Adornable Elements Beads of the Month Club Review – December 2018

Adornable Elements Beads of the Month Clubs are the original beading subscription boxes (they’ve been around since 2000).

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

About Adornable Elements Beads of the Month Club

The Subscription Box: Adornable Elements Beads of the Month Club

The Products: 8 packages of color-coordinated beads; choose from “Hot and Trendy” beads, “2-Hole Beads,” “Superduos,” “11/0 Delicas,” “11/0 Seed Beads,” “Swarovski crystals,” or a rotating club where you get a different selection each month

The Cost: Varies depending on the club selected and whether you choose the single or double club; this is a review of the Hot and Trendy Beads of the Month, which is $22.95/month for 8 different types of color-coordinated shaped beads that may have one, three, or four holes; save a bit more with the double clubs

Note: I actually subscribe to several of these clubs and they all come in the same package (that’s why the box is so big). I’m going to do a rotation with these reviews so you’ll see something a little different each month.

Ships to: US, cost varies depending on the number of clubs subscribed to (shipping is $4.50 for one club; refer to their FAQ for shipping costs for additional clubs)

Adornable Elements Beads of the Month December 2018 “Sidewalk Chalk” Review

With this subscription, you receive a selection of shaped beads (with 1, 3, or 4 holes; there’s a separate subscription for 2-hole beads) in coordinating colors each month:

The package came with a list of the beads included as well as retail values. Note: I am using the retail values from this list. They seem reasonable to me, plus it is pretty much impossible to find each color from the same online shop, let alone the same exact package size, so things like quantity discounts are not going to apply here. This month’s theme is “Sidewalk Chalk.” This refers to a particular bead finish (i.e., “chalk”) that this month’s beads have.

Every couple of months you’ll get another one of these plastic cases. The beads come in flip-top cases you can store in these, or you can do like I do and use them for something else. I have my silk thread on cards in one, and tassels in another, and crescent pendants in another, etc.

Chalk Vega Luster Cali Beads (50) – Listed Value $3.25

Cali beads have three holes and they’ve been around long enough that there are plenty of patterns for them out there if you go looking, including some free ones. I have recently learned that “vega” usually means an amethyst-type coating over transparent red beads, but of course, the “chalk” and “luster” parts of the name will alter that a little bit.

Chalk Teal Luster Rountrio Beads (50) – Retail Value $4.75

This month marks the first month (I think) that I have seen beads from Potomac in Adornable Elements Beads of the Month subscriptions. (I had some others in my 2-hole subscription.) I am happy about this because although Potomac has great service and friendly people working there, their prices can be kind of high and they only have free shipping on $75+ shipments (as opposed to the $25 from other shops) and they don’t often have very good coupon codes, but they have you because their beads aren’t often available anywhere else (though after awhile some start to show up on Etsy). Anyway, these are round with three holes and I used a few of them in some earrings this month.

Chalk Vega Luster O Bead (6.25g) – Retail Value $4.25

O beads have a single hole (obviously) and are interchangeable with Toho 6/0 demi rounds. I have a few patterns that call for these and this color is definitely part of the palette I’ve been collecting lately.

Chalk Teal Luster Drop (10 pieces) – Listed Value $3.75

Well, what do you know? A bead type I’ve never seen before. There aren’t too many of those (I have at least 173 types of shaped beads, not counting seed beads, in my collection, which I know because I keep a list). I am sure I will order these in half a dozen more colors as soon as I find them for sale somewhere. In the meantime, I used two of them in some earrings, which you can see below.

Chalk Blue Luster UFOs (15 pieces) – Listed Value $4

I don’t see UFO beads too often (naturally I do have some already…). They have one hole and are on the larger side for a shaped bead. I think this pastel blue color would look good with either silvertone or brass accents, and of course, it could also be used in a pattern.

Chalk Blue Luster Teardrop (15 pieces) – Listed Value $2.25

These come in a lot of fun finishes including etched, sliperit (and etched sliperit! which I bought last week). Anyway, I felt that the first earring project I did for this month was a little bit simple so I did another pair by modifying the pattern I bought to work with these.

Chalk Red Luster Wheel Beads (7.5g) – Listed Value $2

OK, I knew about wheel beads, but the ones I have are 6mm, and these are smaller, maybe 4mm? So is this another new size I need to stock up on? So far I can’t find them for sale anywhere so I’ll put them on a list to watch for in the future. They would make good spacers or maybe I can come up with my own pattern for them.

Chalk Red Luster Rizo Beads (7.5g) – Listed Value $2.50

Rizo beads are named that way since they kind of look like grains of rice. These are good as drops or fringe elements and of course, there are a lot of patterns that call for them as well. This bead type has been around for a while and is pretty widely available in a lot of colors.

Here are some earrings I made with the rountrios, drops, and flat teardrops. These are both from the same pattern, which you can purchase here. They also call for size 11/0 and 15/0 seed beads and one version has a crystal round (I substituted some etched druks because I liked them) as well. These were pretty quick for me to work up and it is kind of amazing how changing the seed bead colors can change the whole look of the earrings.

Verdict: I calculated a value for the December 2018 Hole Beads of the Month Club Club of $25.75. This is a little below the cost of the box plus shipping, but I subscribe to multiple clubs so I save a bit on shipping (you can also get the double clubs, which cost the same to ship as the single clubs and save a bit more). I liked the focus on the chalk/luster finish combination and was excited to learn about a couple of bead types I hadn’t seen before. (Hope I didn’t get too nerdy on you with all the bead discussion, either.)

More importantly, I really, really love some of the popular shaped beads, and they can be expensive. There are so many great patterns coming out with these beads lately and it’s nice to receive enough to just work up a bracelet or some earrings in a day or two. The color coordination means all I usually need to add are some seed beads and I’m good to go with lots of different patterns.

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes, in my experience you’ll get your first shipment shortly after you sign up, and then this ships early in the month after that.

Value Breakdown: At $25.75 (including shipping) for this box, you are paying about $3.43 per item.

Check out the Craft Subscription Box Directory for more great beading, craft supply, and DIY project boxes.

What did you think of the December 2018 Hot and Trendy Beads of the Month Club? Do you subscribe to any beading or craft boxes?