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Okay, I think I got carried away a little and entered the blog into the Homies Award 2009, sponsored by Apartment Therapy. It’s an award for best home design blogs, so I was rationalizing to myself that Pikaland does throw up some ideas in that department, even if just a tiny bit (say, how about decorating the walls with illustrated goodies? Isn’t that better? WHY YES!)

One of these days I think I might just slap the side of my head and say “what the heck was I thinking?”, but then again, I know that it’s all in good fun. If that reason sits well with you, then how about humoring me and cast a vote for Pikaland?

p/s: Here’s my list of lovely blogs that I think should win too, in case you’d like to know.

I’m not due back blogging until next Monday, but I just wanted to pop in and mention the wonderful work that Julie Annis has been doing for the indie band Camera Obscura from Glasgow, Scotland (I think she did the illustrations for their website as well). The one featured here is the band’s latest single that came out early December, and you can see more on her portfolio page.

From Better Homes & Gardens: Christmas Ideas, 1956. Illustrator: Roy Mathews. Image from Ward Jenkins’ Vintage Christmas set

I was supposed to draw something in time for the coming holidays as a greeting card to send out, but as you can see I never made it. To compensate, I’d like to propose that you have a look through Ward Jenkins’ fabulous Flickr stream and get a feel of some vintage Christmas illustrations — the theme that I wanted to go for if I wasn’t the biggest procrastinator on earth. Oh well, there’s always another year no?

2009 was a busy year here at Pikaland — so I’m going to do a short recap of what I’m thankful for in 2009:

• YOUR support for cheering Pikaland on — we’re going to be 2 years old in February!

• The launch of the Good To Know zine that brought illustrators, artists and designers together to discuss creativity, life and business (or the lack therof, haha!)

• I started accepting advertising on Pikaland, and many of you sponsored that loaf of bread I put on the table, and I thank you tremendously.

• I put the PikaPackage Project on hiatus, but you’ll be happy to know that it will be up and running again early next year with NEW projects in tow. To sign up for news about that, subscribe to the newsletter , and;

• There’s too many to list down here, but I’m truly indebted to the many wonderful blogs and people who featured Pikaland on their websites and publications!

Happy holidays and a big cheer for 2010 — here’s wishing you lots of joy, happiness and warmth from our family to yours.

xoxo
Amy