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Bargain Bead Box Subscription Review – March 2019

Ragan Buckley
ByRagan BuckleyMar 20, 2019 | 10 comments

Bargain Bead Box March 2019 - Envelope

Bargain Bead Box
5 overall rating
10 Ratings | 2 Reviews

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

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

Bargain Bead Box March 2019 - Organza Bargain Bead Box March 2019 - Review

About Bargain Bead Box

The Subscription Box: Bargain Bead Box

The Cost: $15.95

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

Ships to: US (free), Canada for $7.50

Check out the Craft Subscription Box Directory for more great beading, craft supply, and DIY project boxes, or see my past reviews of Bargain Bead Box here.

Bargain Bead Box March 2019 “Explorer” Review

Bargain Bead Box always includes a few clasps and other findings in matching metal tones; this month they were in an antique silver finish. Here’s more about the specific items in the box this month:

Bargain Bead Box March 2019 - Booklet Front Bargain Bead Box March 2019 - Booklet Back

There was a letter in the box with some more information on the theme (“Explorer”). 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!

Bargain Bead Box March 2019 - Bicones

15” Strand 4mm Chinese Crystal Bicone Beads, Aqua

You’ll get a lot of Chinese crystal in this subscription. It doesn’t have quite the regular faceting or quite the same number of colors and finishes as Swarovski, but it still provides a nice level of sparkle at a really good price. 4mm bicones are a standard inclusion for the box. I used some of these in a necklace this month.

Bargain Bead Box March 2019 - Chain

1m 4mm Steel Curb Chain

You’ll usually get jewelry chain in this subscription as well. It tends to be on the delicate side, like this. It is usually plated steel, so be sure to use some industrial strength pliers (or memory wire cutters would work) because it will mar your standard jewelry pliers. I needed chunkier chain this month so I’ve put this in my stash where I will use it for a future project.

Bargain Bead Box March 2019 - Clasps

2 Pieces 29 x 17mm Fancy Jumbo Lobster Claw Clasp

You’ll always get at least a couple of clasps in this subscription. These are big enough that when I do use them, I think I’d like to feature them in the front of a design instead of the back. So I’m going to look up some examples online for inspiration. For what it’s worth, all the metal toned items in a month’s shipment matchup (this month it is a bright goldtone).

Bargain Bead Box March 2019 - Compass

28mm Compass Pendant

The theme of this package is “Explorer” and this is the most obvious item relating to that. This is a little bigger than a quarter; probably too big for a bracelet (unless it was a focal point) but good for a delicate necklace.

Bargain Bead Box March 2019 - Darker Rondelles

24 Pieces 8 x 6mm Chinese Crystal Rondelle Beads, Teal Shimmer

Here is some Chinese crystal in a different shape; you can see some of these in the necklace I made below.

Bargain Bead Box March 2019 - Diamonds

8 Pieces 14mm Embossed Diamond-Shaped Metal Beads

These are cool but I have a different idea for them involving some charms I have in my stash and some larger sized, mixed-finish seed beads. But one of the nice things about this subscription is, there’s enough material to make several pieces of jewelry.

Bargain Bead Box March 2019 - Electroplated

7.5” Strand 8mm Electroplated Agate Beads, Deep Blue Iris

These are a lovely color and wherever the surface isn’t smooth, you get a druzy look which is kind of fun. You’ll usually get a few semiprecious beads in this subscription, often rounds (like these) but occasionally pendants or other items. I haven’t decided how to use these yet although I do have a pattern calling for 8mm rounds in which these might be really interesting.

Bargain Bead Box March 2019 - Faceted Rondelles

40 Pieces 6 x 4mm Chinese Crystal Rondelle Beads, Sky Blue Shimmer

Here are some slightly smaller rondelles. You can see these in the necklace I made this month, as well.

Bargain Bead Box March 2019 - Faceted Rounds

50 Pieces 4mm Chinese Crystal Round Beads, Steel Blue Shimmer

And here is a third Chinese crystal shape; these are actually a faceted round rather than a bicone or rondelle. It’s not as obvious unless you look closely, but I do like getting a variety of shapes and colors.

Bargain Bead Box March 2019 - Glass Links

2 Pieces 34 x 20mm Faceted Glass Links, Steel Blue

We got two different pairs of links this month. These have faceted glass and I think they will look good either alone as bracelet centerpieces, or on either side of a pendant or focal in a more statement-like necklace.

