When it's time to celebrate one of life's big events, Debbie Miller helps people "Say It Sweetly."

Mrs. Miller runs Say It Sweetly Favors from her Austintown home. She produces customized favor labels for weddings, anniversaries, showers, graduations, holidays and any other event out there.

The business was started in 2000 by Mrs. Miller's childhood friend, Janet Price. At the time, Mrs. Miller, who is a stay-at-home mom, said she wanted some extra income for her family which includes husband Scott, who is a Hermitage native, and daughters Megan, 8, and Abigail, 5.

"I just kept praying, 'God, have her (Mrs. Price) call me,' " Mrs. Miller said. When the business got under way, the call came.

Recently Mrs. Price left the business because of other obligations and Mrs. Miller is going it alone.

When someone places an order for favors, Mrs. Miller does all of the work -- designing and printing the personalized labels, cutting and wrapping them and delivering the finished product. "It's all time- consuming, start to finish," she said.

Despite the fact that it's time-consuming, it doesn't cut into family time, she said.

"I want my family to be the primary and this is second priority," Mrs. Miller said. She said she does most of her work at night after the kids go to bed. She added that her husband is very supportive of her business venture.

This time of the year graduations, showers and weddings are keeping Mrs. Miller busy. Mrs. Miller said she also displays her work at craft shows.

Mrs. Miller designs labels for candy, mints and gum and wine, champagne and water bottles. People have put their business cards on candy and one massotherapist puts specialty labels on water bottles for her clients, Mrs. Miller said.

For wedding anniversaries, people often supply an original wedding photo, Mrs. Miller said. One creative couple used a picture of a sonogram for a baby shower.

She said the biggest challenge so far was learning to take care of the business by herself, making sure that the customers are happy and making sure that the business is going in the right direction.

Mrs. Miller said she would like to see her business expand. "I have thoughts of having a manufacturing company do this," she said of the printing work. "In the next couple of years I do hope it (the business) grows bigger than it is right now."

To contact Say It Sweetly Favors call (330) 270-5870 or (800) 303-7613 or visit www.sayitsweetlyfavors.com

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