This tutorial was written by me on January 5, 2024. 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 PS.

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 Adobe Photoshop 2024 but this tutorial should work with any version.

You can download the 7 day trial of PS here.

PTU Kit:  I am using an adorable kit called "Charming Time" created by Carita Creationz.  

Check out the rest of her store where you can find all her gorgeous kits, AI tubes and CU products here.

https://payhip.com/CaritaCreationz

PTU Animation:  I am using Kiya Design's awesome animations from pack 253. 

You can purchase her animation pack at Barbara Jensen's Store here.

Mask: Mask:  I am using masks 83, 94 and 78 by Vivienne's Digital Tagging. Thank you for your awesome masks.  You can download it from her blog here. I am using the png versions for this tutorial.  

Font of choice for your name. 

Plug in: None

Drop shadow of choice.

Please read all the Artist's/Designer's TOU.

Let's get started.

To open an image, I click on the element or paper in the file folder and drag it into PS.

To transfer an element or paper in PS to my tag, I left click and drag it into my working canvas.  

The other way is to left click and drag the element from the folder right onto your tag. 

For resizing and rotating I use the Ctrl+T command.

To mirror or Flip go to Edit>Transform>Flip Horizontal (mirror) or Flip vertical (Flip).

Remember to save often.

Let's get started.

Open a new 800x800 transparent image.  We will resize later.

Add a new raster layer.

Go to layers, New fill layer, solid color.  When the pop up window appears type in FFFFFF and click ok.

Drag Vivienne's mask 83 into the tag.  Resize 25.63% and move to the top left of the tag.

Drag paper 6 into the tag.  Resize it 23% and move it over the mask.  Once happy with placement, right click and create a clipping mask.

Drag Vivienne's mask 94 into the tag.  Resize 23.24% and move to the top right of the tag.

Drag paper 2 into the tag.  Resize it 21.02% and move it over the mask.  Once happy with placement, right click and create a clipping mask.

Drag Vivienne's mask 78 into the tag.  Resize 31.63% and move to the bottom center of the tag.

Drag paper 1 into the tag.  Resize it W: 31.50 and H: 7.24% and move it over the mask.  Once happy with placement, right click and create a clipping mask.  Now you want to merge these to layers together.  Duplicate the merged layer.  Resize W: 76.25 and H: 70.11% and move to the lower right of the original mask 78.  Duplicate one more time.  and move down and to the left slightly.  You will probably need to adjust your mask layers once the tag is complete.

Drag element 31 into the tag.  Resize 46.55% and move to the upper left of the left mask.

Drag element 20 into the tag.  Resize 26.64% and move to the lower right of the right mask.

Drag element 21 into the tag.  Resize 27.31% and move to the upper right of element 20.

Drag element 41 into the tag.  Resize 21.64% and move to the left side of the tag by the cog on the mask.

Drag element 33 into the tag.  Resize 15.12% and move to the lower left of element 41.

Drag element 10 into the tag.  Resize 29.73% and move to the upper right of the right mask.

Drag element 35 into the tag.  Resize 19.98% and move to the left of element 41.

Drag element 38 into the tag.  Resize 46.51% and move to the upper middle of the tag slightly to the right.

Drag paper 7 into the tag.  Drag this layer under the frame layer.  Resize 10.89% and move into the frame in a spot you like best.  

Select the frame layer.  Using your magic wand, click in each of the openings of the frame.  Select, modify, expand by 3.  Select the paper layer.  Go to Layer, Layer Mask, Reveal selection.

Select the top layer.

Drag element 45 into the tag.  Resize 50.59%, rotate -67.89 degrees and move to the top left of frame.

Drag element 30 into the tag.  Resize 25.73% and move to the top left corner of the frame.

Drag element 24 into the tag.  Resize 9.13% and move over element 30.  See my tag for placement.

Drag element 29 into the tag.  Resize 21.04%, rotate 92.06 degrees and move to the bottom right of the frame.

Drag element 4 into the tag.  Resize 21.46% and move to the lower right of the tag.

Drag element 1 into the tag.  Resize 25.29% and move to the bottom center of element 29.

Drag element 22 into the tag.  Resize 19.71% and move to the lower left of by the rose.

Drag element 18 into the tag.  Resize 25.47% and move to the right of element 22.

Drag element 26 into the tag.  Resize 17.08% and move to the bottom left of the cake.

Drag element 32 into the tag.  Resize 16.61% and move to the lower right of the clock.

Drag element 47 into the tag.  Resize 14.33% and move to the right of element 32.

Drag element 48 into the tag.  Resize 10.97% and move to the bottom of the cake.

Drag element 13 into the tag.  Resize 14.19% and move to the bottom of the heart.

Drag element 43 into the tag.  Resize 17.60% and move to the lower left of the frame.

Drag element 23 into the tag.  Resize 15.54% and move to the bottom of the clock.

Drag element 11 into the tag.  Resize 16.76% and move to the right of flowers.

