Windows 7: DeviantArt - Some help with a custom desktop & rainmeter please!

Greetings all,

I'm trying to replicate this custom desktop I've found over at DA here:

win7 screenshot 07.27.2012 by ~piseltak on deviantART

I also have a forum thread up over there, If you have an account and can help, drop me a line, here:

deviantART Forum: Windows 7 Desktop customization help, a tutorial or some guidlines please.

Screenshot:




I've decided that this is time I also learn how all of these tweaks are done, so I can start doing my own from scratch, as I'm quite into the desktop customization thing. On linux too.

I have tried and succeeded with a lot of windows desktop visual styles and apps, but two that never seem to work quite right are iconpackager (which never properly changes every icon) and some visual styles don't properly apply, in this case the font's aren't being applied with the rest of the theme.

Rainmeter:

I struggle with a lot with the photoshop stuff (as many do) so bare with me.

I downloaded the .psd template resource file for the rainmeter widgets shown in the screenshot here. But I don't have a scooby do, how to edit or change them to look and function like this, or how to change them to suit my purposes.

I don't know how the .psd file can be used in a rainmeter widget or how they become one?

Icons on the taskbar (Photoshop) here:

Nothing icons by ~Neteru on deviantART

The author didn't provide much of vast range of icons. He mentions briefly in the comments how to make them, but it still isn't enough to go on. I would like to make some more if someone can help me?

Ok, I know there's a lot there. But I would really appreciate the info and knowledge.

Thank you,

4F.