NOTE: you MAY link to this tut. you MAY print it out for later use offline. you MAY NOT claim it as yours or take anything else from it. this tutorial is ©Ruby/Stormlight, written July 5, 2015.


-- Jazzy's basic drop shadow setting of 2, 2, 50, 3 and color black.
-- fonts of choice.  I am using Holly Time and AlexBrush.





1.  Open your template, duplicate and close the original.  Delete any word art if your template has it.  Save as your new canvas and resize as needed.

2.  Select a scenic paper from your kit.  Paste into the main area of your template and resize if needed.  Click outside the main area's frame with magic wand.  Selections > modify > expand by 7.  Return to paper layer and hit delete key.

3.  Select several plain and/or subtle patterned papers from kit.  Click inside the main area's frame with magic wand.  Paste in one paper.  Selections > invert.  Hit delete key.  Repeat this step with the small circles in the lower right corner and your other patterned papers.

4.  Paste in your second paper as bottom layer.  Apply mask and merge group.

5.  Paste in your tube OUTSIDE the frame.  Apply drop shadow. 

6.  Time for some elements.  Names/numbers apply to the scrap kit I'm using so if you're using a different one, use the elements of your choice.  All elements are resized with the smart size setting.  Remember to apply Jazzy's basic drop shadow after each element is placed unless otherwise marked:

41 (Santa) - 50%.  place near the tube inside the frame.
40 (sand snowman) - 30%.  place on right hand side inside frame.
31 (surfboard) -  25%.  rotate 15 degrees left.  place near back of scenic paper and use freeform tool to cut away part of the bottom so that the board appears "stuck" in the sand/ground.
13 (beach chair) - 23%.  duplicate and place chairs side by side in background on right hand side.
6 (flipflops) - 15%.  rotate 180 degrees.  use freeform tool to cut out one shoe and paste in as separate layer.  rotate 70 degrees right and place shoes at random near one another inside the scene.
32 (sunglasses) - 60%.  rotate 20 degrees right and place next to tube outside frame.
12 (coconut drink) - 10%.  place in Santa's hand.
5 (inner tube) - 10%.  prop against beach chairs.
46 & 47 (gift boxes) - 12-16%.  duplicate one of the boxes and arrange three boxes under one of the palm trees and behind the sand-snowman.  merge these layers together.

7.  Create a new raster layer.   Using a fancy script font, type out the words "Welcome to Christmas Beach" and place each word into each of the different circles.  [optional - apply a faint gradient glow of contrasting color to make the words pop.]

8.  Create a new raster layer.  Type your name and position it to your liking.  Apply the following Inner Bevel settings:


9.  Apply the following drop shadow settings:  3, 3, 80, 2.40 and a dark color from your tube or kit.

10.  Create a new layer for your copyright/watermark and add it on.