Our Story
Clear Creek Traders began as a simple gift: a spark of creativity and a desire to stay home with our children while building something meaningful.
We started small—just a booth at the Missoula, Montana farmers market. The booth fee and a single soldering gun were our first investments, and to us, they felt incredible. That booth became our world for two and a half years as we added seasonal shows and discovered the thrill of creating something people loved.
A move to the Bozeman area brought a new chapter. The local farmers market welcomed us, and in just a few hours on a Saturday we could earn more than any “regular” job—an amazing feeling of freedom and possibility.
For me as a mother, it was a gift beyond measure: a way to teach our children the value of hard work and to share a story that resonated with others. Our kids grew up sorting and cleaning glass, naming colors, wrapping and burnishing copper, helping with setup and teardown, and eventually designing their own pieces. They learned inventory management, cost of business, and how to present a brand to the world. They photographed products, created marketing materials, and shaped the reputation we cherish—all while watching me learn alongside them.
Now our story evolves again. Our children are grown, and I’m returning to our roots in a new way. Roots look different today, so we’re reaching out to customers everywhere—online.
I can’t wait to share what we’ve been creating. Welcome to the next chapter of Clear Creek Traders!
Meet the Makers
PATTY JO
I was born and raised in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains near Lewistown, Montana. My daughter-in-law calls my childhood “idyllic,” and truth be told—I’d have to agree. Growing up with seven brothers on a ranch was wild and wonderful, but as much as I loved those days, nothing quite surpassed the joy of becoming a wife, mother and grandmother. My world expanded then, defined by the hopes I carried for our children: a life of health, intention, and a steady center in God.
Clear Creek Traders began humbly—in our garage in Lolo, MT—when our dear friend Andrea gifted us a large collection of glass. That spark became something bigger: handmade jewelry that carried a piece of our family’s hope. Soon, we were the little family of five setting up at farmers’ markets and art festivals across Montana.
What I treasure most, though, is how the business carried on even after our sons were grown. Stephanie and I leaned on each other, finding strength in the work and joy in our shared creativity. Her eye for design and marketing continues to inspire every piece we create. Since August of 2023, she’s poured her heart into giving her new son—our grandson—an upbringing rooted in the similar values that once shaped our own family.
Years ago, when the kids were young, we kept a world map where we pinned every place our jewelry traveled. At first, we thought we might be lucky if it spread across the United States. But the blessings went far beyond: to every state, to U.S. territories, and even to friends around the world—Australia, Japan, Russia, and as far as Tehran, where two friends insisted on wearing matching necklaces to feel close despite the miles between them. In many ways, it feels right to begin again.
Though the children are grown, they still lend their gifts. Seth, our middle son, wears his Clear Creek Traders roots proudly, unafraid to list it on his CV, and he remains our biggest cheerleader. Sean, our eldest, lends his sharp mind for process and technology as a cybersecurity engineer. Ray—the one who “drove the bus” in those early years—still shows up, building, fixing, planning, bookkeeping, collaborating and supporting in countless ways. Most importantly, they never let us believe our efforts were anything less than meaningful. For that, my gratitude runs deep.
STEPHANIE
I was born and raised under Montana’s wide-open skies, where Saturdays meant farmer’s markets and the air smelled of lavender soaps, fresh bread, and handmade treasures. To this day, stepping into a market feels like stepping back into childhood.
My family and I were always on the move—packing up displays, setting up booths, laughing through the chaos, and sharing our creations with new faces each week. Looking back now as a mother, I see just how much love and effort it took for us to live that bustling, market-to-market rhythm together.
After graduating, I headed east to Kansas City, where I met my husband, Levi. Life picked up speed: I dove into design school in Overland Park, finished my degree, and planned our wedding—all in the same whirlwind year. Now, a dozen years later, we’ve put down roots here. We share our days with a very opinionated corgi and our bright-eyed two-year-old son, who is the truest light of our lives.
Clear Creek Traders is, in many ways, a continuation of that Montana market spirit—handmade beauty, a love for storytelling through design, and the joy of creating something with heart and sharing it with others.