Commentary

Happy New Year 2012!

Little kids in Pip Design Studio bed

Can you believe we are on the cusp of 2012?! By the time you get to reading this post it might all ready be a new year. How was your 2011? I hope it was grand. Any big plans for 2012? Do you make new year’s resolutions? I am not so into them, but I do plan on making each second of every day *sparkle and shine*

I believe there are great things ahead for all of us! A big thanks to all of my pals out there. You pop over for visits, leave comments and are great friends.

I am forever grateful….


Little kids in Pip Studio bed on MarlaMeridith.com blog

Speaking of gratitude I read this quote on Perry’s Plate and I am very moved by it. Take a look:

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”  Melody Beattie

Little kids having a tea party on a white chaise lounge.

I hope you like the photos in this post. We had gobs of fun taking them.

For a while now I have had this shoot on my mind. I ordered all this bedding from Pip Studio in the Netherlands you see. It begged to be photographed.

On their website it says Happy Products for Happy People. LOVE THAT.

Pip design studio bedding "Birds of Paradise" print

My kids don’t beg to be photographed because they are always in my pictures.

They like to run away from my camera lens.

Little boy in puppy footie PJ's carrying a big pillow

Unless I bribe them with treats.

They were so well behaved during this shoot because they knew there was m&m’s and cookies around the bend.

White chocolate chips, m&m's and cookies, colored pencils
They even shared some reading time before I allowed them to dig in.

Little kids reading books in pajamas in Pip Studio bedding

They listen well when they want something. That something is usually a food item. They take after their mama.

We are all driven by food. Glorious food.

Cookies and m&m's for little kids.
Speaking of treats…I have a little treat for you on my Facebook fan page: a Cake Pops Kit giveaway. Go ahead and try for a win. The kit is awesome!

Little girl in pink tutu with brother in pajamas

Do you have any BIG plans for 2012? Are you getting married, having a baby, starting a blog, changing jobs, graduating college, becoming a grand parent?? Do share, I love to hear what you are up to.

Little kids in Pip Studio bed on MarlaMeridith.com blog
In the mean time a very happy, healthy & blissful new year to you and yours. XOXO

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~ Marla Meridith

Join the Conversation

38 thoughts on “Happy New Year 2012!

  1. I love this post and your kids are gorgeous, as always. These pics belong in a Pottery Barn kids or Gymboree or Kids Gap or some fancy kids catalog. Your photography is just…spectacular and it can be HARD to get kids to look good and not staged. Skylar is such a ham the minute she sees the camera come out. lol

    Our meetups and friendship is one very, very strong 2011 highlight for me. Can’t wait to see you after your trip!

    1. Averie, I am looking forward to a great 2012 as well. You and I share a similar philosophy on the resolutions thing. As you said we both “Keep on keeping on. Staus quo.” Things are a heck of a lot easier that way aren’t they 🙂
      If I shot photos for those catalogs perhaps it would be a prosperous year too 😉 xo

  2. Gorgeous beddings and beautiful pictures, as always. So precious and your kids are adorable. 🙂 Your kids are cute that they want to turn away from your camera. Somehow, my kids love being in the pictures. Whenever I’m taking pictures of my food for the blog, they always come in between the lens and the food and want me to take pictures of them first! LOL… They are funny! Well, don’t know if that would still be the case when they’re older though. 😛

    Happy New Year to you and your family. Wish you a prosperous and healthy 2012! Thanks for your warm wishes and may you get them in returns 100 folds. 🙂

    Cheers!
    Amy

  3. Happy new year to you and your beautiful family!!! Paix, bonheur, amour et santé (peace, happiness, love and health). Long life to your blog!!! Many thanks for your recipes!

    Sparkle (from Paris, France!)

  4. You and your kids are amazing. The colors in the bedding are amazing. The sweet snacks are amazing. I see a trend in my comment. 😉 I adore you Marla… adore your endless energy and spunk and the joy you bring to this world… not only with your humor and wit, but with your healthier way of life! I cant say it enough… the world is a much better place because you are in it! 🙂

  5. Marla! I love that bedding from pip studio. It definitely looks like it’s from the Netherlands. A new years resolution to sparkle and shine is something you already do everyday!
    Happy 2012!!!!!!

    1. Hi Angie! That bedding does look so euro doesn’t it? They have such a great way with color and pattern overseas. When I used to design textiles it was playful like Pip. I guess that is why I am so attracted to them. They bring back memories from a happy time.

  6. Wonderful colors and great use of natural light. I wish we had that much light in the Seattle area right now! Any tips for shooting photos on days that are cloudy and dark?

    1. Hi Barbie! do you have a tripod? Those are very helpful in low lit conditions. This way you can keep a low iso/less grain and slow down the shutter speed to let in more light. With a slow shutter speed you need a tripod so you don’t get a blurry photo. You can also look into artificial light sources – which I do not have yet.

  7. Happy New Year Marla! Love how cheery your bedding looks, perfect way to bring in the new year. And your kids are adorable as always. Wishing you and your family the very best in 2012!

  8. Your kids are getting so big, Marla! I am always in awe that your son still sleeps in his footies. I have to beg Levi to put on a shirt at night! Wonderful blessings to you in 2012 Marla. You are a spark of energy, infectious, and gracious! So grateful to call you my friend!

    1. Susan, my little guy waivers back & forth about his love of those PJ’s. He prefers to run around the house in them to actually sleeping in them. He says they make his blankets stick to his feet! Thanks for your uplifting words – even this energizer bunny could use a boost sometimes! Hope to see you soon 🙂
      xo

  9. Darling bedding Marla and a great start to 2012!! Always enjoy your upbeat and sunny posts and can’t wait to see what you come up with this year! I hope the New Year is filled with joy and happiness for you and your family!

  10. If I saw that bedding in a store anywhere, I would have tweeted you! It has your name all over it. Gorgeous photos! Good times with family is what it is all about. Happy 2012 to you, Marla, and may the joy continue on every day through this lovely new year.
    🙂
    valerie

    1. Hi Valerie! I have been wanting to respond to you comment all day. The true sign of a good friend – being able to pick out their favorite things. Would have loved if you had tweeted such inspiration to me 🙂 A happy, healthy & blissful & tasty 2012 to you and yours too. xxoo

  11. Happy Happy New Year to you and your lovely family – New Year for me involves doing less so I can do more of the good things in life – Life balance – but then you are all about that…