Casa 5.3.2014

Posted on May 7, 2014July 21, 2017 by patrice

some finishing has started in the Master Bathroom – so pretty!

: I found this interesting – hand made trowel… It is a piece of plastic and the cut the teeth into it. It is amazing to me to the extent that they just make what they need on site, and for the most part, they don’t take anything to the next site, they just remake what they need.

: Our jetted tub is coming along nicely with the Mosaics.

: Master tiled floor is finished, not sealed as yet but it is all grouted.

: Guest bath looks like it has the floor tile down now.

: Living / Dining area are being tiled as you can see and it looks like the indoor patio is getting set for the river rock.

: If you look close – we have a new feature that appeared. On the left of the big doorway arch is something white you can see. Turns out we are going to have an “L” shaped benches. They are just finishing it up

Casa 5.1.2014

Posted on May 1, 2014July 21, 2017 by patrice

Starting month 9, closing in on completion for sure.
Details, details – we see more of them everyday. Nice touches here and there including incorporating my tile collection from Europe last fall.
Blessed for sure

: The house itself from the outside looks like not much has changed. You can see one of the opening for the Septic there in the lower left.

: Flooring going in the living room..

: The indoor patio is being prepared for flooring too.

: A view from the kitchen to the living room

: Guest shower is almost completely finished

: Tile work continues in the Master bath. The three tile you see on the wall we brought back from Azores.

: Master shower is close to completion also. That tile you see there is from Lucca Italy.

: Looking through a window in the living room. Front door is behind the ladder on the left, indoor patio center and kitchen on the right

: Window frames going up in the breakfast room.

: A little hard to see but the window frames look great

Minga Pintagapa

Posted on April 27, 2014July 21, 2017 by patrice

Super day for a Minga

our Invitation:
Minga Part Tres – or Minga Pintagapa !!!

Yes, that’s right…Back by popular demand is yet another Minga in San Miguel. Yes this Minga is brought to you by the same people that brought you the Mudapalooza (Alpa Raymi) and Roof Minga (Husay Cumbay).

Who’s coming?… Well we hope you are – after all it is the Social Event of the Spring Season!! Anyone who is anyone will be there but of course!

Where is it?… San Miguel Lot #12 but of course!

When is it?… April 25 at 10am.

What will you be doing?… Well showing everyone your artistic flair with a paint brush of course! (priming the walls in the kitchen/great room/breakfast room)

Make sure to dress appropriately, sun screen on, bring a hat and wear bug repellant!

Why will you be doing this?…Because you will get some Pizza and perhaps and little Wine or Beer, and be dazzling everyone with your artistic flair. But wait there is more!!! If you RSVP now, we will double your invitation! That’s right, you can bring a second person absolutely free.
Just pay shipping and handling fees of $300 USD for second free person. Special fees and assessments will apply. Upgrades and optional accessories are additional charges.

Please RSVP

: We call this “The Wall”, and it was the result of the efforts today. It is the hand prints of everyone that was here today and all of the workers that have been building the house.

: Here is our sign for the Minga.

: Whoa… Lots of people showing up

: Let the work begin!

: Ok show us your skill at painting.

: Good here come more workers.

: That’s it, paint those walls!!!

: Ahh, some discussions about one of the Domes…more on that later.

: Oh no, don’t paint me!!!

: What a great bunch they aren’t ready to quit yet

: That’s it, get those high places!

: Oh is there a photo shoot going on? I think so

: More of the crew busy over here too.

: Looks like rollers at 3 paces here – party is getting rough! Must be a labor dispute…either that or something else!

: He isn’t working alone – really

: I think we need to get some more paint brushes, so many people painting.

: Am sure the house will get painted today!

: And it goes on….and on….Sounding like that old Journey song.

: Looks like a management discussion in the center of the room

: Patrice is covering that wall!

: Dome painting … getting setup.

: This is an example of “The Painting Dance”, a very common practice in this part of the world.

: Who says this is break time…Is that wine I smell on your breathe…no wonder your smiling..

: Two painters, one worker to hold the stands, and of course one supervisor looking on – yup pretty typical

: Looking like a sky is being painted.

: The Wall!

: This is the actual work table for creating “The Wall”. See how no expense was spared! Even the top of an oil drum became the painting palette.

: This dome is starting to become something… hmmm.

: Lunch time – the pizzas arrived.

: The crew quietly waiting.

: Ramiro stops to take a drink.

: What Dave and Patrice are painting in the Dome….who would have thought!

: Still a work in progress…the dome is looking like something at the end of the day.

: Yes…the party is over and everything is cleaned up.

: No one over here either – everyone went home.

: Thanks to everyone for the creating “The Wall”!! I will add credits for everyone late

Casa 4.25.14

Posted on April 27, 2014July 21, 2017 by patrice

More details everyday. We were so excited to see our window frames being installed almost two weeks early! The company is super and run by a wonderful young man. He is also doing all of our exterior and interior doors. Can’t wait to see those!

: From the Outdoor kitchen – Left is doors to guest wing, center is window into living room, right is doorway. Bright sunny day you can see the effect from the patio cover. It is like diffused lighting.

: Window frames are being installed and in this shot you can see one of the frames in the breakfast room and one of the kitchen windows

: Master bedroom with floor installed and window frames.

: A view of the house from another lot.

: Tile is being installed in master shower. Patrice: I drew this design on a piece of paper while in the truck delivering the tiles from Ibarra – took us a long time to get to Cotacachi (about an hour) its a 30 minute drive (no the seatbelt did not work) the driver was super though

: Another view of the tile in the master shower.

: Windows over the toilet in the Master Bath.

: From just inside the outdoor kitchen. Left is front door; center is indoor patio, with “The Wall” in the background; right is entrance to breakfast room.

: All the frames are made of a type of Oak that grows in South America. Nice tight fine grain in the wood too. As you can tell lots of detail work goes into each one.

: One of the windows in the guest shower with tile work underway. There is a light at the top you can see

: Another view of the craftsmanship of the window frames.

These hands built this house

Posted on April 26, 2014April 26, 2015 by patrice

Our day started slowly and then an idea happened – this is my laundry room wall – I plan to have written above it in Kichwa ~ English ~ Spanish

Kay makikunami kay wasyta rurarka ~ These hands built this house ~ Estas manos construyeron esta casa

Yes its hands, all our crew including our architect Ramiro, Maestros Rolando, Roberto, ours and our friends – WOW this makes me cry! So truly blessed (can hardly wait to move in)!

Pink Floyd has nothing on us! This is a quick movie about the making of all the hands that helped build our almost finished house. It is on permanent display on “the wall” in a room in our house. Today was a Minga (work party, with more on the party part) to paint the house. What a wonderful day we had together. The man you see directing most of this in the white shirt is our Architect, Ramiro Rangles. Everyone there, including the people working on the house has hand prints on that wall now.

Casa 4.18.14

Posted on April 18, 2014July 21, 2017 by patrice

: Dave: It is hard to see in this picture but the line on the tile goes straight into the hallway curve. It matches perfectly. Patrice: the tile in the hallway is way beyond what I expected – figured they would break the entry up so they would not have to keep the lines flowing – well they kept the pattern all the way down – wow

: Taken on the other side of the development. It gives you a view of what the house looks like from a distance.

: Dave: I found it interesting how they did what looks like Mosaics for room separation. They used the rectangle tiles you see and used a saw to cut into them and make the 3 tiles in the doorway.

: Wide angle shot from the doorway to the outdoor kitchen. Far left is front door middle is indoor patio, and right is the kitchen on to the breakfast room.