Cross-Stitch Christmas Ornaments
Created by: Mesca

This tutorial shows a great way to make cross-stitched ornaments that could be used for any occasion. Let's get started!

To draw the circle we will use the Status bar as a reference point. You'll find this located at the bottom left of your screen.

If you don't see the status bar, follow one of these steps to turn it on: Either
– right-click the empty space of a palette or tool bar and choose
   "Toolbars" from the menu, or
– choose View || ToolBars,
then select the Status Bar checkbox in the Toolbars dialog box.

With the Selection tool still selected, position your cursor near the center of the transparent image. With the left mouse button, draw out a circle of approximately 190 x 190.

Track the size of your selection by looking at the values inside the 3rd set of parenthesis inside the Status bar. Release the mouse button to make the selection.

Activate the Mover tool.

Right-click inside the circle, hold the right mouse button down, then drag and position the circle just a little below the center of the image.

We'll be adding on smaller parts of the image at the top later.

The HTML color code for the above color is: #E4A316.

For a shortcut, you can copy and paste this HTML code inside your color palette instead of typing in each of the color values.

Go to Selections || Modify || Contract and set
– Number of pixels = 20
Click on OK.

Hit the Delete key to erase the middle of the circle. Then press Ctrl+D (Selections || Select None) to deselect.

Activate the Magic Wand tool and set as follows:
– Match mode = RGB Value
– Tolerance = 0
– Feather = 0
– Sample merged = unchecked

Click on the gold ring to select it.

Go to Effects || 3D Effects || Inner Bevel and set as follows:
– Bevel Type = The quarter round. (On my palette, it's the 2nd
   one from the left in the top row)
– Width = 8
– Smoothness = 4
– Depth = 2
– Ambience = 31
– Shininess = 58
– Color = White
– Angle = 314
– Intensity = 50
– Elevation = 20

Click on OK and deselect with Ctrl+D (Selections || Select None).

Activate the Selection tool and change
– Selection type = Ellipse.

Use the Status bar as a reference and draw an ellipse of approximately 70 x 20 pixels.

Activate the Floodfill tool, color unchanged, and click inside the selection to floodfill it.

Apply the Inner Bevel effect (Effects || 3D Effects || Inner Bevel) with the same settings as before.

Deselect with Ctrl+D (Selections || Select None).

Activate the Mover tool and move the ellipse on the top edge of the circle, then move "Layer2" below "Layer1" in your Layer palette.

Go to Image || Resize and set as follows:
– Percentage of Original = checked
– Width x Height = 75
– Resize all layers = unchecked
– Maintain aspect ratio = checked

Click on OK, move that layer beneath "Layer2" in your layer palette and, with the Mover tool, position it behind and a little above the other ellipse in your image.

Go again to Image || Resize and resize that layer only to 25% (just change the value for the width and height under "Percentage of Original" to 25).

Move this layer beneath "Layer3" in your Layer palette and with your Mover tool position it at the top and behind the oval.

Save your work in .psp format, then go to Layers || Merge || Merge visible.

I recommend that you save this image as a tube too. To do this go to File || Export || Picture Tube. Don't change any of the settings, they're filled in automatically. Just enter a name for your image where it says "Tube name" and click on OK.

By doing this, you will have the hard part done and can make numerous ornaments.

Now ... Let's get to the fun part and decorate!

Activate the Magic Wand tool, leave the settings unchanged. Click into the center of the circle to select it.

Activate the Floodfill tool and floodfill the selection with your choice of background color (I used white).

Do not yet deselect!

Go to Effects || Texture Effects || Texture and set as follows:
– Texture = "Blocks.bmp" (#68)
– Size = 25
– Smoothness = 0
– Depth = 1
– Ambience = 0
– Shininess = 0
– Color = White
– Angle = 315
– Intensity = 50
– Elevation = 30

Note: If you hover your cursor over the texture choices, the name of the texture will appear.

Click on OK and deselect (Ctrl+D or Selections || Select None).

Go again to Effects || Texture Effects || Texture and apply it to this layer with the same settings as before.

Your cross stitch ornament is now complete. Enjoy doing a lot of them and decorating a tree!