MIDDLEBURG — When 12-year-old Allyna Ellison is not studying or doing homework, you can find her doing something that most people only dream about.

Running her own business.

As a young entrepreneur, Ellison owns Bead Your Heart Out, an arts and crafts business specializing in personalized accessories and stationery for all ages.

From decorative pens and pencils, zipper lanyards and keychains, to car charms and bookmarks, Ellison said everything is beaded by hand with a touch of sparkle.

"If you need help designing it, you can ask for help. Then you pick the beads you want, and then I make it."

In a four-step process, Ellison said customers can start by selecting a focal bead from her custom bead bar, which is filled with various colorful options.

From Disney, Harry Potter, uplifting quotes, animals and cartoon characters to gaming, tech, school, medical awareness and religious beads, Ellison said she has it all.

From there, customers can pick out the item they want to decorate. Accent beads are added for a color scheme, and any excess charms and tassels give the creation a final touch.

She said her favorite product to make is the lanyard, because of all the decorative beads she can fill it with.

The idea to begin her business came to Ellison last year. She said her mother, Alicia, an elementary school teacher, brought home a customized pen she had received at work. 

"I was like, 'Maybe I could do that someday,'" she said. "It was around two weeks to a month later, she bought me a kit that had the stuff to make it."

After learning and practicing, Ellison decided it could be a real passion.

"It was stuck in my brain. Then we just kept going and adding more products."

A typical day for Ellison begins with a list of orders she keeps track of. For online orders, Ellison said her mother will tell her exactly what she needs to make, and she gets to work. She said she continually keeps her customers involved by showing them proofs and allowing for any alterations that may come along the way.

After she completes the product, she packages it, and if it needs to be mailed, she inserts a card and delivers it with the help of her father. 

"He drops it off because I can't drive. I got school and stuff. So, he does my shipping."

She said she leaves a box outside their front door for in-person pickups. Drop-offs are also offered.

With her profit, Ellison said she never actually touches her money. It rests in a savings account, building for when it's finally time for her to purchase her first car.

With the new school year kicking off, Ellison, who attends Wilkinson Junior High, said she is just beginning to get into the groove of balancing her business and education. But school is always a priority.

"Homework comes first, then I do bead things."

Ellison said that most people don't believe her when she tells them about her burgeoning business.

"My civics teacher said that no people can have a job unless they're qualified. And I said, 'I have a job.' And he was like 'Really?'"

With pop-up booths at various events around Clay County and the Jacksonville area, you can always find her selling her products at the Arts and Farmers Market at First Christian Church, 11924 San Jose Blvd, on the second Saturday of every month.

With customers of all ages, Ellison said her products are popular options for Christmas and birthday gifts. She said her most popular products at vendor markets are her loops, while online customers flock to the pencils.

Her open bead bar also allows them to build their own, with her help, of course.

She said her favorite thing about owning her own business is the relatability that she has with her younger customers. 

"A lot of kids get to come, and if they need help designing, I know what they like, mostly because I'm one of them."

She added that her vivid imagination gives her the ability to take the reins and bring her own creative spin on products.

The venture is something new for Ellison, but rewarding and a learning experience. For other child entrepreneurs wanting to take the same leap, she said she has some advice:

"I recommend [being] creative, follow your heart and don't let anything stop you."

To purchase products, you can visit the business on Facebook and Instagram at Bead Your Heart Out and beadyourheartoutco, as well as her website, bead-your-heart-out.square.site.