~ A quote by Oscar Wilde, illustrated by the awesome Beverly Ealdema {taken from the Pikaland flickr group}

I love this quote.

I turn 29 today and this year, like every year, I take some time off to curl up with a book on the couch. I read every day, but for the past month or so, my time was scattered and so was I; but today was my day to just sit back and relax. It’s my birthday after all! (To give you an idea of how obsessed I am with reading: Someone once came up to me and asked why my head has not yet self combusted with information overload.)

Also, I get extremely nostalgic on my birthdays and this is no different. So apart from sharing my obsession with reading (which I guess you would already have gathered by now), I’d like to share with you what made 2010 such an exciting year — not just on a professional level, but on a personal level as well:

1. Pikaland’s amazing growth (an incredible 80% growth in terms of visitor visits in our third year)
2. Our amazing contributors: Racheal, Jamie, Melanie & Gemma
3. Pikaland’s project participants: The PikaPackage Project, Good to Know zines, and the Pikaland Artist Bootcamp (a collaboration with the Dancing Cat’s Jamie Shelman)
4. The launch of Pikabooks, where we give a book to a child with every book/zine that’s sold;
5. I started to review books — not just illustration books, but business books too — so much of that knowledge applies to artists as well. (and was invited to participate in some book blog tours too!)
6. I was invited to speak at Altitude Summit 2011 ;
7. I relaunched my personal illustration portfolio ;
8. I got a couple of illustration commissions from local magazines;
9. Finally getting my kitchen done (after two years of moving in!);
10. Plus we bought a fridge! 🙂
11. Attended a couple of fun weddings; and missed out on a funeral;
12. Made lots of good friends, online and off — who shared with me my ups and downs; and
13. The addition of two furry and naughty Jack Russell terriers to our household (Jeff & Jojo)!

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2010 was a year filled with laughter and tears, from failed projects to successful ones, with lots of lessons learned in between. To each and every reader who has so graciously supported us: your tweet, shout outs, comments and emails have fueled me in a way that I can never repay. Thank you so much being a part of our little community!

There’s exciting things looming on the horizon for Pikaland — and I can’t wait to share them all with you next year. 🙂

December rocks, and so do you!

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{Regular postings will resume tomorrow — thanks for reading my ramblings!}