I’ve been surfing around the teen personal website/log scene these past few days to see what the new generation of aspiring designers are coming up with. I’m shocked. It’s been one year since Mezza-9.Net’s closure and I still see quite a lot of sites that are ‘inspired’ (as you people like to call it) by its designs. I am flattered but this isn’t about me. It’s about you!

If you really want to create a legacy like Mezza-9.Net or Sarah.Urbanique.Net don’t emulate our designs because anyone who has seen enough of our work can recognize our signature styles. You’ll only be seen as a follower or worse, a thief. Instead, create your own signature style. Let me tell you a secret, sites that emerge awe-inspiring and on top of the design chain are the ones that do what others don’t. Then make what you do your own. It takes courage, skills, pride but most importantly creativity. Don’t make layouts for layout whoring’s sake. Make it because you feel like it. Find out what you’re good at. Look at your work and see what’s common. And I don’t mean vexels. It’s one thing to trace over a photograph with a pen tool. It’s another to incorporate it into a website with a signature style. And please resist the temptation to check whether SeriyaGirl.Com has a new layout for you to get ‘inspired’.

If you want to be the Louis Vuitton or Chanel of web design then be the trendsetter. Create your own monogram to sell at thousands of dollars. Don’t sell fake Gucci websites - no matter how close you can emulate it. I mean, how are you going to be a couture designer if your buyers won’t pay more than 5$ for your goods?

On the topic of websites, I’ve just updated quite a lot of content. I upgraded my Radio.Blog from 2.5 to the beta 3.0. It now has 3 playlists; Latin, Hip-Pop and R&B. So now you can pick what you wanna listen to! The domain section has also been rearranged to fit a site history page which re-tells my entire story as a designer. The section about me also has an added page about me!

I spent my birthday with my boyfriend. We went out to Richtree aka Marche for dinner. I had my favorite Rosti with sausage and a crepe a la fountain of decadent chocolate with bananas. After dinner we had a romantic walk around Toronto until we go back home.

And I cooked dinner tonight. Teriyaki salmon, bean sprouts and mashed potatos garnished with spring onions. Yummy!

I’m sorry for the short entry, working on my official site now. I’ll blog once I’m done. Oh and thanks for everyone’s birthday wishes!