~ PixiMyst Site Review ~ Site Name: Petz Dreamz Layout Number: Version 16 - Splash Into Summer Date of Review: 9.7.08 Percentage: 88/100 (88%) Final Grade: B First Imprssion Pointage: 7/8 Commentary: - Ah Rylee! Where to begin with you? It's hard because I've known and loved PD for several years now =D *Chuckles* Perhaps you should sit down and enjoy some tea *Offers a basket full of flavours* ~ I'm notorious for loooooong reviews, ya know >^^;< - One of the things that I feel is important to mention right off the bat is the fact that I have a nice 'lil confession to make (don't worry, I've not been bad XD): Rylee, it has been such a treat to watch PD grow & expand & thrive! I can remember way back when it was hosted on Freewebs. Since then, wonderful things have happened -- and it shows today in what PD has become! But more about that later. - All that aside, however, pretending like I came to the site for the very first time -- here's what I notice: First of all, one of the best things I spot is actually something I don't spot (believe me, there is logic here somewhere!). Ads. Switching over to Awardspace was a very smart thing, darling. A lack of ads makes for a clean webbie that is much more enjoyable for viewing, eh? - Also, the fact that you have petz within your layout is a bonus... for obvious reasons I hope :) The fact that you have INTERESTING petz in your layout (*pats the cream/white pup with wings*) adds to the appeal, methinks! - And of course, could I overlook those lovely sparkles? *Giggles girlishly* I guess the pixi-dust I keep spreading around actually did spruce up the site! :P - Perhaps one of the biggest flaws that I can see are some basic alignment / formatting issues. But again, I'll speak about those below. Layout Pointage: 9/12 Commentary: - Hehe! Darling, I do believe that you are getting better and better with each passing layout at making them =D I must compliment this one highly when compared to the last. It's simple charm speaks well to your own delightful personality :) - Orange is such a lovely colour to work with, and rarely seen in the PC -- at least with the flare that you've given it. It's vibrant and screams with the up-side of life, just radiating energy, excitement, and enthusiasm from every single angle ( hmm... suonds kind of like the webmistress, eh? >^o~< ). Yet, it is also quite soft, in its own sort of special way. The orange isn't TOO bright; and the shades add a soothing kind of contrast to the layout. Well done, hon! - I like the clash of fonts that you use in the background. Methinks you've got a talent for mixing and matching! - By note, I also like your choice of font used for the actual content within the iframe. Consistency is key in web design, and you've coined it! - One of the things that I must point out, however, is that there are a few slight formatting / alignment issues. I use a widescreen monitor, so I can clearly see where the layout "ends" (if you will). With Firefox, of course, the only thing to the right after that is a clashy blue colour. In IE, the same problem occurs, except the blue area is white. Now, I understand that all monitors are slightly different, and you may (rightly so) believe that I am a little out of mi mente >^^;< But here's my 'lil rule of thumb: Always design layouts so that they look good in every browser & every monitor type. - Along those same lines, and also partly because of my own computer, the layout doesn't seem to fit vertically. I have to scroll down to see the entire iframe. Granted, it's not much, but still... - Alignment-wise, the placement of the iframe seems a bit strange to me. Try centering it up on the white space a little. - Anywho, back on a positive note >^^;< -- I simply must applaud you with regards to what I like to call "subtle graces" (or little things that are easy to overlook, yet make your webbie sing all the more) -- and in PD there are a lot of 'em! Take the text links, for example - they change colour & blink! If that doesn't add personality to the site, well... I don't know what does ;) - Overall, this particular layout has a relatively long shelf-life. Without its title (namely, that indicating that it is a SUMMER layout), there really is no pressure for you to remodel again too quickly. My only concern is that you will get board with it quickly and that you'll WANT to move along faster than not. Eh, we'll see -- yes? - And of course, I can't finsh this section of the review without complimenting your navigation system, which is clear and easy to read. No mysteries here! Beautiful work >^p^< Content Pointage: 30/35 Commentary: - Home Page: I like the fact that you are very straitforward with your introduction message. It tells visitors who you are and what the site is all about in only two short sentences (Rylee, you aren't by chance, a business-woman are you? *Teasingly smiles*). If guests are interested, they can continue