Interview Feature with…A Homeschool Entrepreneur

Homeschool entrepreneur. What does that mean? How do you balance both school and being an entrepreneur?

I am happy to have Lillie answer our questions.

Lillie is a homeschool student is in the process of creating her own business called, “Sugar and Spice & All Jewellery Nice”.

Disclosure: I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Question 1: Please tell us about this wonderful project you have going on?

A couple of years ago I started playing around with loom bands.  I took this as far as I could but found it opened a whole bag of new learning opportunities.  

One thing led to another and I began moving from making loom band models to polymer clay models and eventually onto jewellery making using many different media, and I haven’t ever stopped.  

Mummy was very supportive of my creativity and has helped me pursue each avenue or branch which has caught my attention.  

Right now I am in the throes of creating African jewellery, and the main skill I have learnt with this project has been making paper beads.

Question 2: When did you first discover your love of art?

I guess creating with the loom bands helped me to see how much I enjoyed making things with my hands but it wasn’t until the summer of 2015 I realized I might be quite good at it!

I bought some polymer clay, and I was hooked.  

I created at any given opportunity, night or day, and found making individual creations came naturally to me. 

This then gave me the idea of playing about with mixed media art, bead making and finally (my main passion) jewellery making.

Question 3: How has homeschooling helped you in this endeavor?

The flexibility of homeschooling has given me chance to pursue the things I enjoy the most.

 When my parents realized how important creating was to me, they redirected funds from subjects I enjoyed less in order to pursue those I enjoy more.  This has meant that I have the time and the resources to follow my heart and my dreams.

Whilst I am still involved in maths and writing, I spend the rest of the day drawing, painting, using mixed media and learning new jewellery making skills.  

On average, I spend upwards of five hours a day creating, and I still choose to do just that during any free time, whilst watching a video or just before tucking down at night.  

Some might say I am obsessed, but I just say I am very happy and very blessed.

[irp posts=”3808″ name=”How to Teach Art to a Curious Teen (When You Know Nothing About Art!)”]

Question 4: What is the biggest obstacle you have had to overcome and what steps did you take to overcome it?

Probably finding the materials I need at a price I can afford and the quality I require.  

Mummy and Daddy have both helped me to source items I have needed from both the internet and from regular shops.  Mummy also researches courses I am able to go on to improve my skills.  I also receive books, jewellery making supplies and other art supplies for birthdays, Christmas, and any other celebratory day!

I help by checking out DIY videos and Mummy’s craft drawers in order to save further money.

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Question 5: How do you fit art in with your studies and life?

Art is my studies, I make jewellery 24/7!  I bring supplies with me everywhere I go, whether it is to the park or to the leisure centre.

Mummy and I discuss regularly my goals for the future so that my studies are always in line with what is required for me to pursue those goals.  

For example, when I turn 14 I will be studying for a level two course in art and design (equivalent to an art IGCSE) during which I can focus on jewellery making.  We are also aware of the London Jewellery School and hope to attend their courses in the future.

Question 6:  What plans do you have for the future?

I have been keeping a blog for the past year writing jewellery making tutorials.  It is private at the moment because my parents wanted to make sure I was responsible with what I wrote before allowing me to blog publicly.

I am looking forward to it becoming public in September.  I will use some of my school time to create tutorials and YouTube videos.  I would also like to start my own Etsy business alongside my blog.  Mummy has asked one of her friends (who has a thriving crochet Etsy business) to help me to do this.

I have recently been mentored by a local shop owner who sells her own jewellery.  She helped me to price up my own pieces and gave me lots of lovely advice concerning forging my own way in the jewellery making world.

I am hoping and praying that Daddy and Mummy will be able to afford to buy me a small jewellery kiln for my fourteenth birthday in October.  I really would like to learn to use paper clay and metal clay to create some jewellery pieces also.  

Both require a kiln to fire them, and after firing the paper clay looks porcelain-like whilst the metal clay looks very similar to the metal it is trying to replicate.

One of the books I will be using for my school next year is ’52 ways to make your own beads’.  I can’t wait to learn a new bead making skill each week for a year!

Question 7: If you only had a few minutes to provide someone wishing to try something new or scary, what would you say?

I would quote Theodore Roosevelt to them: “Believe you can and you’re half way there.”

Learning From A Homeschool Entrepreneur:

Encouraging our children to follow their dreams is our job. One way we can do that is providing them with the tools needed and support.

For more help, you can read Practical Tips for Raising a Kid-preneur

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk with us and share your love of jewellery making with us.

To learn more about her adventure you can check out her mom’s blog here!

Do you have any questions? Leave them in the comments below.

Please share this post to encourage other homeschool entrepreneur/students that you can follow your dreams!

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