diff --git a/StylableWinFormsControls/StylableWinFormsControls.Example/FrmDefault.Designer.cs b/StylableWinFormsControls/StylableWinFormsControls.Example/FrmDefault.Designer.cs
index 6ef81ff..0bf3ba9 100644
--- a/StylableWinFormsControls/StylableWinFormsControls.Example/FrmDefault.Designer.cs
+++ b/StylableWinFormsControls/StylableWinFormsControls.Example/FrmDefault.Designer.cs
@@ -28,11 +28,11 @@ protected override void Dispose(bool disposing)
         /// </summary>
         private void InitializeComponent()
         {
-            ListViewItem listViewItem1 = new ListViewItem("Content");
-            ListViewItem listViewItem2 = new ListViewItem("Content");
-            ListViewItem listViewItem3 = new ListViewItem(new string[] { "Content", "Content" }, -1);
-            ListViewItem listViewItem4 = new ListViewItem("Content");
-            ListViewItem listViewItem5 = new ListViewItem("Content");
+            ListViewItem listViewItem6 = new ListViewItem("Content");
+            ListViewItem listViewItem7 = new ListViewItem("Content");
+            ListViewItem listViewItem8 = new ListViewItem(new string[] { "Content", "Content" }, -1);
+            ListViewItem listViewItem9 = new ListViewItem("Content");
+            ListViewItem listViewItem10 = new ListViewItem("Content");
             stylableButton1 = new StylableButton();
             stylableCheckBox1 = new StylableCheckBox();
             stylableComboBox1 = new StylableComboBox();
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ private void InitializeComponent()
             // stylableListView1
             // 
             stylableListView1.Columns.AddRange(new ColumnHeader[] { columnHeader1, columnHeader2 });
-            stylableListView1.Items.AddRange(new ListViewItem[] { listViewItem1, listViewItem2, listViewItem3, listViewItem4, listViewItem5 });
+            stylableListView1.Items.AddRange(new ListViewItem[] { listViewItem6, listViewItem7, listViewItem8, listViewItem9, listViewItem10 });
             stylableListView1.Location = new Point(6, 18);
             stylableListView1.Name = "stylableListView1";
             stylableListView1.Size = new Size(242, 178);
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ private void InitializeComponent()
             stylableTextBox1.BorderColor = Color.Blue;
             stylableTextBox1.BorderStyle = BorderStyle.None;
             stylableTextBox1.DelayedTextChangedTimeout = 900;
-            stylableTextBox1.ForeColor = Color.Black;
+            stylableTextBox1.ForeColor = Color.Gray;
             stylableTextBox1.Hint = "Hello, my name is ...";
             stylableTextBox1.HintForeColor = Color.Gray;
             stylableTextBox1.IsDelayActive = true;
@@ -233,6 +233,7 @@ private void InitializeComponent()
             stylableTextBox1.Name = "stylableTextBox1";
             stylableTextBox1.Size = new Size(207, 16);
             stylableTextBox1.TabIndex = 8;
+            stylableTextBox1.Text = "Hello, my name is ...";
             stylableTextBox1.TextForeColor = Color.Black;
             // 
             // lbl_description
diff --git a/StylableWinFormsControls/StylableWinFormsControls/Controls/StylableDateTimePicker.cs b/StylableWinFormsControls/StylableWinFormsControls/Controls/StylableDateTimePicker.cs
index 28d29fc..a58e8b6 100644
--- a/StylableWinFormsControls/StylableWinFormsControls/Controls/StylableDateTimePicker.cs
+++ b/StylableWinFormsControls/StylableWinFormsControls/Controls/StylableDateTimePicker.cs
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
+using StylableWinFormsControls.Extensions;
 using System.ComponentModel;
 using System.Drawing.Text;
+using System.Globalization;
+using System.Text.RegularExpressions;
 using System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles;
 
