CT for Monti's Scraps - Lots of goodies

This is a CT tag for Monti's Scraps. The scrapkit is called SteamPinked and is just gorgeous.

I used a template by Rosa Tags. And paired with this lovely Steampunk tube by Alehandra Vanhek. It's an exclusive so you can only get it if you're a member of their exclusive club. I made Extras, 2 Incredimail letters and wallpaper, you can preview and download that HERE. Click the images below to download everything else.

CT Tags for Monti's Scraps

I have 2 CT tags to show off today using this lovely cluster frame set from Monti's Scraps. It's available exclusively at CDO.

I paired these gorgeous clusters with the art of Designs by Norella and Alex Prihodko.

 

Make My Heart Blue - PTU Scraps

This tutorial was written by me on 01/24/2016 and assumes you have working knowledge of PSP. Any similarities to other tuts is purely coincidental and not done on purpose.

For this tut you will need:

PSP - I use version X3 but most versions will do

1 or 2 tubes of choice, I'm using the art of PinupToons, available at CDO

Do not use this tube without purchasing a license first. 

Scrap kit of choice. I'm using:

CDO 50 Shades Of Romance Collab 2016

This scrap kit is only available till January 31st

Template 30 by K'Lani Designs

Font of choice, I'm using Majestic

Filters used:

Mura Meister Copies
Xero Porcelain
Eye Candy 4000 Gradient Glow

For this tag, most of the scraps are from Babycakes's portion of this collab. Pieces from other designer's portions of the collab will be specified.

Let's begin, remember to save often so you don't lose your work.

Open your template, duplicate and close the original. Delete the top credit layer. Increase canvas size to 730 x 600. This gives us more room to work with. Activate and unhide the bottom white layer and flood fill in the extra space with white.

With your white layer still active, go to Layers, view, click on Current Only. Now unhide layers 13 and 14 and activate layer 13. Open a paper of choice, I used paper 4, copy and paste as a new layer. Resize if needed, I resize 60%, all layers unchecked. So it's only slightly bigger then the shape. Then move it so it covers the shape and activate layer 13 again. Select all, float and defloat. Invert selection, activate paper layer and press delete. You may now deselect.

Optional: Activate layer 13, press delete on your keyboard, this should make the layer empty. Click on the paper layer and merge down 1 time. Do this is with each layer that has paper added to it. This keeps all of our layers properly numbered and removes the slight grey outline around the paper.

Unhide layers 11 and 12. Repeat the steps above with layer 11 and a different paper from your kit. I used paper 1.

Unhide layers 7, 8, 9 and 10. Activate layer 7. Copy and paste another paper of choice. I used paper 2. Resize this one 65%. Duplicate paper and move the duplicate above layer 8. Hide the duplicate for now and activate layer 7 for now. We're going to do as we did before with layers 11 and 13. Except you'll use the duplicate paper on layer 8. Move layer 7 to just under layer 9.

Finally let's add a paper to layer 1. I used paper 3 and had to resize this one 70% as that's a wider rectangle. Activate layer 1 again, do the standard of select all, float and defloat. But before you go any further, arrange the paper if you want. I moved mine down on the tag so that the approximate center of the paper was over the center of the rectangle. When you have it how you like it then do the same as you did with the other shapes, inverting the selection and deleting the excess. Be sure to deselect when done.

I chose to leave layers 3 and 5 alone for my tag. You could add papers if you so choose.

Now we're going to add noise to layers 14, 12, 10, 9, 6, 4 and 2. Apply it with the settings at Uniform, 100% and monochrome checked. The same settings for all of those layers. To those exact same 7 layers, apply a drop shadow of 0, 0, 80, 10. Be sure you're only applying the shadow to the layers you applied the noise.

Ok so the template is done, let's add our elements. Make sure the top layer in your palette is active before you add each item. Give them all the same drop shadow as before unless otherwise specified, which is 0, 0, 80, 10. See my tag for reference on where to place each item.

Element 22, resize 50%. Apply Mura Meister Copies with these settings. You might have to adjust them if you're using a different element. Oh and it's set to Encircle. Oops lol

Arrange this layer above your white background layer.

