Name: Ashley
Site: Rainbow Stuff
Review completed on: 25/12/07
SPLASH PAGE
No splash
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Hiya babes. Between you and me and the hundreds of people who'll eventually be reading this, I'm mighty glad to see a different layout loading in front of me. It's just that your previous layout was pretty heinous no offense, so I'm glad I don't have to suffer it any longer. I think it's best to be honest about these things....so with that said I might as well go the whole hog and tell you that I found your previous layout rather revolting and I kind of...hated it with a burning passion. I feel so bad about it...please believe me...I feel like a schoolyard bully pummeling a seemingly innocent victim (your layout) against an e-brick wall (bricks are hot pink and glittery) and torturing it, again and again. (And again.) I'm so bloody sorry.
It's okay though, no one gets it right all the time, myself definitely included. We're all learning, and with all honesty this new layout of yours is an improvement from your last. Albeit a bit on the bright side.
LAYOUT
Bright can be great! Bright colours can exude happy vibes, bright colours can attract certain visitors and maybe even ensure that they'll stick around to check out your content. However, bright colours can also serve as a distraction for some, an eyesore....maybe even a repulsion. (Although I wouldn't say the last noun applies to your layout). One of my former layouts was apparently bright on certain monitors (always, always Windows monitors) although on my own computer it wasn't bright at all, even with the brightness turned up full bore. Unfortunately when I look at your layout I cannot say the same, it actually is bright. For all I know it might look fine on Windows so if you haven't received any complaints from anyone else, I wouldn't worry about making any changes. Bear in mind though that on Mac it's just a teensy bit too bright. Everything beyond the striped banner looks hunkydory though. I like your flowers! Navigation easily locatable, links clearly defined, good font size and line height...nice work.
I'm not too fussed about the background for your images - the striped rainbow pattern. Like the striped banner at the top of your layout, this is a little bit over the top. Instead you could choose one solid colour from your lineup (you're not exactly spoiled for choice here) and use that instead. Pink or purple maybe?
All in all, I do like your layout. I can't help but think it's missing something though...that one little component that would complete the look you've got going on. Too much white in the mix perhaps, that could be toned down by the addition of another background colour. Your content background should remain white for sure, but you could possibly assign a lightish grey for your body background. #CCCCCC would be the best bet.
CONTENT
About Me
Well written and informative. Interesting too - it's not often I review a 24 year old computer teacher who met her husband online! Well, good for you I say. Your crafting hobbies interest me too, would love to see some pictures of the things you've made. I've never really gotten into Fimo myself but I enjoy sketching, oil painting, and I'm currently learning how to knit. I BE DA RESIDENT LOSERRR IN DIS REALM! RECOGNISE MY LOSERITY, AND FEAR IT!!!!
You say you enjoy buying stationery. Are you familiar with Lisa Frank? She has a wide range of colourful rainbow stationery products, I think you'd like them.
I love Christmas shopping and buying coordinating paper and ribbons and bows and other goodies to tie onto packages.Seems awkwardly phrased. I'd ditch some of the and's...I love Christmas shopping and buying coordinating paper, ribbons, bows and other goodies to tie onto packages.
Domain
I'm not quite sure what to make of this:
Rainbow Stuff has been met with some criticism here and there along the way. While I understand that a lot of people out there in the world despise, loathe, or even shudder at the mere sight of rainbow colors, I do not run this website for anyone else but me, myself, and I. Rainbow Stuff is a truly personal website. I try to include things on here that are about me. Whether it's my personal blog or graphics I've made or maybe even my personal to-do list, this site is all about me. Don't expect to find loads of free stuff, website tutorials, or other generic content here.
In my view, you're essentially giving the visitor the idea that Rainbow Stuff is all about you you you, and nobody else, and if people don't like your colours then tough shit. The fact that you say you run your site for 'anyone else but me, myself, and I' is quite offputting for Joe Visitor. By the way, having tutorials and free stuff doesn't necessarily make your content generic. Free stuff can be original as can tutorials, if they're detailed and helpful. Tutorialtastic much? Into The Rain much? Without your visitors - if you receive any - your site would be nothing, so maybe you should restructure this paragraph and come across as less confrontational and self-centred. No offense, everyone reads things differently and that's the vibe I got from the lines above.
