I made it with PSP: &

Supplies:

Filters / Plugins:
 Filters Unlimited 2.0:
Animation Shop:

You are welcome to take this nice sunflower with you, it shows you always where you are (just click and drag) Have Fun!

tutorial tested by:

01) File / New / 600 x 450 px / transparent

 change your FGC to: #FFFFFF
and your BGC to: #0e3f64

flood fill your picture with this gradient:

02) Effects / Plugins / I.C.Net Software / Filters Unlimited 2.0:
Paper Texture / Structure Paper 2

03) open the tube: TUBES TINNAD (6)

Edit / Copy
 close it again; we don't need it anymore
back to your picture

Edit / Paste / Paste as new image

Image / Resize: 85% (all layers NOT checked)

04) activate your ellipse tool (Q)

draw up an ellipse like me here:

05) activate your text tool (T)

change your FGC to: #c00000
and your BGC to: #0e3f64

change your FGC to this gradient:

change your FGC with your BGC

change your FGC to: gold pattern:

06) select the font: Rockwell Extra Bold / Size: 60 / stroke width: 2

set your cursor at the edge of the ellipse

you see this sign:

write your text: Happy New Year 2009

activate your layers palette:

make this layer invisible: New Ellipse

top layer: Vector is activated!!!

Layers / Convert to Raster Layer

Effects / 3D Effects / Drop Shadow:

your picture should look like this now:

07) change your FGC to: #7b9662
and your BGC to: #1b3606

change your FGC to this gradient:

turn off your FGC!!!

08) activate your pen tool (V):

draw a slightly wavy line across your canvas as shown below:

Layers / Convert to Raster Layer

Effects / 3D Effects / Drop Shadow:

09) open the tube: Lumieres

select one of the little lights

Edit / Copy
don't close it
back to your picture

Edit / Paste / Paste as new image

place one of the little lights and use the mover tool to place it

if the light is facing the wrong direction,
use: Image / Flip
or: Image / Mirror
or even: Image / Rotate
to help you position it better

your picture could look like this now:

close the tube: Lumieres
we don't need it anymore
back to your picture

10) make all these layers invisible:
Raster 1 (background)
Raster 2 (snowman)
Raster 3 (text)             
Raster 4 (chain)            

top layer is activated (lights)

Layers / Merge / Merge Visible

 Effects / 3D Effects / Drop Shadow:

make all layers: visible again

11) Image / Add borders / 2 px / colour: #000000

Image / Add borders / 2 px / colour: #ffffff

activate your magic wand tool

select the 2 px white border

flood fill the selection with a gold pattern of your choice

deselect

12) Image / Add borders / 1 px / colour: #000000

Image / Add borders / 15 px / colour: #ffffff

activate your magic wand tool

select the 15 px border

change your FGC to: #FF0000
and your BGC to: #0e3f64

flood fill the selection with this gradient:

Deselect

13) Image / Add borders / 1 px / colour: #000000

Image / Add borders / 2 px / colour: #ffffff

activate your magic wand tool

select the white 2 px border

flood fill the selection with your gold pattern

Deselect

14) open the tube: fleur1

Edit / Copy
 close it again; we don't need it anymore
back to your picture

Edit / Paste / Paste as new image

place the tube as shown below:

Layers / Duplicate

Image / Mirror

15) open the tube: fleur2

Edit / Copy
don't close it; we don't need it anymore
back to your picture

Edit / Paste / Paste as new image

place the tube as shown below:

Layers / Duplicate

Image / Mirror

add your watermark and name

Layers / Merge / Merge Visible

16) Edit / Copy

 open your Animations Shop

Edit / Paste / As new animation

once again:

Edit / Paste / After Current Frame

once again:

Edit / Paste / After Current Frame

Edit / Select all

17) open the file: twinkglow2.mng

Edit / Select all

draw the first lower picture

into the first upper picture

hold left mouse button

place it at the first light

repeat this with all your other lights

your picture should look like this now:

Animation / Frame Properties: Display time: 10

File / Save as ... *.gif