I don't know a whole lot. I got into this as a hobby. I am attracted to the possibility of creating something all my own. The problem is I have zero ideas of what type of site I could create.
I would like to have a project of some sort (doesn't have to be a blog or website) I just want to learn and feel like I have done or made something at the end. Does anyone have any ideas? What type of projects have you taken on?
Besides a portfolio site, which I think is a great place to hone your skills and get something of value from it afterwards, I would find something you're really passionate about. Even if it's been done countless times before, if you're passionate about what you're working on, it won't seem like "work" for you, and you'll enjoy it that much more. I've been involved in the bartering community for the past few years, and because of that, my latest and greatest project has been a customized community based barter and exchange web site, and it has been a blast to make!
There are also plenty of clone apps tutorials you can find online. Here is a very thorough tutorial for building an Etsy clone with AngularJS and other stuff. Might be a bit too much if you are just starting out though. I think there was a WhatsApp clone tutorial out there too built with Meteor.
Without knowing your interests, it's a bit hard to recommend something personalized to you, however, here are a couple projects that I think are universally interesting since they are built by you, for you:
Good luck and remember to have fun!