This tutorial was created by Darlene on 07June2008. Any similarity to any other tutorial is strictly coincidental and not intentional. Many thanks to my tester Glennda ...your time and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Supplies

PSP - I'm using PSP9 but you can use any version
My Frame Outline and grass/sun/cloud tubes – zip file of supplies HERE
Other pixel tubes of your choosing to decorate your tag (suggestion: tree, fence, birds, butterflies and flowers)

There will be quite a few layers to this tag so I suggest that you remember to save often. Okay, let’s get started.

1. In PSP open a new 200x200 transparent image. I like to have lots of space to create with…we will crop it later.

2. Floodfill with white...we'll delete this layer when we're done but for now it's just easier to see what we are doing.

3. Open your frame outline in Animation Shop and copy and paste as a new layer in PSP on your 200x200 image.

4. Rename this Raster 2 layer "Frame".

5. Set your foreground color to #74852f and your background color to #a9bf53 or any other colors of your choosing.

6. Making sure you are on your frame layer, floodfill the two black lines of your frame with your foreground color.

7. Still on the frame layer, floodfill the white area of the frame with your background color.

8. Click inside the large white area of your frame. Do not deselect.

9. Create a new Raster layer and name it "sky".

10. Floodfill your sky layer with a nice shade of blue or a gradient…I'm using #dbf0f9. Deselect.

11. Open your grass tube in Animation Shop. Copy and paste in PSP as a new layer. Rename this layer "grass", Now move your grass down to the bottom of your scene.

13. Open your sun tube in Animation Shop. Right click and copy. Back to PSP...paste as a new layer. Rename this layer "sun".

14. Click Adjust...Blur...Gaussian Blur 3.00. Move your sun to wherever you like on your image.

15. Open your cloud tube in Animation Shop. Right click and copy. Back to PSP...paste as a new layer. Rename this layer "cloud".

16. Click Adjust...Blur...Gaussian Blur 3.00. Position your cloud wherever you like on your image.

17. Continue adding whatever tubes you want, on separate layers, until you've got your scene just the way you want it.

18. Let's add the sign now. Open your sign in Animation Shop and copy.

19. Back in PSP paste your sign as a new layer. Rename this layer "sign". Position your sign below your tag. Feel free to colorize the sign to make it match the colors you've been using.

20. Open up your layer palette and right click on Raster 1 layer (this should be your white background layer) and choose delete.

21. Save your image as a psp file so that you'll have all your layers intact and can make changes whenever you like. Do not close your image just yet as we're going to crop it in AS.
**I like to crop my images in Animation Shop as I find it easier.

22. Right click on your image and Copy Merged.

23. Go into Animation Shop and Paste As A New Animation.

24. Click on your Crop Tool...Click Options...Surround Opaque Area...Crop.

25. Save your image in gif format.

I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial. Please don't hesitate to contact me here, if you have any questions.