Under $25: a great Bead & Button giveaway!
May 28, 2008 by Cyndi Lavin
Filed under Beading, Book & Magazine Reviews, Kalmbach Projects, Wearable Art
I’ve been leafing through the new special issue by Bead & Button, called Under $25, and I like what I see. Style doesn’t have to be sacrificed just because some of us must be budget-conscious. And seriously, with the price of gas and food these days, this is the perfect time for this magazine to debut 
***FREE STUFF ALERT ***FREE STUFF ALERT ***
So guess what? I’ve got 4 copies to give away! Simply leave a comment on this post, telling us what your best source of bargain beads is, and you’ll be entered into the drawing. Next Wednesday, I’ll be randomly selecting 4 winners!!
For those who would like a preview, check out this free lariat and earrings project that B&B has made available on their website. You’ll have to register to be able to download it, but that also gives you access to all the rest of the great info on their website!
I’ve gotten some great and very unique bargain beads by checking out the costume jewelry at yard sales and flea markets.
I get some nice mixed bags really cheap at sunshinecrafts.com. They don’t have a huge selection but what they do have is at a great price.
I found in Cleveland, OH that the craft store Pat Catans can’t be beat for great deals on beads, findings, and other beading/jewelry making items.
Flea Markets, neighborhood sales and e-bay are the way I get bargain beads.
i’d have to say that my constant reliable source for bargain beads is the wholesale clearance bins on saturday nights and sunday afternoons of our biannual gem and mineral show. i’ve gotten awesome deals on terrific semi-precious gemstone beads! $2-3/strand = great bargains!
I like to “think outside the box” as they say and I have found some neat items at the local fishing supply store, Lures and such. And of course there are the local thrift stores, and estate sales.
Other than antique/group shops in the area (Southern Maine is loaded with them!)…My sister! She used to make jewelry, but now that she’s a financial advisor she doesn’t have the time anymore. She “destashes” my way quite often, usually in exchange for a pair of earrings or a bracelet. I’ve received some fun stuff that I probably wouldn’t have bought myself, but have enjoyed playing with.
The rest of my family is also on the lookout for bags of old jewelry for me to use.
I regularly check out the 50% off bins at my local bead shop and ebay is a great source for deals on silver beads and findings. I also try to use all the beads I purchase by using them in multiple items.
My best cheap finds have come at garage/estate sales and ebay.
Grab those 40% and 50% coupons from Michaels and JoAnn Fabrics and make your own sale! Halcraft Bead Gallery line and Blue Moon provides stone, glass and base metal beads of all colors and shapes.
Of course there’s the usual items at garage sales, flea markets and trade days like First Monday in Canton, TX where you can find old jewelry (and, hopefully, some nice vintage beads) to cut up & remodel. I also look for beads in unusual or unlilkely places: on old handbags, shoes, christmas ornaments, etc. Some people have already used beads for crafting and it’s just a matter of taking the project apart, cleaning the beads & baubles and you’ve got some lovely things to work with.
Gargage sales
I love the department store clearance. Not just a sale, but a real clearance. I mean 70% or 75% off the original price plus another 25%, 40% or even 50% off. I find that is a great place to get chain. Maybe a long necklace with 4 or 5 strands. They may even be different. I also love the resale shops. We have an ARC in town and I know the volunteer brings in the jewelry on a Thursday. Guess who tries to be there on Friday. Another item I use are buttons. I use them like cabochons by beading around them. You can even find real cheap clothes with nice buttons. You can’t find 6 or 7 interesting buttons for only $.50 or $1.00 in stores! Think we are all going to be looking for the cheaper stuff this year. I am planning on using up part of my stash and old stuff I have horded. It is great to see Bead & Button doing something like the under $25.00. I have felt that waaay too many of their projects were just to many $$$$. JMHO.
Roberta in Hot Florida
Almost forgot. When Fire Mountain Gems have their $1.00 sale, that is when I go crazy. Love that stuff. You just have to realize that it is not grade A stuff, but it sure is fun to work with. In addition, our Dollar Tree for a couple of months carried the Blue Mountain and another brand of beads for $1.00. At a different $1.00 store I found a card of 8 different 5 gr. partitions of seed beads in very nice colors. I would not want to beadweave with them, but they are great a an accent between larger beads when you are stringing. In addition, gold and silver colored lobster claws, jumprings and even some stringing cord. (Those findings are great when you are doing a free or kids class).
Roberta in hot Florida again.
My best bargains come from a bulk buying group that I am a part of. We all join together and make up such a large order that we get some great discounts.
I too have hit the $1 & $2 sales on Firemountain. Plus find deals on chain at yard sales and the local Goodwill store. Old jewelry is great to tear apart and “recycle”. My neighbor is new to beading and she thinks I’m crazy to take something apart for the beads. I figure why not?!!!
Like Lisa, I too shop at Canton First Monday Trades Days since I only live 10 miles away. I also love garage sales or estate sales for the old jewelry. Wish I had some of my Mother’s old jewelry now.
My best cheap finds have come at jewelrybutjewelry.com.
I love going to yard and estates sales to look for old jewelry and then pulling it apart to make into something totally new and Mine!!!
My best way to get bargain beads is to ask for them for gifts! My family often gets me a gift card for a favorite beading store for holidays and birthdays. I also group-buy with a few other beaders from work.
