Adornable Elements Beads of the Month Club Review – March 2019

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

My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (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 Cost: $22.95/month +shipping. Save with the double clubs.

The Products: 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 March 2019 “Olive Tree” 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 “Olive Tree.” The colors are greens and browns and there are some feathers, leaves, etc. among the beads this month.

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.

Pastel Olivine Arcos par Puca (6.2g) – Listed Value $4.75

These are three-hole beads designed to fit with other beads in the “par Puca” product line (including Kheops, Ios, Minos, Samos, Paros, Amos, Tinos, and Kos, and yes, most of these are named after Greek islands). I used some of them in a bracelet pattern (you can see pictures and a free pattern link below).

Beige Picasso Bird Feather (15) – Listed Value $3

I’ve been seeing more of these around lately, mostly in interesting variegated color combinations. I have yet to see them in too many patterns but they are certainly good as drops or dangles in necklaces and earrings.

Pastel Olivine Minos par Puca (6.2g) – Listed Value $4.50

These are one-hole beads about 3mm and can sometimes be substituted for 3mm fire polished or druk beads in patterns. I thought they looked great with the Arcos beads from above, and I found a pattern that used both, so I used a lot of them, but I still have a few left to make some matching earrings or something.

Beige Picasso Owl (10) – Listed Value $2.25

These are a similar color to the bird feathers up above. I don’t really see these in patterns, but I have actually been getting them in a lot of bead subscriptions lately so I am accumulating a small hoard of them. They are small enough for earrings and bracelets and I think they’d look nice with some leaves (either metal charms or glass in coordinating colors).

Jet Green Luster Pinch Bead (75) – Listed Value $3.50

Pinch beads are a perennial favorite of this subscription but there are actually a lot of neat beaded-bead things you can do with them (see one example here). These are the smaller 3 x 5mm pinch beads (I’ve got some 7mm ones as well, and have recently learned of the existence of some 6mm ones but the ones I ordered from the Czech Republic won’t be here for a while).

Beige Pip (50) – Listed Value $3.25

I like pips. These are pretty plain but that can be a good thing. Like if you want to make a floral element with an interesting center bead or cabochon and just kind of let the petals be accents rather than the stars of the show, this color is great.

Beige Picasso Table Cut Rectangle (12) – Listed Value $3.25

I’m seeing more table cut beads in this subscription but I like the branching out. These will go well with the main color palette I collect and work with and would work in simple strung designs or between elements of beadwoven patterns.

Jet Green Luster Tooth Bead (25) – Listed Value $2.50

I really wanted to use these, this month, but I had trouble finding patterns I liked. I am going to come up with something on my own as I do have others of these in my collection and I need to start using them! These are quite large compared to some of this month’s other beads (see a size comparison in the picture of all the beads up top) so I was happy to get so many of them (often you receive smaller quantities of the larger beads).

Here is a bracelet I made with the Arcos and Minos Par Puca. (I have an idea for the tooth beads but it would have required a lot of trial and error and I didn’t have enough time for that.) This is a free pattern you can get from the Beadsmith website. I think it turned out pretty well and I lucked out by having size 11/0 and size 15/0 seed beads in exactly the same color which doesn’t happen too often.

Verdict: I calculated a value for the March 2019 Hot and Trendy Beads of the Month Club of $27. This is a little below the cost of the box plus shipping ($27.70), 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). Also, I note that I was charged less than the actual cost of shipping for my package this month, so Adornable Elements is eating some of the cost (this is especially true in the months that they send you your free plastic cases).

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 I still get this box if I 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 $27.70 (including shipping) for this box, you are paying about $3.22 per item.

Check out the Craft Subscription Box List for more great beading, craft supply, and DIY project boxes and see my past reviews of Adornable Elements Beads of the Month here.

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

What did you think of the March 2019 Hot and Trendy Beads of the Month Club?  Do you subscribe to any beading or craft boxes?