Element 28, arrange to the top right behind layer 6. See my tag for reference. Duplicate the layer and mirror. Do NOT drop shadow these layers.
Element 16, mirror and resize 60%. Arrange to the bottom left side of the tag on top of layer 1.
Element 8, mirror and resize 65%. Arrange in front of the heart.
Element 7, resize 95% and arrange on the bottom right side of the tag.
Element 30, mirror and resize 50%. Arrange in front of the thorny heart. When you drop shadow this one, make sure the opacity is 50.

Ok the rest of the elements are from other designer's portions of the collab.

From ChiChi Designs, the Net element. Resize 60%, arrange at the top right of the tag. Move this layer under the encircled element layer. Duplicate, flip and arrange at the bottom left. The drop shadow on these layers is 0, 0, 50, 5.

From Monti's Scraps, open element 10. Duplicate and close the original. Colorize with the hue and saturation at 0. Now we're going to use our Manual Color Correction tool. If you've never used this fantastic tool before, my friend Fi has a tut for it right here.

So now we're going to change the color of this item from the grey to one that will match our tag. So for mine, since I'm using blues, I set the source color to #7a7a7a and the target color to #143fad. Now copy and paste your new colored element onto your tag. Arrange in the top left corner so only the part that looks like lumpy bricks are showing. Duplicate, flip and move this layer to the bottom right corner. Arrange both of these layers to just above the white background. Do NOT drop shadow these 2 layers

From Ladyhawwk Designs, element 7. Resize 80% and arrange above Layer 1 but below the 4 top elements you've added already. Do NOT drop shadow this layer either.

From Rebel Dezigns, element 4. We're going to colorize this one also to match the tag but we'll do this one slightly different. Before adding it to our tag, duplicate and close the original. Zoom in about 200% so you can better see what you're doing. Using your selection tool, draw a selection on just the candle part, ignoring the candle holder and the flame.

 

 Now with the candle selected, promote to layer, activate the original and press delete, deselect. Working on the promoted layer, colorize it grey again like we did Monti's element. And we're going to use our manual color correction tool to change it to approximately the same shade of blue. So the source color to use is #464646. Keep the target color the same. When you're done merge the promoted layer back down onto the layer with the candle holder.

Copy and paste as a new layer on your tag. Resize 60%, arrange on the bottom right above the black lips. Duplicate and mirror.

So that's all of our elements, don't forget to give them the specified drop shadows (or not if stated).

Now it's time to add our main tube. Resize if needed, I resized 95%. Arrange her where you like her. Duplicate and hide the duplicate for now. On the original apply Xero Porcelain with default settings but change the strength to 98 and move the blue slider to 0. Give this layer a drop shadow of -3, 3, 60, 10. Repeat the drop shadow at 1, -1, 40, 5.

Activate and unhide the duplicate, give it a gaussian blur of 2. Change the blend mode to soft light, or one that fits your tube and reduce opacity to 60.

Now we're going to add a 2nd tube or you could use a close-up of your main tube. For my tag, the 2nd tube was the August 2015 bonus tube. Activate layer 3 in your palette. Copy and paste your tube as a new layer. Resize if needed. Arrange her so you can see her the part of her face you want in the top part of the black diamond. To make it easier, activate the black diamond layer, select all, float and defloat. Then arrange the tube where you want it.

When you have the tube on the left side arranged, deselect. Duplicate your tube and mirror. Move this layer down in your layer palette till it's above layer 5. Select all, float and defloat layer 5 and use that to arrange the right tube. When that's how you like it, invert selection, activate tube layer and press delete. Do that with the left tube layer as well.

The reason I had you wait till after both tubes are arranged to remove the excess is because you might want them in slightly different positions, as I did with my right tube.

Change the blend mode of both those tube layers to Luminance Legacy.

If you're going to resize your tag, now is the time to do it. I resized mine 70%, all layers checked.

Add your copyright, license and tagger's mark. Add scrap kit credits also, if required.

Add your name using your font of choice, colors from your tag/tube. If desired, while it's still a vector layer, grab the top middle node and drag it upwards, making your name taller.

Apply an inner bevel of choice, I used this one.

Give it gradient glow, I used these settings.

Then give your name a drop shadow, I used -2, 2, 50, 5. Delete the white background layer, merge visible and save as a png, or merge all and save as a jpg. Congrats, you're done!

VeryMany - Extras, Wallpaper & Incredimail Letter

So a friend of mine, posted this tut. My tag is based on that, but I just couldn't resist adding more scrap elements. Unfortunately, this kit is retired or I'd so totally give you the link to Dee's store.

