This tutorial was written by me on June 6, 2020. The results are of my own imagination.  Any resemblance to another tutorial is purely coincidental.  

Please DO NOT claim this tutorial as your own.

This was written assuming you have a working knowledge of PSP.

Please keep in mind that I write the tutorial as I am creating it.

Sometimes I may not explain properly where to place things so please see my example if you are ever in doubt :)

Supplies needed

I am using PSP 2018 but this tutorial should work with any version.

Animation shop (optional)

PTU Tube:  I am using a beautiful tube called "Mysteries of the forest" created by Katharine.  Please do not use this tube without a proper license.  

You can purchase this tube at VM Artists store here. 

PTU Kit:  I am using a gorgeous matching kit called "Mysteries of the forest" created by Tiny Turtle Designs.  You can purchase the kit here.

PTU Animation:  I am using Rebel Dezigns animation 1636 from package 544.  You can purchase her fun animation at CDO here.

Mask:  Mask 352 by Mizteeque. Thank you for your awesome masks.  You can download it from her blog here. I am using the jpg versions for this tutorial.  Open and minimize in PSP.

FTU Wordart:  I am using Flower wordart 18 by Dangerously Delicious Designz.  Thank you Dee for the fun wordart.  You can download it from her blog here.  I used the png version for this tutorial.

Font of choice for your name.

Plug in: None

Drop shadow of choice.

Vivienne's Paintbox has awesome drop shadow settings that I use a lot.  You can find the settings here and check out her awesome tutorials :)

Anytime you resize an element or tube you should sharpen it.  Go to adjust, sharpness, sharpen.

Let's get started.

Remember to save your tag often in case psp crashes.  I always save my tags as a pspimage.  It keeps all the layers and if you make tags for others you will always have the template.

Open a new 750x800 transparent image.  We will resize later.

Add a new layer and flood fill with white.

Open paper of choice, I am using paper 25, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Layers, new mask layer, from image, in the drop down locate Miz_Mask_342.jpg and clik ok.  Merge group.  Resize the mask layer by 108%.  Mirror the mask layer.  You can close the original as we no longer need it.

Open element 6, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 60% and sharpen.  Move to the upper right of the mask.  Using your magic wand, click inside each opening of the frame.  Selections, modify, expand by 5.  Add a new raster layer and drag this layer under the frame layer.  Open paper of choice.  I am using paper 18.  Copy and close the original.  Select the new raster layer, edit, paste into selections.  Select none and drop shadow the frame.

Open element 112, copy and close the original.  Select the mask layer and paste.  Resize 80%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the right side of the frame.

Open element 23, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 40%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the upper left side of the mask.

Open element 88, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 40%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the center of the top leaves layer.

Open element 115, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 70%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the upper left side of the mask.

Open element 48, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 25%, sharpen, free rotate to the right 40 degrees and drop shadow.  Move to the upper left so it just covers the right edge of the tree.

Open element 40, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 25%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the upper left over the tree.

Open element 55, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Drop shadow.  

Open element 68, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 20%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom of the metal element.

Open element 16, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 15%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the top left so it is just under the mustache of the wood mask.

Open element 118, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 25%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move up to the bottom of the rose.

Open element 91, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 20%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move up to the left so it is on bottom of the double flower.

Open element 84, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 30%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move up to the middle of the double flower.

Open element 68, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 15%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the top left so it is just under the mustache of the wood mask.

Open element 71, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 40%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the lower left of the frame.

Open element 9, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 40%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the left side of the clock.

Open element 109, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 30%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom left of the clock.

Open element 59, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 30%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom left of the clock.

Open element 66, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 25%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom left of the lantern.

Open element 57, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 25%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom left of the flowers.

Open element 87, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 25%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom right of large yellow berry.

Copy your tube.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 38%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the lower left of the frame.

Open element 91, copy and close the original.  Select the tree layer and paste.  Move down and to the right slightly.  It should look like the tube is sitting on the third berry.  Drop shadow.

Open element 103, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 35%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom right of the dragonfly ornament.

Open element 38, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 25%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom right of the yellow leaves.

Open Dee's FTU Flower WA 18, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 70%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom right.

If you have not done so save your tag as a .pspimage

For non-animated tag hide the white layer and crop away the extra space around the tag and merge visible.

For animated tag, crop away the extra space around the tag.

Image, resize by 650 pixels on the longest side, all layers checked.

Add your copyright and name.

Non-animated tag.  If you want to keep your tag in layers in case you want to animate at a later date just go to file export, png optimizer and export you png tag.

Animating the tag.  Make sure your tag is saved as you do not want to loose it if psp crashes.

Might want to grab a coffee :)

Open Rebel Dezigns animation 1636 in psp.  

You can use all 25 layers if you chose but it will be heavy on the animation.  I am going to only use all odd numbered layers.  

Standing on layer 25 in the layer pallet, hold down your Ctrl and select the next odd number layer 23.  Repeat this until you have all odd number layers highlighted in the layer pallet.  All odd layers selected?  Now for the next step.

Go to layers, New group layer.  A window will pop open and click ok.

Scroll all the way to the top.  You will see a new layer called Group 1 with all the even layers under it.  This is what we want to see :).  Beside the group 1 layer you will see a little white arrow pointing down.  Click on this to collapse the animation.  In the upper right of the layer pallet you will see an icon that looks like a chain link.  Click on this.  You will now notice a change link on your group 1 layer.  This will lock all the layers so when you need to move it or resize it all the layers under group 1 will move or resize at the same time.

Standing on group 1, go to edit and copy.  Now back to your tag and paste as a new layer.  Unfortunately, the animation will only paste to the very top.  Click on the little white arrow beside group 1 to collapse it again.  Close off the original animation as we will not need it and do not save.

I want group 1 to be just under the frame layer.  Select group 1, left click your mouse and drag the group layer down the layer pallet until it is under the frame.  Or you can go to Layers arrange, Move down and repeat this until it is under frame layer.

Resize the animation by 40% and move the animation into a spot you like best.  

So now we have the animation in place but it is on the outside of our frame.  We need to fix this.  Select paper layer, select all, float, defloat. Select group one layer. now go to Layers, New mask layer, show selection.  You will notice in your layer pallet you have a new group layer called group-Group 1 and our mask layer then the group 1 layer under that.  This is good we want this :). 

 Now standing on Group-Group 1 click on the chain link to link all our layers and groups together.

Next step.

Select the little arrow beside group 1.  This will expand the group.

You will see all the numbered layers.  Starting with frame 25, Adjust, Sharpness, sharpen.  Click on the eyeball beside this layer to hide it. Repeat this step for all the layers so only layer 1 is visible.

Open animation shop.

Back to psp.  With only frame 1 of the animation visible, edit, copy special, copy merged.

Back to Animation shop.

Edit, paste as new animation or keyboard shortcut Ctrl+V.

**Back to psp.

Hide Frame 1 by clicking on the eyeball and unhide frame 3 by clicking on the eyeball.  Edit, copy special, copy merged.

Back to Animation Shop.

We need to paste after current frame.  Go to edit, paste after current frame.  Keyboard shortcut  Shift+Ctrl+L**

Repeat from **to** until you have 13 frames in animation shop.  It will tell you on the bottom right corner how many frames you have.

Now in Animation shop go to Edit, select all.  I want to slow the animation down.  Go to Animation, Frame properties and on the display time tab change the number to 15.  The higher the number the slower the animation.  Click ok.

Go to file Save as, gif and click next and next until you hit finished.  I use the default settings.

I hope you have enjoyed my tutorial.  I would love to see your results.