This tutorial was written by me on November 1, 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 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 CS5 but this tutorial should work with any version.

You can download the 7 day trial of PS here.

PTU Tube:  I am using Barbara Jensen's beautiful tube "Lacy Love" from her new package 119.  Please do not use this tube without a proper license. I am using the layered tube for this tutorial.  You can purchase Barbara Jensen's tube at Barbara's store here. 

PTU Kit:  I am using a gorgeous kit called "Midnight Wintertide" created by Pink Paradox Productions.  This kit is available for purchase at Barbara's store here.

PTU Animation:  I am using Kiya Designs awesome animation from pack 53.  You can purchase her awesome animations at Barbara Jensen's store here.

Mask:  337 by Mizteeques Digital Design. 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. 

Either way you will get the same results :).  I will be using the both method for this tutorial.

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).

Let's get started.

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

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

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

Drag paper 34 into your tag.  Hold down the shift key and pull the corners of the paper until it fills the canvas.  

Drag Mizteeque's mask into the tag.  Resize 40% and click the check mark.  

Drag paper 17 into the mask.  Holding down the shift key, pull up and down on the corners until the paper layer fills the canvas.  Click on the check mark.  Standing on the paper layer, right click and create a clipping mask.

Drag element 176 into the tag.  Resize 80% and move to the top left of the mask.  Duplicate, mirror and move to the bottom right of the mask.

Drag element 174 into the tag.  Resize 70% and move to the top left of the mask.

Drag element 171 into your tag.  Resize 70% and move to the bottom of the tree.

Drag element 173 into your tag.  Resize 60% and move to the right of the white tree.

Drag frame 21 into the tag.  Resize 60% and move to the top center of the mask.

Drag element 164 into the tag.  Resize 50% and drag under the frame.  Move to the top of the frame window.

Drag element 147 into your tag.  Resize 60% and move to the left of the frame.

Drag element 172 into your tag.  Resize 80% and move to the top right of the frame.

Drag element 160 into your tag.  Resize 40% and move to the bottom left of the frame.

Drag element 111 into your tag.  Resize 80% and move to the bottom of the frame.

Drag element 113 into your tag.  Resize 50% and move to the bottom of the black brush.

Drag element 90 into your tag.  Resize 50% and move to the bottom left of the frame so it covers the straight edge of the snow.

Drag element 56 into your tag.  Resize 50% and move to the bottom left corner of the frame.

Drag element 6 into your tag.  Resize 50% and move to the bottom left center of the frame.

Drag element 70 into your tag.  Resize 40% and move to the bottom inside left corner of the frame.

Drag element 27 into your tag.  Resize 40% and move to the bottom left of the candles.

Drag element 170 into your tag.  Resize 50% and move to the bottom of the packages.

Drag element 71 into your tag.  Resize 40% and move to the bottom of the snowflake.

Drag element 179 into your tag.  Resize 40% and move to the bottom of the Noel.  Duplicate and moved down and to the right slightly.

Drag element 115 into your tag.  Resize 40% and move to the bottom of the snow piles.  

Drag element 11 into your tag.  Resize 40% and move to the bottom right of the white Pine tree.  

Select the layers you would like to use on your tube by clicking on the eyeball to make the layers visible.  Click on the eyeball of a visible layer to hide it.  Holding down the Ctrl key, Select each visible layer.  Once all layers are selected hit Ctrl+G on your keyboard to group the layer.  Select your move tool and select group 1.  Drag this into your tag.  You can close the original and do not save the changes.  Standing on group 1 in the layer pallet, right click and convert to smart object.  Your group layers are now one single layer.  Hit Ctrl+T on the keyboard and click on the link between the H & W.  Resize 70% and move to the bottom right of the mask.  See mine for placement.

Drag element 87 into the tag.  Resize 40% and move to the bottom of the tube.

Drag element 146 into the tag.  Resize 40% and move to the right of the tube.

Drag element 88 into the tag.  Resize 40% and move to the bottom left of the tube.

Drag element 132 into the tag.  Click the check mark and move to the bottom of the tube.

Drag element 99 into the tag.  Resize 15% and move to the bottom left of the snowflake.

Drag element 63 into the tag.  Resize 40% and move to the bottom left of the black leaf.

Drag element 10 into the tag.  Resize 45% and move to the bottom left of the tube.

Drag element 25 into the tag.  Resize 30% and move to the bottom of the wolf.

Drag element 193 into the tag.  Click on the check mark and move to the bottom of the tube.

Drag element 125 into the tag.  Resize 30% and move to the bottom right of the silver candle.

Drag element 110 into the tag.  Resize 40% and move to the bottom left of the silver candle.

Drag element 101 into the tag.  Resize 10% and move to the bottom of the silver candle.

Drag element 67 into the tag.  Resize 25% and move to the bottom left of the car.

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

Crop away any extra space.  

Image, Image Size and resize 650 on the longest side.  See my settings below.

Oh almost forgot we need to drop shadow all of our elements.

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

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

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

Now click on the layer above and hold down the shift key, click on the top layer.  Right click and paste layer style.    Drop shadow complete :)

Add your copyright and name.

If you do not want to animate.  Hide the white background layer Save your tag and export as png.

Might want to grab a coffee :)

Open Kiya Designs psd file in PS.  You will notice that there is 17 layers in this animation and it does not have the group layer.  That is ok as we are going to learn how to do this so it matches the animation layers of the tube.

We need to group all the layers.  Starting from layer 17, hold down your control key and select each layer so the next one will be 16 then 15 etc.  Once all the layers are selected (the layers will be highlighted in blue) we need to group them.  All layers selected? 

Next we need to group these layers.  Go to Layers, Group layers or Ctrl+G on the keyboard.  You will see group 1 folder at the top. Make sure Group 1 is selected.

Select the layer you would like the animation to be placed.  I selected the layer under the icicle layer.

Back to the animation.  Click on Group 1 and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T and resize 50%.  Move to a spot you like best.  I moved it to the top of the tag just above the frame and to the left.

Close the original animation and don't save changes.

Click on the little white arrow beside Group 1 to expand it.  Click on the eyeball of each layer to hide it but leave frame layer 1 visible.  Click on the arrow beside group one to hide it as we do not want to accidentally make any changes.

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

Next is animating.

Click on the little icon at the right end of the animation screen then select make frames from layers.

When the pop up shows 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 click on the trash can in the animation window.  Repeat this until you reach the first frame of the animation.  

Now you should be at the first frame of the animation.  Click on frame 18 and hit the trash can.  Repeat for all the remaining frames.  You should be left with 17 frames in the animation window.  This is the amount of frames for our animation.

This next step is very important.  Any changes you do from here you must be on frame 1 in the animation window. It will be highlighted in blue.

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

Click on the eyeball beside each layer to make it visible.  For the white base layer you may have to click on it a couple of times to make it visible in all the animation frames.  It's a Photoshop thing.  Do not touch the group layer.

Next, I want to slow down the animation.  With the first frame selected in the animation window, hold down the shift key and click on frame 17.  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 0.2 Sec.  Now click on the play button to view the animation.  Click on it again to stop it.

Click frame 1 again so we don't accidentally make any changes.

Now to save our tag as a gif.

Go to File, save for web device.

A new pop up window will appear.  Change the settings to my screen shot below.  Click on the image to enlarge it if needed.  Click save.  My screen shot will look different but the settings are the same for animating.

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