Going back to where it all began, SuzakuNU. I’ll keep this domain for hosting friends and the like, but will probably in time just archive the blog and turn it into some kinda of portal. So yeah, for any future updates:

SuzakuNU

Read Fables in Fashion for all my fashion / girly related ramblings!

I WAS thinking of changing this layout to something more photography friendly, but given time limitations I most likely will just pick up a free layout, which isn’t something I’m completely keen on (being a web designer), so I might just stick with this layout till I have more time <3

I think the CSS div bunnies finally won me over and I no longer have any urge to use tables. Damn those irresistible adorable bunnies!

CSS3 and HTML5 cheat sheets FTW!

Recently was introduced to a show called WCG Ultimate Gamer, can’t say I’m the biggest fan because I don’t think it was an accurate representation of gamers :/ (Hi, PC gamers?) Seemed a bit too sensationalised, which is something I tend to hate in most tv shows as it starts to lose their depth. But alas, that’s entertainment right? My favourite is certainly Robert Paz, that hair and those contact? I want to steal them! And even though Dante is a wuss, I always have special respect for fellow cosplayers!

Oh, and I’ve joined the world of iPhone. Yes, I’m one of you now! Happy!?

Despite finding the story line to ふしぎゆうぎ to be… a bit immature (understatement!) I found other aspects that I enjoyed Definitely the fact that the Japanese is clear enough for me to understand, the music, the awesome comedic / SD moments and the general overall theme. (Since I’ve always been a big astrology buff). My favourite character 10 years ago was ちちり, and even today I think he and maybe みつかけ (bit empty) are the only characters I actually enjoyed because there was actual logic and maturity to them :/

Which I noticed is something really rare in all the series I enjoyed, I can’t even bring myself to watch Marmalade boy, even tho 10 years ago I was completely in love with the series @___@

I want to try and recreate some of the pages I had ages ago for these series. Not because I adore the shows the way I used to (I intend to try and use most of the old content anyways), but it should give me a good “push” to try out some new design techniques. I figure the more sites I have, the more opportunities there are to practice my graphics skills

Sorry if I’m not making much sense today, it’s really one of those days when you’d honestly rather be at home sleeping than anywhere else

Last night I attended my first Web Standards Group meeting, I was pretty excited as I was very keen to learn more from the last speaker who presented on HTML5 and XHTML2. I even brought a notebook in hopes to take some notes and report back to this weblog. Unfortunately, I came away with nothing new Mainly, nothing new I couldn’t have found out with a quick Google search.

Guess I can’t complain though, the event was free after all. These events seem to occur a few times a year in Melbourne, and given that they are free I haven’t completely closed myself off to the idea of attending again. Not to mention if you’re feeling social, these are great events to network at and just meet people in the industry. Which for me is a big plus given so few people at my current job are really into the web design and technologies

So I decided to get rid of my Photo Log, I figure if I’ve snapped something interesting, I’ll just post it in the blog itself That and I’m planning to renovate the layout again to make it simply a blog/portal, minus all the extra tid bits

So for now, you can enjoy a lovely photo of my mug! Sif there aren’t enough of those currently floating around the net I’ll do my best to get the new layout out asap so I can save you from staring at my face as you read lol

I’ve done some re-arranging with my sites, not sure I’m completely happy with what I’ve done. Will probably keep working on it and see if that “nagging” feeling continues or not. My idea is to make CLO my “official” portfolio, proper site with usable sections so that non-tech savvy visitors would be able to navigate through to look through my work. (Also this is the site attached to my offline resume)

On the other hand, I do want a website I can use to just throw all sorts of crazy design / photos / ideas on. Many nights I’ll just be mucking around on PS and create something I reckon is worth throwing up on the web to show my friends. But if I threw everything I made into my portfolio, it would take forever and a day to load (and probably wouldn’t be all that usable anymore) So I’ve come to the conclusion of having two sites, official clean portfolio and web experiments.

Again, I’m having second thoughts on whether this is the best way to approach the issue, but we’ll see I guess. The other idea was to just post all my web stuff here instead or yet another separate blog, but not sure how that would fly. Happy to hear any suggestions if you guys have ideas!

Either way, Liquification blog opened Nothing much yet, when I get around to finding all my art over the years, I’ll be sure to post!

Fiiiiiinally! That’s one thing off the list lol.

Please bare with me, it’s the first time I’ve actually completed a layout under the rules of WordPress, so there are a few bugs I need to fix here and there.

Latest… to the right is a list of all the latest “creations” whether that be costumes, art or layouts. I now have a photo log to the top right Hopefully I will be able to update it as I intend to carry my camera with me as much as possible!

Other than that, everything else is pretty self-explainatory, enjoy

I think one of the hardest things for me to accept as a designer is that I’m just not as great as I used to be. Not to say I can’t work on it and make great things, but in retrospect over the last 5-6 years (actually ever since I met my partner, got a social life, got a job… not that I’m blaming anyone… TOBY) web design more or less took a backseat and much of my skills have faded.

Now as I try to hop back on to the wagon, I find myself a little intimidating by all the new technology. I’m beginning to wonder how I was able to work as a freelancer all these years given how stagnate my skills actually are. For so long I’ve only been making client sites (lately with more back end goods than front end) and haven’t touched my own sites in a long time, so there was never a need to push myself from a design perspective (as I only take new exciting risks with my own sites).

So I’m finding it hard, when I sit in front of PSP or PS, and nothing really comes out the way it used to. Things don’t look as smooth, inspiration doesn’t hit me as easily and none of the results are usable. It’s hard, from once being able to literally throw up 3 great designs within an evening, to forcing myself for a good 2-3 hrs and then giving up to go play World of Warcraft instead.

I think I need to take some time to research new tips and tricks, new technologies and immerse myself in the web world, absorb what is out there and see where it takes me. I still have the love and passion for it in my heart, I can feel it. I just hate that what I feel isn’t translating very well on my screen.

Oh and as a start, I’ve turned Celina Lee Online into my “pro” web portfolio, this is basically the site I’ll be sending out to future clients or people I meet in real life. I’m going to turn Liquification into my crazy experimental design site. I figured when people Google my name (yeah, I Googled myself!) CLO was the first site they usually get, so better make it decent It itself desperately needs a redesign and some new content, but better old content than none at all. Man! I hate those “coming soon” splash pages!!… I’m totally not a hypocrite.