You will need:-

~ PSP9~ and Animation Shop [This will also work in Version 8]

Visit Corel.com for a Free Trial of the latest version of psp and to purchase Animation Shop

~A 3 framed Glitter file~  you can find these on the net.

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First...to make a shape for the basis of your tinsel.

Go to 'File' 'New' and open a new image transparent,100 x 100 pixels.
In the 'Materials' palette, set both the 'Foreground and Stroke Properties' and the 'Background and Fill Properties' boxes to any bright colour, both the same.

Select the 'Paintbrush' tool

Click on the little preview image...... 

.......to open the drop down menu, and select 'Spiky twirl medium'

NB: If you are using version 8, use the 'Spiky' brush

Set it to 'Size' 25 'Step 50'

Click on your blank canvas a few times in the same place, then move the cursor ever so slightly and add a few more strokes to get a rough spiky design.

Click on the 'Crop Tool' and draw it in a square round your image,

 Click on the 'Tick' to crop.

Go to 'File' 'Export' 'Picture Tube' and set the settings to these, and type in a name for your tube. 'OK' it.

You can now close the image and it will be in your tools menu when you come to use the 'Picture Tube Tool'.

If asked do you wish to save the changes, click 'No'

Go to 'File' 'New' and open a new image, 400 x 200 pixels
Click on the 'Picture Tube' icon , click on the little preview image on the 'Tool Options' palette to open the drop down menu and select your tinsel tube. Click, hold and drag your mouse over your blank canvas.

We altered the 'Step' size initially right down to 18. The 'Step' size determines the spacing between one image and another. ie.....if you alter the 'Step' size to a larger size, say '50', when you drag your mouse over your canvas your tinsel image will have larger spaces between and come out like this....

Open Animation Shop, go to 'File' 'Browse' and locate your glitter file, double click to open it.
Click on 'Edit' 'Select All' and your frames will be surrounded in blue.

 Go to 'Edit' 'Copy'
In PSP, click on 'Edit' 'Paste' 'Paste Animation as Multiple Images'
Your glitter will open with each frame in its own little window

Click on the bar at the top of the main image window to activate. In the 'Layer' palette, right click 'Raster 1' and select 'Duplicate', right click the duplicate and  select 'Duplicate.' You will now have 3 layers in the 'Layer' palette.

'X' out the top 2 layers by clicking on the little 'eye' at the end of each row and click on the bottom one to activate.

In the 'Materials 'palette, click on the solid black dot under the top square [the Foreground and Stroke Properties' box and select the 'Patterns' icon.

 Click on the pattern which appears in the box to open the 'Material Properties' box.
Click on the pattern which appears there to open the menu and select the first of your 3 frames of glitter.

 'OK' it and it will now appear in the 'Foreground and Stroke Properties' box in the 'Material's palette.
Select the 'Magic Wand Tool' 

make sure the 'Mode' is set to 'Add [Shift]' and click inside your tinsel and the tinsel will become surrounded by 'Marching Ants'
Select the 'Floodfill Tool' and click inside your tinsel to floodfill with the glitter.

'X 'out that layer, un X the next and click on it to highlight.

 In the 'Materials' palette, click on the glitter showing there to again open the 'Material Properties' box,
click on the pattern appearing in the box to open the menu, select the 2nd frame of your glitter.

Still with the 'Floodfill Tool' click on your tinsel to floodfill with the 2nd glitter.
'X' out that layer, un X the last layer, click on it to highlight.

Click on the glitter showing in your 'Materials Properties' box and find the 3rd frame of your glitter.

and still using the 'Floodfill Tool' click on your tinsel to floodfill with the glitter.
'Selections'  'Select None' to deselect.
Un X all the layers.

Click on the bottom 'Raster 1' layer to highlight, go to 'Edit' 'Copy'
In Animation Shop click on 'Edit' 'Paste' 'As New Animation'
Go back to PSP, click on 'Copy of Raster 1' layer, 'Edit' 'Copy'...over in Animation click 'Edit' 'Paste' and this time 'After Current Frame.
Back in PSP click on the top 'Copy(2) of Raster 1' layer, 'Edit' 'Copy'...over in Animation Shop 'Edit' 'Paste' 'After Current Frame'
Click the 'View Animation' icon to see your finished graphic.