But I have lots to share. There's extras, a matching Incredimail letter and wallpaper available HERE. Click on preview below to download. 

 

Winter Blue - PTU Scraps

This tutorial was written by me on 01/02/2016 and assumes you have working knowledge of PSP. Any similarities to other tuts is purely coincidental and not done on purpose.

 

For this tut you will need:

PSP - I use version X3 but most versions will do

Tube of choice, I'm using the art if Karen Middleton, available at CDO

Do not use this tube without purchasing a license first.

Scrap kit of choice, I'm using the Hot Cocoa Kisses Mega kit by Monti's Scraps, also available at CDO.

 Font of choice, I'm using Cardinal Script

Mask 15 by Moonbeams & Spiderwebs

 Filters used:

Xero Porcelain & Mistifier
Eye Candy 4000 Gradient Glow

Let's begin, don't forget to save often so you don't lose your work.

Open Frame 2 from your kit. Duplicate and close the original. Resize 80%, all layers unchecked. Rename this layer Frame. Add a new raster layer, flood fill white and move below the frame layer. Rename this layer bg.

Open a paper of choice, I used paper 9. Copy and paste as a new layer on your workspace. Make sure this is above the white background but below the frame.

Apply mask from image. Merge group and resize 90%. Rename this layer Mask.

Open a paper of choice, I used paper 6. Copy and paste as a new layer on your workspace. Make sure it is below the frame layer but above the mask layer. Resize 50%, make sure it's sitting properly covering the entire inside of the frame.

With this paper layer still active. Select your freehand selection tool set to point to point, feather and smoothing at 0, select around the inside of the frame, leaving about a 1/4 inch border between the inner edge of your frame and your selection.

Invert selection and press delete then deselect. Rename this layer frame bg.

Activate your frame layer, open element 55, copy and paste as a new layer. Resize 25%, rotate 100 degrees to the right. Arrange at the top left corner of the frame.

Open element 73, resize 25% and rotate 100 degrees to the right. Arrange on top of element 55. Be sure to sharpen both of these elements. Give them both a drop shadow of 0, 0, 50, 10.

Activate your frame layer and give it a drop shadow of 0, 0, 40, 10.

Copy your tube and paste as a new layer. Resize if needed. Arrange it where you like on your frame. Rename this layer Tube. Apply Xero Porcelain with the strength at 98 and move the blue slider to 0.

Duplicate your tube and on the duplicate, apply Xero Mistifier at default settings. Change the blend mode to Soft Light and lower the opacity to 60%. Rename this layer Tube Blend

Activate the original tube layer and give it a drop shadow of -3, 3, 60, 10. Repeat the drop shadow at 1, -1, 30, 5.

Hide the Tube Blend layer for now. Change the opacity of the original tube layer to about 65%. Zoom in about 300% so you can see what you're doing. We're going to take our freehand selection tool and select around the parts of the tube that we want below the frame. Be sure to allow for the drop shadow on the tube.

Now change the opacity of this tube back to 100%. Promote selection to layer. Do not deselect. Rename this layer bottom tube. Activate the original tube layer and press delete. Now activate and unhide the Tube Blend layer, again promote to selection. Rename this layer Bottom tube blend. Activate the original Tube Blend layer and press delete. You can now deselect.

Move the bottom tube layer and the bottom tube blend layers underneath the frame layer. Your layer palette should look like this.

Now activate the original tube layer again. You probably have some part of the tube that is sitting on top of the bottom of the frame that we need to now remove. You can select around it with your freehand selection tool, press delete. Be sure to activate the tube blend layer and press delete on that also. You may now deselect.

Hide the white background layer and click on your crop tool. Click where it says Snap crop rectangle to and click on Merged Opaque. Apply the crop and you can unhide the white bg if you choose.

If you wish to resize your tag, now is the time to do it. It's a little big for my tastes so I resized it down 85%, all layers checked. I sharpened the frame and 2 elements but this is optional.

Add your copyright, license info and tagger's mark.

Add your name using your chosen font and colors from your tube. I used #60d6d7 for the foreground and #b6e9e7 for the background. Give your name an inner bevel, I used this one.

Then apply a gradient glow with the glow width at 3. The middle color is the background color.

Then give your name a drop shadow. I used 0, 2, 50, 5.

Delete your white bg layer, merge visible and save as a PNG or merge all and save as a JPG, congrats you're done!

