[Sean James]

u want to know how to design the same image?
Were not talking a complex graphic here dude, its a 12x12 GIF file with dots in it. Anybody with photoshop can design that graphic in 1-2minutes, if u check all my style releases i have been using the same graphic on all my releases for over 1 year now in differents color and borders.

As for the smiles they were never released in that theme, if u care to download it the file contains gold icons.

The icons in the screenshot were going to be used in my latest template USFTECH.
http://www.usftechgaming.com/community/ which matchs the color of my templete which i have been working on for months. But if they r exactly the same as yours used in your template i will now be searching for news one, as i dont want to be called a ripper for them also.

I have the same animated smiles in 5 different colors which were downloaded from phpBB.com, your proberly best to chase this up with them, if u designed them yourself.
As you said:

it's been floating around the web for a while now and i'm sure parts of my skin have been used for various other graphical works/skins... kinda flattering really...

I dont believe great minds think alike nor do i believe i have read your mind, the graphic is similar but i have been using the same style graphic in all my templates since i released 'bluepearl' ages ago.

I take alot of pride in releasing free templates for both the VB community and the phpBB community and all the work in my templates r designed 100% by me, with the exception of smiles, icons etc. I sometimes color overlay them but that is the furthest i will go as smiles r not my thing.

Anyways like i said goto www.phpbb.com and follow up with them about your smiles.