In the Beginning

We sold all of our products in our retail shop in Billings, at a few area retail outlets, and through the popular Country magazine. We had several wholesale dealers across the country and also supplied orders to vendors in locations such as Silver Dollar City and Dollywood. One of our lamp designs was accepted by Warner Brothers with Free Willy endorsement. Unfortunately we declined the offer after learning that their royalty fee terms would have made us contractually bound to a minimum payment of $10,000 with the sale of the very first $99 lamp. The WB acceptance alone still makes me extremely proud. (Click image to enlarge)

When my mother passed away in 1995, my 73 year old father finally decided to retire. My husband, my daughter and I relocated the business in 1996 and continued on for several more years, graduating from cow clocks and other wood items back to the cabinetry that my husband was trained to do as well as decorative items and furniture. A few years ago my husband left the ranks of the self-employed when he accepted a position with a very dear friend who spent over 30 years as a shop owner in Silver Dollar City. At Hill Country Crafters we made a number of pine and oak items that he sold, along with his own items, at his Mountain Rockers shop attached to the SDC wood carver's building. He is a successful furniture builder and is currently making furnishings for Bass Pro’s Big Cedar Lodge as well as other lodges around the country with my husband's assistance.

My father passed away in 1998. In 2002 my husband and I purchased the historic building, the building that my parents loved so much where we started Hill Country Crafters over 23 years ago. There are indeed many memories of the seven years spent here working alongside my parents.

Now with the help of my valued customers, I am adding to the memories created in this building. All of this makes the name Memories ~ Then & Now very appropriate.

In 1990, my parents, my husband, my daughter and I started a wood product business - Hill Country Crafters - in Billings, Missouri. Among the many wood items we made was Dinana Rose©, our copyrighted, hand painted cow clock. When I designed her, we made no changes but put her into production immediately. Born in 1991, she became an overnight sensation to cow lovers every-where. With over 8,500 clones all over the world, her success was and still is an incredible inspiration for me. (Click image to enlarge)