[robb3369]

Your exactly right... the folders in your new template folder will need to match the same ones in the common_files folder (images, css, customer, etc.)

One thing to watch for is going to how your new css file include the image, since more are relative (../images) . You'll need to copy some of the core images from /skin/common_files/images to your /skin/newtemplate/images folder. Be sure to keep checking in firebug for missing images and copy the missing ones over as you find them... It's a bit slower but it keeps your new template folders nice and clean.