Santa Friends - PTU Scraps

This tutorial was written by me on 12/09/2015 and assumes you have working knowledge of PSP. Any similarities to other tuts is purely coincidental and not done on purpose.

For this tut you will need:

PSP - I use version X3 but most versions will do

2 Tubes of choice by the same artist. I'm using the art of Maryline Cazenave. You can buy these tubes at CDO here & here.

Do not use these tubes without properly obtaining a license first.

Scrap kit of choice, I'm using IB-MarylineCazenave-44-3 by Monti. also available at CDO.

 Xmas Mask 2 by Designs by Vaybs

Font of choice, I used Santa's Sleigh

Eye Candy 4000 Gradient Glow

Let's begin, remember to save often so you don't lose your work.

Open frame 2 from your kit. Duplicate and close the original. Resize 85%, all layers unchecked. Add a new raster layer and send it to the bottom and flood fill white.

Open paper of choice, I used paper 3. (preview below shows a different paper, I changed my mind later in the tut) Copy and paste as a new layer onto your tag. Make sure this is below your frame layer. Resize 60%, again all layers unchecked.

Activate your frame layer again, click inside the 2 stars of the frame with your magic wand. Expand by 6. Keep Selected. Take your selection tool and draw a small rectangle around the little spot where the two frames are linked.

Invert selection. Activate the paper layer, press delete and deselect.

Open your first tube of choice, duplicate and close the original. Copy your tube and paste as a new layer on your tag. Resize as needed, I resized mine 70%. Arrange under the top star. You want your tube to be a little bit bigger then the star, see my tag for reference.

Open your 2nd tube, copy and paste as a new layer on your tag. Arrange this tube under the bottom star, resize if needed. I chose to mirror mine, but this is optional. If any part of your tube hangs off the edge of the canvas, move the tube over a bit so you can see all of it, then draw a selection around the part that would be outside the right side of the frame and delete.

When you have that part removed, move the tube back to where you had it before. Give both of your tubes a drop shadow, I used 0, 0, 60, 10. Repeat the same drop shadow on the frame. Keep the tubes under the frame for now, we'll rearrange them later.

Activate the white bottom layer. Select all and add a new raster layer. Open a paper of choice, I used paper 3 again. Copy and paste into selection on your tag. Deselect. Be sure you have your mask open and minimized. Still on the paper layer, add mask from image and merge group.

Activate the frame layer again. It's now time to add our elements. See my tag for reference on where to place items.

Element 17, resize 90%. Rotate to the right 45 degrees, place on the bottom left of the frame. Duplicate, mirror and then flip. Arrange on the top right of your frame, but move it just above the mask layer. Element 14, resize 60%, place above the spray that is above the mask. Element 15, resize 50%. Element 20, resize 30% and sharpen once. Add any other elements of choice. When done be sure to give all of your elements the same drop shadow as you did your tubes and frame.

If you're going to resize your image, now is the time to do it. I resized mine 80%. Be sure all layers is checked.

Now, hide all layers except the white background, the 2 tubes and the frame. We're going to remove what sticks out from the bottom of the stars and make the top of the tubes coming out of the top of the star. So it's important that your tubes be placed where there is a gap between the tube and the frame where the top part of the tube is going to be on top of the frame. This eliminates any part being cropped wrong. Zoom in if you need to, to be able to see and move the tubes slightly if needed. The two black circles in the preview below shows an example of the gaps needed. See my tag for reference on how the top part of the tube is above the star.

Hide one of the tubes for now. I'm going to hide the bottom tube and work on the top one.

Activate your freehand selection tool, draw a line along the bottom part of the star that has any parts of the tube sticking out under it and then around that section of tube.

Make sure the correct tube layer is active and press delete. Deselect. Now unhide your 2nd tube layer and do the same thing.

Now remember those gaps I had you check? Zoom in so you can see your work and you're going to select around the top part of those tubes. Be sure the tube you're selecting around is active.

Now promote to layer. Activate the tube layer again and press delete. Deselect and move the promoted layer above the frame layer.

Now repeat with the bottom tube. You might need to hide the top tube for now so you can see better.

Once you have both your tubes done you can now unhide all layers. Activate your mask layer and click on your crop tool. Click on layer opaque. Take note of the borders where it'll be cropped, you should have no tubes, mask or drop shadows outside the crop square. If you do, then you can drag out the side of crop square to accomodate the excess. Crop your tag when you're ready.