on to a more flowery explanation about what PD has to offer. This is a wonderful divice to use simply because it gives your visitors a chance to interact a little bit, to choose what they want to do rather than having to read through reams and reams of.... stuff... just to find the basics. Well done, chica! Though, your updates seem a little squished into the mix. Check at the bottom of the review for my suggestion about that =P Oh yes, and may we always remember our beloved Pepper! *Offers a flower & a warm smile* - Me / Life Goals: Well, it is obvious by your profile that you are a definitely a modern, hip young lady who (as I mentioned earlier) is so full of life! Because of the surplus of information, the page is a little difficult to read at times, but that can be patched up with a 'lil bit of formatting - easy as pie! I got a giggle out of what language you spoke! Hehe! - Journal: Oh wowie -- these are hard to maintain, espeiclly online, because once you tire of them, the entries just get older and older as the time goes by. For now, anyway, it seems pretty consistant. Just be cautous about its upkeep (believe me, this is personal experience talking) >^^;< Oh, and also, its formatting seems a little inconsistant in terms of spacing, headings, and entry widths. *Smiles warmly* Just something to think about, though ;) - Real Pets/Pics: You are a brave 'lil lady to put all those pitures online; I know that I could never do that! - About the Site: Nothing to rave about here -- everything is as it should be! - Crew Site: Well, well ~ It's nice to see that this 'lil corner of PD keeps updated >^D^< Although the images tend to get bogged down and load slowly. See below for my suggestions. - Rants: OOooOo, a petz site classic [page]! Very nice selection of topics you've got *wink, wink* I also like the fact that you are rather tame when you rant, and don't &!%@#ing curse at everyone and everything - which in many ways speaks to your maturity. You go girl! - Brags: Whoot! I don't think I have to say too much here, apart from "Thank you so so so so so so so sooooooooooo much for giving me credit!" You just won't belive how many times I have come up with ideas and whatnot both in and outside of the PC and had them copied or stolen or what-have-you without credit. I've had some rather interesting copyright battles... But hey, this review isn't about my personal stories! Let's get back to you, shall we? >^.^< - Helpful Tools: Rylee, you are awesome, just pure and simple! I know that a lot of people appreciate these pages ~ I know I do, even outside of the PC. There is a small formatting issue that I spotted, though. Again, check below for suggestions. - Services: Ah, this is something from way back in the old PC, as I recall -- things like this were a lot more popular then, and a lot more useless (Yay, let me send my petz on a vacation!! *Rolls eyes with a smile*). You've done a handsome job modernizing the concept, methinks :) However, the fact is this: People get busy. I can see that what you have to offer is currently closed, and I don't really blame you quite frankly. - Guides / Tutorials: Ah yes! Is there a 'lil PixiMyst reference shining through, here? *Hehe* Personally, I really love these types of pages because you can literally build a library of information that doesn't constantly need to be updated or changed. So if you ever want to add content to your site, this is the way to go -- or at least, that is one of the ways that I approach PixiMyst *Chuckles* Perhaps my favourite addition are the "How to be a..." person guides. Those are ever so unique and fun to read! I would laugh (in a good way) if you made one of those things for me >^^< And, I guess Beverly would simply LOVE the current layout, eh? - Spotlights: Another PD original here, methinks! I think that it is a wonderful thing that you glorify not only yourself (I mean, with such an impressive webbie as PD is and all), but that you make others feel just as special. That says something about character in a most sincere manor. Of course, it also gives you plenty of updating opportunities (unlike smaller sites, who become inactive because they have nothing to actually update with). Kudos! - Shows: EEP! Darling, you simply must join the SSRB -nudge, nudge- - Other Contests: I'm rather curious how often those get entries. It's a most wonderful thing that you have them, for the sake of content, but be careful with them. I've seen caption contests lag on for YEARS before because of lack of entries. Smart thinking to keep the entry number low! That encourages people to enter because judging may happen sooner. - Petz Scrapbooks: Oh, I remember when you added these! You've got a fun concept going on here - though they lack a certian... something. Check below to see my suggestions :) - Find It: I think the fact that you take many of the traditional petz site elements and put a unique spin