For web designers. Can you give me designing tips and softwares I can use to design my page better?

What softwares will you suggest me to use? I want my website to be more creative and full of graphics (gif, flash, other media files etc…)
I know I can create cool graphics with flash and photoshop but I’m not that good at it yet. Do you think I can still create cool websites with the basic knowledge I have about photoshop and flash?

Do you have other alternative softwares(easier to use and learn ) which I can use???

HELP…I really need to design my page now…I want it to have better animations and graphics..Idk what software to use

Thanks!!