“Spring is the time of plans and projects.” –Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

Ahhhh….Springtime. Well, it’s not here yet, but it soon will be, so if you’re planning to host a birthday party, brunch, shower, graduation tea, or wedding, it’s time to consider party favors.  A lot of preparation goes into hosting an event, and there are lots of options for party favors out there.

In talking with friends over the years as they planned their weddings, their children’s weddings, and various parties and showers, finding the perfect “takeaway” or favor can be a stressor. You want it to match your theme…possibly customize it…but you don’t want to break the bank, and you don’t want guests to throw it away before they make it home with it. Yes, I’ve done that. I love my friends, but frankly, I have nowhere in my house to keep a handpainted rock bearing their names and wedding date, and the chocolate candy bar in the customized label melted before we got home (but I did lick the wrapper clean). That customized glass with your names and wedding dates on it? It broke in my luggage (sadly).

Originally, when I first started writing about this, I was going to write about my three favorite party favors, but after looking at all the different possibilities, I realized I don’t have three favorites. I have one.

So, stop with the stuff that melts, the stuff that’s useless, the stuff that gets thrown away before it leaves the event, and the stuff that breaks. Here is your perfect party or wedding favor…the party favor that makes everyone happy…the party favor no one wants to throw away…the party favor that is actually useful:

MISS SHELLEY’S SOUTHERN JAMS AND JELLIES

This is my very favorite favor ever! It’s customizable. It’s pretty. It’s memorable. Most importantly…it’s delicious, and no one will want to throw it away. I want to host parties all spring just so I can give these to all my friends! So, you know in advance that if you come to my house for a shower or brunch, you will be leaving with something from this line. These jams and jellies have been featured in InStyle Magazine, and no joke…delicious!

A friend from my flight attendant training days (a lifetime ago), Michelle, started Miss Shelley’s Southern Jams and Jellies after she retired from United Airlines, and she is having great success. Michelle is a southern girl through and through, so she and her husband moved from sunny California to Lafayette, Georgia, near her family in Chattanooga. I’m proud of her, and I love her products. Not only does she offer jams and jellies, but she also offers flavored honey. The company facebook page says they sell “Rustic Artisan Jams & Jelly Flavors.” They are “small batch, hand stirred, and no preservatives.”  You can see their facebook page here.

Here are the flavors I, personally, have tried: Peach Lavender Bellini Jam, Mixed Berry Cobbler Jam, Apple Pecan Pie Preserves, Strawberry Earl Grey Jam, Fire Island Peach Jam, and Blueberry Maple Jam…every…one…delicious. Don’t those flavors sound enticing? But that’s just a sampling of what they offer.

My daughter had a friend over last weekend, and we did a “taste test.” The girls’ favorites were Peach Lavender Bellini Jam and Mixed Cobbler Jam, while my favorites were Apple Pecan Pie Preserves and Fire Island Peach Jam, which has a great peach flavor with a little “kick.” I’m all about the “kick”! The Apple Pecan Pie Preserves have little pieces of pecans in them. I wanted to lick the jar. All the flavors are tasty but not overpowering. Miss Shelley’s knows what they are doing.

We all agreed there wasn’t a bad one in the bunch, and it isn’t easy to please two fourteen-yr-old girls. My fourteen-yr-old is a connoisseur of jellies, and she gave every flavor two thumbs up. But it’s not just about the fabulous taste; the packaging is beautiful too, making it the perfect takeaway for any event.

What makes these jams and jellies even MORE special is that she will customize a label just for your occasion. You think of what you want the label to say and come up with a color scheme and theme, and the folks at Miss Shelley’s Southern Jams and Jellies will make it happen! She can even suggest designs if you give her a little information about your event. She has a magic touch.

For packaging, you can pick from shabby chic, elegant, chevron, pastels, Mason jars , and more, making these favors perfect for weddings, bridal showers, baby showers, birthday parties, graduation teas, or any event. Shower for a baby boy? Maybe pick the pastel blue gingham fabric topper. Spring brunch? Maybe yellow gingham fabric topper. Graduation tea? Maybe use some fabric in the school colors for a topper. Miss Shelley’s staff will work with you to provide exactly what you want. She even offers hand-stamped messages for toppers.

Miss Shelley’s also offers flavored-infused honey, honey jars, and mini honey dippers to use with the honey. Everything is beautiful! Again, with the honey, packaging is customizable just as with the jams and jellies.

 

I’ve perused her selection of products on her Etsy page a hundred times. Go check it out, and your mouth will water.

My friend, Debe, hosted an event last year and ordered some jams as a favor…before she knew I was friends with the owner, and she was thrilled…her guests were too!

If you have an event coming up (or even if you just like jams, jellies, and honey), do yourself a favor and check out her Etsy site: www.etsy.com/shop/southernjamsandjelly to see her offerings. She can handle big orders or small orders. I’ve included pictures of the beautiful packaging, and remember, the label can be customized for YOUR event. Tell her Kelly sent you!

This spring, if you’re hosting an event, do your guests a favor…

Kelly

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