on them! In this case, you have not one, but TWO find-its. There is one slight bug, though... because of the way you have it formatted, it looks like it is all one and the same. Perhaps you could separate them, eh? ;) - Library: Here's something you don't see too often in the PC, except on Bev's site, I know she had one of these sections also :) My only word of advice to you here is the same thing that was told to me when I had thought about putting my win-a-site story online (originally PixiMyst was a win-a-site from Cheetah Kennelz, and I wanted to show off what I had worked for). I was told simply to use caution... and don't forget to state a copyright notice. It won't stop thieves 100% -- that's true. And as a fellow writer, I completely understand whatever you choose to do. *Smiles* - Reviews: EEE!! I should sooo go and sign up for one of your reviews! I was a little timid before, but since you have re-vamped the system, I think I may as well throw my hat in the ring, eh? - Cards: I must say, you got an audible "Aww" out of me when I clicked on this page -- especially when I saw the PixiMyst stamps >^^< What a cute idea! (And again, thanks so much for respecting my copyright!) - Funny Convos: Ah, darling! You don't know how much I love these types of pages! As many of my personal friends will tell you in real life, I love to laugh -- a lot! - Other Misc. Pages: I think that in the effort to shorten the review a pinch and to prevent you from becoming TOO stuck to the screen (belive me, I could just go on and on and on and on and...) -- I shall summarize. You have an impressive selection of things to do here! I love all the fun facts and just plain 'ol entertainment that I can come back to again time and time again. Keep up the lovely work, darling! M'kay? - Links: I know for a fact that you have been around the block many times -- and your link page is certianly a testimony to that =D Organization Pointage: 16/20 Commentary: - Like I mentioned earlier, your navigation system is crystal clear. There are no questions, everything is organized into little categories. What's even better -- you've done a beautiful job keeping the "3-click" rule in mind. Your visitors can get to the page they want in only a few clicks. It also is fun because you seem to lead us on little adventures to see what pages we can find next! 'Tis purrrrrfect ;) - I did catch quite a few spelling errors, some of which were intentional, some of which were not. Every once and a while it is a good thing to go back and re-read your pages to check for that kind of stuff. I know that I find the tiniest things in pages that I've read through on my webbie a million times >^^< - Also, iframes are tricky things to work with sometimes. For this layout, I would say that the iframe is just the right size -- so kudos there! However, be careful with your image size. On a few of the lesser-updated pages, I did notice that sometimes they did tend to be a tidge large for your working space (i.e. - comics). - I like your style of writing, hon >^o^< Like your layout, it is light and lively -- goofy when it needs to be, and sincere otherwise. Not to mention your card-writing... *Tears of joy spring to eyes* - Watch out for a little tag we all like called "center." I notice that you use it a lot. And, while it is nessesary in areas, some pages (like the jounral & your profile "me" page) would look much better if the text were aligned to the left. Otherwise it can be a bit difficult to read >O_o< - Don't get me wrong, though -- the text itself is very consistant throughout the whole site. That, my friend, is a big plus! Unique Factor Pointage: 10/10 Commentary: - I don't think I could let myself send this to you if I gave you anything less than a 10 in this category, darling >^D^< - I can see that the two of us are very similer in many distinct ways... at least within the web-design enviornment. We are both ambitious. We are both creative. We both love to take ideas that have been around for the longest time and freshen them up with our own unique twists. We both believe that content is key. Neither of us understand the concept of a "small website," nor have we ever heard the term "downsizing" and think that it applies to us. We both make it a habit to go out and make friends, enjoy friends, and interact with everyone in the PC. Hm... perhaps there is a reason why we are both sisters! Activity Pointage: 5/5 Commentary: - Well, first of all, one of the most important things that I appreciate about you is that you always seem to be there whenever we need you. Like the rest of us, you do get busy at times (and this will only get worse as you get older), but you always come back and/or contact the rest of us in one way or another. That is a very admirable trait, my dear! Never loose it ~ - Oh, and did I mention your rapid responces to emails & taggy comments & all the rest? ;) - Your activity stands