Bargain Bead Box Subscription Review – September 2019

Bargain Bead Box is a monthly DIY 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.)

About Bargain Bead Box

The Subscription Box: Bargain Bead Box

The Cost: $17.95/month

The Products: Designer quality beads in materials ranging from crystal to glass to semiprecious gemstones, plus metal beads and findings. Bargain Bead Box does not send any plastic beads or seed beads.

Ships to: The US (free), Canada for $3.50, Worldwide for a low cost. Contact Bargain Bead Box for affordable international rates.

Bargain Bead Box September 2019 “Flight of Fancy” Review

Bargain Bead Box always includes a few clasps and other findings in matching metal tones; this month they were in an antique silver finish. Here’s more about the specific items in the box this month:

There was a letter in the box with some more information on the theme (“Flight of Fancy”). 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!

8mm 6-Point Bead Caps (20)

This subscription will make you love bead caps. I hadn’t given them much thought in the past, but they can really add some nice contrast and/or texture in strung designs. I haven’t used these yet, because I used the pebbles (which are a bit irregular), but I am thinking they will look lovely with some purple and/or green semiprecious rounds.

3mm Steel Rolo Jewelry Chain (1m)

You’ll also get a decent chain collection by subscribing to Bargain Bead Box for awhile. I haven’t used this yet but I do think rolo chain is one of my favorite kinds and this is enough to make several different items. Use heavy-duty cutters for this since it is steel (it may mar your regular jewelry wire cutters).

16mm Steel Alloy Lobster Claw Clasps (8)

I needed a clasp this month, so I used one of these. You may notice the color on these is slightly different from some of the other rose gold findings provided. This is just something that happens with rose gold plating. Often the findings (clasps, jump rings, eyepins, etc.) just aren’t quite the same color as chain, charms, etc. I mean this is true if you go shopping for these items on Etsy or somewhere else as well as if you receive them in a box. If the difference bothers you, you may have slightly better luck with bright copper, which has a little more of the red tone to it (rose gold can be up to 25% copper).

10mm Natural Crystal Quartz Round Beads (7.5” strand)

I’m trying to work with more large beads lately so these are handy. These will go with nearly any other color and I also think they might look nice next to some onyx or obsidian with some Swarovski-studded rondelles in between.

15mm Feather Charms (30)

You’ll usually receive some charms in this box. These are so cute and small, they’d work for earrings, bracelets, or anywhere else you needed something lightweight. I used one of these in a necklace this month but I have a lot left.

6mm Half Ball Steel Earstud Findings with Plastic Earnut (20)

I am currently experiencing a skin reaction to some cheap earrings so I am holding off on making any earrings for awhile, while I wear some simple titanium studs and let things heal up. But these will be nice to have on hand for when I am doing better. I have recently purchased a lot of fun dangles (woven, enamel, acetate, wood + resin, tassels, and more), so I should have plenty of fun with these.

21 Gauge 50mm Brass Eyepins (10g)

Rose gold is a color that not many people will have around. I only have any in my stash because of the first Bargain Bead Box with rose gold I received – I went out and bought some coordinating jump rings, headpins, and the like, so that I could actually complete pieces of jewelry. These have somewhat less red than the other findings, although they’re pretty close to the clasps in color. I used some of these in a necklace.

4mm Frosted Glass Round Beads, Matte Gray (9” strand)

4mm rounds are always welcome. So many beading patterns call for them, and this is a color that will go with a lot of other colors already in my stash.

10mm Chinese Crystal Coin Beads, Smoke Peacock Iris (10)

Another thing you’ll receive a lot of in this subscription is Chinese crystal, and you’ll get some bulk strands, but you’ll also get smaller quantities of beads like these. I love the iridescent finish on these. So pretty. Chinese crystal is less expensive than Swarovski but it still has a decent amount of sparkle if you are cost-conscious

42mm Filigree Style Wing Pendants (2)

I had an idea for using these but when I started trying to plan it out, there were a few things that I didn’t see how I could get them to work. I’ll keep thinking about it. One thing I would like to learn how to do is bead on top of filigree pieces like these. My initial attempts fell apart so I need to figure out what I am doing incorrectly and then I will put some gemstone chips on these and use them as wings in a brooch.

