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.
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: U.S.
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!
You’ll always get a brief letter and an item list from Dollar Bead 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!
22 x 16 Czech Glass Petal in Medium Siam
These will be great in a pendant. They were really difficult to photograph because of the way they curve and hit the light, but they look lovely in real life.
6 mm Czech Glass Mushroom in Crystal Multi-Purple (25)
Mushroom beads! I get excited about shaped Czech glass. I actually bought a pattern on Etsy just so I could use these (see below).
Natural Crystal Points Dyed Pink (2)
These are actually fairly small and would look good in earrings. I’ve been buying some beads in similar colors lately because this shade of pink actually is starting to show up in my wardrobe now.
10 x 16 mm Hand Cut Chinese Flower in Yellow Jade
This, on the other hand, would look great in a simple pendant. I’m thinking of trying it in a piece with a tassel (mostly because I bought a tassel maker and want to use it).
Hand Dyed Chinese Silk Cord in Pink (32-36 Inches)
I’ve been wanting to make more pendants and hang them from ribbons so this was perfect (and I did use it this month).
0.015” Beadalon Bead String Wire in Satin Copper (10 ft)
This is always a useful item. Subscribers could’ve received one of several different colors but the copper color is actually most useful for me due to the color palette I’ve been working with lately, so I lucked out.
Here is a shot of the actual wire color.
9 x 12 mm Hand Painted Chinese Porcelain w/1.5 mm Hole, Pink w/Multi-Colored Paint (12)
I think these will look nice strung with some larger silver-tone beads and transparent pinks and greens. I’ll see what I have in my stash, but I am also always looking for excuses for ordering beads.
12 mm Czech Glass Waterfall Cut Crystal
These are a nice basic bead. I can see using them with some goldtone chain and goldtone accent beads (I never buy real gold as it’s too expensive).
24 mm Antique Silver Plated Bird Pendant (2)
These are pretty basic in design. I think they are a bit too big for earrings for my personal taste, but I have a collection of other bird-themed charms these might work within a necklace.
10 mm Antique Silver Plated Floral Bead Cap (6)
You’ll usually get a few bead caps with this subscription. I might use these in a piece with the porcelain beads up above, I think they would coordinate well.
12 mm Czech Glass Star in Rose Gold Luster (19)
I’ve been getting a lot of stars lately in bead subscriptions. An idea for using them is coming together, actually.
8 mm Czech Firepolished Beads in Hex Cut Blue Opal (18)
You’ll usually get at least a few firepolished beads with this subscription. These are new and different from other items in my collection and they will be fun to use.
3 x 5 mm Preciosa Crystal (6)
I am considering getting more of these as they are a really basic item that would be a great accent bead in a lot of different jewelry pieces, and they are small and delicate, which is definitely my preference.
14 mm Swarovski Graphic Flat Back Crystal in Crystal Red Magma
I’ve been wanting to work with more Swarovski doing things like bezel settings with beads, bead embroidery, and the like, and this will be a great centerpiece for my first attempt.
6 mm Czech Glass Heart in Pink Opal (5 g)
These are small and cute and there are quite a few of them. I’m still trying to decide what to do but I can see using a few as bracelet dangles since they are not too heavy.
Here is a necklace I made using the mushroom beads and the ribbon. I attached some ribbon crimp ends to the back of the ribbon and then used a regular clasp. The pendant pattern is the Elenoire pendant from Crown of Stones on Etsy. Everything else you see in the pendant came from my stash (except the rivoli, which I did have to buy).
Verdict: I did not calculate a value for the May 2017 Dollar Bead Box, for reasons explained above. There were 15 items so if you divide the cost of the box by the number of items, it is about $1.30 per item. I feel like I got a pretty good deal, especially considering that there were several Czech glass strands.
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 May 2017 Dollar Bead Box? Do you subscribe to any beading or craft boxes?
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