Lisa may just be a small-town girl from Wisconsin, but her site is anything but rural and simple. It showcases her blog designing skills with a cyber portfolio of her work from her blog designing and hosting business. At the heart of it all though is an online journal that candidly and warmly takes you through what it is to be a “girl”, a parent, a wife and a human being.
Visual Aesthetics – 8
Even though there is a lot going on in the page, the categories are laid out pretty well so your interest level is sustained enough to go through them. The blue-purple background as well as the overall design lends a relaxed air to the site, a good setup for the casual and friendly tone with which she writes. The flickr which provides a sneak peek into her photoblog is also a nice touch as it makes the site more personal.
User Friendliness – 8
The category titles are not hard to find and the way the archives are laid out by month and each title spaced well enough from the previous one makes navigating through the posts very easy. It is also very convenient to have the comments portion already attached to the post page and not as a clickable icon that would take you to another page. Instructions are thoughtfully laid out at the end for the reader and the ads non-obtrusive.
Reading Enjoyment – 8
Reading Lisa’s posts makes you feel like you’re talking to an old girl friend, or a good neighbor who has come around for a cup of coffee and a good, long chat. You smile at her household mishaps or empathize with her parenting frustrations. You learn more about her and her world and she charms you with the good combination of pictures she herself has taken and the story she weaves around it.
Useful Info – 7
Certain topics related to her businesses – such as WordPress as well as other programs and services for blog designing and hosting – were discussed in some of her posts and you get to know more about these in some of her posts. If you’re interested to get into the same line, she even offers friendly tips and practical advice as well as links to further information on these topics.
Overall Experience – 8
Interesting, a good read and great design, Lisa’s blog not only does a good job of promoting her services and skills but also conveys the friendly, romantic and down-to-earth personality of this West Bend girl.
[tags]Wisconsin,Lisa,typepad,girl,world,blog maniac[/tags]
