The seven residents featured in the “About” section have been busy making beautiful, useful items that highlight our shop offerings. Take a look:
Dave Anderson
Dave Anderson has been working with wood since he was eight years old. He learned from his father. Now that he lives at Covenant Living at the Holmstad, he’s the volunteer who manages the Wood Shop. Dave reports that they make over 400 items to sell at our September 20 Bazaar. He loves the challenge and the creativity needed to make a quality item for people to enjoy. Dave calls the Wood Shop “The heart of the Holmstad.”
This year, Dave is making bird houses — some with copper trim, charcuterie boards and pizza peels.
Dave’s charcuterie board is 13″ X 17″, made of 41 pieces of walnut, pine, mahogany, and oak. It’s treated with food grade oil.
Pizza Peel: 23″X 11″ treated with food grade oil
Laura Lamplough
Laura Lamplough recently moved to Covenant Living at the Holmstad. Her loom and large spools of threads settled into a spare bedroom. This is where she has continued her weaving, including exquisite table linens and kitchen towels that she has donated for sale at The Holmstad Bazaar on Saturday, September 20, 9 am – 3:00 pm.
Laura’s father had given her a toy loom when she was a child. In 1990, Laura took it to Fine Line to get restrung as a gift for her niece. When she got there, she met Sr. Denise Kavenaugh who showed her the large room filled with looms and people weaving. Laura fell in love with weaving and never looked back. “It’s the one thing I do during which I totally lose track of time.”
Laura loves bringing joy to others with her weavings. Weaving the 15-foot banners and altar pieces at her church, Fox Valley Presbyterian, gave her a purpose, a challenge, and reason to push herself.
In recent years, she has focused on table linens which she describes as “finger painting with yarn.” She doesn’t have a pattern, just experiments as the piece evolves.
Her work is exquisite, and we are fortunate to be able to enjoy both Laura and her talents at Covenant Living at the Holmstad.
On the left: set of 4 placemats woven by Laura. On the right: a table runner & 4 placemats. On Saturday, September 20 from 9 am-3:00 pm, drop in the Homstad Bazaar to find other table linens and kitchen towels woven by Laura.
Karen Stebbins
Karen Stebbins is a certified knitting instructor through the Craft Yarn Council of America. She designs knitwear and her patterns are available on Ravelry.com. She has been teaching knitting at The Holmstad for eight years. She volunteers twice a week and has created a real sense of community among our residents.
“My heart is filled with joy when I connect with fellow knitters. Holmstad is one of my ‘happy places’.”
Karen was taught to knit by her mother when she was eight. Her love of knitting took off when she was working toward one of her bachelor’s degrees. While she was in college, she took a class to improve her knitting skills. The class was taught by the president of the Mid-Michigan Knitters Guild. Karen became active in the guild and remains in contact with four of the Guild members.
Karen knitted and donated this generous white shawl which is 74″ long and 38″ top to bottom. Contents: 55% Merino wool, 33% Acrylic, 12% Cashmere.
* Karen designed the black and white Goth wrap pictured in the portrait of Karen. It is 53″ long and 25″ top to bottom. Contents: hand-dyed wool and acrylic. It will be for sale in the Holmstad Bazaar Craft Shop on Saturday, September 20, 9 am-3:00 pm.
Wilbur Zirk
Wilbur Zirk became a woodworker in his teens. Since moving to The Holmstad in 2020, he has been an active member of the Wood Shop. He really enjoys making toys. “The large variety of tools in the wood shop allow me to create any project I dream up.” One of Wilbur’s projects that he’s making for this year’s Bazaar are his unique bud vases.
Wibur makes several models of these bud vases. This is the second year he has made them. Last year they were sold out immediately.
Marina Wray
Marina is holding the Christmas quilt she has made and donated to the 2025 Holmstad Bazaar. It is sized for a twin bed at 71-1/2″ X 53-1/2″ but can be draped across a larger bed to dress it up for the holidays. It also has a pocket on the back so that it could become a holiday wall-hanging.
Marina has never sold a quilt. “I give them away because I enjoy the look on someone’s face when they pick one of them out.”
Marina moved to Elgin 21 years ago, and a neighbor asked if she’d like to start quilting. With the help of her neighbor, she made her first quilt and was hooked! Together, they started a quilting club in their neighborhood.
Marina is on the waiting list to become a resident of The Holmstad. Her mother enjoyed living here for 33 years. Marina looked at other senior communities but it’s Holmstad that she’s decided to call home.
Rich Jacobson
Rich Jacobson has been woodworking since he was a child in his dad’s shop. His woodworking experience is extensive, including cabinetry and building a home.
For the Saturday, September 20, 9 am-3:00 pm Holmstad Bazaar, Rich is offering exquisitly hand-crafted wooden tongs for tossing salads and serving charcuterie trays. You can choose cherry or maple tongs – each make beautiful hostess or stocking stuffer gifts. You’ll find them in the Bazaar’s Wood Shop.
Rich donates both the wood and his time saying, “It’s a good way to contribute to Holmstad’s Benevolent Care Fund.”
Judy Larson
Judy always likes to have a needlework project going. Right now, she’s crocheting. She’s also an expert embroiderer and knitter. This year, Judy has made and donated two table runners for the Bazaar on Saturday September 20: one for the holidays and one for everyday use. They will be for sale in the Craft Shop.
Judy says, “So many of the residents have delicious specialties to share so that’s why I’m also excited to coordinate the bake sale this year.”
