Bargain Bead Box Subscription Review – January 2017

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.)

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

Check out all of our Bargain Bead Box reviews 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!

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

50 pieces 6 mm Bead Caps

You will nearly always get some bead caps in this subscription. I used quite a few of these in my necklace for this month, but luckily I have some left over to make coordinating pieces!

10 pieces 11 x 9 mm Flower Drops

One thing I like about this subscription is that the metal plating or finish is consistent with all the pieces. This month, the color scheme was antique copper and I was able to use a few of these in the necklace I made.

40 x 57 mm Multi-Loop Focal Component

53 x 62 mm Onate Multi-Loop Focal Component

You will usually get one or two large centerpieces with this subscription. I tend to prefer more delicate jewelry, but this month I challenged myself and used the top one. I do like the way it turned out, so maybe there are more necklaces of that sort in my future!

18 pieces 6 mm Chinese Crystal Coin Beads

I love flat ovals, squares, and circles, so these were right up my alley. But, I think they need to go with some silver findings so I am saving them for a future project.

10 pieces 10 x 8 mm Pink Chinese Crystal Rondelle Beads

These work well with a Valentine’s Day theme, or they could be saved for more of a “spring flowers” type of piece.

2 Sets Flower Accent Toggle Clasp

You’ll usually get some clasps with this subscription. These are fun. They aren’t my first choice of clasp type for the necklace I made, but I couldn’t find the antique copper lobster claw clasps I KNOW I have, so I did use one. (I think I need to sort beads not just into metal and glass, but into specific metal tones because I have 5 or 6. I had to hunt for my antique copper headpins this month, too!)

2 Pieces 20 x 16 mm Textured Floral Round Charms

I like these. I think they are a bit large for a charm bracelet (what I usually do with items of this type), but they would work for earrings or a necklace.

4 Pieces 11 mm Premium Lampwork Glass Swirl Beads with Silver Foil

I am collecting lampwork beads with foil from all my subscriptions. I have something in mind once I accumulate enough of them. So I am hanging on to these.

4 Pieces 12 x 9 mm Chinese Crystal Oval Beads in Greige

These actually look pretty nice with something I got in Bead Crate this month. (I freely mix beads from different subscriptions. Why not?)

Apologies, my camera seems not to have wanted to focus on these. Or else my contact lenses are dried out and the picture is fine. But I suspect the first.

32 pieces 6 mm Dyed Red Malaysian Jade Beads

32 pieces 6 mm Natural Purple Aventurine Round Beads

At one time, I bought a ton of 6 mm round gemstone beads (cheaper gemstones of course). I am thinking I can combine these with stuff from my stash to make a nice, multi-gemstone necklace and bracelet set. When I have free time. One of these days…

26 x 30 mm Hand-Carved Synthetic Coral Rose Pendant

This is a good pendant size for me. Not too big! I love the color and the carved detail. I had grand ideas of making two example jewelry pieces for this month but time started slipping away so I am hanging on to this for now.

2 pieces 11 mm Synthetic Coral Hand-Carved Floral Beads

Similarly, I think these are quite pretty. I am trying to decide between using them with pearls (and goldtone accents) or using them with turquoise (and silvertone accents). Decisions, decisions…

15” strand 4 mm Garnet Round Beads

Red is my favorite color so these are a win (and I really like the deep red of garnet, overall). A nice, basic bead that could be used for any number of things.

50 pieces 4 mm Brass Stardust Spacer Beads, Copper Finished

I used some of these in the necklace I made for this month, as well. I really like stardust finish beads but rarely work with them because they can be expensive.

5 pieces 8 mm Synthetic Coral Hand-Carved Floral Beads

4 pieces 10 mm Synthetic Coral Hand-Carved Rose Beads

You know, I think I like synthetic coral more than the real thing. At least for polished pieces (as opposed to more informal, natural-looking pieces). These are so pretty. I just really want to spend some time and think of the perfect way to use them since I don’t have so many to work with.

All right, so although I love the faux coral beads, I am just not feeling them in combination with antiqued copper. However, I have been buying a ton of fancy Czech glass in colors that I think look good with copper. So, I grabbed some of those to work up a quick necklace. (I have also been on a copper binge lately.) I usually shy away from the larger centerpieces you get with this subscription but I did use one this month and I think it turned out well. You will see the smaller centerpiece, some of the copper flower charms, the bead caps, and the stardust spacer beads in this necklace. I also used one of the toggle clasps.

Verdict: I did not calculate a value for Bargain Bead Box, as explained above. The letter that came with the package says the retail value is $53, which is more than three times the cost of the subscription. I just really feel like there was a TON of stuff this month (as there is every month) and I love that you get findings and metal pieces in addition to just beads.

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

What did you think of the January 2017 Bargain Bead Box? Do you subscribe to any beading or craft boxes?