I had a birthday.

My birthday was Saturday.

All week long, leading up to Saturday, my husband kept asking me what I wanted him to get me for my birthday.  I kept thinking, and thinking, and wondering why I couldn't think of a single significant thing.

Then, on Wednesday when I stepped out into the sewing garage, I realized it had become more "garage" than "sewing studio".  And the mess was driving all of my creativity away.  I was at a breaking point.  I admitted to him that the only thing I wanted for my birthday was a sewing room makeover.

I should be totally embarrassed to post these next pictures, but they will make his "gift" to me that much more dramatic...

Here is where I used to go to sew:

Our garage is detached from our house.  Since we live in a former model home, the garage was the design studio (please notice the design feature signs that were plastered all over the walls.  They've ben a constant source of inspiration, as you can imagine, NOT!).  It's completely finished, with hardwood floors and everything.  It's a dreamy space to have to sew in, but I do have to share the space with the normal stuff that a family of six puts in their garage:

I tried to split the space down the middle, having the sewing stuff on the left, and the garage on the right.

Before I show you what my husband gave me for my birthday, you should know that organizing and cleaning run deep in the marrow of his bones.  It's impressive.  And intimidating.

Happy Birthday to me:

He re-folded fabric.  Re-stacked piles.  Emptied old boxes of notions, and created bigger and better boxes.  

Added a hanging bar and hooks for all things scissors, brilliant!

Though it may be hard to believe, all of my thread had previously just been thrown inside of a tupperware box.  Seriously.  Darin put it all in rainbow order even.

A new "task board" to keep myself organized and on track. A tack board that will eventually house fabric inspiration, after I'm done looking at my homemade birthday cards.  As you can see, my kids have already given me a few "tasks" already!

And he even hung my favorite fabric streamers and felt hearts!  

Now the garage fits neatly behind the "wall" that he created out of the Ikea "Expedit" shelving system. 

He kicked me out of the space starting on Thursday (though we started "demolition" on Wednesday!).  I didn't get to step back in until Saturday morning.  I think he finally crawled into bed sometime around 3am on Saturday!  I have never loved a birthday gift so much in all my life!  He had a great time doing it.  He paid attention to every detail.  Even still, I'm not sure if he'll ever really understand how much this gift meant to me in that deepest, downest, inner most part of my soul.  I was, and still am, so overwhelmed and grateful.

Since I was kicked out for two days, I moved my sewing machine and accessories to my dining room table to keep myself occupied while I wasn't allowed to peek out the window!  In that time I was able to finish the quilt!!

And still had time to sew up a little "create" bunting to hang in my new Sewing Studio.

Finally found a good project to cut into my Denyse Schmidt "Hope Valley" fabrics, which have been sitting on the shelf since January 1, 2011.

Hopefully this is just the beginning of things I "create" that come out of my new and improved sewing space.  

It's like a breath of fresh air.

Thank you so much Darin!!

XOX