I'm going to kind of double almost everything :devladytwiglett: said.

There are parts that are just slightly blown-out. Not just her chest, but also her nose. However, the overall balance is wonderful.
I also applaud you for using manual settings . A thing to remember is that digital is actually the opposite of film. With digital, you can bring levels up so err on the side of darkness.
The downward gaze is sublime, and the slight smile is classic. Good catch of a moment. I LOVE the catch of blue in her hair -- compliments the eyeshadow.
And don't worry about the backdrop. You'd be surprised how many of us make a living room look like a professional studio. You did no different. Good job on that.

i'm dead proud of you for not using auto settings on this, i know how hard it is to use manual for the first time!

it looks beautiful, the downward gaze is very flattering and it creates a gorgeous, slightly girly feel to the photo, it feels quite intimate and personal and it reminds me of solo artists album covers, which i suppose is a good thing, given that shes a singer!

the only crit i would give this is the little highlight on her chest looks a teeny bit over-bright, and the right side of her hair has blended into the background, a reflector would help out with this (diy reflector=sheet of white paper ) just to bounce a little bit of light back into her hair. but thats really all i can say negatively, i bet petra is dead chuffed with this

lovely stuff! no more auto for you!