Drag element 17 into the tag.  Resize 15.69% and move to the left by the cat's paw.

Drag element 44 into the tag.  Resize 4.55% and move to the lower left of the bottle.

Drag element 9 into the tag.  Resize 11.81%, mirror and move to the bottom of the cupcake.

Drag element 25 into the tag.  Resize 11.69% and move to the bottom between the shoe and globe.

Add any other elements you like and make any adjustments to the layers.

Crop away any extra space.  

Resize the tag to your liking if needed.  I usually resize mine by 650 on the width side unless it is already smaller than 650.

Oh almost forgot we need to drop shadow all of our elements.  I actually do the drop shadow at the end :)

Select the element on the bottom of your tag in the layer pallet and double click it.  I started with element 31.

A layer style window will pop up.  Click on Drop shadow. and use the following settings.

Click on image for larger view.

Now right click on the layer you just applied the drop shadow.  Click copy layer style.

Now click on element 20 layer, hold down the shift key, select the layer under paper layer.  Right click and paste layer styles.  

Select element 38 layer, holding down the shift key, select the top layer.  Right click and paste layer styles.  Drop shadow complete :)

Add your name and copyright.

If you are not going to animate, hide the white background layer Save your tag and export as png.

Animation:

Open Kiya's animations in PS.  I am using 764 and 764B.

Starting with animation 764.

You will notice there are 21 layers in this animation.  Select layer 1, hold down your Shift key and select the top layer.  All layers should be selected.  Hit Ctrl + G on your keyboard.  This will group all the layers.  Now this is important.  Make sure the Auto-Select is not checked when moving animation into your tag.

Select layer 31 in your tag.  Drag the group into the tag.  Resize 48% and move to the top right of the tag.  Now expand the group and hide each layer by clicking on the eyeball.  Leave layer one visible.

Animation 764b.

You will notice there are 21 layers in this animation.  Select layer 1, hold down your Shift key and select the top layer.  All layers should be selected.  Hit Ctrl + G on your keyboard.  This will group all the layers.  Now this is important.  Make sure the Auto-Select is not checked when moving animation into your tag.

Select the group one folder in your tag.  Drag the new group into the tag.  Resize 33% and move to the middle left of the frame.  Now expand the group and hide each layer by clicking on the eyeball.  Leave layer one visible.

Now, select layer 31, right click and copy layer style.

Select each group and paste layer style.

Next make sure your Timeline viewer is open on the bottom of PS.  I you do not see a row that has Timeline on the bottom, go to Windows, Timeline.

In the center of the Timeline viewer, you will see a drop-down box.  On the drop down select Create Frame Animations.

Now we are ready to animate.

Right now you should have one animation frame in the timeline.

Click on the little icon (four white lines) at the right end of the timeline screen then select make frames from layers.

You are going to see a big mess in the animation window, but we are going to fix this.

Click on the first frame and hold down your shift key and select frame 8 in the animation window.  Hit the trashcan on the bottom of the timeline to delete the selected frames.    Frame 1 should now be the first animation frame.  Select layer 22 and hold down your shift key and select the last layer in the timeline.  Hit the trashcan on the bottom of the timeline to delete the selected frames.

This will leave you with 21 frames (same amount of frames of your animation).  

This next step is particularly important.  Any changes you do from here you must be on frame 1 in the Timeline viewer. It will be highlighted in white.

Go to the bottom of your tag in the layer’s pallet.  Make sure you have animation frame 1 selected.

in your layer's pallet, click on the eyeball beside each layer to make it visible.  Do not touch any of the the group animation layers.

All layers visible?  Yes, then on to the next step.

Still on frame 1 in the timeline.  Make your second animation visible by clicking on the eyeball of the folder.  You won't see the animation yet but that is ok.  In the timeline, hit the plus sign to duplicate this layer. You will now have frame 2 selected.  Now expand the animation and make frame 1 visible by clicking on the eyeball.  Now select frame 1 and delete it by hitting the trash can.

We now have 21 frames again.  Now we need to make the second animation visible on all the frames.  

Select frame 2 in the timeline.  Now make frame 2 in your layers pallet visible. 

Select frame 3 in the timeline.  Now make frame 2 in your layers pallet visible. 

Repeat the above steps until all 21 frames show the second animation.

Select frame 1 again.

Next, I want to slow down the animation.  With the first frame selected (in the timeline), hold down the shift key and click on frame 21.  This will select all the frames.

Next, click on the little black arrow beside the 0 sec as we want to change the speed.  A pop-up window will appear. 

I selected Other and changed the speed to 0.15 Sec.  Now click on the play button to view the animation.  Click on it again to stop it.

Click frame 1 again so we do not accidentally make any changes.

Now to save our tag as a gif.

Go to File>Export>Save for Web (Legacy).

A new pop-up window will appear.  Change the settings to my screen shot below.  My screen shot will look different, but the settings are the same.

Click on image for a larger view.

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