VERY few people will ever fully master the immense power CS1/2 offers, I've been using CS for a few years with my photography but I've still barely scratched the surface of how powerful it is. If your not planning any serious usage for it, then it really is overkill.
Right you are Steve...........I started using Photoshop back on Version 4 when I was in the printing industry, and still don't have half a clue what I'm doing with it to this day........I use mainly Version 7 now 'cause I don't really have a need for all the conectivity and functions of CS.....
The best advice I can give to anyone who wants to use it, is get a good grasp of "selections" and "layers"................once you have that, you can work till the cows come home .......
.........if you're lucky enough to find a "Bible" on the workings of this amazing Adobe product, grab it ! I did and it lets you in on more secrets that you may have ever thought were there....... 

ps: My signature isn't all that amazing, but it was first done in Version 6...a few layers and control of them, will allow anyone to do what you want....just dream it up in your head first.... 
