Shop for Beautiful Gifts Made by Our Resident Woodworkers!

Our Holmstad Wood Shop has well-crafted wooden toys, holiday décor, and various home and garden items. Click on the Artisans section to learn more about the featured woodworkers and needlecrafters who are selling what they’ve made this year for the Bazaar on September 30. 

 

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Wooden Puzzles and Planes, Trucks, Automobiles, & Animals!

Shop for new toys and puzzles in the Wood Shop and in the Creative Arts Shop. The Book & Puzzle Shop and the Flea Market have pre-owned toys and puzzles.  

Wooden Puzzles

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 Artisans section.   

Wooden Toys

These sturdy vehicles were also crafted by Ron Diller. 

 

This is one of resident Wilbur Zirk’s sturdy pull-toys for preschoolers. He’s making the bunnies in pink and blue. Learn more about Wilbur in the Artisans section. 

 

 

 

 

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Jack Franklin Designs New Christmas Ornament for the 2023 Bazaar

Jack Franklin’s Christmas Ornaments Make Thoughtful Gifts

Woodworking has been a hobby of Jack’s since he was a teen. Since moving to Covenant Living at the Holmstad nine years ago, he has taken up wood turning. You may have purchased his cherry and walnut bowls and serving pieces at the Bazaar but in the last three years he has concentrated on turning sea urchins into ornaments with hand-turned wooden finials. A few small green sea urchin ornaments are remaining for sale on September 30. But Jack is pleased to introduce a new ornament this year. 

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The New 2023 Christmas Ornament

Jack hollows each wooden sphere before adding a hand-turned finial and inserting a battery-operated tea light. The light is on a timer with six hours on and 18 hours off. The battery is replaceable for many years of enjoyment. 

You’ll find Jack’s ornaments in the Wood Shop at the Bazaar.

Just Finished — 45.5 ” tall Candle Stand

Jack had a long piece of solid cherry. He did not want to spoil the beauty of the graining by dividing it into smaller projects, so he created this 45.5” tall solid cherry candle stand. The cup at the top holds either artificial flowers (shown) or a battery-operated candle of up to 3” in diameter.  There is only one for sale in the Wood Shop

Ron Diller’s Wooden Puzzles & Toys

 & Toys

Ron Diller Brings Joy to Kids & Parents with His Wooden Puzzles

Ron Diller is an accomplished woodworker and the son of a Covenant Living at the Holmstad resident. He has again graciously donated several wooden puzzles for the September 30 Bazaar.

Ron reports, “I’ve been producing these puzzles for seven 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.”

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Ron’s Wooden Puzzles & Toys

The pieces of Ron’s puzzles 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.

Entertaining & Gifts

Charcuterie Boards and Pizza Peels

Here are just two of the styles of boards for sale on September 30. They are made with various woods, and all are finished with food grade mineral oil.

Elegant Wooden Boxes

Resident Joe Whatley crafted keepsake wooden boxes from several woods. A feature about Joe and another photo of one of his boxes is in the Artisans section. 

Tiny Bandsaw Boxes 

David Anderson created several shapes of Bandsaw Boxes — each tiny box has a drawer for treasures. Click on the Artisans section to learn more about Dave. 

 

More of Dave’s bandsaw boxes and wooden hospitality items crafted by Dave and Dick “Mac” MacFeely. 

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Handcrafted Walking Sticks for the 2023 Bazaar

   

One of “Mac” MacFeely’s specialties is turning walking sticks. They range from 36″ to 40.” Mac will custom fit each stick to the buyer.  Find out more about his woodworking in the Artisans section. 

Detail of Mac’s 2023 Walking Sticks

 

This is more detail of one of the sticks above. Mac made this walking stick out of a pool cue and topped it with an eight-ball. 

Wilbur Zirk’s Wooden Children’s Toys

Wilbur At Work

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.

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Wilbur’s Pink Bunny was created after a request at last year’s Bazaar for a pink pull toy. This year, he thought he was done after creating several of these but then got a request for BLUE bunnies! You’ll find both at the September 30 Bazaar.

 

 

 

 

 

Handcrafted Walking Sticks by Richard (Mac) MacFeely

For The Love of Walking 

Walking sticks — or the longer version hiking sticks – have been around as long as people have walked. They are often made from branches and roots or any wood of the forest. Popular woods are walnut, maple, oak and hickory. The tops can be cast metal or carved wood. Mac will custom fit each stick to the buyer. Mac shares, “Turning, carving and assembling the sticks has kept me challenged. I love helping others find their stride.”

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Purchase walking sticks at the September 30 Bazaar

Mac’s handcrafted walking sticks make great Christmas gifts and will be available at The Holmstad Bazaar on September 30 from 9 am-3 pm. Stop by Mac’s table in the Bazaar’s Wood Shop to find out more about his handcrafted sticks.

This is more detail of one of the sticks above. Mac made this out of a pool cue and topped it with an eight-ball. 

Dave Anderson’s Bandsaw Boxes

Dave Anderson

Dave and his wife, Merrie, moved to The Holmstad in 2014. As a long-time woodworker, he made the community’s wood shop his home away from home. For several years, Dave has led the group in projects for the Bazaar and to make or repair anything that The Holmstad needed from the woodworkers. One of Dave Anderson’s popular woodworking projects for sale at the September 30 Holmstad Bazaar are his Bandsaw Boxes. 

Also see Dave’s birdhouses at the Bazaar Wood Shop! 

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Samples of designs for sale at the September 30 Bazaar

Each small box is made of several hardwoods with one or more drawers ideal to hold tiny treasures.

 

Joe Whatley’s Handcrafted Wood Boxes

Joe Whatley at Work

Joe Whatley has enjoyed woodworking for many years. Moving to Covenant Living at the Holmstad in 2019 added camaraderie to the fun of this hobby. Among the wooden items that Joe has built to sell at the September 30 Holmstad Bazaar are boxes that would make great gifts. It gives Joe a great deal of satisfaction when a box comes together well.

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Four boxes that will be sold at the Bazaar

He looks for an interesting grain or knot in the wood to incorporate in the box design. The corner joints are always “finger” or “dove tail” to create interest.

Inside one of Joe’s boxes