 namespace StylableWinFormsControls;
@@ -9,77 +12,450 @@ namespace StylableWinFormsControls;
 /// </summary>
 public class StylableDateTimePicker : DateTimePicker
 {
-    public Color EnabledBackColor { get; set; } = Color.White;
-    public Color DisabledBackColor { get; set; } = Color.Gray;
-    public Color EnabledForeColor { get; set; } = Color.Black;
-    public Color DisabledForeColor { get; set; } = Color.Black;
+    /// <summary>
+    /// separate two spaces with the given width
+    /// </summary>
+    public const int PART_SPACE = 5;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// contains all DateTime parts and their positions
+    /// </summary>
+    private readonly List<DatePartInfo> _dateParts = new();
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// when the format is changed we need to recalculate the positions of the parts
+    /// </summary>
+    private string _oldFormat = "";
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// when the width is changed we need to recalculate the positions of the parts
+    /// </summary>
+    private int _oldWidth = 0;
 
     public StylableDateTimePicker()
     {
-        SetStyle(ControlStyles.UserPaint, true);
+        this.SetStyle(ControlStyles.UserPaint, true);
+        this.MouseDown += StylableDateTimePicker_MouseDown;
+        this.Leave += StylableDateTimePicker_Leave;
+        this.MouseWheel += StylableDateTimePicker_MouseWheel;
+        this.KeyDown += StylableDateTimePicker_KeyDown;
+        this.KeyPress += StylableDateTimePicker_KeyPress;
     }
-
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///  Gets or sets the background color of the control
+    ///  </summary>
+    [Browsable(true)]
+    public override Color BackColor
+    {
+        get
+        {
+            return base.BackColor;
+        }
+        set
+        {
+            base.BackColor = value;
+        }
+    }
+
+    public Color DisabledBackColor { get; set; } = Color.Gray;
+    public Color DisabledForeColor { get; set; } = Color.Black;
+    public Color EnabledBackColor { get; set; } = Color.White;
+    public Color EnabledForeColor { get; set; } = Color.Black;
+
     protected override CreateParams CreateParams
     {
         get
         {
             CreateParams handleParam = base.CreateParams;
             //prevent flickering of the control
-            handleParam.ExStyle |= 0x02000000;   // WS_EX_COMPOSITED
+            handleParam.ExStyle |= 0x02000000;   // WS_EX_COMPOSITED
             return handleParam;
         }
-    }
-
-    /// <summary>
-    ///  Gets or sets the background color of the control
-    ///  </summary>
-    [Browsable(true)]
-    public override Color BackColor
-    {
-        get => base.BackColor;
-        set => base.BackColor = value;
     }
 
     protected override void OnPaint(PaintEventArgs e)
     {
-        Graphics g = CreateGraphics();
+        Graphics g = this.CreateGraphics();
         g.TextRenderingHint = TextRenderingHint.ClearTypeGridFit;
 
         // Dropdownbutton rectangle
-        Rectangle ddbRect = new(ClientRectangle.Width - 17, 0, 17, ClientRectangle.Height);
+        Rectangle ddb_rect = new Rectangle(ClientRectangle.Width - 17, 0, 17, ClientRectangle.Height);
         // Background brush
         Brush bb;
         //foreground brush
         Brush fb;
 
-        ComboBoxState visualState;
+        ComboBoxState visual_state;
 
-        // When enabled the brush is set to Backcolor,
+        // When enabled the brush is set to Backcolor,
         // otherwise to color stored in _disabled_back_Color
-        if (Enabled)
+        if (this.Enabled)
         {
             bb = new SolidBrush(EnabledBackColor);
             fb = new SolidBrush(EnabledForeColor);
-            visualState = ComboBoxState.Normal;
+            visual_state = ComboBoxState.Normal;
         }
         else
         {
             bb = new SolidBrush(DisabledBackColor);
             fb = new SolidBrush(DisabledForeColor);
-            visualState = ComboBoxState.Disabled;
+            visual_state = ComboBoxState.Disabled;
         }
 
         // Filling the background
         g.FillRectangle(bb, 0, 0, ClientRectangle.Width, ClientRectangle.Height);
 
-        // Drawing the datetime text
-        g.DrawString(Text, Font, fb, 5, 2);
+        // Drawing the datetime
+        DrawDateTime(g);
 
