This tutorial was written by me on August 29, 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 "Witch 15" 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 "Wickedly Bootiful" created by Doodle by Design.  You can purchase the kit here.

PTU Animation:  I am using Rebel Dezigns animation 681 from package 226.  You can purchase her fun animation at CDO here.

Mask:  29 by Vivienne's Paintbox. 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 PS.  We need to mirror the mask.  Go to Image>Image rotation, Flip canvas horizontal.

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 first method for this tutorial.

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

When you resizing an image it can get a bit blurred.  I always sharpen each resized image to bring back the crispness.  Go to Filter, Sharpen, Sharpen.

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

Add a new layer and flood fill with white.

Open paper of choice.  I am using paper 5, select the move tool, click on the paper and drag it into your new canvas.  Close the original.

Select Vivienne's mask, click on the mask with the move tool and drag it over the paper layer.  This is not going to fit but that is ok.  Hold down the ctrl key and hit T on your keyboard.  You will see little boxes in the the corners of the mask.  Click on the top corner box and drag it to the upper left corner.  Repeat for the bottom right corner and drag to the bottom right.  Once the mask fits the canvas click on the check mark in the upper right corner of the tool bar.  You can close out Vivienne's mask now and do not save changes.

Next.

In the layer pallet, You should have three layers, the top layer being the mask layer.  Click on layer three to select it (it should be highlighted in blue). Next, click on the channels tab next to the layers tab.  You will see 4 layers, RGB, Red Green Blue.  We only want to work with RGB layer.  Holding down the ctrl key, click on the RGB thumb nail in the layer pallet.  You will see marching ants around the mask.  This is good.

Next click back on the Layers tab.  Select layer two, the paper layer and go to Layer, Layer mask, Reveal selection.  You will notice the mask thumb nail next to the paper layer.  This is good :).  Select layer 3 and delete it as we no longer need it.

Remember to sharpen each image you resize.

Drag element 192 into PS, select the paper layer in the layer pallet.  Click on Element 192 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 90%.  Move to the top of the mask.

You are probably going Wait a minute she forgot to drop shadow.  We will get to that part after and how we can apply a drop shadow to multiple layers at once.

Drag element 97 into PS, click on element 97 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 65%.  Move to the top of the mask.

Drag element 104 into PS, click on element 104 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 60%.  Drag this layer under the house layer.  Move to the top left of the house.  Duplicate and move to the right of the house.

Drag element 88 into PS, click on element 88 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 60%.  Move to the bottom left of the house.

Drag Frame 6 into PS, click on frame 6 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 60%.  Move to the left of the house.

Drag paper of choice into PS.  I am using paper 17.  Select the tree layer and then click and drag the paper layer into the tag.  Ctrl+T and resize 40%.  Click on the frame thumb nail in the layer pallet,  Select, inverse and using the eraser tool, erase the paper outside of the frame.  Select none.

Drag element 110 into PS, click on element 173 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 40%.  Move to the bottom center of the frame.

Drag element 173 into PS, click on element 173 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 40%.  Move to the right of the frame.

Drag element 99 into PS, click on element 99 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 50%.  Move to the left of the frame.

Drag element 65 into PS, click on element 65 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 40%.  Move to the left of the party sign.

Drag element 19 into PS, click on element 19 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 70%.  Move to the bottom right of the mask.

Drag element 195 into PS, click on element 195 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 65%.  Move over the word BOO.

Drag element 18 into PS, click on element 18 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 25%.  Move over the last O.

Drag element 28 into PS, click on element 28 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 40%.  Move to the bottom left of the mask.

Drag element 51 into PS, click on element 51 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 25%.  Move to the bottom right of the word art.

Drag element 12 into PS, click on element 12 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 25%.  Move to the bottom of the word art between the two Os.

Drag element 127 into PS, click on element 127 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 80%.  Move to the bottom of the word art.

Drag element 55 into PS, click on element 55 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 40%.  Move to the bottom left of the word art.

Drag element 136 into PS, click on element 127 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 20%.  Move to the bottom left of the mask.

Drag element 119 into PS, click on element 119 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 20%.  Move to the bottom right of the BOO.

Drag element 61 into PS, click on element 61 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 40%.  Move to the bottom of the word art between the B and O.

Drag element 85 into PS, click on element 85 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Move to the bottom of the word art.

Drag element 161 into PS, click on element 161 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 40%.  Move to the bottom of the BOO between the B and O.  Duplicate and move to the left in front of the pumpkin.

Drag element 56 into PS, click on element 56 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 30%.  Move to the bottom of the BOO between the B and O. 

Select the main tube.  click and drag it over to your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 35%.  Move the tube to the bottom left corner of the mask.

Drag element 22 into PS, click on element 22 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 35%.  Move to the bottom right of the tube by her ankle and knee.

Drag element 20 into PS, click on element 20 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 30%.  Move to the bottom left of  the flowers.

Drag element 33 into PS, click on element 33 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 20%.  Move to the bottom left of  the flowers. See mine for placement.

Drag element 34 into PS, click on element 34 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 20%.  Move to the bottom left of  the flowers.

Drag element 57 into PS, click on element 57 with the move tool and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T, make sure the link is click, and resize 15%.  Move to the bottom of the bottles.

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 tree layer.  Right click and paste layer style.  

Click on the frame layer and hold down the shift key and click on the top layer.  Right click and paste layer style.  Drop shadow is 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 the odd 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.  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 trick or treat fence above the frame.

Back to the animation.  Click on Group 1 and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T and resize 40%.  Move to a spot you like best.  I moved it to the top of the frame.

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.

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 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 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 0.1 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.