Finder sidebar shortcuts
When I start off on a job, the first thing I do is I make sidebar shortcuts to the folders I need to access frequently. Reason is I hate navigating folders.

I also try to add a recognizable icon for each project folder, which makes it easier to spot the correct folder. Usually it's a quick copy paste of the client's logo symbol from PS. When you do this, make sure to select at least 128x128 pixels. Unfortunately transparency won't work.
Once you have your pesonalized folder ready, you may want to add it to your sidebar for quick access. Just select it and press Apple-T (Cmd-T). Alternatively you can also just drag it to the sidebar. These sidebar shortcuts are very useful not only when working in Finder but especially when using the Save dialog box. You can avoid working your way through a branch of folders every time you save a file.
To get rid of a sidebar shortcut, click and drag the icon out from the sidebar. Make sure you don't just Apple-Backspace it, because it would not only trash the alias, but would bin the folder itself.
To create true aliases you can still find the familiar Favourites folder with the cheezy heart icon under your user Library/Favorites. You can add it to your sidebar and use it if you have numerous shortcuts which would not fit into the sidebar.
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thank you! it's Simple but
thank you! it's Simple but very useful, I wonder why I haven't thought before.
Note: in the toolbar my new icons look great but I'm note quite happy with the dock because of the lack of transparency...
It's not the Toolbar
It's the sidebar you're speaking of, the Toolbar is the area on top of the window!
Yes. Thanks. I got confused
Yes. Thanks. I got confused by the "T" in the shortcut. Sorry!
Get yourself a great file-manager tool!
I'm a PC+Windows user, yes, boo to me.
I would've never survive with the stupid file explorer that comes in with
Windows, it's the most useless piece of sh*t I ever saw. I'm a long time PC user,
ever since DOS 3, back then we used a file manager called Norton Commander,
yes, those glorious days, Turbo Pascal 7 and QBasic.. hehe.. Anyways,
Today I use "Total Commander".
I'm sure there's some awesome file managers for the Mac, they make your
life so much easier. FTP+Networking+File Comparison+Directory Synchornization+and much more..
Another Option
Funny, I've been doing this for years and with the sidebar of OS X, I find myself making temp links in the sidebar for current clients quite often. Where my method differs from yours (and this is quite short on detailed explanation, for brevity's sake) is to "merge visible" the layers, leaving the final logo (with, for instance, a drop shadow or the logo's non-square edges) against a transparent background. Then, I just paste it into Iconographer X and voila! Transparent, spiff-ass icon from a logo.
another way
if you have a newer Mac, it might come with GraphicConverter.
If you save a FLAT TIFF with an alpha channel, it will use that for a mask on the custom icon.
someday soon I'll make a Applescript Droplet to automatically do that.
or you could...8)
Nice
Got to try this one out...
here is an applescript droplet for converting image to icon...
while converting the alpha channel to icon transparency.
Mac OSX, requires GraphicConverter (comes on newish machines).
droplet file is here http://homepage.mac.com/willc2/.cv/willc2/Sites/.Public/save%20alpha%20into%20icon.app-binhex.hqx