Tutorial for above banner. :)

Choose the images you want in your banner. This was actually a challenge entry, so I used images from Nocturnal Light. I made a new document (sized 475x200, but will work on anything) and adjusted the images how I wanted them. I used the masking brush to blend the images together.

These two images I added a little differently. Position them and go to Layer>All Layer Mask>Hide All. OMG! It's gone!

Just kidding! Now click on a brush and give it an opacity of 50% of so. Slowly brush over the part of the image you'd like to keep. See how it's kind of faded a bit into the background?

After you have the images the way you like, go to Layer>Flatten Image. Play around with the color/contrast a bit till you get it how you like. I like using Filter>Blur>Smart Blur tool and the fading it a bit. (Edit>Fade Smart Blur)

Here's mine. Got yours the way you like? Now let's add some brushes. White brushes>61% opacity. (sorry I can't remember where they came from. Most likely Hybrid Genesis)

Make a new layer. I usually like borders, so I went to the rectangular marquee tool and made a big box around the banner. WHILE IT'S HIGHLIGHTED, right click and choose Stroke.

Make a new layer. Flood Fill with #6D383E. Set to Lighten. Opacity at 85%.

Make a new layer. Flood Fill with #BB585B. Set to Linear Dodge, opacity at 19%.

Make a new layer. Flood fill with #603913. Set to Screen, opacity at 35%.

That's it! I just added text (times new roman, 23pt, tracking at 200) and I was done!