is there a way to get a wallpaper to overlap the signal and battery sighn on the top and the start and contacts on the bottom this happened by acident when i applied a new theme but it left a space open in the bottom of the screen

Have you tried editing your homescreen XML file to change the color codes for the icon bar and the start and contacts buttons from whatever color they are now to transparent? I'm totally guessing, but that's where I'd start...trying.

where is this file and how do i edit it

You can edit XML files using notepad on your PC. The XML files are located in the application data/home folder on your phone. Copy the original to your PC, tinker with it, give it a new name then copy back to your phone so you don't lose the original!

Google how to make wm5 homescreens for more info. That's what I did. I've got my homescreen the way I like but I don't have any info in my notes about how to make the start & contacts buttons transparent...IF it can be done at all. I don't know. For sure the icon bar can be made transparent though. I've seen that.