you in good stead to attract many visitors. Overall Pointage: 5/5 Commentary: - Oh, now what? I still have so much to say! *Thinks for a moment* - Well, darling, I've come to this -- I'm willing to bet that between a fabulous owner and a most delicious webbie, that PD will be popular long into the future! It holds so much potential for change and (like I say to everyone) growth. If you've got the right stuff, I see no reason why you can't extend your branches/roots/etc. any more than you already have! Bonus Pointage: 1/0 Commentary: - For waiting as long as you did, I think you DESERVE a bonus point! Anita's Statement Misc. Pointage: 5/5 Commentary: - I know you make a habit of reaching out, so even if you are not updating PD, you are always getting to know the people around you. This, with all the most sincere compliments that I can give you, is where your legacy lies. So don't stop. It works! <333 Ways to Improve Commentary: I never attach any points to this section because it really is more about keeping the learning process, and that of change, up and running -- not about a score. - Aye! This is a very minor 'lil detail -- I almost feel kinda bad mentioning it... but here we are: On the main (home) page, where you list your sisters, there should be a space between my name and the vertical line right in front of it. Right now it looks a bit shifted... *cocks head slightly* ... to the left >^^;< - Layout-wise, I would add a background to go behind your main background image. This can be as simple as a plain 'ol colour or a very simple 5x5 background square that can be tiled. Either way, it will make the transition look a lot smoother :) - Distinguish your updates a little bit from your introduction, they seem to meld currently, and is a bit of an eye-sore. Perhaps you could put them in a box or make a heading of some kind. I've seen you do this in layouts past, and it looked rather nice, eh? - Clean up your journal so that it has consistency in its form. Be careful with spaces between entries, the size of headings, and the width of the posts. I think some of your earlier entries looked rather nice >^.^< Also, don't underestimate the power of aligning the text to the left. The journal especially would benifit from it, methinks! - For your crew-site, Freewebs is just too slow. You've graduated to Awardspace, eh? My suggestion is this: Create a small sub-domain to host your crew site. And while you are at it, you could create another fantastic layout to spruce it up ~ MMmmMm. Sounds better already, don't cha think ;) - I noticed in a few areas that you mentioned PixiMyst (yay!). Make sure that you go back and check to make sure that the "M" in "Myst" is capitalized. I know I'm a bit of a pill about it, but all the same, it's one of my pet peeves... *shrug* - On your "Helpful Tools" page, when you are providing a link, make sure that it is highlighted or draws attention in some way. When you say "Click Here" -- either italicize it or underline it, or SOMETHING. Either that, or you could put a link in the title. - The "Services" page seems like dead-wood on the site right now. Unless you ever plan on opening it again, I would get rid of it. - Whoops! The "Person Spotlight" seems to be stuck in the last layout -- as do the scrapbooks XD - Also, as a suggestion for all the spotlights, you should really add a graphic interface to them. Right now, all they are is just text.... after all, this is a SPOTLIGHT; jazz it up a little >^D^< - One of the most exciting things for me when doing scrapbooking (in real life) is putting together the layout. Perhaps you could spice up the scrapbooks by giving them a fun appearance, or even making your own little sub-site for them. Just imagine the possiblities! (Need I go on? *Wink*) - I like the "Ask Aria" feature, but it seems kind of... repetitive (?) in coordination with the FAQ. What do you think about the idea of combining the two? - On your music / song page, some of the text is white, and blends in with the background so that it is practically invisible. Was this intentional or was it a leftover from the last layout? - A lot of your adoption pages seem to be out of date. Try and get everything converted over to your awardspace account. It can be kind of annoying when people have to jump around everywhere just to find something simple. Also, look into creative breeding. I see you have a grand selection of petz to choose from, but this can become boring after seeing about 40 million of them :) - You always want to be careful when you are working with a large webbie! Although it is a wonderful thing to try and add as much content as you can, always be on the lookout for dead wood, as I like to call it. There is a reason why I got rid of the breeders pages on my site... not to mention a whole lotta other pages. But, that doesn't mean it can't continue to grow and flourish in countless other directions >^.^;<