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Adornable Elements Beads of the Month Club Review – July 2017

Ragan Buckley
ByRagan BuckleyJul 10, 2017 | 10 comments

Adornable Elements Beads of the Month July 2017 Bead Subscription Box

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

Adornable Elements Beads of the Month Clubs are the original beading subscription boxes (they’ve been around since 2000). 

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

This is a review of the Single 11/0 Seed Beads of the Month, $17.95 a month, box.

Adornable Elements Beads of the Month July 2017 Bead Subscription Box

The Subscription Box: Adornable Elements Beads of the Month Club

The Cost: Varies depending on the club selected and whether you choose the single or double club; this is a review of the Single 11/0 Seed Beads of the Month, which is $17.95/month for 12.5 grams of each of 8 different size 11/0 Miyuki seed beads; save a bit more with the double clubs

The Products: 8 packages of color-coordinated beads; choose from “Hot and Trendy” beads, “2-Hole Beads,” “Superduos,” “11/0 Delicas,” “11/0 Seed Beads,” “Swarovski crystals,” or a rotating club where you get a different selection each month.

Good to know: I actually subscribe to several of these clubs and they all come in the same package. I’m going to do a rotation with these reviews so you’ll see something a little different each month.

Ships to: US, cost varies depending on the number of clubs subscribed to (shipping is $4.50 for one club; refer to their FAQ for shipping costs for additional clubs)

Check out all of our Adornable Element Beads of the Month Reviews and more great beading, craft supply, and DIY project boxes in the Craft Subscription Box Directory!

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

Adornable Elements Beads of the Month July 2017 Bead Subscription Box

The package came with a list of the beads included as well as retail values. Note: I am using the retail values from this list. They seem reasonable to me, plus it is pretty much impossible to find each color from the same online shop, let alone the same exact package size, so things like quantity discounts are not going to apply here. This month’s theme is “Tree Gecko.” (For what it’s worth, I really think the colors fit the themes and go together nicely with these subscriptions.)

Adornable Elements Beads of the Month July 2017 Bead Subscription Box

During your first month, and every three months afterward, you’ll receive a plastic storage case. You can store a couple of months’ worth of sample containers in these (although I transfer my beads to Elizabeth Ward Bead Storage Solutions trays and use the plastic cases for storing other things.

Adornable Elements Beads of the Month July 2017 Bead Subscription Box

Semi-Frosted Slate Blue Lined Gray Seed Beads – Listed Value $2.25

I used some of these this month in a pattern. Weirdly, they seemed to sort of recede back or appear further behind other beads on the same level of my piece (which is flat). Other beads seemed to project out. It ended up having some interesting dimensional effects, though, that I kind of liked.

Adornable Elements Beads of the Month July 2017 Bead Subscription Box

Light Olive Lined Crystal Luster Seed Beads – Listed Value $2.25

The pattern I chose to make this month had a ton of light-colored beads in it, so I used quite a few of those. I think it turned out pretty well (see below).

Adornable Elements Beads of the Month July 2017 Bead Subscription Box

Ruby Lined Emerald Luster Seed Beads – Listed Value $2.25

These actually go well with some of the superduos from last month’s review. (Individual clubs do not have matching themes within a given month.) I have quite a few patterns that use both superduos and 11/0 seed beads so it is nice to get a matching color.

Adornable Elements Beads of the Month July 2017 Bead Subscription Box

Olive Lined Chartreuse Luster Seed Beads – Listed Value $2.25

There are a lot of interesting color combinations this month within individual beads. I do have a lot of chartreuse in my collection, so these will fit nicely.

Adornable Elements Beads of the Month July 2017 Bead Subscription Box

Berry Lined Light Topaz AB Seed Beads – Listed Value $2.25

I think this is an interesting color combination. I know I frequently think seed beads with a bit of purple or berry in them would look good with silver, but the topaz here has me thinking about using brass or goldtone findings instead.

Adornable Elements Beads of the Month July 2017 Bead Subscription Box

Matte Silver-Lined Olive Seed Beads – Listed Value $2.25

I used some of these in a bracelet this month (see below). I don’t have many greens in my collection right now, so it is always nice to get some. (I like having a huge stash so whenever a bead subscription comes, if I need some specific item, I can just go grab it instead of going shopping.)

Adornable Elements Beads of the Month July 2017 Bead Subscription Box

Matte Silver-Lined Dark Gold Seed Beads – Listed Value $2.25

I like how the appearance of these changes a bit, depending on the angle at which you look at them. I don’t have many matte beads in my collection but that is one reason I am subscribed to this one – stash building!

Adornable Elements Beads of the Month July 2017 Bead Subscription Box

Duracoat Galvanized Matte Champagne Seed Beads – Listed Value $4.75

Unfortunately, the original file for my photo of these was corrupted (time for a new SD card…) and since I used them in my project (see below), many are gone and the ones that are left are no longer in their original container. Miyuki Duracoat beads are kind of expensive so I pretty much never buy them myself, but am always happy to receive them in a box like this.

