by | November 14, 2021 · 8:23 am

A new start on hobbitholes

Just had the epiphany to simplify OUR lives by building that long delayed hobbit hole for the grandsons… and LIVING in it for a while, while we look for some land sell or rent out our Appletree haven here in Gisborne…

This all because we are vax dissidents, now mandated, and we’re going to HAVE to reduce costs, find a new income now Raewyn’s not allowed to teach at the early childhood centre. Dreamhavens are built fir such a time as this! And with economic dusaster threatening with the ‘almost everything bubble’ surely bound to burst soon, why not act now… downsize now and avoid the rush!

So, follow this blog, and we’ll post updates as we build.

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by | June 22, 2019 · 2:11 pm

Focus, focus, focus…

The work goes on to get design details and techniques right and efficient… invented a couple of new ways to make sandcasting concrete rings for door and window frames; almost set up the hinge blacksmithing shed; made a square mesh bender, and more.

The vacuum sandcastle. .. this cuts a profile through packed damp sand and vacuums away the tailings…

This is the shorter square mesh bender. The bolt heads hook onto the rebar beside each strand to be bent and curls them around the tubing as the lever is pulled.

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by | May 23, 2019 · 8:27 pm

Metal and earth

Building the walls today with the steel rebar. Peter is always inventing ways in which to speed up the process and this was his new creation for making process super quick.
Trialing new ways to build the walls using clay. Stuck to the rebar pretty well. We mixed sand, clay, pine wood chips and water to make this sticky formula. Just watching to see how it dries and will be exploring straw and other mixtures to find the right mix.
Wove wire to rebar to reinforce bottom to walls leaving gap so we can infill with clay mixture. Walls will be 200mm and straw/woodchip will provide insulation for walls.

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by | May 20, 2019 · 8:13 pm

Progress on the yard front

Today was an outdoor day getting the yard prepped and ready to start our first build…looking more organised and ready for action! Peter taught me how to use some fancy tools including a hammer (he is a patient wizard). Cut and bent two walls for the ‘moko haven’ foundations…should call it the yard gym
Even managed to set up a compost heap for when we begin our gnome garden. Hoping Raewyn inspires this project too
Peter is continually thinking and creating molds for designs to inspire us both. It’s a big journey but together and with others…we might just be able to build some magic!

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by | May 9, 2019 · 6:30 pm

A tiny home model in stone

I painted this stone I carved as a model and ‘wairua stone’ for the first dreamhaven ‘baby’ -for the grandsons… So when we’ve built it the stone can go in the earth bank behind perhaps… a kind of foundation stone… Hayley took a moment off the intricate stained glass window she has been making for the hobbit office…

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by | May 7, 2019 · 5:51 pm

Base Camp established… a hobbit HQ

Hayley and I have been lining this tiny corner in the long sheds as a retreat, office, draughting and meditation room for dreamhaven… it’s only about 1.3 by 1.8 metres…

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by | April 20, 2019 · 11:01 am

Putting my energy where my heart is – hobbithavens Elfhaven and mokohavens

Thanks to the enthusiasm of Hayley who wants to build her own whare and learn ferro and other skills, I’ve dragged hobbithavens back to centre stage and the long-awaited ‘Moko whare’ aka grandsons’ hobbit haven in the woods, is happening. First we had to clear the back yard though. .. Autumn flame colours in tge leaves of the vine, and hot flames of cleanup… lining a hobbit office in a corner of the long sheds, and then we start… after a tangi and (paid!) writing stint with big brother john in Auckland, and a long-awaited party for his 75th. ..

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by | April 15, 2019 · 1:23 pm

NOW We’re starting – grandkid’s den first

After much other setup, some relevant to building good Hobbity tiny homes, some less so, I’ve been re-awakened to the vision to start building DREAMHAVEN..

A young helper/apprentice has appeared and galvanised me to do it NOW… she will build her own tiny cabin after learning with me on this first one for my grandsons Eddie and Bruno (4 and 6, nearly).  Before they grow so much I’ll have to build it grownup size!

Follow this blog for updates:)

First we will set up the Yard at the back of Dreamspace. We’ll build it there and hiab it into place, hopefully the easiest way.

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by | February 2, 2018 · 6:59 pm

Of Pumpkins and procrastination

Concrete creations lately have been mostly limited to ferrocement garden beds and pergolas (see www.fantasticferrocement.com) and my white cement casts of carvings at our Dreamspace Gallery (see www.dreamspace.nz) But I have been asked if I would build a pumpkin cabin, and I’ve done a concept drawing. It’s quite Hobbity… If the lady says do it, I will! But I will try to also get onto the first Dreamhaven cabin, the little one for the grandsons – before they get too old for it…

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Here’s Ortin, a little character from my fantasy epic, volume IV. He would like a pumpkin cabin, I reckon!

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by | June 26, 2017 · 1:16 pm

Dream havens coming soon

Well it has been a while! I was away selling the Ark up north, and now I’m back in Gisborne and Dreamspace is getting closer to hosting the building of the first real live ‘hobbit’ haven. While I was away we lost the hobbithaven domain because my email peter at eutopia went west. So, I rethought and decided it’s a blessing in disguise, since our styles are not limited to a ‘hobbity’ look, but encompass Elven and Aedenic as well… and we have had the question of copyright about the name Hobbit, at least for a main name for it.

Watch this space – our first cabin will be a very ‘hobbity’ one, for the grandsons 🙂 We have been up the garden path so to speak, at the Gisborne environment centre, making the edging for their path and a spiral herb garden, and now hopefully a few raised beds…

There are some other projects ordered too. The sculptural ferrocement is in demand!

 

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