I'm not a computer expert either. I hope I can help you. I use Outlook and I had to do the following three steps:
1) Make sure messages are in HTML format. (Once you set this up, you don't need to do this step anymore.) In Outlook, go to "Tools" on the menu bar and pick "Options". Click on "Mail Format" and pick "html" for the message format.
2) Find some pictures you will want to use. I believe most pictures on this message board were found at www.plaudersmilies.de. Go to that website, right click on a "smilie" that you like and then "Save Image As". (I stuck mine in my c:\my documents\my picutures directory.)
3) Write the E-mail! Open a new E-mail and then when you want to add your picture, go to "Insert" on the menu bar and pick "Pictures". You can do a browse to pick a picture that you had saved in step 2.
I hope this works for you. It certainly can perk up an E-mail!