Add your copyright info, license and tagger's mark. Be sure to credit the scraps if required.

Add your name using font of choice and colors from your tubes or kit. The kit I'm using has a color palette and so I'm using the two red colors with the darker being the foreground. Size will depend on your name but I'm using 72 and the stroke is 1.5.

Give your name an inner bevel. I used this one.

Then give it a gradient glow with the glow width at 3.

Then drop shadow your name, I used 0, 2, 50, 5.

Delete the white background layer and merge visible. Save as a png or merge all and save as a jpg. Congrats, you're done!

There's also a matching Incredimail letter. Click on the preview below to download.

Ville de l'amour - PTU Scraps Forum tag

This tutorial was written by me on 12/02/2015 and assumes you have working knowledge of PSP. Any similarities to other tuts is purely coincidental and not done on purpose.

For this tut you will need:

PSP - I use version X3 but most versions will do

Tube of choice. I'm using the art of Jennifer Janesko. You can find this tube at CDO.

 Do not use this tube without purchasing a license first.

ScrapMonti_Paris-ToujoursDansNosCoeurs-mini by Monti's Scraps. Also available at CDO.

Font of Choice, I'm using Jackie O

Xero Porcelain

Eye Candy 4000 Gradient Glow

Let's begin, remember to save often.

Open a new image 600 x 250. Open a paper of choice, I used paper 3. Duplicate and close the original. Resize to 600 pixels wide. Copy and paste as a new layer on your workspace. Arrange as desired, I placed mine so the phrase is just under the top of the tag.

Open element 7. Copy and paste as a new layer on your workspace. Rotate to the right 55 degrees. Flip and then mirror. Arrange on the left size of your canvas. Drop shadow 1, 2, 40, 3.

Open element 18. Copy and paste as a new layer on your tag. Move to the right side of your tag. Give same drop shadow as before but this time the Vertical is -1 and Horizontal is -2.

Open element 30. Copy and paste as a new layer. Resize 60%, all layers Unchecked. Arrange in the middle of your tag. Give it a drop shadow of 1, 1, 40, 3.

Open element 35. Copy and paste as a new layer on your tag. Give it the same drop shadow as before but change the horizontal to 2.

Open element 24. Copy and paste as a new layer on your tag. Resize 50% and arrange in the bottom center of your tag. Give same drop shadow as before.

Open your tube of choice. Copy and paste as a new layer on your tag. Resize if needed. Arrange where you like on your canvas. Apply Xero Porcelain at default settings, except change the Strength to 98 and the blue slider to 0. Give your tube a drop shadow of 0, 0, 60, 12.

Open a paper of choice. I used paper 1. Duplicate and close the original. Resize 600 pixels wide like you did the bottom paper. Copy and paste as a new layer on your tag. I moved mine up so the bottom of the paper was also lined up with the bottom of the tag. This is optional. Select all. Selections, Clip to Canvas. Image, Crop to selection. Select all again, Contract selection by 3. Press delete on your tag and deselect. Give your border a drop shadow of 0, 0, 80, 8.

Add your copyright and license info, scrap credits if required, and tagger's mark.

Add your name with your chosen font, using colors from your tag/tube. Arrange where you like on your tag. Give it an inner bevel. I used this one:

Apply a gradient glow with the glow width at 3 and these settings. The color is the pale cream from the paper.

Then give your name a drop shadow. I used 0, 2, 50, 5.

Merge your tag and save as png or jpg. Congrats, you're done!

CT Tag for Monti's Scraps

This tag was made using the fabulous ScrapMonti-Paris-Toujours-DansNosCoeurs-mini available only at CDO. 

I paired this gorgeous kit with the art of Ellie Milk, which you can find at www.picsfordesign.com. 

New word art by me

So a challenge in one of my groups was to make tag a using a quote from your favorite movie. One of my favorites of all time is The 10th Kingdom. IMDB has lots of quotes for this movie and it was hard to pick, but I settled on one and made my tag. Since I couldn't find a similar word art, I made my own and have decided to share with you all. Each line in the word art is on a separate layer and the layers are labeled with the font that I used for that line, you can use all 3 layers or just one or two. You're welcome to use this on your tags and/or in tutorials. I just ask that you please direct others back to my blog to download it themselves. Below is the tag I made with the word art on it and you can download it on my 4shared here.