Adornable Elements Beads of the Month July 2017 Bead Subscription Box

Adornable Elements Beads of the Month July 2017 Bead Subscription Box

Here is a bracelet I made using five of the seed bead colors, some 11/0 Toho demi-rounds, some Delicas (the pattern called for hex cut Delicas but I didn’t have any), some 15/0 seed beads, and a length of green dyed leather from my collection. This is from the August 2017 issue of Bead & Button magazine if you would like to make one of your own. I used a Jewel Loom but any loom should do. This probably would’ve worked better with Toho seed beads instead of Miyuki, because there seems to be a little bit of a size mismatch, but overall, I think it turned out well. It feels like it took me all day on Sunday but I don’t think it was more than 3 hours, start to finish (including turning my house upside down to find a button with a shank…).

Verdict: I calculated a value for the July 2017 11/0 Seed Beads of the Month club of $20.50. That is a little bit under the cost of the subscription plus shipping. (It’s a savings of $2.55 over the listed retail price of the beads, but shipping is $4.50 for one club.) You can get a somewhat better deal by subscribing to multiple clubs and/or the double clubs, since a double club counts the same as a single when it comes to shipping. I should also point out, it is actually a little bit more money for fewer beads from some online retailers (for example, Caravan Beads sells 10 grams of the Duracoat seed beads for over $5, whereas here you are getting 12.5 grams for a listed value of $4.75), when you can even find the same colors, so the actual value is probably a little higher than the listed value.

I thought the colors this month went together nicely. I also liked receiving some interesting color lined combinations and some matte beads, neither of which would typically occur to me to buy, but which I can definitely make use of now that I have them. Also, I started in beading with seed beads, so even though the project took me a long time, I enjoyed doing it.

What did you think of the July 2017 11/0 Seed Beads of the Month club? Do you subscribe to any beading or craft boxes?

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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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10 comments

katie

Gorgeous bracelet!

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Jann

I really love seed bead bracelets and chokers and this one is gorgeous! You did a great job. I did some beading years ago and just couldn’t deal with seed beads, I felt so clumsy!

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rosestar

I am thinking of starting beading. Which subscription would you recommend for someone just starting out? I did some stuff with seed beads like 15+ years ago and they don’t really worry me now.

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Ragan

It really depends on what your interests are. Most bead subscriptions don’t send seed beads (this one is an exception, and Bead Crate usually has one tube of them). They have all carved out their own little niches. Reviews of the following ones are available here. Because it is really about what sorts of things you want to make!

If you want to do mostly stringing projects with larger (e.g., non-seed) beads, Bargain Bead Box is the way to go.

If you like having access to inexpensive reorders of box items (plus additional merchandise), Dollar Bead Box is good. (If you are looking for only Czech firepolished beads, try Dollar Bead Bag.) They are getting some nice ribbon, chain, and Czech firepolished stuff in their store lately (you have to be a subscriber to have access to their store, but the prices are great).

If you want to get a themed collection of items, Blueberry Cove Beads is good.

If you want lots of current Czech glass, Bead Crate is good. The colors usually go quite well together each month, too.

If you like vintage or unusual stuff, Vintage Bead box is fun.

If you like the new Czech shaped glass, seed beads (including Delicas), or Swarovski, then Adornable Elements has a lot of options. I get three from them — this one (11/0 seed beads), Superduos, and 2-hole beads of the month. These subscriptions are especially useful if you subscribe to blogs or magazines and want to try some of the projects you see there, because the Czech shaped glass beads are really popular right now.

There is another one I don’t review, but do subscribe to, Bead Buddies gemstone beads of the month, where you get quite a lot of semiprecious beads (they have a standard set of shapes — some rounds of various sizes, some ovals, chips, etc., in a different gemstone each month). They have some other clubs, too. I also get their Designer Packs of the Month club.

I believe I’ve just admitted to getting something like 11 bead subscriptions a month. Oops.

So maybe I haven’t offered a lot of guidance, but you kind of have to decide what your interests are and go from there.

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anDreama

Bahaha, that’s awesome. I got my four pack of past Blueberry Cove boxes today. When I set them in the office, my boyfriend looked over and said “those must not be beads because you definitely said you weren’t buying any more beads.” Yeah… I said that AFTER I bought these, duh 😆

This bracelet is gorgeous btw. Also, for anyone interested in beading magazines, check to see if your library gets a physical or digital copy. My library system gets three beading magazines, and the Zinnio digital app notifies me each month when there’s a new copy!

Judy

What a gorgeous piece!! 😍

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Caligirl

Wow that is beautiful. That’s my favorite too.

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Amy

I think this is my favorite piece of jewelry you have made-beautiful!

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WendyM

Stunning bracelet! Let’s have jewelry making night at your house! 😉

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Ragan

Just warning you now, there’s a lot of cursing and chasing cats off the table…

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