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Dollar Bead Box Subscription Box Review – September 2016

Ragan Buckley
ByRagan BuckleySep 28, 2016 | 7 comments

dollarbeadbox-september-2016-box

The Dollar Bead Box
5 overall rating
2 Ratings | 0 Reviews

Dollar Bead Box is a monthly delivery of beads and beading products. During a given month, reorder your favorite items from the Dollar Bead Box shop for just $1. (This deal is only available to subscribers.)

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

This review is of the $19.50 a month, Dollar Bead Box. 

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The Subscription Box: Dollar Bead Box

The Cost: $19.50 + $4.50 shipping for the Dollar Bead Box or $8 for the Dollar Bead Bag (4 strands of 3 mm Czech Fire Polish Beads and 4 strands of 4 mm Czech Fire Polish Beads in every bag); free shipping with 3- and 6-month subscriptions (plus get an additional discount on 6-month subscriptions)

The Products: Beads and beading-related items including but not limited to stringing materials, Swarovski crystals, vintage glass, freshwater pearls, buttons, and more.

Ships to: US ($4.50 on a month-to-month subscription, free with longer subscriptions)

Check out all of our Dollar Bead Box reviews and the Craft Subscription Box Directory! 

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

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The box included a letter reminding us that subscribers can buy more of the box items for $1 online. The back of the letter included a list of items in the box.

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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9 x 6 mm Chinese Crystal Rondelle in Siam AB (20)

These are a prettier red than in the picture. (In general, “Siam” in crystal and glass beads is a lighter red, as opposed to “garnet” which is usually darker.) I know I will end up making a necklace with these using chain and eyeye pins, but I have shown you so many of those that I didn’t use these yet.

4 x 6 mm Chinese Crystal Rondelle in Light Topaz (24)

These have a yellowish cast to them that would go well either with spring colors or with fall colors. I’m still trying to decide.

4 mm Czech Glass Round Druk in Opaque Brown (50)

These are a nice basic bead to have around and would look good with earth-toned gemstones. I found a whole lot of black agate beads when I started cleaning out my craft close that they’d look good with.

Hematite Buddha Head (3)

I like hematite. There’s something about the luster and the weight and the coolness of the stones that appeals to me. These would be good in earrings or a Yogi Surprise-style gemstone beaded bracelet.

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Hand Painted Porcelain Bead (2)

These are very big and have large holes, so they are making me think of macramé. I just need to find the right centerpiece to go with them.

Mother of Pearl Pendant

I ended up using this below. It is a nice neutral color that will go with pretty much anything, although I like it with cool tones.

Prioress Glass Bottle (3)

These little glass bottles can be filled with something like seed beads or colored sand or (very tiny) gemstone chips and used in necklaces or earrings.

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6 mm 2-Hole Square Beads in Matte Fern Green (25)

We get a lot of 2-hole square beads in this subscription but I never tire of them. And this green is pretty.

Czech Glass Spiral of Life in Pink Luster (16)

I like interesting glass shapes and these almost look like stone. I think I might use them to make a choker along with some spacers.

6 mm 2-Hole Square Beads in Beige with Travertine (25)

More 2-hole square beads in an earth tone. You’ll see a lot of travertine in this subscription but if you subscribe for a few months, it means you’ll have a nice stash of coordinating beads.

3 x 7 Multi-Color Dagger (104)

I didn’t actually count these, but took the number from the list of items! Anyway, I used some of these in a necklace (see below) but I have plenty left to try some coordinating designs.

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Czech Glass Squares with Peacock Finish (4)

I love flat squares and these have an interesting finish. I can’t decide whether to make a bracelet or earrings with them, though.  Maybe I can order some more and do both.

Pewter Plated Antique Copper Leaf (4)

I’ve been doing a lot with antique copper and leaves lately, so these are right up my alley.

Pewter Plated Antique Brass Fish (4)

I also recently went on a sea creature-themed charm-buying binge lately, so these will go with quite a few things in my collection.

Antique Brass Jump Rings (20; not pictured)

There were also supposed to be some antique brass jump rings this month. They were missing from my box but I contacted Dollar Bead Box and got a very fast apology and promise of a reshipment, which should be here any day now. I’ve dealt with their customer service in the past and they’ve always been good!

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Here’s a necklace I made using the mother of pearl pendant and the daggers, as well as some copper chain and copper rounds from my collection. (I am all about copper lately. I am teaching myself wire work and hopefully you all will see some of that – with copper – in future bead box reviews.)

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Here’s a close-up of the necklace.

Verdict: I did not calculate a value for the September 2016 Dollar Bead Box, for reasons explained above. This subscription cost plus shipping divided by the number of items works out to a little more than $1 per item, which I think is fair (I’ve been doing a lot of bead shopping lately). If you sign up for a three-month subscription, you get charged monthly but you don’t pay shipping, so that is a good way to save a few bucks, as well. Plus, if you are a subscriber you can buy more of the items from the box for $1 each, so there is a little bit of added benefit there. The items are a little bit of a mixed bag but where I am really seeing the value in this one is in a multi-month subscription – you can build quite a collection of basic glass beads and crystals, and if you wait a few months, you will usually find yourself with sets of coordinating beads in different shapes as well as a few interesting findings and centerpieces.

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 September 2016 Dollar Bead Box? Do you subscribe to any beading or craft boxes?

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The Dollar Bead Box is a monthly subscription box that includes a large variety of beads, beading products, and items exclusive to the Dollar Bead Box. During the month, you can reorder any or all of the items in the box for just $1 each. For example, you can order items from the April box through t... read more.
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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7 comments

Jann

This necklace is absolutely gorgeous! The colors are perfect with the copper. 🙂

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Kristin

Beautiful work! That’s a piece of jewelry I would wear. 🙂

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Beth

Wow. I LOVE the necklace you made. Its really beautiful. Great job!

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Kathy

Beautiful work. Really a lovely piece of jewelry.

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monah

I always admire your work.

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Veronica

1st off that’s lovely! You really did beautiful work!

But next, I really had to come here to say that I read this as “Dollar Bread Box” I was like … a bread sub box? Then flew through my head the thoughts of starter doughs or would it be loaves or muffins… anyway I had a chuckle when I re-read it and had to share.

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Kathy

Too funny. I read it the same way. Since I am gluten free, I skipped over it thinking it would’t work for me. I only caught on when I accidentally hit on the post and saw the beautiful necklace thanks to my iPhone having a mind of its own. I thought it was odd that a bread subscription was including a necklace in the box.

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