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 June 2018 "Rustic" Review
Bargain Bead box always includes a few clasps and other findings in matching metal tones; this month they were in an antiqued brass finish. Here’s more about the specific items in the box this month:
There was a letter in the box with some more information on the theme “Rustic”. The back contained a list of the month’s beads. There’s always a coupon for 30% off their retail website, too.
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!
50 Pieces 5.5mm Star Bead Caps
If you like bead caps, this is the subscription for you. You will get some nearly every month, and always in coordinating colors with other findings. These were about the right size for the mahogany obsidian rounds, but I opted to hold onto them for future use instead.
4 Pieces 13mm Hammered-Style Donuts
The hammering matches these to some of the other components and the large hole provides several different options for stringing. I haven’t used these yet but I am thinking of incorporating them into some knotwork designs.
2 Pieces 19mm Hammered Round Links
These could definitely be used with one of the larger pendants this month if you wanted, as they match in color and design. Although I had something different in mind for that pendant so I am hanging on to these for now.
1m 5 x 4mm Steel Twist Jewelry Chain
You’ll often get a chain with this subscription. It is usually plated steel, so just be forewarned that you may want to use memory wire cutters or get some industrial strength cutters, as most wire cutters designed for beading are for softer, non-ferrous metals (copper, silver, brass, aluminum, etc.).
30 Pieces 6mm Metallic Glass Beads, Burnished Gold Finish
We got some of these in a different color last month. I needed some various rounds for the necklace I wanted to make this month, and I used a handful of these (see below). I still have some left over if I want to make a coordinating piece.
15” Strand 8mm Maifanite Beads
I had never heard of maifanite before. Apparently, it is a mineral used in Chinese medicine to treat skin diseases and is used in some shower water filters. At any rate, I like the different colors here and I used a fair number of these in a necklace this month.
8 Pieces 14 x 10 mm Nugget Beads
I was not expecting these to be solid metal, but they are, so they are kind of heavy for their size. They definitely fit the “rustic” theme and the metal tone matches all the other metallic items in the shipment. I am not sure how I will use them yet but they are at the back of my mind now and I know I’ll come up with something soon.
32 Pieces 6mm Mahogany Obsidian Round Beads
I used a few of these in a necklace this month; they looked good with the brecciated jasper donut (see below). I actually have rather a lot of mahogany obsidian in my collection so the ones I have remaining will fit right in.
100+ Pieces 4mm Chinese Crystal Bicones in Pale Topaz AB
You’ll almost always get a few different kinds of Chinese crystal with this subscription (basically it is less expensive than Czech or Austrian crystal, but still has a lot of sparkles and some nice faceting). I like using the Chinese crystal bicones from this subscription in right angle weave pieces, so this has gone into my stash for temporary holding until I can locate some bicones or rounds in a coordinating color (probably I already have what I need…).
46.5mm Hammered Round Pendant
This goes well with the hammered round links and donuts, or you could take a different route (as I did; see below). You’ll usually get one or two pendants with this subscription and often they are quite large. It is often a challenge for me to use these large pendants because I am small-boned and tend to want to wear delicate jewelry, but I managed to make something I like quite a bit this month.
30mm Brecciated Jasper Donut Pendant
I used to struggle with how to use donuts until I discovered glue-on bails. Thankfully I had some in a matching metal finish so I was able to bring a design idea I had to life. I’ve always been a fan of brecciated jasper, by the way.
3 Pieces 19mm Hammered-Style Toggle Clasps
You’ll usually get clasps with this subscription (toggle clasps are the most common, but you do occasionally see others). I needed a clasp for the necklace I made this month, so I used one of these.
18 Pieces 6 x 5mm Chinese Crystal Fancy Bicone Beads, Jonquil AB
You don’t always get plain 4mm bicones when you get Chinese crystal with this subscription, sometimes you get rondelles or other shapes. These are slightly larger and have a little bit of a different cross-section than the others. I have been collecting yellow beads lately so I have a lot that will match these.
40 Pieces 4mm Half-Matte Glass Window Beads, Jonquil AB
These match the larger yellow bicones perfectly, of course. They could be used in a pattern calling for 4mm beads to add some interest (as opposed to fire polished rounds or druks). That is probably what I’ll do with mine.
Here is a necklace I made with some of this month’s items. I had some glue-on bails in a matching metal finish so I used E6000 to attach two of those to the donut so I could add the second pendant, as well. Then I strung various round beads from this month and finished off with one of the included clasps. The fabric is some recycled sari silk that I had that I thought would be fun to use as well.
Verdict: I did not calculate a value for Bargain Bead Box, as explained above. The information sheet gives a retail value of about $54 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 over $1 per item since the price is $15.95 and there were 14 items this month. And THAT is a pretty good deal. I am pleased with myself for managing to use both the centerpieces in one necklace and the accent beads and clasps came in handy, as well.
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 July 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 about $1.13 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!
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What did you think of the July 2018 Bargain Bead Box? Do you subscribe to any beading or craft boxes?
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