Bargain Bead Box is a monthly DIY subscription promising over $50 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.)
About Bargain Bead Box
The Subscription Box: Bargain Bead Box
The Cost: $17.95/month
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: The US (free), Canada for $3.50, and worldwide for a low cost. Contact Bargain Bead Box for affordable international rates.
Bargain Bead Box February 2020 "Citrus" Review
Bargain Bead Box always includes a few clasps and other findings in matching metal tones; this month they were in a silver 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. The back contained a list of the month’s beads. I just want to say that I really like how they're now indicating whether items are lead free (all the metals are) or nickel free (most of the metals are).
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.
8 mm Leaf Bead Caps, 40 pieces
You'll get bead caps pretty much every month with this subscription. I didn't feel these were quite the right size to use in the designs I made this month, but they will go into my stash where they can be used in the future. I have quite the collection of bead caps after several years of this subscription. For what it's worth, with Bargain Bead Box, the metal tone of the findings, charms, chain, etc. will always match in a given package.
14 x 19 mm Smooth Toggle Clasps, 5 sets
You'll also always get clasps with this subscription. Usually (like this month), they are toggles. I used two of these but the extra three will go into my stash for future use. I rarely have to buy clasps anymore, I can just go digging through my finding collection and use something from a past month of this box.
4 mm Daisy Spacer Beads, 100 pieces
You'll usually get spacer or accent beads as well. These are a pretty classic shape. I used them in two different pieces of jewelry this month but there were a lot so I have plenty left over.
7" Strand 6 mm Faceted Malaysia Jade (quartz) Round Beads
Malaysia "jade" is a trade name for a variety of quartz. In this instance, it is dyed a peridot color. The faceting is pretty subtle so these mostly just look round unless you get really close. I used some of them in a necklace.
10 x 9 mm Matte Stripe Crystal Round Beads, Lemon Chiffon AB, 12 pieces
Chinese crystal is commonplace in this subscription. Although it doesn't come in as many colors as Swarovski, it is a much less expensive way to get a lot of sparkle. I used some of these in a bracelet.
10 mm Lemon Slice Handmade Polymer Clay Beads, 20 pieces
The month's theme is citrus, so these fit right in. These would be great for some casual weekend jewelry. They are a little whimsical for me, personally, but they would work very nicely in a gift. You could actually use quite a lot of these in earrings as they are very lightweight.
34 x 20 mm Leaf Chandelier Components, 2 pieces
These could be used in chandelier earrings, as their name suggests. However, findings like this are also useful for making necklaces where you want to go from one to multiple strands. I haven't decided which way I will use these just yet.
25 mm Triple Leaf Drops, 4 pieces
I had an idea for these so you will see two of them in a pair of earrings below. Not sure what I will do with the others just yet.
8" Strand 6 x 4 mm Crystal Rondelle Beads, Matte Lemon Chiffon AB
Here's some more Chinese crystal in a matching shade. I used a lot of this in a necklace, which you can see below.
10 mm Lampwork Glass Round Beads, 10 pieces
I have a lot of smaller lampwork beads like these. One of these days I'm going to raid my stash for them and use them all together in a project, as most of them seem to be around the same size and shape.
15" Strand 6 mm Crackle Agate Round Beads, Lemon Meringue
I used some of these in a necklace as well, which you can see below. You'll usually get a few semiprecious gemstone beads each month in Bargain Bead Box. Because this is a relatively inexpensive box, you'll never get something really expensive, but if you like agates and jaspers and quartzes, I expect you'll be happy with what you get here.
"Never Give Up" Charms, 4 pieces
I'm not much for jewelry with words (or faces) but, like the polymer clay beads from above, these could be great as part of a gift for the right person.
Top-Drilled Yellow Agate Pendant
You'll usually get one or two large centerpieces with this subscription. This one is on the small side, compared with past months. I actually don't think I have other kite-shaped pendants. I think this one might look nice with some wire wrapping, though.
5.5" Strand Lime Green Opaque Glass Beads
These called to me for some reason (probably because I have two green dresses?) so I used them in a bracelet, which you can see below.
1 m 3 x 2 mm Steel Jewelry Chain
You'll get chain pretty much every month. It is always steel chain that is plated in whatever metal finish is used that month, and there are lots of different styles (e.g., cable, rolo, curb, figaro, etc.). I used a little of this in my earrings this month. Because this is steel, it is best to cut it with industrial pliers as it may mar standard jewelry wire cutters.
7.5" Strand 8 mm Millefiori Glass Coin Beads
I think this is about the only bead this month with both green and yellow. Because these are also flat discs, I tend to want to place them next to the polymer clay beads. I'm not sure what I'll do with them just yet but I will think of something.
2 Pieces 13 mm Enameled Brass Lemon Charms
I thought these were really cute so I used them in some earrings. You can see them below. (I recently bought a bunch of enamel charms so this is just a phase I am going through, I expect. There are a lot of cute ones out there these days, though.)
7.5" Strand Yellow Agate English Cut Faceted Round Beads
Here is some more agate. I think this is usually called "star cut" when used in gemstones (whereas "English cut" is a shape of firepolished Czech glass) although the shapes are pretty similar. Anyway, this goes nicely with the other agate if you are looking for some variation in texture.
Here are a couple of things I made this month; all are simple so you get three instead of one:
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Here are some earrings. I just cut a short length of chain for each (those are electrician's wirecutters in the photo) and used some jump rings and earring hooks from my stash. These also use some of the 3-leaf drops and of course the enameled lemon charms.
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Here is a bracelet I made. My idea here was kind of do to a set without it matching 100%, but still having a color theme. I used some of the Chinese crystal and green glass rounds along with the daisy spacers and one of the clasps. I used some stringing wire and crimps from my stash.
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And here is a necklace that uses another clasp and more daisy spacers but also some of the Malaysia jade, the smaller Chinese crystals, and the smaller agates (as well as stringing wire and crimps from my stash).
Verdict: I did not calculate a value for Bargain Bead Box, as explained above. The information sheet gives a retail value of about $61 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 a little less than $1 per item since the price is $17.95 and there were 18 items this month. And THAT is a pretty good deal.
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 March 2020 box as your first one if you sign up before the 9th, although they do sometimes offer past boxes on their site, and individual items can sometimes be purchased from Bead Box Bargains.
Value Breakdown: At $17.95 for this subscription, you are paying a little less than $1 per item.
Check out my past reviews of Bargain Bead Box and see more of our arts and crafts boxes for more great beading, craft supply, and DIY project boxes.
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What did you think of the February 2020 Bargain Bead Box? Do you subscribe to any beading or craft boxes?
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