Rainbow Stuff is XHTML and CSS validated (to my knowledge). I have made an honest attempt to make my website as accessible as possible. Keep in mind, I'm still learning. No one knows everything about web design.
Don't worry! You've done a fine job in making your site accessible. Forgive me for yet another bold assumption but you seem kinda defensive above - do you get a lot of negative criticism or something? Are you afraid of it? Everyone gets bashed in some way or another online, and of course no one knows everything about web design.
Just a note, PetShopGirl Reviews = Petshopgirl's Reviews. Actually the apostrophe doesn't really belong there, even though technically it should. It's just the way it is I guess. So many people leave out the S and call it Petshopgirl Reviews, it's somewhat annoying. How hard can it be to actually look at a site title on a header or on a URL?
You're known for having cheerful rainbow layouts and so a Past Layouts page would fit nicely in this section. You probably know this already, but don't forget to thumbnail all the images or drastically reduce the size.
Hobbies
Hobbidy bobbidy doo, what's a girl to do? I could be popping a christmas zit right now, in fact I'm going to go and do that because it's not as if this page exists. Instead of being presented with a Hobbies section I've been taken back to your main page. Saves me reviewing it though, which results in a toothy smile from me. SCORE!
I am actually disappointed though - knowing you're into arts and crafts I would have loved to have seen your offerings here. Pictures of the things you've made? Crafting guides? One can only assume the nature of the content here, since you haven't bothered to link it up.
Goodies
ONLY I AM TO JUDGE WHETHER OR NOT A GOODIE IS A GOODIE!!!! Just kidding. Just injecting a mild dosage of liveliness into the fray. I think I can get away with that since it's Krizmozz. Oh lookie here, this page hasn't been linked up either, again taking me back to your index. How long has this problem been in existence? I wonder why no one has informed you about this? If I may be so dangerously bold as to assume that no one's even checked out the pages to tell you, least of all you? Wonder why that is. Do you not care about your content? One 'unlinked' link is bad enough but two in a row? A genuine shame.
Collective, Quilt
These lead to a separate websites, therefore won't be reviewed. Perhaps you should put this link at the very end of your navigation instead. Right now these links are located slap bang in the middle of your navigation and I'm sure your visitors don't appreciate the surprise of suddenly being taken to another website when all the surrounding links are internal. All external links if placed on a navigation system should always be left till last, or better still placed somewhere else, eg your sidebar.
Links
But of course this leads to the index page instead of a links page as the title would suggest! How cocky of me to assume otherwise! For goodness' sake, get it together would you?
SUMMARY
I'm not sure what to make of your site, maybe because I'm used to reviewing more than two sections of content. It was so disappointing to see that you hadn't even bothered to link up most of your content properly, instead of linking up to the right pages you'd just linked them to your index page. Three sections that I could have reviewed! You should have been aware that these pages were inaccessible - if you're going to come and tell me you were, then why the lack of "Coming soon" or "Under Construction?" The fact that this problem exists unfortunately leads me to believe that you don't care about your site very much. If I'd linked one of the pages in my main navigation (!!!!) back to my index instead of the relevant page, you'd better believe I'd hear about it from visitors via email. I'd think "Oh shit!" and quickly fix it. Oh well, I guess some of us are more into our sites and their upkeep than others are, so each to their own.
While I have my concerns about potential brightness on some monitors, I generally do like your layout and I think it'd look even better with a grey body background. This is a major improvement from the nineties-esque sludge you had up previously, so bravo! Like you say, we're all learning and improvement is the name of the game. Keep ascending! Happy and cheerful layouts can definitely be successful if executed correctly.
As you know I was concerned over the impression I got from a paragraph in your Domain section, especially the "I do not run this website for anyone else but me, myself, and I" part. I do not agree with that in the slightest. I'm telling you, it's all about the visitors.
Good luck with Rainbow Stuff - you've got a potential gem here and with some extra TLC your site is sure to shine.
