Blueberry Cove Beads is a beading subscription from Canada. Every month they ship beads and supplies and post a challenge incorporating one or more items from the box. If you choose to enter the challenge, you share photos of your project and may win your next month’s box free!
My Subscription Addiction pays for this subscription. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
The Subscription Box: Blueberry Cove Beads
The Cost: $27 ($22 for the subscription + $5 shipping)
The Products: A curated selection of beads and findings centered on a theme.
Ships to: US and Canada
Check out all of our Blueberry Cove Bead reviews and the Craft Subscription Box Directory for more great craft supply and DIY project boxes!
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There isn’t a traditional information card with this box. This month the challenge is to make a necklace with some of the charms in the box; the theme was “geometric.” I rarely do what is suggested in the challenge since I am not into social media (although I did complete the challenge this time). Anyway, it is there if you are interested.
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. Even different colors of the same size and shape of glass beads are priced differently due to materials needed to make the colors! So I have opted not to provide prices in this review.
Flat Hexagon Beads
Well, I like flat rounds and squares a lot so it is no surprise that I think these are wonderful. I will have to be on the lookout for more hexagons.
Striped Rounds
These will be nice accent beads with the flat striped glass squares below. They are lightweight but I am actually not sure of the material (I think they may be acrylic).
Small Gold-tone Accent Beads
I can always use more small gold beads and these are a different shape from anything else in my stash.
Strand of Yellow Cubes
These are some sort of translucent glass. They are a spring color to me but I don’t really dress or accessorize according to the seasons (other than making sure I won’t be too warm or cold) so that is fine.
Strand of Lavender Discs
These are probably a natural material; there are some brownish inclusions. Maybe some kind of coated shell? They’re pretty lightweight. Anyway, I really liked these and used them in my finished piece.
Metal Hexagons
I am not sure what I will do with these yet but I like them a lot. I think they could be interesting in a mixed material piece with lots of other hexagons.
Triangles with Circle Cutouts
I don’t have any other beads like these. You can use a head pin or eye pin and put a bead in the middle of the hole or just leave it open for a different look.
Flat Squares
These remind me of candy a little bit. I think they could go well with the striped round beads in a previous picture.
Wooden Chevrons
I am not sure just what I will do with these although I have some ideas. I am thinking it might be nice if I drill some additional holes in them so I can hang them together in a row, ladder-like.
Blue Square Lozenges
These are interesting because they are not just flat but incorporate a third dimension in their shapes. I don’t have any beads like this in my stash, either.
Magenta Rectangle Beads
These guys slipped under something and didn’t make it into the “all items” photo up above. They are glass (I think) and I like the subtle texture effects they incorporate.
Here is a ladder necklace I made with some of the beads from the box. (Yeah, I know, more chain and eyepins from me, but at least the style is different!)
Please note that no directions are given and you have to supply your own needles, stringing materials, tools, and findings. Also note that you will receive this towards the end of the month or the beginning of the next month if you live in the US since it is shipping from Canada.
Verdict: I did not calculate a value here but if you divide the total cost + shipping by the number of items, you are paying a little more than $2.40 per item. That feels maybe a little high to me this month, but I think the value of this subscription definitely averages out over a few months’ time, and I’m not sure even where I would look to purchase some of the beads in the box, so I definitely think there is some value in the curation. Plus, in terms of the themes and challenges, this is not like any of the other bead subscriptions currently on the market. I do love geometric designs so I enjoyed the contents this month, as well.
What did you think of the September 2016 Blueberry Cove Beads? Do you subscribe to any beading or craft boxes?
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