Exclusive tuts are moving

Because the forum, Creative Addictions has all but died, I'll be moving my exclusive tuts to my blog. I'll try to update the posts here on my blog to reflect the change and they'll slowly be added onto here. I apologize for any confusion but I feel this is the best way to ensure that these tutorials do not get lost should that forum be suddenly shut down.

BCA Wallpaper

Hello, I'm back with a new wallpaper for you all. This one is for Breast Cancer Awareness. You can download HERE.

My First Wallpaper

Hey everybody, so I made my first wallpaper yesterday. It's a simple one but I like it. It matches my recent tut that I wrote. I hope you enjoy it as well. I plan to do one for the PUT tag that the tut was inspired from as well. You can download this HERE.

Proud Stalker - PTU Scraps

This tutorial was written by me on 09/07/2015 and assumes you have working knowledge of PSP. Any similarities to other tuts is purely coincidental and not done on purpose.

 

 

For this tut you will need:

PSP - I use version X3 but most versions will do

Pack 66 from Cuddly Rigor Mortis or tubes of choice

 Scraps IB-CuddlyRigorMortis-66-3 by

Ladyhawwk Designs or kit of choice.

You can purchase both tubes and kit from CDO

Do not use without purchasing a license first

Template 236 by Divine Intentions

DD_assortedmask_4 by Dangerously Delicious Designz

Font of choice, I used Carl Beck Script

Eye Candy 4000 gradient glow

 

Let's begin. This tag has a lot of layers. It's very important that you save often as you go.

 

Open your template in psp. Duplicate and close the original. Delete the credits layer. Unless you're going to be using Rac tubes, delete the xeracx layer. You're going to put the artist's name on there that you're using. For my example tag I'm using Cuddly Rigor Mortis, or CRM for short. You need to be sure you have as many tubes as the letters of your artist's name, plus your main tube, unless you wanted to repeat one of the tubes.

 

Click on your text tool. Font is Impact, it's a windows font so it should be already on your computer. Foreground and background black, stroke 1. Size 100. Click in the center of your template. In all Caps, type out your artist's name. Align center of your canvas. Using the vector nodes, drag your name larger if needed. When you're satisfied with size and placement, convert to raster. Rename this layer the name of the artist.

 

Activate your white background layer. Increase canvas size to 603 x 451. Flood fill the empty parts white again.

Activate the shape layer. Select all, float, defloat. Copy a paper of choice, I used paper 5. Paste as a new layer. Invert selection and press delete and deselect. Delete the original shape layer.

Activate the thin rectangle2 layer. Copy and paste another paper of choice. I used paper 6. Resize the paper layer so it's just a little bigger then the rectangle is wide. I resized mine 60%. Make sure all layers is unchecked. Align the paper up with the top rectangle so the part of the paper you want to show is covering it:

Activate the rectangle2 layer again. Select all, float, defloat and invert. Activate the paper layer again and press delete and deselect. Duplicate the paper layer. Mirror and then flip. You might have to arrange it a bit so it covers the bottom rectangle. Your duplicate paper layer should be on top of the original paper layer in your palette. Merge down 1 time and delete the 2 original rectangle layers. It should now look like this:

Activate the stalker layer and move it down in the layer palette so it's above the proud layer. Merge down 1 time. With this layer active, click on your Manual Color Correction tool. We're going to change the pink of the text to a color to match our main tube. So your source color is the pink. I put the color code on the screenshot below. The target color is the color your changing it to, I used black.

Activate the while background layer. Select all. Crop to selection to get rid of any paper that might be off canvas.

Activate shape layer again. Select all, float, defloat. Expand selection by 3. Add a new raster layer and flood fill white. Deselect and move the white layer under the shape layer. Add noise at Uniform, 50%, monochrome checked. Give this layer a drop shadow of 0, 0, 60, 8.

Activate the layer with the 2 rectangles and repeat as above.

Activate the stars2 layer. Merge down 1 time and rename stars. Add noise to the stars but this time at 100%. Select all, float, defloat. Expand by 2. Add a new raster layer and flood fill white. Deselect and move the white layer under the stars layer. Give it the same drop shadow as above. Activate the layer with the proud stalker lines and give them a drop shadow of 0, 0, 50, 5.This is what you should have so far.

