custom control (generic.xaml) for WP7 - windows-phone-7

Question

I am currently following the steps http://www.windowsphonegeek.com/articles/Creating-a-WP7-Custom-Control-in-7-Steps? in doing a custom control for WP7. I have created my control in a normal windows phone Portrait Page xaml file (combining some control), I am not sure how I can convert it to work in generic.xaml file (as ResourceDictionary). So far it didn't work.
I tried to use Expression Blend to do the converting but I am not sure how to do it.
Edit: I am posting my code, it is a box that displays dynamic time. I want also to add properties for providing the Date and another for the color of the box.
This is the code so far.
<ResourceDictionary
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:vsm="clr-namespace:System.Windows;assembly=System.Windows"
xmlns:local="clr-namespace:CereTime">
<!-- Check xmlns:local im case of error -->
<Style TargetType="local:CereT1">
<!-- After specifing the custom properties in .cs file, implement them here -->
<Setter Property="Date" Value="{TemplateBinding Date}" /> <!-- Under check -->
<Setter Property="Template">
<Setter.Value>
<ControlTemplate TargetType="local:CereT1">
<Canvas Background="YellowGreen" Width="100" Height="100" Name="DateBox" HorizontalAlignment="Left" VerticalAlignment="Top">
<StackPanel Orientation="Vertical" Height="100" Width="100">
<TextBlock Name="Month" Text="Month" Foreground="White" TextAlignment="Center" HorizontalAlignment="Center" FontSize="24" FontWeight="Bold" Margin="0,12,0,0" />
<StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal" HorizontalAlignment="Center" Margin="0,6,0,0">
<TextBlock Name="Date" Text="0" VerticalAlignment="Bottom" Margin="0,0,5,0" FontSize="26.667"/>
<TextBlock Name="No_Name" Text="|" FontSize="26.667" />
<TextBlock Name="Year" Text="Year" Margin="5,0,0,0" FontSize="26.667" />
</StackPanel>
</StackPanel>
</Canvas>
</ControlTemplate>
</Setter.Value>
</Setter>
</Style>
</ResourceDictionary>
Kindly Advise me.
Thanks,

Answer 1

While you can move the style of the user control to a ResourceDictionary, why bother when you can have that and the template in the corresponding XAML for your UserControl?
Simple set the inside MyUserControl.xaml , along with the other properties you wish to change.
But the whole part about separating a style of a custom control to a ResourceDictionary , haven't a awful lot to do with UserControls. Perhaps you should tell us what's really wrong, instead of asking meta-questions.

Answer 2

I had the same problem when trying to create control following to link you give.
Solution is to add
<ResourceDictionary>
<ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
<ResourceDictionary Source="themes/generic.xaml"/>
</ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
</ResourceDictionary>
into Application.Resources tag in App.xaml