This tutorial was written by me on December 26, 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 Adobe Photoshop 2021 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 "Clash Splash" from her new package 121.  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 "Winter Whiskers" 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 70.  You can purchase her awesome animations at Barbara Jensen's store here.

Mask:  DD_NVM_1 by Dangerously Delicious Designz. Thank you for your awesome masks.  You can download it from her blog here. I am using the jpg versions for this tutorial.  

Please see Rene's Animation How-to for PS here.  

Font of choice for your name. I used Coquette which is part of the Adobe Font family included with PS.

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 but the resizing will be different :).  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 27 into the mask. Resize so it fits the canvas of the tag.

Drag Dee's mask DD_NVM_1 into the tag.  Resize so it fits the canvas of the tag.  

Standing on the mask layer.  In the layers pallet, click on the Channels tab in the layers pallet.  You will see four layers.  Holding down the Ctrl key, click on the thumbnail of the RGB layer.  

You should see marching ants.  Now select the Layers tab.

Standing on the paper layer, (You should still see the marching ants). Go to Layers>Mask Layer>Reveal Selection.

Delete the original mask layer as we no longer need it.

Drag element 172 into the tag. Resize 75% and move to the upper left of the mask.

Drag element 158 into the tag. Resize 75% and move to the upper left of the mask.

Drag element 156 into the tag. Resize 75% and move to the upper right of the mask.

Drag element 106 into the tag. Resize 50% and move to the bottom right of the right tree.

Drag element 9 into the tag. Resize 28% and move to the bottom of the snow.

Drag element 95 into the tag. Resize 75% and move to the left side of the mask.

Drag element 3 into the tag. Resize 30% and move to the left over the snow.

Drag frame 9 into the tag. Resize 50% and move to the top center of the two trees.

Select element 3 layer.

Drag paper 40 into the tag.  Resize it about 50% so some of the picture shows in the window of the frame.

Select the frame layer.  Using the magic wand and holding down the shift key, click inside each of the frame windows.

Select>modify>expand by 3.

Select the paper layer.  Go to Layer>Mask layer>Reveal selection.

Select the frame layer.

Drag element 50 into the tag. Resize 32% and move to the bottom right of the frame.

Drag element 5 into the tag. Resize 37% and move to the bottom right of the frame.

Drag element 24 into the tag. Resize 10% and move to the bottom of the cat.

Drag element 31 into the tag. Resize 7% and move to the bottom left of the wordart.

Drag element 91 into the tag. Resize 10% and move to the bottom right of the jar.

Drag element 17 into the tag. Resize 8% and move to the bottom right of the scratching post.

Drag element 48 into the tag. Resize 21% and move to the bottom right of the cat toy.

Select the layers you would like to use on your tube by clicking on the eyeball to make the layers visible.   

Holding down the Ctrl key, Select each visible layer you want to use.  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%, click the check mark and move to the left of the of the window.  See mine for placement.

Drag element 100 into the tag. Resize 75% and move to the bottom of the mask.

Drag element 52 into the tag. Resize 40% and move to the bottom of the tube.

Drag element 18 into the tag. Resize 22% and move to the bottom of the sign close to the Toys word.

Drag element 90 into the tag. Resize 7% and move to the right of the sign.

Drag element 19 into the tag. Resize 31% and move to the right of element 90.

Drag element 32 into the tag. Resize 7% and move to the left of the picture.

Drag element 42 into the tag. Resize 9% and move to the bottom of element 32.

Drag element 22 into the tag. Resize 17% and move to the bottom left of the cat bed.

Drag element 2 into the tag. Resize 36% and move to the bottom of the cat bed.

Drag element 1 into the tag. Resize 118% and move to the right side of the sign.

Drag element 16 into the tag. Resize 4% and move to the bottom right of the cat's tail.

Drag element 28 into the tag. Resize 5% and move to the bottom of the bear.

Drag element 21 into the tag. Resize 6% and move to the bottom right of element 28.

Drag element 84 into the tag. Resize 5% and move to the bottom right of element 21.

Drag element 56 into the tag. Resize 24% and move to the bottom left of the bear.

Drag element 60 into the tag. Resize 27% and move to the bottom of the stuffed cat head.

Drag element 39 into the tag. Resize 100% and move to the bottom left of the bear.

Drag element 36 into the tag. Resize 18% and move to the bottom left of the Heart cat sign.

Drag element 15 into the tag. Resize 5% and move to the bottom left of the Heart cat sign on the scarf.

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.  

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 layer just below the paper layer.  Right click and paste layer style.    

Select the frame layer.  Holding down the shift key, select the top layer.  Right click and past layer style.

Drop shadow complete :)

Add your copyright and name.

Select the tube layer.  Right click and duplicate.  On the duplicate, right click and clear layer style.  Go to Filter, Blur, Gaussian blur set to 3 and click ok.  Change the blend mode to soft light.

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.  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? 

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.  Ctrl+T and resize 50%.  Move to a spot you like best.  I moved it into the center 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.

Standing on the animation Group, Holding down the ctrl key, click on the mask icon on paper 40.  Now go to Layers, Layer Mask, Reveal selection.

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, Timeline.

Next is animating.

If you have not animated before, please see Rene's tutorial on the basics of animating (link in the beginning of the tutorial).

Select Create Frame animation.

Click on the little icon at the right end of the animation timeline 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>export>Save for Web (Legacy)

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.  Click on image to enlarge it.

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