Tuesday, July 7, 2026

HOMETOWN USA PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN LAYOUT | with Tya

There’s something so special about documenting the little moments that make up childhood, and these sweet photos of my bestie’s grandson were simply too adorable not to scrapbook! From his patriotic outfit to that bright, contagious smile, everything about these pictures makes me think of summertime, fireworks, and celebrating the Fourth of July. The Hometown USA collection was the perfect match, with its bold reds, crisp whites, vibrant blues, and playful patriotic icons that made this page come to life.

One of my favorite design elements on this layout is the border of punched stars that surrounds the entire focal area. I cut stars from several of the patterned papers from the Petite Prints Assortment Pack and layered them around the photos to create movement and frame the page with lots of patriotic fun. The mix of patterns and shades of red, white, blue, and soft gray adds so much interest while keeping the eye focused on those precious smiling photos. I also added a few die-cut stars from the Odds and Ends, as well as some Patriotic Mini Jewels here and there.

The title, Proud to Be an American,  found in the Chit Chat, became the perfect centerpiece for the layout. I love how the bold lettering stretches across the page and ties the two photos together while leaving room for a bit of heartfelt journaling underneath. It creates a fun visual anchor while celebrating both the holiday and this sweet little guy.

The two photos are definitely the stars of the page! I matted them with white cardstock and tilted them slightly for a playful look that complements Ben’s energetic personality. One photo captures his sweet little grin, while the other showcases his joyful laugh, and together they perfectly tell the story of a happy Fourth of July afternoon.

The adorable fireworks stand embellishment from the Odds and Ends quickly became one of my favorite clusters on the page. From the fireworks burst, tiny American flags, metallic silver stars, and the darling little boy created the perfect festive scene. It reminds me of all the excitement of stopping by a neighborhood fireworks stand before the big celebration, and it adds such a fun storytelling element to the layout.

On the right side of the layout, I balanced everything with another festive embellishment cluster featuring a sparkler, patriotic heart, layered stars, and more of those punched star accents. I love repeating design elements throughout a page because it helps create flow while adding lots of depth and dimension.

Thank you so much for stopping by today! I hope this layout has inspired you to pull out some of your favorite Fourth of July memories and preserve them with the bright, cheerful Hometown USA collection. Those summertime celebrations, family traditions, and happy smiles deserve to be remembered, and I hope you’ll have just as much fun creating your own patriotic scrapbook pages as I did making this one. Happy crafting! ❤️🤍💙


DOODLEBUG PRODUCTS USED

8546 Hometown USA Petite Prints Assortment Pack
8548 Hometown USA Textured Cardstock Assortment Pack
8543 All Stars paper
8541 Polka Dot Pride
8504 Patriotic Assortment Mini Jewels
8525 Hometown USA Odds and Ends
8526 Hometown USA Chit Chat
8531 Hometown USA This and That Stickers

OTHER

Star Punch
Silver Spray Mist


Monday, July 6, 2026

HOMETOWN USA - PROUD TO BE AN AUSSIE LAYOUT | with Tarrah

There’s something magical about documenting the places that shape who we are. For me, Australia isn’t just where I live—it’s where my heart feels most at home. So when I sat down to create this scrapbook layout, I wanted a design that captured pride, belonging, and a whole lot of happy color. Enter the Hometown USA collection—a red, white, and blue celebration of community that turned out to be the perfect match for an Aussie‑themed project.


One of my favorite parts of this project was blending the collection’s Americana elements with uniquely Australian themes. The “HOME Sweet HOME” and “I LOVE THIS PLACE” stickers couldn’t be more fitting—they speak to the universal feeling of belonging, no matter where you’re from.




The centrepiece of this page is a bold map of Australia, hand traced and cut from the Polka-Dot Pride patterned paper and I added craft foam underneath to add dimension to my page. It creates a playful backdrop that frames the photo beautifully—a snapshot of pure joy, waving the Australian flag with pride. I love how the crisp red frame around the photo instantly draws the eye, grounding the layout with a pop of contrast.


Even though Hometown USA is designed with American patriotism in mind, its versatile patterns and cheerful motifs translate effortlessly into an Australian story. The stars, fireworks, and bold typography add energy and movement, giving the page a celebratory feel that fits Australia Day perfectly.


Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you are inspired to use the Hometown USA collection! 
Happy crafting!


DOODLEBUG PRODUCTS USED

8525 Hometown USA - Odds & Ends pack
8526 Hometown USA - Chit Chat pack
8527 Hometown USA - Bits & Pieces pack
8531 Hometown USA - This & That Sticker Sheet
8514 Hometown USA - Puffy Stickers - Icons
8541 Hometown USA - Polka-Dot Pride patterned paper
8548 Hometown USA - Textured Assorted Cardstock
8504 Hometown USA - Mini Jewels - Patriotic Assortment
8509 Hometown USA - Doodle Pop - Colonial Kitty
8529 Hometown USA - 6' x 6' paper pack

OTHER

Sewing machine
White cotton thread
Black journal pen

Friday, July 3, 2026

COLOR ME CRAFTY CLIPBOARD MINI ALBUMS | with Niella

Hi crafty friends! I am so excited to show you my latest project using the newest Doodlebug collection, Color Me Crafty! If you love to go to scrapbook crops, crafty swap meets or creative retreats, you'll want to create some fun clipboards that double as a mini album!  Stay tuned to see my video showcase of my two sweetiful 6x4" Friendship Keepsakes Clipboards! Each page has room for a name, social handles and favorite snack & color, so fun!


To create each clipboard, I've started with a 6x4 piece of chipboard, and covered it with a coordinating cardstock then a piece of patterned paper for the inside of the clipboard.  The best thing about Doodlebug collections are that each piece goes together, you can mix and match to your hearts content.



The front pages are super layered and I've loved piecing each page together.  I've used a mix of ephemera, puffy and mini icons stickers.  Everything has tied together so nicely.  I've also decorated each pink binder clip with alphabet beads and puffy stickers which turned out so cutie pie!





Each page I've created measure between 5.5 x 3.5, there is no precise measurements as I like to use random sized pages as it gives the variety to each page.  Once each page has been cut, I like to them build each cluster, page by page.  I'll then go over each page and add bits and pieces as I go.  


Next time you go to a crafty gathering, get your new crafty friends to add their details! Memory keeping at it's best :-)  These would also be great gifts.  A great idea is to hang one of these on a lanyard! Definitely a great ice breaker! There is so many possibilities with these Clipboards.


Thank you again for visiting crafty crew! I hope you found some inspiration today! Please remember to tag Doodlebug Design in your Socials when you create with our products so we can all admire your creativity! We love seeing your creations! Until next time; doodle doo!  Enjoy my video showcase!

DOODLEBUG PRODUCTS USED

9076 color me crafty mini icons stickers
9094 color me crafty 6x8 paper pad
9078 color me crafty puffy words
9091 color me crafty chit chat
9092 color me crafty bits & pieces
9090 odds & ends
9095 color me crafty icons stickers
9096 color me crafty this & that stickers
9112 color me crafty solid assortment textured cardstock
9109 crafty colors cardstock
9102 magical memories cardstock
9098 color me crafty cardstock
9101 rows of ribbons cardstock
9104 photo op cardstock
9065 garden of color shape sprinkles

OTHER

alphabet bead
large binder clips
chipboard
foam adhesive dots














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