Doodlebug Design Inc Blog: HOMETOWN USA JULY FAMILY FUN LAYOUT

Wednesday, July 22, 2026

HOMETOWN USA JULY FAMILY FUN LAYOUT | with Inessa

There is something about red, white, and blue that always inspires me to get creative, and the Hometown USA collection was the perfect choice for documenting these patriotic memories! For this layout, I wanted to create a design that had the feel of a quilt—but with a modern scrapbook twist. The result is a fun background full of diagonal patterned paper strips, lots of texture, and plenty of dimension.

I began with the Red, White & Blue patterned paper as my background. The diagonal lines in the design made it easy to use as a guide for cutting each of my patterned paper strips. Instead of measuring everything, I simply placed each paper on top of the background, marked where I wanted the cuts, and trimmed each strip individually.

My first strip came from Land of the Free, starting in the upper right corner. The second strip is Plaid to Be an American, cut to approximately 1½ inches wide. Next came Picnic Plaid, followed by the floral side of that same paper. I finished the design with Polka Dot Pride, creating a colorful patchwork effect across the page.

Before adhering the strips, I distressed all of the edges to add texture. Once everything was in place, I stitched over the entire design using silver thread, which perfectly complements the gorgeous silver foil accents throughout the Hometown USA collection.

For my photos, I printed them at 2×3 inches and matted each one with textured white cardstock. I then layered the photos onto tags from the Bits and Pieces pack before attaching everything to the layout with foam adhesive for extra dimension. I love how the tags help the photos standout while adding another layer of interest.

To finish the page, I tied a variety of ribbons and twine to the tags from my stash before building embellishment clusters around the photos. My title comes from the Chit Chat pack, while the remaining embellishments are a combination of Odds & Ends and Bits and Pieces pieces.

One final detail that really brings everything together is the addition of stars from the July 4th Shaker Pops. I originally planned to use the large shaker embellishment, but I ended up choosing the tiny star accents instead. They were the perfect finishing touch, adding just the right amount of sparkle.

I absolutely love how this layout came together! The diagonal paper strips create the look of a quilt while still feeling fresh and modern, and the layers, stitching, and dimensional embellishments add so much texture and interest. I hope this project inspires you to pull out your Hometown USA collection and create your own patriotic memories. Thanks so much for stopping by, and I'll see you again soon!