BeadCrate Subscription Box Review – April 2018

BeadCrate is a monthly subscription box for beading enthusiasts. Choose from “The Enthusiast” for $15.99 a month or “The Collector” for $35 a month. You can also buy a single box to see if this subscription is for you.

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 Enthusiast, $15.99 a month, box. 

About BeadCrate

The Subscription Box: BeadCrate

The Cost: “The Enthusiast” for $15.99 a month or "The Collector" for $35 a month. Save with longer subscriptions.

The Products: A selection of beads curated around a monthly theme (or beads that are just cool and random)

Ships to: U.S. (free for “The Collector” and $5 for “The Enthusiast”)

BeadCrate April 2018 “Girls Best Friend” Review

Bead Crate is great for stash-building if you are into seed beads and Czech glass, and you’ll also usually get some useful supplies:

This letter/information sheet accompanied the shipment. The theme this month was “Girl’s Best Friend” (referring to “diamonds,” of course).

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!

2mm Crystal AB Faceted Rounds, 50

These are so small and sparkly. I haven’t used these yet but they are super versatile and will go with nearly anything. Crystal AB is always a good finish to go around.

12 x 16 mm Crystal Pear Shaped Drops, 4

These look pink on this background but they are probably reflecting light from the walls of the room where I took the photo (the walls are red). I promise I am going back to a neutral-colored background soon (Angus got ahold of my last one and it is not in good shape now, but the new one has been ordered). These are smooth and would work in earrings as long as there are not too many other components or you will be getting heavy pretty fast. Or you could use them on either side of a central pendant in a necklace.

11/0 Toho Seed Beads in Transparent Rainbow Crystal, 16g

You’ll usually get seed beads with this subscription, mostly size 11/0 or size 8/0. I used these as spacers in my necklace this month but I have tons left over for bead weaving projects, and this is a handy color to have.

6 mm Sapphire Rounds, 50

In addition to the clear “diamond” beads, we received several other jewel tones for the month. I used these in the back part of my necklace this month (you should be able to see a few of them in the top photo below).

7 x 6 mm Siam Ruby Sparkling Diamonds, 25

Here is the second jewel toned item for the month.  This is a really pretty color of red (one of my favorite colors of glass bead, to be honest) and I managed to use a few of them on my necklace this month.

3 mm Crystal/Color Faceted Rounds, 50

You’ll usually get more than one type of fire polished round with this subscription. They come in a variety of sizes. You’ve seen the 2mm ones already, but here are some 3mm ones in a variegated color scheme. These are nice springtime colors and these are a good size to be used in various bead weaving patterns, as well.

22 x 8 mm Quest Loop Connector, 2

These are right up my alley. They have an antique brass finish and a bit of a rustic look. They seem like necklace elements to me and I will probably use them to connect a back chain to a beaded centerpiece. I have a lot of matching chain and findings in my stash already!

9 x 6 mm Emerald Green Tear Drops, 25

Here is the third jewel tone from this shipment. I used these at the bottom of some chain dangles in a necklace this month (see below) but I have more left over for other projects.

4 x 8 mm Rosaline Flowers, 25

These aren’t a jewel tone, exactly, but the pink is nice for feminine and spring designs and they match a lot of things already in my stash. Plus, there are enough of them for use in necklaces and/or bracelets.

30 x 11 mm Crystal AB Feather Tubes, 3

These are pretty big.  Both sides look a little different, which is a design consideration, although, with one hole, these would freely rotate instead of being stuck in place like with two-hole beads. I am not yet sure how I will use these because I haven’t seen beads like this before and so I don’t have any ideas incubating in the back of my mind (yet).

6 mm Crystal AB Faceted Rounds, 25

I think these are the inspiration for this month’s theme since they are faceted and shiny (hence, “diamonds”). I have actually only used one so far (see the center of the flower below) but this is a versatile bead that will be appropriate in all kinds of designs and will work in quite a few different color schemes.

4 mm Crystal Druks, 50

I’ve been hoarding 4mm rounds lately for use in bead weaving patterns. So these will go right into my stash of 4mm glass rounds for later use. This is a good color for patterns because it matches nearly everything (especially other colors of transparent glass) and can help display a specialty finish in neighboring beads.

I like to go to Google image sometimes when I am looking for ideas for bead subscription boxes. I found an Art Nouveau necklace somewhere (have totally lost the link to the original image now) and decided to try to replicate it using brass stampings and connectors and chain from my stash. This does a passable job, I think. There is ONE crystal bead at the center of the flower.

Verdict: I did not calculate a value for BeadCrate, as explained above in my note about prices. If you divide the cost of the box plus shipping by the number of items (I counted 12), you get about $1.75 per item. I had fun looking for inspiration this month. Although my necklace really doesn’t have much to do with the theme (I only used one clear bead, not counting the seed beads), it just goes to show that you can totally take the box contents and follow your own taste and come up with something unique.

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

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, your subscription would start with the May box. Destash items and excess inventory (and sometimes whole boxes) may occasionally be available in the BeadCrate Etsy shop.

Value Breakdown: At $20.99 for this subscription (counting shipping), you are paying about $1.75 per item.

Check out all my BeadCrate reviews and 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 April BeadCrate? Do you subscribe to any beading or craft boxes?