Have you saved your progress? Do it now, cause now it's about to get harder. Activate the artist layer. Copy and paste all of the tubes that are going to go within the names as new layers. Resize each down so they're about the size as the parts you want in the letters. To make sure they're where you want them, select all, float, defloat. Then you can move them where you need to. If you need to resize 1 or more, deselect, resize as needed and then do the selections part again just to see if it's where you want it. So when you're done it'll look kinda like this.

Now deselect as we're going to add each tube one at a time to the letters. So hide the tubes that are going to be in the letters. Activate the artist layer again. Mine is labeled CRM as that's the artist I'm using. Select your magic wand with match mode at RBG value, tolerance and feather at 0. Click inside just the first letter. Unhide that first tube and activate it. Invert selection and press delete. Deselect and rename this layer the matching letter. So for mine, it's the letter C so that's the name of this layer with the tube.

Activate the artist layer again. Click inside your second letter with your magic wand. Again, unhide and activate the tube you arranged for that layer. Invert selection and press delete. Deselect and rename that layer the matching letter. Continue doing this for each of the letters and matching tubes. When done it'll look like this:

And your layer palette should be like this:

Now, hide just those tube letter layers, so for me it's the top 3 layers. Invert view and merge visible. Change view back to all. Rename this layer tubes:

While still on the tubes layer. Select all, float, defloat. Go up to selections, modify and click on Set Selection Borders. Border width is 1, both sides ticked and anti-alias checked. Add a new raster layer, and flood fill with a complimentary color to your tubes. I chose black. Don't forget to get the little parts inside letters like O, P and R. I missed that on my original tag. lol Deselect when done and activate the tubes layer again and give it a drop shadow of 0, 0, 80, 12. You can now delete the original artist name layer.

Make sure the top layer in your palette is active. Now it's time to start adding some elements from our kit. Copy element 22 and paste as a new layer. Resize 65%. Arrange how you like it. I put mine so the knot in the string is in the middle of the R. Give it a drop shadow of 0, 0, 60, 5.

Copy and paste element 14 from your kit. Mirror if needed and resize down 30%. Arrange so it's sitting on the corner of the top rectangle. See my tag for reference. Give it the same drop shadow as the string. Add any other elements you like, being sure to drop shadow each one.

Copy your main tube and paste as a new layer. Make sure it's on top of your layer palette. Resize if needed, I resized mine down 63%. Arrange on tag where you like it. Give it a drop shadow of -3, 3, 50, 10. Repeat the drop shadow but this time 1, -1, 40, 5.

Activate the white background layer. Copy and paste a paper of choice, I used paper 2. Add mask from image and merge group. Use your raster deform tool to move and drag out if needed so it shows evenly on your workspace. See my tag for reference.

Now if you're going to resize your tag, now is the time to do it. I resized mine 80%, all layers checked.

Now hide the main tube layer for now and activate the string layer. We're going to weave it in and out of the letters and parts of the template. Zoom in about 300% so you can easily see what you're doing.

Using your selection tool, select around a part you want to go underneath part of the template or letter. Make sure you allow for the drop shadow on the string so you don't chop any parts off:

Promote to selection, activate the original string layer and press delete. Move the promoted layer under the template part you want it to be under. So it'll look like this:

 

Doing this to the letters is a bit more difficult. I'm going to put the part of the string that goes over the C underneath it. So we'll do the same we did before so when we're done it looks like this:

Continue doing this until you have the string woven throughout the tag. See my tag for reference.

Activate the mask layer. Crop layer opaque. Make sure you don't crop off any parts of the main tube, template or drop shadows. You can delete the white background layer now. Activate and unhide your main tube. Add your copyright, license and tagger's mark.

Now's a good time to save a copy of your tag for your blank if you're going to be making tags for others. Just be sure when you add your name you're not doing it on the original file.

Add your name using colors from your tube(s). Give it an inner bevel of choice. I used this one:

Then give it a gradient glow. Normally I'd just do a simple white glow but it just didn't work with these colors so I used this one, with the glow width at 3:

And finally give your name a drop shadow. I used 0, 2, 50, 5.

 

Merge visible and save as a png or merge all and save as a jpg. Congrats, you're done!

Here's a 2nd example. This was my original tag that I did. I remade my example tag as the kit used for this tag is the PUT Bundle pack 223 and so the kit can ONLY be used with PUT tubes. The font used for this tag is Copper AltCaps.