25mm Feather Links (20)

I used a ton of these. I thought it might be fun to make my own beaded chain, so I did, but it was also super easy to just incorporate these between the eyepins holding the amethyst pebbles, and I like how it turned out (see below).

Natural Amethyst Tumbled Pebble Beads (16” strand)

I’ve been wanting to work with more irregular beads lately, nuggets and pebbles and so forth, so I was happy to see these. I used a handful of them in my necklace this month but there are still some I can use to make a coordinating piece.

36mm Brass Wire Wrapped Natural Amethyst Pendant

I used this in my necklace this month. You’ll nearly always receive a pendant (or two) in Bargain Bead Box and they are often rather large for my taste. But this was a good size and it coordinated with the pebble beads as well, and I like how my project turned out.

8mm Semi-Round Faceted Crackle Agate Beads, Dyed (7.5” strand)

I think the dye is permanent here because none of it rubbed off inside the baggie holding these. However, try to avoid getting them wet, or treat with a fixative first, if you are concerned about color bleeding. Although this is agate, it is dyed a color that coordinates well with the amethyst pebbles, and the facets make it interesting as well.

6 x 4mm Chinese Crystal Rondelle Beads, Metallic Peach Opal (8” strand)

I like rondelles and I am actually starting to see some patterns now that use them, so these are handy. They have some nice sparkle, as well, and match a lot of the stuff already in my stash.

22mm Filigree Style Wing Pendants (6)

My idea for these was similar to my idea for the larger ones and I am still working on the mechanics of that one. It is nice to get the same thing in two sizes, though, as that opens up a lot of design possibilities.

5mm Corrugated Saucer Spacer Beads (50)

Spacer beads are a common inclusion in this box and they are especially handy to have for stringing designs. I think these would look particularly good between some darker gemstone beads (like, say, the purple agates above) to really contrast bead colors and finishes.

6mm Glass Half Frosted Barrel Beads, Jonquil AB (23” strand)

There are a lot of these! They actually are really close in color to some beads we received last month so I think, since I’ve been getting this box for a few years now, that I should go back through my stash of Chinese crystal and see what else I can find in this color and then make something yellow that will remind me of springtime in the fall and winter seasons that are coming up.

Here is a necklace I made using some of the amethyst pebbles, the eyepins, the feather links, one of the clasps, one of the feather charms, (look by the pendant) and the amethyst pendant. I supplied some jump rings from my stash and some pliers and wire cutters, but that was it – everything else came from this box.

Verdict: I did not calculate a value for Bargain Bead Box, as explained above. The information sheet gives a retail value of about $68 and I can believe that value if you were to go out looking for similar beads to purchase individually. There were a lot of rose gold plated items this month and those can be a little pricey, and there were several gemstones as well. Looking at it another way, you are paying about $1 per item since the price is $17.95 and there were 18 items this month. And THAT is a pretty good deal. I tried my hand at making something simple this month and I think it turned out well. I might opt for wire instead of eyepins in a future attempt, so that I can make wrapped loops, but by using the eyepins, I was using more items from the box.

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

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, you would receive the October 2019 box as your first one, although they do sometimes offer past boxes on their site, and individual items can sometimes be purchased from Bead Box Bargains.

Value Breakdown: At $17.95 for this subscription, you are paying about $1 per item.

Check out my past reviews of Bargain Bead Box or see more of our arts and crafts boxes for more great beading, craft supply, and DIY project boxes.

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

What did you think of the September 2019 Bargain Bead Box? Do you subscribe to any beading or craft boxes?