No you don't have to put it in a zip files, SS saves it in the wb directory.
Yes your assumption is is right, open it again with SS.

Try to put your skinning questions in the skinning section, usually you'll get a faster reply

Good luck with your first skin

You can also use ANY skin in your folder as a template if you want.....just open the skin you want to use, then immediately go to "save as" and enter a new name for it. The skin will be saved under the new name without affecting the original skin. you can then open the re-named skin in SS and play with it all you want.

BoXXi!

It's good to know that you can count on someones help! Thanks a lot!! The fact is that I'm very beginner and try to go step by step. Your skin CarbonFibre is still my favourite skin and I dont want to miss it. So I tried to change it little bit for myself. Anyhow I'm stuck although reading the tutorials in some place like changing to colours of the top panel in the start menu which is black. Or the colour of the left side of the start menu which is gold , or the color of the right side which is also black. I know everything is easy if you know how it works but sometimes you stuck without knowing the solution!
So I tried also to create the new skin using the basic XP template which is blue. So I klicked on the top panel of the start menu trying to change the colour and editing I got the same colour for the whole start menu instead only for the top panel or even left or right side. So you see there is already dead end.

You can't learn how to drive from the book. You need somene who teaches you and than you try yourself!Hope you understand!

Thank you once more for your kind advise!

badblueboy