Aaron

My bad- didn't read too much into the code, assumed it was an image as it was covered by another div and was unselectable! Still, text:HTML is around 6% at the moment, which isn't necessarily bad, but won't do you any favours for SEO. Same goes for the lack of a H1 header (maybe use this for "Aaron Massingham - creative designer" if converted to text). You might also want to add that your a graphic designer to your title tag, again for SEO.

Just taken a look, its not a bad little design however here are some thoughts:
 
1. I don't like the headings with the dark blue gradient, I'd choose a lighter colour (maybe even a white/silver gradient) as headings are supposed to stand out.
 
2. Too much blue as others have said, I think the header is ok, its the content area background, it's flat and a bit 1990's PowerPoint presentation if you get what I'm saying. I'd at least give it some kind of gradient so its less obtrusive or give it some patterning.
 
3. Your panels blend with the background too much (i.e. see Pricing), I'd rethink that.
 
4. Some of your text is a bit icky, like on pricing where it says "Per Hourly Lesson", the dark blue background with white drop looks icky and isn't great to read.
 
5. This logo, its not a great logo but you could work with it, with some imagination at least make it look like its part of the design.
 
...
 
 
See that black "wave" with the Pug, I'd integrate his logo into that, maybe so the half moon is larger and blends into it with the text heavier and bigger (same font but designed into the site, at the moment it looks a bit like when people drop their logo onto a template).
 
 
6. Your menu links are too small and "fade away", I'd enlarge and embolden them, make them impacting and make them respond to mouse over and "touch" for mobile devices. (just noticed they are bolder on the homepage but still, not great, need to be obviously a menu).
 
 
7. Make your links obviously links, Easter Eggs can be fun when they are meaningless and fun but not for real content, your links need to be obviously just that. If my mother was using this to find my younger brother a driving instructor she would be stuck on the homepage, trust me. She would see it as a static advert.
 
 
Also, as a side note, nobody in my family chose their driving instructor, their parents did and paid for at least the first few on their 17th or whenever. A lot of people do that and a lot of parents aren't THAT computer literate and can get a bit confused easily, a lot of younger people can too.
 
 
Also avoid "times" type fonts, go for more easy to read type fonts (like Arial, nice easy to read fonts).

No problem!
 
The trick is to simplify the xhtml markup down to it's most basic level and then try to work the CSS into that.
 
Get your basic layout done first - your 'blocks' - using the div element.
Also, get your overall text styles done as very basic css entries:

h1 { font-size:200%; color: #000000; } p { font-size: 100%; color: #666666; }
 
The idea is to find all the stuff that is the same in your design, define it, then use the cascade to modify it:
 

.block h1 { color: red; } .block p { line-height:150%; }
 
Also, my example of .block is not incredibly semantic - try to use descriptive names (within reason) for your css classes.
 
Or, alternatively, use descriptive names to extend those classes:
 

.block.contact p { } .block.application h1 { }

I watched "Seven pounds" and "The Shawshank Redemption" the other night, my word what sad films they are!
 
Everybody has a string to be plucked somewhere in their heart so my question to you guys is. whats the one film that made you cry like a blubbering child that you really enjoyed?

Easiest method would be to make the container relative positioned, and then the overlay absolutely.
 
Something like this:
 

<div class="mybox"> <p> etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. </p> <div class="fade-overlay"> </div> </div>
 
 

.mybox{position:relative} .fade-overlay{ position:absolute; z-index:99; bottom:0; display:block; width:100%; background:transparent url(../images/fade.png) repeat-x }
 
 
May need adjusting to suit, but that's the gist of it.