The infamous rating scale.....I was an eager citizen wanting to show my work on the wallpaper gallery. I would look at the ranking and think it was everything.....but as I started (being a complete novice mind you) I would kick myself because it wasn't rated very good. Slowly but surely as I learn to be a better designer that the ranking gets better but it started to mean very little to me. I take comfort in the comments that people post and just knowing that I get to contribute to the best skinning site on the net...that's pretty freakin cool.
Just make things that you like and are truely your imagination...and most of all have fun