I have a friend who goes to estate sales every Saturday… She really knows how to spot quality bargains and keeps me well stocked in vintage jewelry and beads.
I find some pretty good bargains at a couple of local bead & craft stores (Michael’s & Hobby Lobby), especially when they have sterling silver pieces on sale. I also frequent two bead stores in the neighboring town and usually find unique items like great lampwork beads by a local artist…not always on sale…but who could resist!
When traveling, I look in the phone book for locations of bead stores & once caught my first glimpse of Swarovski’s top-drilled bicones. Awesome! Definitely overspent that day…but what great “souvenirs” to remember your trip! It’s really exciting to check out the “junk” shops or antique stores & find jewelry/beads in a baggie at bargain prices that I can dismantle and reuse in my designs. Once I came across an antique store closing out and bought several gorgeous faceted antique seed beads in beautiful colors made in the 1930’s still in their original brown paper wrappers from Czechoslovakia. WOW! For some reason I have a difficult time wanting to cut those threads holding the strands together & use them, although, I have managed to force myself to use a few as accents…they really sparkle!
Pizazz Works & Fire Mountain Gems always have great buys…even without sales.
As far as estate/yard sales, I enjoy sleeping in on weekends too much; they always seem to open about 6:00am and I am more like an 11:00am type. The few times I managed to go I bought some really wonderful vintage pieces. The suggestion of having a friend go & purchase for you was great! I have one that always frequents yard & estates sales! You know what I’ll be asking her next time we talk. It’s got to be a win-win situation…at least, for me anyway!
I buy beads at yard sales and thrift stores-amazing what people are tossing or giving away for next to nothing!
I love FarmerJerry64.com as well as their ebay store. Great quality and prices.
Hi Katie,
I never heard of FarmerJerry64.com and can’t find it on the web. I would love to see what it’s all about. Thank you,
Roberta in hot Florida
Estate sales are the best for fine jewels.
This is great. I’ve got some stuff to do jewelry, but haven’t really gotten into it yet.
I’m just starting to take my personal hobby into a small business on the side selling my jewelry creations. I love looking at Bead & Button Magazine!
Cool giveaway! I’ve blogged it @ A Bookblogger’s Diary
I find lots of them at garage sales and flea markets. I wait to get the coupons/sales when I shop at craft stores.
When I was younger my grandmother gave me all of her beads; I was in heaven.
Now, Thrift Stores, Garage Sales and I often request peoples beads that they aren’t using anymore on my local Freecycle site!
I get Fire Mountain Gems catalogs with some decent sales on beads and other things.
Flea markets have the most unique. Yard sales have the cheapest.
My LBS sells $5 bags of loose beads that they’ve made up from odd strands. I’ve often made up a quick necklace or bracelet from one of those bags plus maybe a tube of seed beads.
I get amazing vintage and new beads at etsy.com. Great website for us DIYers and super cute selection!
When an old hippie has a yard sale… GO
My best source is box lots of jewelry on eBay. You’ll get a lot of junk but you’ll get a lot of good stuff too.
I love beadwork ! A great source of seed beads and more is gardenofbeadin.com.
So many bargains too little time and money
Gas prices are stressing our budgets
I can’t stay away from thrift stores, so it’s one ofmy best places to find good beads, even if they’re in other pieces of jewelry.
Helen Brett
I have a local bead store that has a wide variety of beads and does special orders.
Hi, There is a small bead shop in our town! She has a clearance section once a month. That is one of the days that I make a special trip to her store!
Please enter me in your delightful giveaway. I appreciate it. Thanks,Cindi
Yard sales and auctions
I know of at least three times that I have purchased at least 100 dollars worth of beads for 10 bucks. I found these bargins at estate sales. Estate sales/ tag sales are also great places to find vintage buttons.
Hi,
I love your website! It is very helpful for me as I am trying to learn more ‘professional’ techniques of beading and jewelry creating. I’ve always just done it as a hobby and so I’ve just ‘made up’ my own way of doing things. Now that I’m working at a bead shop though, that is all about to change!
I always find the coolest bargain beads and artsy stuff when I’m on vacation – and like everyone else I rely on summer months and garage sales/flea markets to stock up my supply! Sometimes though, I’ll find a new way to use an old necklace that I no longer wear anymore and simply cut the wire and start anew. An old necklace just doesn’t seem right and then all of the sudden I can envision how it would work in a different project and voila! It seems new again.
Thanks for sharing everything, I’ll be back again.
I would love to win this, I have been creating jewelry with beads for 2 years and love new ideas.
Garage sales, e-bay and thrift stores are good sources for cosyume jewelry and other items that have old beads that can be re-used.
I really like the service from Fire Mountain Gems. Their sales catalogs usually have some bargains that are too good to pass up. For vintage (and cheap) beads I shop garage sales and ebay for old pieces to tear apart and re-vamp. Fun stuff!
Fire Mountain Gem sales, online auctions, antiques, fleamarkets, garage sales, and second-hand stores. There is also an auction house in town that does estate sales or household goods salvage sales.
I go to Buffalo, NY often from Canada, and save just by crossing the border. Most brand name beads at Michaels or AC Moore (which we don’t have) are around $2 less in the US with the currencies almost at par. That’s a “bargain” right there.
Please don’t consider me for the giveaway. I’ve already bought my copy and prepared at least one item based on the ideas.