That was issue....338. Twas great, gave me lots of ideas for homebrewed staves as familiars. Glad to see it in Pathfinder too.
There was something published once about making magic items familiars. Can't remember if it was Magic Item Compedium or Unearthed Arcana. I felt that was a fantasy classic that was worth allowing, though I remember thinking it still needed tweaking.
Not being much of an animal-lover type, I use this article all the time to flesh out my own wizards, when the DM allows. It's pretty cool, I think. Familiars can be handy, but they are a bit of a pain in the neck as well.