Dollar Bead Box Subscription Review – June 2018

Dollar Bead Box is a monthly delivery of beads and beading products. During a given month, reorder your favorite items from the Dollar Bead Box shop for just $1.00. (This deal is only available to subscribers.)

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

This review is of the full Dollar Bead Box, which is $19.50 a month + shipping. 

About Dollar Bead Box

The Subscription Box: Dollar Bead Box

The Cost: $19.50 + $4.50 shipping for the Dollar Bead Box, or $8 for the Dollar Bead Bag (4 strands of 3 mm Czech Fire Polish Beads and 4 strands of 4 mm Czech Fire Polish Beads in every bag); free US shipping with 3- and 6-month subscriptions (plus get an additional discount on 6-month subscriptions)

The Products: Beads and beading-related items including but not limited to stringing materials, Swarovski crystals, vintage glass, freshwater pearls, buttons, and more.

Ships to: US

Dollar Bead Box June 2018 Review

You’ll get a variety of different beads with this subscription. You can count on some strands and Czech glass nearly every month, but half the fun here is seeing what other random things show up. Let’s see what we got this month:

You’ll always get a brief letter and an item list from Dollar Bead Box. The item list is useful if you are looking to reorder something but don’t know what to call it; use the name to search their shop! (This list seems to have undergone a format update lately.) The folks at Dollar Bead Box recently went on a bead-buying trip in the Czech Republic and I’ll be interested to see in my box in the coming months, what sorts of things they brought back.

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!

6mm Czech Glass Druk, Aqua (35)

This is a happy coincidence. I’ve been stocking up on 6mm rounds and this color is perfect for my collection; I’ve been focusing a lot on aquas, teals, etc. lately.

0.18 in Beadalon Stringing Wire in Satin Gold (20 feet)

This is a good reminder that the Dollar Bead Box shop definitely carries some brand-name items as well as various strands and loose beads. I don’t do simple stringing often, but that means I don’t often buy beading wire, and getting it here usually supplies me with about the right amount for what I want to do. (Other months, you may receive other stringing materials, such as silk ribbon or elastic cord.)

Czech Glass 2-Hole Square, 6mm, Jet Black (25)

I puzzled over these for a minute. They are 2-hole squares but they are not tiles (which have two holes parallel to each other and the sides of the bead). These have two holes parallel to the diagonal axis of the bead, like silky beads, but they don’t have the surface features of silky beads. Of course I immediately had to go looking for more of these in different colors and I now have some on my way to me from the Czech Republic. I used some of these in a bracelet this month.

3mm Czech Firepolished Rounds, Matte Black (50)

You’ll usually get a few strands of basic bead types with this subscription. Black firepolished rounds are about as basic as you can get, but also very, very useful. Some of these made it into a bracelet this month.

9 x 26mm Pewter Cat Charm

This is just at the tail end of what I would consider an acceptable size for a charm bracelet (I have tiny wrists, though). I think this might be fun mixed with some other animal charms. I just need to buy some chunky silvertone chain and I’ll be all set.

4mm Silver-Plated Brass Square Chain (1 foot)

Ooh, this is pretty. I think it’s too delicate for a charm bracelet but it would work in several other contexts. I don’t have hardly any square chain in my collection so this really stands out to me.

4-6mm Carnelian Chips (10)

I get a lot of gemstone chips in subscription boxes. I keep telling myself I’ll come up with new and fun ways to use them. I think it is high time for a Google image search of gemstone chip jewelry. These will look nice with brass findings.

8mm M.C. Cuts Czech Crystal in Kelly Green (26)

These are pretty big and I’m likely to use them in stringing projects. I have some sea glass in similar colors and the difference in finish might be kind of cool to see in the same piece.

7mm Czech Firepolished Rounds in Rose Luster (30)

These are a bit big for use in patterns, as well, but this color goes nicely with the color palette I’ve been collecting lately, and these will be good in stringing projects as well.

10mm Pewter Large Hold Slider in Antique Brass (2)

I can see these strung over a thicker cord or something, maybe on either side of a pendant? Maybe if I ever get in gear and learn kumihimo, I can braid a narrow cord and slip these over it.

6-8mm Freshwater Pearl with Crystal Rhinestones

I have always thought this type of bead was neat but also that this type of bead was expensive. Honestly, getting one of these for a dollar in the Dollar Bead Box shop makes it worth it, as they usually go for more than that. Even if I only buy one more, that is enough for some earrings.

12 x 16mm Voodoo Bead, Matte Jet Black with Aqua Wash (2)

This is one of the items brought back from the Czech Republic by the Dollar Bead Box folks. I have to say, I think they are really cute. I would totally buy more of these in other colors.

0.7 x 8mm Split Ring, Antique Copper Plated (100)

These are handy for various purposes. I like to use them across from lobster claw clasps on beadwoven pieces because I feel they are a little more secure than jump rings when they have to stay in place on thin beading thread like Fireline.

5 x 19mm Swarovski Crystal Column 2-Hole Bead, Crystal Astral Pink

The selection of Swarovski crystal in the Dollar Bead Box shop is maybe not as extensive as other online sources, but the deals for what they do have available are great. The other thing is, I can see this in the Fire Mountain catalog but not have a good sense of how big this bead type is, and now that I have one in my hands, I can get a better sense of how I might use these.

12mm Czech Glass Turbine, Jet Black with Purple Iris (2)

We received this type of bead in a different color last month. I used them in a bracelet and these could also definitely be used that way, or in earrings, or on either side of a pendant.

3mm Czech Firepolished Rounds in Alabaster White (50)

Here is another very basic but very useful bead. I only have two of these left after making the bracelet you see below.

5 x 6mm Czech Glass Faceted Bead, Jet Black (10)

These are a small barrel shape, I don’t know if there is an official name, but they are a nice change of pace from your usual firepolished rounds, bicones, and the like. I think they might be made to work in patterns calling for 5mm rounds for a different look.

Here is a bracelet I made this month. I was intrigued by the idea of using only black and white beads and I’m actually pretty pleased with how it turned out since I came up with this on my own instead of following a pattern. I used a black finish lobster claw clasp from my stash to complete the look.

Verdict: I did not calculate a value for the June 2018 Dollar Bead Box, for reasons explained above. There were 17 items so if you divide the cost of the box by the number of items, it is about $1.41 per item. The mix was eclectic this month, but that’s usually the case.

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

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, but if there is an item that appeals to you, if you become a Dollar Bead Box member, you can order items from past Dollar Bead Boxes from the Dollar Bead Box shop for $1 each (plus shipping).

Value Breakdown: At $19.50 + $4.50 shipping for this subscription, you are paying about $1.41 per item.

Check out all of our Dollar Bead Box reviews and the Craft Subscription Box Directory! 

Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

What did you think of the June 2018 Dollar Bead Box?  Do you subscribe to any beading or craft boxes?