         // Drawing the dropdownbutton using ComboBoxRenderer
-        ComboBoxRenderer.DrawDropDownButton(g, ddbRect, visualState);
+        ComboBoxRenderer.DrawDropDownButton(g, ddb_rect, visual_state);
 
         g.Dispose();
         bb.Dispose();
         fb.Dispose();
     }
-}
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// replace a part of the date with the manually entered input
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="date">the old date</param>
+    /// <param name="format">the full format</param>
+    /// <param name="partFormat">the part format</param>
+    /// <param name="value">the new part value</param>
+    /// <returns></returns>
+    private static DateTime Replace(DateTime date, string format, string partFormat, string value)
+    {
+        //remove the day of week from the format as DateTime.ParseExact throws if date and day of week do not match
+        format = format.Replace("dddd", "");
+        format = format.Replace("ddd", "");
+        //remove the ful month name as this is not numeric and we do not support it currently
+        format = format.Replace("MMMM", "");
+        format = format.Replace("MMM", "");
+        //convert the old date to a string where the part to replace is XXXX
+        string partFormatRegex = @"\b" + Regex.Replace(partFormat, "[^a-zA-Z0-9]+", "") + @"\b";
+        string formattedDate = date.ToString(Regex.Replace(format, partFormatRegex, @"\X\X\X\X"));
+        //now we can simply replace the XXXX with the new value and reparse the date
+        string replacedDateString = formattedDate.Replace("XXXX", value);
+        var replacedDate = DateTime.ParseExact(replacedDateString, format, CultureInfo.CurrentCulture);
+        return replacedDate;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// this draw the datetime text manually so we can save the information where day, month and year is
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="g"></param>
+    private void DrawDateTime(Graphics g)
+    {
+        // Drawing the datetime text
+        string format = GetFormat();
+        //recalculate the positions of the DateTime parts within the DateTimePicker
+        RecalcPartPositions(format);
+        //draw the DateTime parts
+        var brush = new SolidBrush(this.ForeColor);
+        var highlightBrush = new SolidBrush(this.ForeColor.Highlight());
+        foreach (var part in _dateParts)
+        {
+            Rectangle bounds = new(part.Start, 2, part.End - part.Start, this.Height - 2);
+            if (part.Selected)
+                TextRenderer.DrawText(g, this.Value.ToString(part.Format), Font, bounds, this.ForeColor.Highlight(), TextFormatFlags.EndEllipsis);
+            else
+                TextRenderer.DrawText(g, this.Value.ToString(part.Format), Font, bounds, this.ForeColor, TextFormatFlags.EndEllipsis);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private string GetFormat()
+    {
+        DateTimeFormatInfo dtfi = (CultureInfo.CurrentCulture).DateTimeFormat;
+        string format = Format switch
+        {
+            DateTimePickerFormat.Long => dtfi.LongDatePattern,
+            DateTimePickerFormat.Short => dtfi.ShortDatePattern,
+            DateTimePickerFormat.Time => dtfi.LongTimePattern,
+            _ => CustomFormat,
+        };
+        return format;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// increment/decrement the selected part
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="key"></param>
+    private void IncrementDecrement(Keys key)
+    {
+        if (key == Keys.Up)
+            UpdatePart(1);
+        else if (key == Keys.Down)
+            UpdatePart(-1);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// move the selection to the next part
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="part"></param>
+    /// <returns>the newly selected part</returns>
+    private DatePartInfo NavigatePartRight(DatePartInfo part)
+    {
+        part.Reset();
+        var index = _dateParts.IndexOf(part);
+        DatePartInfo newPart;
+        if (index == _dateParts.Count - 1)
+            newPart = _dateParts.First();
+        else
+            newPart = _dateParts[index + 1];
+        newPart.Selected = true;
+        return newPart;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// navigate through the DateTime parts with the arrow keys
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="keyCode"></param>
+    private void NavigateParts(Keys keyCode)
+    {
+        var part = _dateParts.FirstOrDefault(p => p.Selected);
+        if (part == null && keyCode == Keys.Left)
+        {
+            _dateParts.Last().Selected = true;
+        }
+        else if (part != null && keyCode == Keys.Left)
+        {
+            part.Reset();
+            var index = _dateParts.IndexOf(part);
+            if (index == 0)
+                _dateParts.Last().Selected = true;
+            else
+                _dateParts[index - 1].Selected = true;
+        }
