This tutorial was written by me on August 30, 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 Kit:  I am using a gorgeous kit called "Smiling Hedgehog" created by Hania's Design.  You can purchase the kit at Elegance Fly here. 

PTU Tube:  I am using Sheokate's beautiful tube "Smiling Hedgehog".  Please do not use this tube without a proper license. I am using the extended license tube for this tutorial.  You can purchase this beautiful tube at Elegance Fly here.

PTU Animation:  I am using Kiya Design's animation from pack 7.  You can purchase her awesome animation on her site here.

Mask:  Autumnmask07 by Fecnikek. Thank you for your awesome masks.  You can download it from her blog here. I am using the png versions for this tutorial.  Open and minimize in PS.

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.

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.

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.

File>new 750x800 px transparent image.  We will resize later.

Let's get started.

Remember to save your tag often in case PS crashes.  I always save my tags as a psd file.  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.

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

Select autumnmask07 mask and drag it into the tag.  Your free transformation box will appear.  Click the link icon between the W and H and type 23%.  I also pulled down the boxes at the top and bottom of the mask.  Click ok.

Drag paper 2 into your tag.  Click the link icon between the W and H and resize 28%.  Click the check mark.

Standing on the paper layer in the layers pallet, right click and select create a clipping mask.

Drag element 52 into your tag.  Resize 28% and select the bottom of the element and pull it down to make it longer.  Click on the check mark.  Move to the bottom of the mask.

Drag element 100 into your tag.  Resize 30% and click on the check mark.  Move to the top left of the mask.  

Drag element 73 into your tag.  Resize 20% and click on the check mark.  Move to the top right of the mask by the mushroom.

Drag element 40 into your tag.  Resize 30% and click on the check mark.  Move to the top right of the leaves by the mushroom.

Drag element 11 into your tag.  Resize 30% and click on the check mark.  Move to the bottom right of the leaves.

Drag element 34 into your tag.  Resize 25% and click on the check mark.  Move to the top left of the mask.

Drag element 82 into your tag.  Resize 10% and click on the check mark.  Move to the bottom right of the pumpkin.

Drag element 56 into your tag.  Resize 40% and click on the check mark.  Move to the top left of the mask.  

Drag element 64 into your tag.  Resize 30% and click on the check mark.  Move to the bottom left of the top of the ground spray. 

Drag element 90 into your tag.  Resize 20% and click on the check mark.  Move to the top left over the branch. 

Drag element 1 into your tag.  Resize 30% and click on the check mark.  Move to the bottom right of the mask.

Drag element 26 into your tag.  Resize 30% and click on the check mark.  Edit, Transform, Flip horizontal.  Move to the bottom right of the ground spray. 

Drag element 57 into your tag.  Resize 12% and click on the check mark.  Move to the top of the tree house.

Drag element 5 into your tag.  Resize 20% and click on the check mark.  Move to the bottom of the tree house.

Drag element 5 into your tag.  Resize 30% and click on the check mark.  Move to the bottom of the basket.

Drag element 27 into your tag.  Resize 15% and click on the check mark.  Move to the bottom right of the basket.

Drag element 29 into your tag.  Resize 15% and click on the check mark.  Move to the bottom left of the grass.

Drag your tube into PS.  Select the layers you which to use.  Holding down the Ctrl key, click on each visible layer.  Once all the layers are highlighted, go to Layers, Group layers.  Select the group 1 layer and drag this into your tag.  Ctrl+T and resize by 18% Move to the bottom left of the mask.  Right click on the group layer and click Convert to Smart object.  Close the original tube and do not save changes.

Drag element 19 into your tag.  Resize 20% and click on the check mark.  Move to the bottom of the tube by her hip.

Drag element 17 into your tag.  Resize 13% and click on the check mark.  Move to the bottom left of the sleeping pup.

Drag element 47 into your tag.  Resize 10% and click on the check mark.  Move to the bottom left of the tube above the bottom leaf.

Drag element 23 into your tag.  Resize 15% and click on the check mark.  Move to the bottom left of the tube on the bottom leaf.

Drag element 25 into your tag.  Resize 12% and click on the check mark.  Move to the bottom of the lantern.

Drag element 08 into your tag.  Resize 15% and click on the check mark.  Move to the bottom in front of the lantern.

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 31 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 odd layers.  Starting from layer 31, hold down your control key and select each odd layer so the next one will be 29 then 27 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.  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 lantern layer.

Back to the animation.  Click on Group 1 and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T and resize 70%.  Move to a spot you like best.  I moved it over the lantern.

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 17 and hit the trash can.  Repeat for all the remaining frames.  You should be left with 16 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.

This is what the animation window should look like once all the frames are visible.

Next, I want to slow down the animation.  With the first frame selected, hold down the shift key and click on frame 16.  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.

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