Ok, so let's get started. Start up your PSP program and open up a new image by going to File/New Image OR (much easier:P) click on the little icon just underneath File     and up will pop a box asking you what size and colour you'd like your image to be. I always work from a transparent image but if you are always going to use a white background (or black) untick the transparent box, click on the coloured box and choose your colour.

If I'm making email tags I generally work on a 400 x 400 pixel image but for this tutorial and faster loading we'll work on a 300 x 300 pixel image :) Once you are happy with your settings click OK and your new image will appear.

OK now we are going to add our image. I've chosen this simple flower tube ( a tube is a term used meaning the image is set on a transparent background and can be placed on any colour background). You can use any image you prefer but if you'd like to use this one then you can download it here.

Open the image you are going to use go to Edit and click on Copy OR (the easier way) right click on the top bar of your image, and click on copy.

Now go to your blank new image,right click on top of bar and click 'paste as new layer'. Alternatively go to Edit and click on 'paste as new layer'.

Woo Hoo - so far so good and not that hard eh? I think at this stage we need to save our image just in case your computer crashes or there's a power cut, lol! Go to File and click on 'save as'. We need to keep the image as a .psp file so name your image and put into a folder of your choice. When your image is saved as a .psp file it will save all of the layers complete with transparency and layers. Once you've finished your tag we will save it as a jpeg and this will 'merge' all the layers together but you won't be able to go back and alter any of the layers. As a fail safe I keep BOTH files - one .psp file and one .jpg file.

Now comes the good bit - we're going to add your name or the text you'd like on your tag :) In this case Im going to add my name, Michele.

First of all we need to add a new 'layer' to put the text on. We use layers so that at any time we can go back and alter, delete, duplicate different things that we've added to our tag. So now we click on the little Text Icon.    This is located on your Tool Bar which is generally on the left hand side of PSP :) Click on your image (roughly where you'd like your text to appear) though we can move it later, and a text menu box will appear.

You can change the colour of your text here by clicking on the colour pallettes, the size and the font that you want to use. I've used Majestic Font and if you like it you can download it here :)Make sure you use the same settings as me - with antialias checked and floating.Your image should now look like this.Your name should have little running ants all around it, which means that your image is 'selected'.

Heres where we position the text and add a bevel or shadow or both.

Place your cursor over the text and your cursor will change to a cross Icon.    . Move your text to where you'd like it. We will keep the text selected at this stage :) Now go to Effects/3D Effects/Inner Bevel.

And now you should see the Inner Bevel box show up like this one :) Please look at the little eye and the arrow next to it - by having these clicked you can see the effects on your actual image so that you can change the settings to your liking :)

Copy these settings and press ok :) Then go to Effects/3D Effects/Drop Shadow and copy these settings then press ok. And here's what it should look like:

Phew!! We're almost there guys and gals. Now go to Effects/3D Effects/Drop Shadow

On the Drop Shadow Menu copy these settings and press ok.

Almost done :) Now click on the selections Tool     and right click on your image. The text will now be deselected (no more ants running around your text). Now go to Layers/Merge/Merge All (flatten) and click. Ta Da!!

You can now save it as a .jpg to your favourite Signature Folder and sit back and admire you're handy work - WELL DONE :)

Please get to know your PSP with it's handy Tools down the left hand side of your screen and the important Tool Bars that you need to get used to. They'll become second nature to you in no time :) Just go to View/ToolBars and a menu will appear. Here's what mine looks like

I use the Layers Pallette all the time. This is where you can see what you've been doing with your tag :) If you right click on any layer you have the option to delete, duplicate or rename. When you're first starting it's a good idea to get into the habit of renaming your layers ie Background/Image/Text etc etc. The 'layers' system doesn't become so confusing. Another is the Tool Bars Option which changes the way certain Tools do things such as the 'selection' tool.     By clicking on the selection tool, then going to your Tools Option box, you can change the 'rectangle' to a 'square' or a 'circle' and other different shaped objects. Most people I know have been self-taught on how to use PSP and if your keen to learn it'll open a new graphics world to you :) There's a lot of help out there, lol!

Should you have any questions relating to Tag Making then please feel free to email me, Michele and I'll try to help :)