+        else if (part == null && keyCode == Keys.Right)
+        {
+            _dateParts.First().Selected = true;
+        }
+        else if (part != null && keyCode == Keys.Right)
+        {
+            NavigatePartRight(part);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// recalculate the positions of the DateTime parts
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="format"></param>
+    private void RecalcPartPositions(string format)
+    {
+        if (_oldFormat != format || _oldWidth != this.Width)
+        {
+            //reset old list
+            _dateParts.Clear();
+
+            //split the format into parts
+            var parts = Regex.Split(format, @"(?<=[^0-9a-zA-Z]+)");
+            int startPos = 5;
+            foreach (var part in parts)
+            {
+                if (String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(part)) continue;
+                //get the size of the part
+                var size = TextRenderer.MeasureText(this.Value.ToString(part), this.Font);
+                //add the part to the list
+                _dateParts.Add(new DatePartInfo()
+                {
+                    Format = part,
+                    Start = startPos,
+                    End = startPos + size.Width + PART_SPACE
+                });
+                startPos += size.Width + PART_SPACE;
+            }
+
+            //store the format and width so we do not have to recalculate the positions if nothing changed
+            _oldFormat = format;
+            _oldWidth = this.Width;
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// allow navigating through the DateTime parts with the arrow keys and increment/decrement the selected part or
+    /// specify the value with the number keys
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="sender"></param>
+    /// <param name="e"></param>
+    private void StylableDateTimePicker_KeyDown(object? sender, KeyEventArgs e)
+    {
+        if (e.KeyCode == Keys.Up || e.KeyCode == Keys.Down)
+        {
+            IncrementDecrement(e.KeyCode);
+        }
+        else if (e.KeyCode == Keys.Left || e.KeyCode == Keys.Right)
+        {
+            NavigateParts(e.KeyCode);
+            this.Invalidate();
+        }
+        e.Handled = true;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// allow directly editing a value with the number keys
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="sender"></param>
+    /// <param name="e"></param>
+    private void StylableDateTimePicker_KeyPress(object? sender, KeyPressEventArgs e)
+    {
+        if (Char.IsNumber(e.KeyChar))
+        {
+            var part = _dateParts.FirstOrDefault(p => p.Selected);
+            if (part != null)
+            {
+                part.NewValue += e.KeyChar;
+                if (part.NewValue.Length >= part.Format.Length)
+                {
+                    this.Value = Replace(this.Value, GetFormat(), part.Format, part.NewValue);
+                    part = NavigatePartRight(part);
+                }
+                this.Invalidate();
+            }
+        }
+        e.Handled = true;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// reset select part of the format when the control lost focus
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="sender"></param>
+    /// <param name="e"></param>
+    private void StylableDateTimePicker_Leave(object? sender, EventArgs e)
+    {
+        _dateParts.ForEach(p => p.Reset());
+        this.Invalidate();
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// support selecting the DateTime parts with the mouse to change them
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="sender"></param>
+    /// <param name="e"></param>
+    private void StylableDateTimePicker_MouseDown(object? sender, MouseEventArgs e)
+    {
+        _dateParts.ForEach(p => p.Reset());
+        var part = _dateParts.FirstOrDefault(p => p.Start <= e.X && p.End >= e.X);
+        if (part != null)
+        {
+            part.Selected = true;
+            this.Invalidate();
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Allow changing the current value with the mouse wheel
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="sender"></param>
+    /// <param name="e"></param>
+    private void StylableDateTimePicker_MouseWheel(object? sender, MouseEventArgs e)
+    {
+        UpdatePart(e.Delta / 100);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// update the selected part of the DateTime after user change
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="num"></param>
+    private void UpdatePart(int num = 1)
+    {
+        var part = _dateParts.FirstOrDefault(p => p.Selected);
+        if (num != 0 && part != null)
+        {
+            if (part.Format.StartsWith("M"))
+            {
+                UpdatePartMonth(num);
+            }
+            else if (part.Format.StartsWith("y"))
+            {
+                UpdatePartYear(num);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                UpdatePartGeneric(num, part);
