How to prepare mini kits from your Beadingschool Academy Theme Box?

Mini Kits – Your Secret Key for Joyful Beading

Every two months, when a new Beadingschool Academy theme begins, we receive many questions from students—especially those who are newer—about how to get started and how to make the most of their Box.

The answer? Mini kits!

A mini kit is a small collection of all the materials you need for one specific design. With just a little preparation, mini kits make beading smoother, more organized, and even more joyful. Let’s explore how they work.

What Are Mini Kits?

Each Beadingschool Academy Theme Box is thoughtfully curated: it contains a beautiful variety of beads, components, and findings. Multiple designers play with the same collection, which means many possible jewels are waiting to be born.

👉 The Fuchsia Box always contains everything you need for the two signature jewels of the theme.
👉 In addition, we share many other designs—big and small—that you may want to create.

Since the Box doesn’t include supplies for all of them, mini kits help you focus on what you want to bead and gather everything in advance.

Why Are They Helpful?

Mini kits make your beading journey easier because they help you:

• See what you can make with the contents of your Box. The article “What’s inside your [Theme] Box” is helpful, even if you haven’t received your box yet
• Identify what else you need to order or add from your stash
• Stay organized so you can bead whenever inspiration calls.

They are your secret weapon for turning creative energy into finished jewels!

How to Put Together Mini Kits

1. Choose the jewels you want to create.

• • Start with the two signature jewels—you have everything in your Fuchsia Box, that you need!
  • If you’re a Turquoise Student, your membership includes the first signature jewel tutorial. Fuchsia Students receive both signature jewel tutorials and have everything they need for both (and more!)

2. Check the material list for each design. You can always find it in the blog article “Jewels from the [Theme] Box.”

3. Go through your Box and your stash to see what you already have.

4. Set aside the materials in a small bag or tray for each jewel.

• • Sometimes you’ll want to create a statement necklace from multiple motifs.
  • Other times, just a pair of earrings, a brooch, a ring, or a pendant.
  • The numbers in our material lists are always given for one motif, so you can adjust depending on what you’d like to make.

5. Make a shopping list for anything missing—so you can get everything in one go and avoid interruptions later.

Both types of articles can be found HERE!

A Fellow Beader’s Tip 

One of our students, Ariane Bild, recently shared her personal process for getting the most out of each theme. Here’s her approach (in her own words):

1. After watching the unboxing, I pull out every exact material I already have in my stash. The article “What’s inside your [Theme] Box” helps a lot. I also look through the special bead shapes and colors in my stash that could match the theme. (See photo of the beads from my stash I have chosen for the Towards the Lighthouse theme.)
2. (Optional but fun!) I start googling the theme and read about the inspiration source. Sometimes ideas hit me right away, or at least I can brainstorm with my materials in mind.
3. Take advantage of the last-day top-up option. You don’t know the designs yet, but you get a feeling of which components might inspire the designers most. For example, for the Lighthouse theme, I knew I would need more Navettes and Canoes, plus some extra 6 mm Bicones.

4. After watching CoffeeTimeWithErika, I start planning my mini kits. I take notes on which designs speak to me, how much of each bead I’ll need, and whether I want to make a full bracelet or just a pendant.
5. Once the Box arrives, I put together my mini kits physically (see photo). I add the bigger beads right away, and seed beads later while beading. I also make sure to slip in findings like earring hooks, since the Box doesn’t contain enough of them for every project.
6. I keep leftovers in a tray or a dedicated theme box. I look at them often, take photos of color combinations, and save new ideas for later.

Isn’t that inspiring? 🥰 Every beader can adapt this system to their own style and routine.

Ready, Set, Bead!

Mini kits are a simple but powerful way to stay prepared, inspired, and organized. Whether you’re working on a signature jewel or experimenting with smaller designs, they keep your creativity flowing smoothly.

So as we step into a new theme, grab your Box, take a little time to plan, and prepare your own mini kits. Future-you will thank you when it’s time to bead! 💙