These are a few of Mary’s Favorite Things
California — Life has always been a little on the crazy side for Mary Guercio – and she wouldn’t know what to do if it wasn’t.
Raising six boys, one girl and two dogs, there was always plenty to keep her busy. But during her 15 years as a Saratoga stay-at-home mom, she also volunteered and was very involved in her children’s activities. She was even the team mom for the Saratoga High School football team several years in a row, and has never missed a single game played by her boys – all six of whom were, or still are, members of the team.
But now that her children are older – the two youngest are 16 – she has found herself in a place she says she never imagined to be as the owner of a bustling business that, in a different way, is keeping her busier than ever before.
“It all started a few years ago when I was having my big 5-0,” she says. “I really wanted to do something special and cool for favors and I looked all over and couldn’t find anything. I ended up designing them myself and I had a great time doing it.”
She says she took the inspiration for her party favors from Oprah, but instead of doing “Oprah’s Favorite Things,” she came up with “Mary’s Favorite Things” to give to her guests.
“I filled containers with my favorites-pajamas, jewelry,” she says. “Each person was different. Everybody that attended, I geared their gift toward them. Then I began thinking that if I couldn’t find what I wanted, I bet other people can’t find what they want, so I started a company called Carried Away Favors.”
