This tutorial was written by me on November 8, 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 a beautiful tube called "Christy" created by Verymany.  Please do not use this tube without a proper license.  

You can purchase this tube at Verymany's store here. 

PTU Kit:  I am using a gorgeous matching kit called "Mistletoe Kisses" created by Doodle by Design.  You can purchase the kit here.

PTU Animation:  I am using Rebel Dezigns animation 1753 from package 583. You can purchase her awesome animation at CDO here.

Mask:  337 by Mizteeques. 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.

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).

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.

Let's get started.

File>new 800x800 px transparent image.  We will resize later.

Add a new layer and flood fill with white.

Select mask 330 and drag it into the tag.  Resize 40% and click ok.  

Drag paper 14 into your tag.  Holding down the shift key, pull the top left corner and bottom right corner of the paper until it fits the canvas.  Click the check mark.  Right click on the paper layer and create a clipping mask.

Drag element 125 into the tag.  Click the check mark and move to the upper left side of the mask.  Duplicate and move to the right side of the mask.  

Drag element 62 into the tag.  Resize 70% and move to the upper left side of the mask.

Drag element 99 into the tag.  Resize 80% and move to the top of the mask.

Drag element 108 into the tag.  Click on the check mark and move to the right of element 99.

Drag element 23 into the tag.  Click on the check mark and move to the upper left side of the mask.

Drag element 102 into the tag.  Click on the check mark and move to the right of mask over the wordart spray.

Drag frame 3 into your tag.  Resize 35% and move to the top left of the mask.

Select the layer under the frame and drag paper 11 into your tag.  Resize 70% and move into the frame.

Select the frame.  Using your magic wand, hold down the shift key and click in each of the openings of the frame.  Select, modify, expand by 5.

Select the paper layer.  Go to Layers, Layer mask, Reveal Selection.

Select the frame layer.

Drag element 55 into the tag.  Click the check mark and move to the top of the frame.

Drag element 22 into the tag.  Resize 60% and move to the top left of the frame.

Drag element 98 into the tag.  Resize 70% and move to the bottom left of the frame.

Drag element 106 into the tag.  Resize 40% and move to the bottom center of the frame.

Drag element 122 into the tag.  Resize 50% and move to the bottom left of the frame.

Drag element 57 into the tag.  Resize 60% and move to the bottom of the floral arrangement.

Drag element 20 into the tag.  Click on the check mark and leave it where it is.

Drag element 63 into the tag.  Resize and move to the bottom left of the tree.

Drag element 56 into the tag.  Resize 30% and move to the bottom center of the tree.

Drag element 60 into the tag.  Resize 30% and move to the bottom of the snowball.

Select the main tube.  click and drag it over to your tag.  Hit Ctrl + T.  In your tool bar. Click on the link between the Width and Height to lock them.  When we type in a number it will resize both the width and Height as the same time.  Type 40% in the Width and then click on the check mark at the end of the tool bar.  Mirror the tube and move to the right of the mask.

Drag element 11 into the tag.  Resize 40% and move to the bottom left of the tube.

Drag element 66 into the tag.  Resize 50% and move to the bottom left of the tube.

Drag element 101 into the tag.  Resize 60% and move to the bottom center of the tube.

Drag element 16 into the tag.  Resize 35% and move to the bottom center of the flowers.

Drag element 39 into the tag.  Resize 40% and move to the bottom left of the Joy boxes.

Drag element 40 into the tag.  Resize 30% and move to the bottom right of the hot chocolate box.

Drag element 3 into the tag.  Resize 70% and move to the bottom right of the tube.

Drag element 52 into the tag.  Resize 25% and move to the bottom of the Joy pine candle.

Drag element 1 into the tag.  Resize 40% and move to the bottom left of the globe.

Drag element 65 into the tag.  Resize 40% and move to the bottom left of the present.

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.  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.

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 next layer above and hold down the shift key, select the layer under the paper layer.  Right click and paste layer styles.  

Now click on the frame layer above and hold down the shift key, select the top layer.  Right click and paste layer styles. 

Select the tube layer.  Duplicate, right click clear layer style.  Filter, blur, Gaussian blur, set to 3 and click ok.  Change the blend mode to soft light and lower the opacity to 80%.  

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 Rebel Dezigns psd file in PS.  You will notice that there is 25 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 odd the layers.  Starting from layer 25, hold down your control key and select each odd layer so the next one will be 23 then 21 etc.  Once all the odd layers are selected (the layers will be highlighted in blue) we need to group them.  All odd 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 paper layer under the frame.

Back to the animation.  Click on Group 1 and drag it into your tag.  Click the check mark and move to a spot you like best.  I moved it just above the top part of the frame.  Resize 60% and move into the frame.

Close the original animation and don't save changes.

Standing on group 1 layer, hold down the ctrl key and click on the mask thumbnail on the layer paper layer.  You will see marching ants.  Make sure group 1 is selected, go to Layers, Layer mask, reveal selection. 

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 14 and hit the trash can.  Repeat for all the remaining frames.  You should be left with 13 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 the eyeball 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, hold down the shift key and click on frame 13.  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.

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