Bargain Bead Box March 2019 - Metal Rounds

50 Pieces 4mm Round Metal Spacer Beads

You’ll usually get some metal accent beads in this subscription, simple rounds or cubes or something. This month it is basic metal rounds but I ended up using almost all of these as I liked the contrast they provided and I needed something relatively small.

Bargain Bead Box March 2019 - Opalite Links

2 Pieces 16 x 22mm Sky Blue Opalite Round Links

Opalite is a manmade mineral that looks a bit like opal. I used these in my necklace this month (I thought using both types of links would be a little too much, and I felt these matched my colors a bit better).

Bargain Bead Box March 2019 - Pendant

54 x 32mm Embossed Pendant

Large pendants are another feature of Bargain Bead Box. This is really quite big and I think I’m just going to use it in a strung necklace where the other beads are smaller and less showy (like some muted jasper or agate gemstone rounds, as an example).

Bargain Bead Box March 2019 - Quartz Pendant

32 x 25mm Faceted Quartz Pendant with Gold-Plated Brass

I think these are trendy at the moment, or at least, this Etsy seller has a TON of similar items. This would work really well with this month’s chain in a simple necklace (or one designed for layering).

Bargain Bead Box March 2019 - Skulls

5 Pieces 10 x 8mm Chinese Crystal Skull Beads, Steel Blue AB

I knew that you could find Chinese crystal in some standard shapes like rounds, bicones, and rondelles, but I had never seen anything really shaped like these. I have a growing collection of skull beads of various types (Czech glass, magnesite, and now these) and I think it might be fun to hang on to them for a few months and make something for Halloween with mixed materials.

Bargain Bead Box March 2019 - Smooth Rondelles

10.5” Strand 6 x 4mm Opaque Glass Rondelle Beads, Denim Blue

Here is another rondelle but this one is smooth (and glass as opposed to Chinese crystal). I think these will look lovely with some blue and white porcelain or some gemstone rounds in a strung design, and they’re a good size to go in a bracelet.

Bargain Bead Box March 2019 - Necklace 1 Bargain Bead Box March 2019 - Necklace 2

Here is a necklace I made using some of the links, a lot of the Chinese crystal, and some hammered chain and circular components I had at home. I felt that the scale of this necklace required a larger chain than was provided in the box. You can see a lot of Fireline showing if you look closely; it is probably best to end these circular elements with a smaller row of beads, but I was trying not to add too much stuff that wasn’t from this box.

Verdict: I did not calculate a value for Bargain Bead Box, as explained above. The information sheet gives a retail value of about $58 and I can believe that value if you were to go out looking for similar beads to purchase individually. There is definitely enough here to make several pieces of jewelry, too. Looking at it another way, you are paying just about $1 per item since the price is $15.95 and there were 16 items this month. And THAT is a pretty good deal. I had it in my head that I wanted to make something kind of like this and it turned out that this month’s beads lent themselves to this project really 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 April 2019 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 per item.

Check out all of our Bargain Bead Box reviews and more craft subscription boxes in the DIY Subscription Box List!

Keep track of your subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

What did you think of the March 2019 Bargain Bead Box?  Do you subscribe to any beading or craft boxes?

Starting at $19.49
Subscribe Now

Bargain Bead Box is a monthly subscription box for bead lovers and jewelry designers. Each shipment includes over $40 worth of glass, gemstone, crystal, and/or metal beads & findings for $17.95 per month, curated around a surprise theme.

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

Heidi

This necklace is absolutely spectacular!

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SJ

I just started getting this box, and I’m absolutely in LOVE with it. I think it’s my absolutely favorite box of all.
I really enjoy your reviews (They are what convinced my to start this subscription!) And I especially love seeing what you made with the beads. This necklace… Beautiful!!

By the way, it was 17.95 to order the March box, and looks like that will be their price going forward.

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Joan

This necklace is just amazing! At first, I didn’t even recognize the original beads and thought you had used something from a previous box. Great talent indeed.

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Melissa Jones

Your talent amazes me! I love seeing the pieces you come up with. Great job!

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Stacy

Beautiful necklace!

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Caligirl

So talented

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Virginia

Lovely necklace. I imagine it took quite some time to make it.

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Ragan

It was actually really fast (for me), I’d say less than an hour. But I have been doing a lot of brick stitch around rings lately so I have practice.

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Adina

The necklace is great!

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DawnS

Oooohhh I love that necklace Ragan! Beautiful!

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