Adornable Elements Beads of the Month Club Review – April 2019

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

This is a review of the Firepolished Beads of the Month Club.

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: 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,” “Firepolished,” 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 Firepolished Beads of the Month Club, which is $21.95/month for 8 different shapes and sizes of Czech firepolished beads; 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 $4.75 for one club; refer to their FAQ for shipping costs for additional clubs)

Adornable Elements Beads of the Month April 2019 “Heart’s Desire” Review

With this subscription, you receive a selection of firepolished beads in various shapes and sizes 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 “Heart’s Desire.” The colors are pinks, reds, and whites.

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.

Note: new subscribers will not receive cases, but they will also have lower shipping costs. There was a note this month about this (see above). Also, note that existing subscribers can opt out of the cases to receive a shipping discount. I haven’t decided which option to continue with.

8mm Opal Dark Red Two Tone Round (20) – Listed Value $3.50

I’ve been collecting different finishes of fire polished rounds lately. It is a bit hard to come by two-tone beads that are not very light and super transparent, for some reason, so these are a welcome addition to my collection. The “opal” finish here will look very good with some of the Matubo beads in my collection in their opal finish.

8mm Opaque White Disc (18) – Listed Value $2.75

These are also sometimes called “belly rondelles” (at least on Etsy). These are probably going to end up as spacers in a bracelet between either semiprecious gemstones or 8mm fire polished rounds.

6 x 8mm Opaque White Drop (24) – Listed Value $4.25

These are a good size for a variety of uses. I can see doing a whole necklace with drops every inch or so, although I used them for earring dangles. But I still have a lot left with which I can try other things.

8mm Crystal/Ruby Global Faceted Round (20) - Listed Value $2.50

It is maybe not obvious if you’re not into beads, but these have a different pattern of facets than the other fire polished rounds in this shipment. To me, this is really cool – I don’t have any others like this. I can see using these in a piece with similar colors where I’m trying to emphasize textures and shapes.

10mm Opal Dark Pink Round (10) – Listed Value $3.50

These are quite large. I used some of them in a pair of earrings this month, which you can see below. I have been trying to incorporate more large beads into my work as I tend to stick to delicate pieces. I also think I would like to try using these with some rose quartz.

4mm Ruby Matte Round (72) – Listed Value $2.50

4mm fire polished beads are the easiest for me to work with, and the ones I reach for most often. 72 is a generous quantity, too, good for patterns where 50 beads (common on strands in a lot of other subscriptions) aren’t quite enough. I used some of these in my earrings below.

7mm Silky Pink Bicone (24) – Listed Value $3.25

I have never seen this shape (a long and narrow bicone) before. I am thinking I could get an interesting ladder effect if I did some right-angle weave with these. I will now be on the lookout for more of this shape, as well.

6mm Light Ruby Speckle Coat Round (24) – Listed Value $3

And I have never seen the speckled coat finish before, either. (This is something I get excited about because I am a nerd when it comes to beads.) If I want to use both pinkish red and black in the same piece, these could be used to tie everything together.

Here are some earrings I made using some of the beads from the box. Beading around a circle is something I have been playing around with a lot lately. I do think I need to use some seed beads around the edge to hide the thread, though.

Verdict: I calculated a value for the April 2019 Firepolished Beads of the Month Club of $25.25. This is a little below the cost of the box plus shipping ($26.70), 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). You can save more on shipping by opting out of the plastic cases, as well.

This was my first time receiving the Firepolished Beads of the Month Club and I was pretty happy with it. I discovered some new cuts, shapes, and finishes, plus I got enough of a basic bead (the 4mm rounds) to complete a pattern if I wanted. Although there are some other subscriptions that also offer firepolished beads, this one offers the most variety in terms of size and shape and doesn’t duplicate the offerings of those other subscriptions at all.

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 $26.70 (including shipping) for this box, you are paying about $3.34 per item.

Check out the Craft Subscription Box List for more great beading, our best arts & craft subscription 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 April 2019 Firepolished Beads of the Month Club? Do you subscribe to any beading or craft boxes?