Would creating a personal project just be a headache?

Recently I’ve been thinking about creating a personal project; to create something to help promote myself and my blog as well as have real world value to its potential users. The problem with this is the lack of idea, time and at times ability.

After redesigning my blog it was suggested that I create a WordPress theme. I’ve steered away from this previously as the bloated nature of designing for a blog is in conflict with my almost obsessive need to have full control over my code, which I usually attempt to keep as clean, and simple as possible. In creating my own blog or those for clients I have a certain level of control that allows me to implement my design to pixel perfection. In the case of creating a theme for external use you must consider all the possibilities, with little opportunity to go back and fix them later.

I’ve also considered creating a full web application. After using a recently launched application I was able to see an opportunity to improve it in a specific way. Although I’m positive I could build an application to implement this ‘unique selling point’ I’m not yet positive if the idea is unique or if I can implement some of the other feature of the application that work so well for it. If the idea is not unique then I cannot see a way of differentiating the product enough or be able to find the resources to promote a product that is no different than those already in the market place. There is also the issue of supporting the application after launch and the possibility, due to the nature of the application, that it could out grow my current hosting limits without having ever providing any monetary return.

My third option is to consider something different; creating something that demands fewer resources than my application idea but provides the control provided by a product not so publicly released as a WordPress theme. As I am primarily a web designer I would prefer to develop using technologies I already know, to help expand my learning in areas I already have experience of. Also to reduce complications in the design process I would steer away from creating for third party environments such as those for Facebook or the iPhone. This all might seem closed minded, but I feel for what would be my first personal project I would prefer to use the knowledge I have already with a few additions, rather than learning anything from scratch.

So without any ideas of what may be this fabled third option, I’d be grateful for any suggestions, just don’t expect a share when it sells for millions…… one can dream.