If by background colour, you mean the wood planks....
Just take the url(img/planks.gif) out of background and edit the colour, or the image.
styles.css
#outer_wrap {
font-size: 10pt;
font-family: georgia,times,'times new roman', serif;
background: #713600 url(img/planks.gif);
color: #303324;
text-align: left;
margin: 0;
padding: 0;
line-height: 140%;
}

Re creating your own skin.... and only having two columns, I suggest you try the different skins provided in the backend Admin under Blog Settings -> Skins.

Hi fshaw,

For the background you'll have to edit the file /blogs/skins/evocamp/img/planks.gif with a paint program like Gimp or PaintShop.

2) In blogs/skins/evocamp/posts.main.php remove the first sidebar:

	<?php
	// ------------------------- SIDEBAR INCLUDED HERE --------------------------
	skin_include( '_sidebar_left.inc.php' );
	// Note: You can customize the default BODY footer by copying the
	// _body_footer.inc.php file into the current skin folder.
	// ----------------------------- END OF SIDEBAR -----------------------------
	?>

and rename the second sidebar to '_sidebar_left.inc.php' (further down the same file you'll find the right sidebar).

3) See (2). The image is located in blogs/skins/evocamp/_sidebar_right.inc.php. However it's appreciated if you left a linkback to B2evolution.

Good luck

Thanks

I will leave a link back but not out in the middle of the page but some where in the bottom unstaed.

That is existly the information I was looking for.

THANKS Again

Frank H. Shaw