Blueberry Cove Beads is a beading subscription from Canada. Every month they ship beads and supplies and post a challenge incorporating one or more items from the box. If you choose to enter the challenge, you can share photos of your project and may win your next month’s box free!
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About Blueberry Cove Beads
The Subscription Box: Blueberry Cove Beads
The Cost: $22 per month plus $3.50 shipping to Canada, $5 shipping to the US, or $8.50 shipping internationally
The Products: A curated selection of beads and findings centered on a theme.
Ships to: U.S. and Canada
Good to know: You will receive this towards the end of the month or the beginning of the next month if you live in the U.S. since it is shipping from Canada. (Blueberry Cove Beads did recently start using a new shipping service so now you can track your packages, though!)
Blueberry Cove Beads August 2018 Review
Blueberry Cove Beads shipments always center around a theme. This month had a bee preservation theme:
There isn’t a traditional information card with this box. This month’s challenge was to make a pair of earrings.
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. Even different colors of the same size and shape of glass beads are priced differently due to materials needed to make the colors! So I have opted not to provide prices in this review.
Please note that no directions are given and you have to supply your own needles, stringing materials, tools, and findings. Also, note that you will receive this towards the end of the month or the beginning of the next month if you live in the US since it is shipping from Canada. (Blueberry Cove Beads did recently start using a new shipping service so now you can track your packages, though!)
Goldtone Honeycomb Charm
Since bees were the theme, of course, there should be some honeycomb items. I thought this was quite delicate and thus perfect for me since I prefer delicate jewelry items. I used this in a necklace.
Chinese Crystal Coins
I am only assuming these are Chinese crystal (but it is an educated guess). I think they are quite lovely but I have been into the larger sizes of Chinese crystal lately so it is no surprise that I like them. I haven’t figured out what I want to do with them yet but I’ll bet I have a ton of coordinating beads in my stash and can come up with something very sparkly.
Oxidized Brass Finish Bee Charms
With this subscription, you’ll often get a few metal items (usually charms) and they won’t always match in metal tone. Although that may prevent you from using multiple different items in a piece of jewelry, it does allow you to choose your favorite color. I have a ton of chain and clasps that match these and think they would be great in a charm bracelet with some lighter colored beads for contrast.
Bee Charm
This is a goldtone bee charm with what looks like tiny rhinestones on the wings. I used this in a necklace with the honeycomb charm above. This was also pretty small and delicate (which is a good thing in my opinion).
Enameled Honeycombs
These are charms or components without traditional loops but plenty of connection opportunities, nonetheless. There is a yellow enamel material in the closed hexagons. I ultimately decided against using them in my earrings this month (would’ve been too much going on) but I may make a different pair of earrings incorporating them.
Yellow and Orange Top-Drilled Drops
I didn’t realize at first, but there are actually two pairs of drops here, one in a yellow color and one with a bit more orange. They are kind of reminiscent of honey. I used them in some delicate earrings.
Gray Chinese Crystal Accent Beads
I really don’t know what to call these. Apparently = Blueberry Cove Beads posts a materials list each month in a Facebook group, but I don’t have a Facebook account, so I have to make my best guess about what each item is. Anyway, these have the look of Chinese crystal and again, I’m very happy to receive some larger beads in this material. I am not sure what metal tone I think would look best with these; I will have to do some experimenting.
Resin Flowers
Flowers definitely go with bees! I would almost want to set these as focals in either beadweaving or bead embroidery because they would otherwise be rather top-heavy (they are drilled side-to-side) and I’d prefer to control their orientation. Based on what I’ve seen online lately, jewelry made from resin flowers is kind of trendy.
Silvertone Bee Charms
Here are some bee charms in a different metal finish. I could always use them with the others in a mixed-metal piece, or I could make a charm bracelet with these and other silver charms from my stash. There are a lot of possibilities!
Chinese Crystal Bicones
Some green was definitely needed to go with the bees and flowers, and here it is. These are 4mm (I think) and they would work well in patterns if you wanted to use them separately from the other box items.
Small Stone Rounds
I *think* these are some kind of semiprecious stone due to the irregular banding and patterning on them. There are quite a lot of them. You’ll always get a few accent bead strands with this subscription and I do think these do a nice job of coordinating with the theme and the other items.
Large Stone Rounds
I also only think these are some kind of semiprecious stone (I don’t want to venture a guess as to the identity). They have an interesting surface texture, which you can kind of see in the picture. These would go well next to some of the smaller rounds or could even be used in right-angle weave with the proper planning.
I decided to go for a totally minimalist look this time. I made a two-strand necklace with the bee charm and the honeycomb charm, some goldtone chain from my stash, and some findings I already had (I connected the bee with a pendant bail so it was oriented in the direction I wanted).
That didn’t seem like much, so I also made a pair of delicate earrings with the drops. I need to work on my technique with attaching top-drilled drops to chain; I suspect thinner wire and a “messy” wrap style will work (although probably better with larger drops). The hooks are anodized niobium, which is why the color is a bit off. You can’t match tone with that, but it is hypoallergenic without requiring a coating.
Verdict: I did not calculate a value here because it is hard to find similar items when you don’t know the precise materials the beads are made from (I do wish there was more information on the card that comes with the box, in case I find something I’d like to order more of). There were 12 items (if I counted right) so you are paying about $2.25 an item once you factor in the cost of shipping. I think that is reasonable, especially since there were some stone beads, lots of crystal, and a fair number of charms.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, your first box would be September's. From Blueberry Cove Beads:
Members are billed on the 3rd of each month and boxes are mailed out around the 9th of the month.
Sometimes leftover monthly boxes show up in the Blueberry Cove Beads shop and they occasionally have sales, too!
Value Breakdown: At $27 for this box, including shipping, you are paying about $2.25 per item.
Check out all of our Blueberry Cove Bead reviews and the Craft Subscription Box Directory for more great craft supply and DIY project boxes!
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What did you think of the August 2018 Blueberry Cove Beads? Do you subscribe to any beading or craft boxes?
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