+            }
+            this.Invalidate();
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// generically increment or decrement the selected part of the DateTime. Does not work for months and years
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="num"></param>
+    /// <param name="part"></param>
+    private void UpdatePartGeneric(int num, DatePartInfo part)
+    {
+        //create a timespan with the given number of days, hours, minutes or seconds
+        int absNumber = Math.Abs(num);
+        DateTime tmp = new(absNumber, absNumber, absNumber, absNumber, absNumber, absNumber);
+        var dFmt = part.Format;
+        var tsFmt = Regex.Replace(dFmt, @"([^a-zA-Z0-9]+)", "\\$1").ToLower();
+        //special handling for fullname of days as we want to get a numeric value to add or subtract
+        if (dFmt.StartsWith("d") && dFmt.Length > 3)
+        {
+            dFmt = "dd";
+            tsFmt = "dd";
+        }
+        TimeSpan ts = TimeSpan.ParseExact(tmp.ToString(dFmt, CultureInfo.CurrentCulture), tsFmt, CultureInfo.CurrentCulture);
+        if (num > 0)
+            this.Value = this.Value.Add(ts);
+        else
+            this.Value = this.Value.Subtract(ts);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// increment or decrement the month part of the DateTime
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="num"></param>
+    private void UpdatePartMonth(int num)
+    {
+        this.Value = this.Value.AddMonths(num);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// increment or decrement the year part of the DateTime
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="num"></param>
+    private void UpdatePartYear(int num)
+    {
+        this.Value = this.Value.AddYears(num);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// contains the information about the DateTime part and its position
+    /// </summary>
+    private class DatePartInfo
+    {
+        /// <summary>
+        /// the end X position of the DateTime part
+        /// </summary>
+        public int End { get; set; }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// the format of the DateTime part
+        /// </summary>
+        public string Format { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+
+        public string NewValue { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// if true, this part is selected and can be changed by the user
+        /// </summary>
+        public bool Selected { get; set; }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// the start X position of the DateTime part
+        /// </summary>
+        public int Start { get; set; }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        ///
+        /// </summary>
+        public void Reset()
+        {
+            NewValue = string.Empty;
+            Selected = false;
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/StylableWinFormsControls/StylableWinFormsControls/Extensions/ColorExtensions.cs b/StylableWinFormsControls/StylableWinFormsControls/Extensions/ColorExtensions.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..48dcdfe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/StylableWinFormsControls/StylableWinFormsControls/Extensions/ColorExtensions.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Linq;
+using System.Text;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
+
+namespace StylableWinFormsControls.Extensions
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Extensions for interaction with colors
+    /// </summary>
+    internal static class ColorExtensions
+    {
+        /// <summary>
+        /// the middle value of the rgb range between light and dark:
+        /// FF + FF + FF = 2FD
+        /// 2FD /2 = 17E
+        /// 17E => 382
+        /// </summary>
+        public const int RGB_MIDDLE_VALUE = 382;
+        /// <summary>
+        /// makes a color lighter
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="c"></param>
+        /// <returns></returns>
+        internal static Color Lighter(this Color c)
+        {
+            return ControlPaint.Light(c, 1f);
+        }
+        /// <summary>
+        /// makes a color darker
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="c"></param>
+        /// <returns></returns>
+        internal static Color Darker(this Color c)
+        {
+            return ControlPaint.Dark(c, 1f);
+        }
+        /// <summary>
+        /// highlights a color
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="c"></param>
+        /// <returns></returns>
+        internal static Color Highlight(this Color c)
+        {
+            //ignore alpha value in checking if we need to make it darker or lighter
+            int rgb = c.R + c.G + c.B;
+            if(rgb > RGB_MIDDLE_VALUE)
+            {
+                return c.Darker();
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                return c.Lighter();
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}