I think the Create-A-Style in-game tool is fantastic, and has more scope than first appears.  It's quite easy to make horrible and filthy surfaces with the in-built presets.  EA has done an incredible job.  However, there are still a couple of textures I miss, and I'll need them if meshing becomes a reality (which looks very probable). 

There are a few minor obstacles to all this:

(1) I have no knowledge of Photoshop (or GIMP)
(2) I have no knowledge about alphas
(3) I have no knowledge about channels
(4) I have no knowledge about masks
(5) I have no knowledge of .dds
(6) I never made Sims 1 stuff
(7) I've never made Sims 2 clothing
     (either 6 or 7 would have equipped me with the knowledge I need)

So my starting point isn't necessarily the best starting point!  It doesn't help that my best-known art package is (cough) Microsoft Image Composer.  This was issued in 1998 and expired in 2000.  I am STILL using it in Vista 64-bit despite owning the much more polished Corel Photo X2. 

Still, I've owned Photoshop for 20 minutes now and have made an amazing amount of - zero progress...  Murano and Blackgarden are being incredibly patient in trying to explain basic concepts to she-who-is-mentally-deficient.  If I ever get the hang of this, I will create a few yucky textures that would be impossible to create with the in-game tool.  That actually doesn't leave very many, but I hope one day to be able to make SOME at least!  Maybe I'll even be able to help any of the other lost waifs and strays who have never, ever done any of these things - maybe.  But right now, I'm one of those waifs and strays too.

Heck - my brain hurts!