Holly Mulder finishes up a floral wreath for her door. Mulder enjoys tailoring her creations to match any dŽcor.
By Jolene Farley
With prom and Mother's Day around the corner, it is time for a visit to Holly Mulder's Country Flowers and Crafts.
Country Flowers and Crafts, located two miles east and one and three-quarters miles south of Hills, opened in December 1995. Mulder had just completed floral arranging courses at Southeast Technical Institute in Sioux Falls, and she said everything just fell into place.
A friend of Mulder's knew of a cooler for sale and Mulder had previously purchased a counter and air conditioner on an auction. So Mulder and her husband, Dennis, began converting a single car garage on their farm place into Country Flowers and Crafts.
Country Flowers offers real or silk floral arrangements for weddings, funerals, or any special occasion.
They also sell balloons, which according to Mulder are the most popular with the high school students, and stock candles. They experiment with items to see what works and what doesn't.
Mulder creates arrangements to match any dŽcor. Her goal is to make affordable arrangements that are nice looking. "Our area is fairly conservative," said Mulder. "So I know if I do that customers will come back."
Mother's Day and Christmas are usually the busiest for Country Flowers and Crafts. Mulder says if someone misses Valentine's Day they usually let it slide, but they are more conscientious about Mother's Day and Christmas.
The most practical flowers customers order are carnations and mums because they last the longest. But Mulder really enjoys roses. "They are so different," she said. "There are so many varieties; every flower you get is different."
The most unusual arrangement Mulder created was for a 50th wedding anniversary gift. The arrangement contained 50 coins. She said she used a hot glue gun to fasten the coins to wire before arranging them.
Mulder doesn't have set business hours. Country Flowers and Crafts used to be open certain days but someone would usually stop by or call on the days she wasn't supposed to be open. So she remains flexible and plays it by ear. She encourages customers to leave a message on her answering machine if they cannot reach her at 855-2215.
Mulder said the best part of her job is "meeting people and seeing the expression on their face when they get flowers."
Although she runs the bulk of the business alone, Mulder gets help from her husband and four children, Jerry, Randy, Becky and Kelly.
"My whole family has done some deliveries at one time or another," said Mulder. Country Flowers and Crafts will deliver to the Hills, Steen and Beaver Creek areas.