Bargain Bead Box Subscription Review – March 2018

Bargain Bead Box is a monthly subscription promising over $40 worth of quality jewelry-making supplies every month.

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

About Bargain Bead Box

The Subscription Box: Bargain Bead Box

The Cost: $15.95 a month

The Products: Designer quality beads in materials ranging from crystal to glass to semi-precious gemstones, plus metal beads and findings. Bargain Bead Box does not send any plastic beads or seed beads.

Ships to: U.S. (free), Canada for $7.50

Bargain Bead Box March 2018 "To The Moon" Review

There was a letter in the box with some more information on the theme (“To the Moon”). The back contained a list of the month’s beads.

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!

1 Meter Textured Steel Jewelry Chain, 3.4 x 5.6

This has a fun ridged texture on it and is a good size for attaching beads and/or charms. I used it in a necklace I made with some of the items in this box but I have some left over to play with, as well.

37mm Moon Charm with Teardrop

There were a lot of moon and star charms and pendants this month. This is one of the larger ones. The briolette hanging from it makes it stand out from the crowd. I haven’t used it yet, but it’s a bit too big for my taste in jewelry (I tend towards daintier items) so it’s only a matter of coming up with an idea.

10mm Glow in the Dark Lampwork Glass Beads, 10 Pieces

How fun, these glow in the dark (sorry, not so sure how to take a picture of that). They could be fun as spacers in a bracelet or in earrings (they’d look like they were floating in the dark!).

15.5” Strand 8mm Blue Goldstone Round Beads

Goldstone is a manmade gemstone (well, it’s really glass). The brown kind is a little more common but the blue kind is so pretty. I used a few of these in a necklace this month, but I have plenty left to play around with, too.

15.5” Strand 6mm Synthetic Hematite Star Beads

I am getting quite a collection of hematite stars, having also received a strand of them in Blueberry Cove Beads at some point in the past. I think I will make a multistrand necklace where they are all strung between crimps on Fireline so it looks like they are floating.

4mm Chinese Crystal Bicone Beads, Jonquil, 100 Piece Strand

You’ll always get some Chinese crystal with Bargain Bead Box. This matches the briolette hanging from the moon charm above. I didn’t this month, but I like to make right-angle weave pieces with the Chinese crystal; it’s a great way to show off the sparkle.

13mm Cut Glass Crystal Star Drops, Jonquil, 4 Pieces

These also match the bicones up above, but the backs are silvered/foiled for a slightly different look. I like them a lot and am trying to figure out just how to use them to best show them off.

4 x 3 mm Chinese Crystal Rondelle Beads in Marine AB, 40 Pieces

This is a little different shade of blue that I thought actually looked pretty good with both the silver and the other blues in this box. I used a few of these on my necklace this month.

28mm Crescent Moon Pendant, 6 Pieces

These are a little too big to use in a charm bracelet or earrings, I think (though I could see using a single one as a focal charm on a bracelet). I might make a few delicate necklaces with these as pendants to give away as gifts. I do like the detailing on them.

18 x 20 mm Celestial Toggle Clasps, 3 Sets

You’ll always get a few clasps with this subscription (which sets it apart from other beading subscriptions). Decorative toggles are common and they always match the metal tone of the other items in the shipment, which is useful. I haven’t used these yet but I still have a lot of items from this box left, so they won’t be around for long. These seem better for necklaces than bracelets, to me.

Specialty Glass Point Pendant

I never want to make anything too complicated with a point pendant so I’ll probably just hang this from some chain and wear it layered with other necklaces.

6 x 4 mm Chinese Crystal Rondelle Beads, Sapphire, 48 Pieces

I’d probably call these beads cobalt instead of sapphire, but that’s a minor point. They are a very pretty color that matches a lot of other beads in my stash (I also used some in a necklace this month).

30 mm “To the Moon and Back” Pendant

I am not really one to wear jewelry with words (or faces) on it. However, I do get asked to make jewelry gifts for people from time to time, so this will get used at some point.

12 x 9 mm Open Star Drops, 18 Pieces

I used a handful of these in a necklace this month, but I have some left over. These are small enough to use in earrings or in a charm bracelet, or on the sides of a focal piece in a necklace.

Silver Star Links, 5 Pieces

These silvertone links are not really silver, but that’s a minor point. I haven’t seen too many links like this (with one hole and one loop) and I was intrigued by the design possibilities. I used a few of these in a necklace this month.

8” Strand 6mm Star Spacer Beads

These are a little awkward to string but it’s not really noticeable unless you get close. They may look best alternating with some smaller beads (seed beads or the like). I used a few in my necklace (see below).

19 x 14 mm Supernova Toggle Clasp

This month, we received two different kinds of clasps. I did end up using this one on my necklace this month. It’s not too exciting (mostly just functional) but I provided a picture below.

I remembered having all these crescent pendants, which of course fit with a moon-related theme, so I decided to use one.  Other than that, some headpins, eye pins, and jump rings. Everything in this necklace comes from this month’s box.

Verdict: I did not calculate a value for Bargain Bead Box, as explained above. The information sheet gives a retail value of about $52 and I can believe that value if you were to go out looking for similar beads to purchase individually. Looking at it another way, you are paying just under $1 per item since the price is $15.95 and there were 17 items this month. And THAT is a pretty good deal. I think blue and silver make for a nice color combination.

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

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, you would receive the April 2018 box as your first one, although they do sometimes offer past boxes on their site, and individual items can sometimes be purchased from Bead Box Bargains.

Value Breakdown: At $15.95 for this subscription, you are paying $0.95 per item.

Check out all of our Bargain Bead Box reviews 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!

What did you think of the March 2018 Bargain Bead Box? Do you subscribe to any beading or craft boxes?