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How To Add Tinsel to a Graphic.

This is for a 3 frame glitter, if you use a glitter with more than 3 frames you have to 'Duplicate' the layers accordingly. ***

Make your Christmas graphic in PSP and when done make sure you have all the layers merged [go to 'Layers' 'Merge' 'Merge Visible']
I made the tree with a spruce tube from the 'Holidays' selection at Corel.com which you can download from Corel here  
In the 'Layer' palette right click the 'Merged' layer and rename it 'Picture' or 'Tree' or a name of your choice.
Right click it again and 'Duplicate' right click the duplicate and duplicate it again so you have 3 layers. ***

Open Animation Shop, 'File' 'Browse' and locate  and open your glitter.
'Edit' 'Select All' 'Edit' 'Copy'
In PSP, 'Edit' 'Paste' 'Paste Animation as Multiple Images'
Your glitter will open with each frame in its own little window.
Click on your main image to activate.
Go to 'Layers' 'New Raster Layer' and in the 'Layer' palette, right click the new layer and rename it 'Tinsel'
Click on the 'Picture Tube' icon and find the tinsel tube you previously made.
Click and drag it on your main image, use 'Edit' 'Undo Picture Tube' to undo it if you misplace it.
You may have to alter the 'Step' down a number or two to get it just right,and also scale it down if you wish... it all depends on the shape of the tinsel tube you made and the size of your graphic.
Add as much as you like all on the same 'tinsel' layer.

When you have it as you want it, in the 'Layer' palette, right click the 'Tinsel' layer and 'Duplicate' right click the duplicate and 'Duplicate' again.
'X out' the top two tinsel layers, and click on the bottom tinsel layer to activate.
In the 'Materials' palette, find your glitter pattern as before, and select the first of your glitters.
Select the 'Magic Wand' tool , making sure its set to 'Add[Shift]' and click inside each band of your tinsel to select it.
Using the 'Floodfill tool' click inside each band to fill with the first frame of your glitter.

In the 'Layer' palette, 'X out' that tinsel layer, 'un X' the next one [the 'Copy of Tinsel' layer], and click on it to activate.

In the 'Materials' palette, find the second of your glitter patterns and using the 'Floodfill Tool' click inside your tinsel to floodfill.
'X out' that layer, and 'un X' the top layer, click on it to activate.

In the 'Materials' palette, find the last frame of your glitter, and use the 'Floodfill Tool to floodfill with the glitter.
'Un X' all the layers and go to 'Selections' 'select None' to deselect.
We now need to arrange our layers so we have one tinsel layer to correspond with one picture layer so, click hold and drag the layers in your palette and arrange them alternately, the picture layer at the bottom,
'X 'out all the layers except the bottom 2 and click on the bottom layer to activate.

Go to 'Layers' 'Merge' 'Merge Visible.
'X out' the 'Merged' layer and 'un X ' the next 2, clicking on 'Copy of Tree' to activate

'Layers' 'Merge' 'Merge Visible'
'X  out' that 'Merged' layer too and 'un X' the remaining two layers, click on 'Copy(2)of Tree' to activate

'Layers Merge' 'Merge Visible'.
Un X all the layers.
Click on the bottom 'Merged' layer to highlight, go to 'Edit' 'Copy'.
In Animation Shop click on 'Edit' 'Paste' 'As new Animation'
Go back to PSP, click on the second 'Merged' layer, 'Edit' 'Copy'...over in Animation click 'Edit' 'Paste' and this time 'After Current Frame.
Back in PSP click on the top 'Merged' layer, 'Edit' 'Copy'...over in Animation Shop 'Edit' 'Paste' 'After Current Frame'
Click the 'View Animation' icon to see your finished graphic.

'File' 'Save as' a 'CompuServe Graphics Interchange (*.gif)

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial.

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This tutorial was created and written for Upsited  Please do not reword or upload the tutorial onto another website or group. You may however link to the tutorial by using a text link to the specific page.

Have fun

Revised 2007