If you're using 1.8 then you can change the category call to this :-

	<?php
		// -------------------------- CATEGORIES INCLUDED HERE -----------------------------
		// Call the Categories plugin:
		$Plugins->call_by_code( 'evo_Cats', array(	// Add parameters below:
			'block_start' => '<div id="evo_cats" class="bSideItem">',
			) );
		// -------------------------------- END OF CATEGORIES ----------------------------------
	?>

Then you can use #evo_cats in your css

¥

that's great thanks :) I am hoping I don't have to become a php guru to effectively skin my website :)

Me to :D

¥

Hey another related question, how can I wrap a <span> around the "Categories" text that currently is in the h3 element.. I want to give the h3 a graphic background and hide the text "Categories"..

Unless there is a way to do this by just the h3 attributes..

Basically you do the same thing ¥åßßå showed only for different params the plugins know about. Each plugin knows about the same params, so pick the one that works for you, and add it the way ¥åßßå showed:

 - 'block_start' : (Default: '<div class="bSideItem">')
 - 'block_end' : (Default: '</div>')
 - 'title' : (Default: '<h3>'.T_('Categories').'</h3>')
 - 'link_type' : 'canonic'|'context' (default: canonic)
 - 'context_isolation' : what params need override when changing date/range (Default: 'm,w,p,title,unit,dstart' )
 - 'form' : true|false (default: false)
 - 'list_start' : (Default '<ul>'), does not get displayed for empty lists
 - 'list_end' : (Default '</ul>'), does not get displayed for empty lists
 - 'line_start' : (Default '<li>')
 - 'line_end' : (Default '</li>')
 - 'group_start' : (Default '<ul>') - (for BLOG 1 Categories)
 - 'group_end' : (Default "</ul>\n") - (for BLOG 1 Categories)
 - 'collist_start' : (Default '') - (for BLOG 1 Categories)
 - 'collist_end' : (Default "\n") - (for BLOG 1 Categories)
 - 'coll_start' : (Default '<h4>') - (for BLOG 1 Categories)
 - 'coll_end' : (Default "</h4>\n") - (for BLOG 1 Categories)
 - 'option_all' : (Default T_('All'))

So for a categories span without text you would probably just use your own "title" param with a span and without the text.