounds I got in another box this month. (I totally mix and match across boxes and with stuff from my stash if it means a nicer looking finished product.)

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6 x 6 mm Milky White Bicones (Czech glass, about 50 beads)

I think these go very well with this month’s pink tones. I used some of them in one of my bracelets (see below).

11/0 Toho Pink Ceylon Seed Beads (Japanese glass, 20 grams)

You know, in my massive seed bead collection, I don’t actually think I have any quite this color. I prefer 11/0 and 10/0 seed beads for size, so these are perfect.

8 mm Luster Transparent Topaz/Pink Rounds (Czech glass, about 25 beads)

I used a few of these in one of the bracelets I made this month. I have a few left that will look nice with some gold bead caps I’ve been saving.

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20 mm Cherry Blossom Shell Beads (2 beads)

These are so lightweight. If I can find the right accompaniment, these will make a wonderful pair of earrings.

4 mm Milky Pink Pressed Glass Rondelles (Czech glass, about 100 beads)

I found these quite appealing for some reason. I think it must relate to my obsession with flat squares and rounds (so as you might imagine, everything in this photo made me happy). I used them in one of the bracelets I made.

9 mm Opaque Luster Topaz/Pink Flat Squares (Czech glass, about 25 beads)

Yay, more flat squares. I’m not quite sure how to incorporate these into a piece of jewelry yet, but the wheels are turning in the back of my mind. I’ll come up with something soon.

14 mm Sueded Gold Rosaline Cushions (Czech glass, 4 beads)

I love these. They look like candy or something. Almost. I want to find more beads with this same exact finish.

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I did end up using memory wire, but I went with some goldtone wire I had in this box rather than the supplied silver tone. I wanted to try making a cuff bracelet so I cut three loops and added these spacer bars. It turned out pretty well once I had it started.

As an aside, if you are wondering about the green bruise on my arm, word of advice: don’t do workouts with a 20 pound kettlebell and no wrist wraps.

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Here is another bracelet I made using memory wire. I saw something like this when I was browsing for ideas online. You can make single pieces of jewelry look like stacks, depending on how you line up the beads.

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Here’s another view. I think next time I might use a coil of wire with a bigger diameter so I can make it look like a stack of bangle bracelets instead of being quite so tight.

Verdict: I did not calculate a value for BeadCrate, as explained above in my note about prices. The information card gives the box a value of about $33, which is higher than the cost of the box plus shipping. If you divide the price of the box + shipping by the number of items, you get around $1.50 an item, give or take. I think that is a pretty good value, especially considering the number of flat rounds and squares in this box, since those are some of my favorite shapes.

Please note that no directions are given and you have to supply your own needles, stringing materials, tools, and findings.

What did you think of the August 2016 BeadCrate? Do you subscribe to any beading or craft boxes?

Starting at $35.00
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"Each month you will receive a ‘crate’ full of hand curated beads selected to inspire and delight. Each of our boxes is designed to enhance your own creative journey. Not sure a subscription is right for you? No problem, go to our SHOP to try a one-time box -- no fuss, no muss and no commitment ;)"
Ragan Buckley
Ragan Buckley
Ragan stumbled across My Subscription Addiction in late 2013 and immediately subscribed to way too many beauty boxes. She's now focused on boxes for her cats and dog, vegan/vegetarian food boxes, and craft subscriptions (and she didn't give up beauty boxes entirely).

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4 comments

Stephanie M.

Very pretty creations, as always!
I got this as a Try It one time hobbyist box, which included items in the 1st, 2nd and the topaz/pink 8mm rounds from the 3rd pic (and maybe also the white bicones… can’t remember right now, doh) Its great seeing what else would be included if I decide to upgrade! I love pink & very happy with this month’s selections & everything really fit the theme, I’m impressed!
I liked it so much I signed up for the monthly plan ( they included a nice thank you note for trying them out with a 15% off the first month so I could not resist lol!) Now I just have to get my craft room better organized so I can play with all the pretty 🙂

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Alane

I found that the green of the bruise brought out the pinks nicely. Nice craft soldiering on!

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Ragan

I went around all week looking like someone had grabbed my wrists so hard they’d hurt me…

Learned my lesson too. Always wear wrist wraps.

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Jann

You bracelets are beautiful!

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