Stay connected with The Bazaar!
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These wooden puzzles are created by Ron Diller, son of a resident. Pieces range from 1” to 1/8” thick, 2” to 15” tall, by 2” to 20” long. Most of them will stand up for ease of display. Some are framed for travel or can be placed on a coffee table to entertain guests. Learn more about Ron and his woodworking skills in the Artisan section.
This is one of Wilbur Zirk’s sturdy pull-toys for preschoolers. The 16″ alligator is Wilbur’s own pattern. Find more about Wilbur and his wooden toys in the Artisan section.
toy, wood, child, preschool, toddler, gift, Christmas
From February through August, more than 50 residents created over 300 different items to sell in the Creative Arts Shop. Linda Anderson and Darlene Miller lead this team of residents who are generous with their time and talents to create items that bring joy to others. Linda Anderson shares, “For many residents, the Creative Arts Center is their ‘Happy Place’.”
You’ll find seasonal décor for fall and Christmas, several afghans, children’s toys, toddler fabric books, knitted baby and children’s wear, a variety of adult knitted and crocheted hats, scarves, and gloves.
Christmas, knit, child, toddler, crochet, gift, toy, decor, afghan, quilt
One large room is filled with books and puzzles for all ages. The books are sorted into 28 categories so you can easily find your favorite mysteries, best sellers, cookbooks, and Chicago topics. There are many books this year in the “Children and Young Adult” category. New this year are books to learn and teach sign language.
There are a lot of used Ravensburger, Ceaco, and Bits & Pieces puzzles to browse. Note: Because they are donated, we cannot guarantee that each puzzle is complete. But they are definitely priced to sell.
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When books are donated by residents to sell at the Holmstad Bazaar, they often forget to remove things they had used as bookmarks. This year, Co-chair Judy Johnson found this expired Medicare card in a donated book and returned it to the resident.
Ron Diller is an accomplished woodworker and the son of a Covenant Living at the Holmstad resident. He has graciously donated several wooden puzzles for the October 1 Bazaar.
Ron reports, “I’ve been producing these puzzles for six years and through the years have used existing patterns and developed some of my own patterns and designs. Some puzzles are painted, and others left natural wood.
“Seasonal puzzles (Christmas, Halloween, Easter, etc.) are my favorite ones to make and I try to come up with different designs every year. They’ve brought a lot of joy to kids and parents, and I enjoy coming up with new designs as I continue to produce them.”
toy, Christmas, gift, child, wood
Pieces range from 1” to 1/8” thick, 2” to 15” tall, by 2” to 20” long. Most of them will stand up for ease of display. Some are framed for travel or can be placed on a coffee table to entertain guests.
Wilbur Zirk started making children’s toys when the nieces and nephews began to arrive. However, he’s been a woodworker since he was a teenager. Wilbur and his wife, Esther, arrived at The Holmstad in 2020. He soon became involved in the wood shop where he enjoys making wooden toys and games. His next project is a wooden pyramid puzzle – look for those at the Bazaar, too!
child, Christmas, gift, handmade, toddler, toy, wood
The 16″ alligator is Wilbur’s own pattern.
The 21″ dinosaur is a modified version of a larger pattern. Both toys are favorites of Wilbur’s grandchildren.