Smart objects aren't all that smart. And they aren't objects. What they are is envelopes. The kind that hold things. And keep them safe. So that everything you do protects the image from harm. This is Photoshop at its best.
Today’s screencast is a video version of a tutorial that demonstrates the steps necessary to create an envelope icon in Photoshop. This tutorial makes heavy use of Photoshop’s pen and selection tools and is a great way to get accustomed to them.