I'll try to keep things shorter this time.
Laryxle -
7/10 - It's pretty. I'm not sure if I'm a fan of the tree being centered like that, but since I've been looking at it I think it would look odd if you cut part of it off and I can see how, if you had empty space off the the side, people wouldn't see the need to like that so in conclusion this last run-on sentence should just be ignored. I really like the subdued, aged look of the whole thing. My biggest problem is with the text. It's dark enough that I can see it's there, but it's still light enough that it's trying very hard to blend it's way into the background. I think it just needs to stand out more, or get softened to blend in more. It doesn't really matter which way you approach the situation, but right now it's just sort of riding the fence. Also, I honestly have no idea what it says. I don't know if I could read that font in a large size, but I can't read it as it is. Also, I think it looks a bit odd with the centered tree and the uncentered text. I'm not saying you should just throw everything in the middle, but it does come off as unbalanced to me. It might just be the small size of the text as well, it doesn't feel like it's own element that can contest the tree it's just floating off to the side. I have to say though, and I think I already said it actually, I like the soft aged look. It's a great mood that you've set. The two bigger background 'drips' at the top are a little distracting to me, but really the idea works well. The space for the text is narrower than I like, but the blog is still functional and more and more people seem to like then that way so I couldn't really hold that against you.
Kitten Medli -
5/10 - My eyes keep bouncing around this blog. I think that I like the idea behind it, but the way it's executed and especially with the image you chose (and I know you were limited in that so I let that mostly slide) it almost hurts to look at it. And I really don't mean that to sound so harsh or insulting, it's just that when I say my eyes keep bouncing around, they literally do. I don't know what I'm meant to be focusing on and for something that is meant to hold text and be read, I'm not sure how well that would work out. I really think you did a good job of blending the images together. Just as I'm looking over it I don't notice when they end and begin without taking the time to look. The words you used fit nicely, but I'm not digging the font you chose. It's just a little too busy in an already chaotic environment. I also have to say that about the border. The broken, dotted, dash-ity-- I do not know the good technical terms for these sorts of things-- border is a good design element, but I feel like here it's just adding more noise where there isn't a need. I like that you did manage to calm things down some in the text area. I can't seem to keep my focus there, but maybe with text that would change. One thing I love about your blog is how you added a little white heart after forever. It seems like such a little random thing, but touches like that always draw me into a piece. And if I focus on that I can calm my head and enjoy what you do have going for you that much more.
Apex -
7/10 - I like the overall look of this one. I like the color. I like the layout. I don't think the 'true to myself' necessarily flows with everything else you have going on, including the other font, but I can read it and it really doesn't bother me any. The only thing that I can really say is that I think you maybe should have added more color. I like that it's all matted and everything, but the picture to the right, that actually looks like a picture laying on top of a surface, could have been given more attention by changing the color of it, even slightly. As it is, while it still looks nice, it loses the impact if could have had. I think it looks really nice and I don't have too much to complain about, but it just doesn't quite manage to grab me in a way where I'd get excited about it. It looks washed out. Still, it's a good job overall.
Zilary -
5/10 - I like how you combined the two different images. It gives the feel of a nice romantic memory. The sparkles you added give it a very, sweet feeling and I like how they flow around the image. The only thing that is really something I would consider a problem is the text. I know that it seems to get said again and again in these types of things, but the blog has to be functional. The text area is small, but it's fine. There isn't anything wrong with it, but the way the text runs down the side, and more so the way the font reaches toward the left significantly limit your space. The scroll bar is either going to cut off your text or it's going to get shoved so far to the left that you hardly have any room for text left. I feel like maybe visual design should play the bigger part in this, but if it won't function for what it's needed, then it doesn't matter how pretty it is. It's still a nice design. There isn't anything that pulls me in, but it's nice. The font isn't my favorite and while I like the simplicity of it overall it doesn't really do anything for me, especially to make up for the space issues.
blueZ -
9/10 - I love your blog. It's so simple and it works so well. I love how bold and dramatic it is. I like the tiny text, because honestly I didn't even notice it at first, but when I did I thought it added some nice texture to that area. I'm not sure if it says anything and if that is why it's limited to the length it is, but I feel like it would have been better if it started higher and ended lower (maybe like where it hits the part that became the border) simply because once I did notice it, I see how abrupt of a start it has at the top. It's not even such a big deal where the little text comes at the bottom because the background is lighter there and it sort of fades in. I love the text. It's simple, it's bold, it works. It looks a little rough, though, especially against the soft glow, I'm not sure the setting it was at, but I might have adjusted that just a little. I also don't feel like the swirls were necessary on the right half of the blog behind the text. They are wonderful on the left and I can see how you might want to connect both sides like that or just add more interest, but I think it would have been fine, even better without it. Still, it is a great design and I love it.
DM was on fire! -
8/10 - This blog is very simple. Maybe I over use that word, but I like it. I feel like you don't need a lot to make something look great. I would have liked to see it without the swirl in the text box. I understand that it's adding interest, but I feel like, with the text being there, and with it already having such a beautiful soft reflection of the shoe, it just draws away too much attention. I love the heart after converse, but I think it's too big. It just looks off next to the text in that size. I am very much loving the soft textured look the background has. It just... works. I think 'converse' might have fit in a little better if it wasn't white. Something darker, even a slight grey would have made it feel more connected to the image in my opinion. Simply because of the position it's in, resting in the shadow of the shoe, it think it would have looked more natural that way. The text area is small, but it still seems functional for someone to use so it's not a problem at all.
WIS -
9/10 - This has such a great feel to it. When I first looked at it I though it was tattoo. I love that though, because it looks like the ink of the picture just sinks into the paperish background. The text is a little all over the place, but it somehow never bothers me. I can read it, it goes, it works. The only think about this that bothers me at all is the weathered edge. I love the idea, I just don't feel that it's quite right. Especially with the burnt part at the bottom. It's just too delicate. I mean when things get worn down there are areas with small bits like that, but you also get larger areas with chunkier movement. When I look at it, it just looks like a brush was taken around it to erase and it doesn't feel authentic. It's by no means bad looking. It still works, it just doesn't quite hit the mark for me to make it absolutely amazing. Still, it's beautiful work.
Neko -
6/10 - I love the coloring in her face. It give off a very cold feeling, but without making everything look dead and boring. The text is okay, but it feel, underwhelming. It fades in, but then it's bold to stand out. I'm just not sure where it's going. I like the idea of the splash of color in the butterfly, but if feels disjointed. It doesn't connect to the text or to the picture, it's just sort of there. I like that it's sectioned off, but I feel like there isn't anything to connect the top half of the picture to the bottom. I understand it's going to have text, but it just makes me wonder why the top part is even there. It's very pretty, but what does it have to do with the bottom? I don't like the inside border or whatever you might call that. It looks great on the top, but because the bottom is so dark visually I assume there is an outer border so as I come up and see it's actually more on the inside it feels like a mistake. I think this was a fabulous idea, it's just that none of the elements seem to be complimenting each other. They just soft of exist on their own, all put together in the same small space.
Sorry, judging with numbers is hard
Still, good luck to everyone