200 Mini Collages

and the prompts that inspired them (or that they inspired!)

“Ode to Blue” Collage Number 197

It seems a little unreal to be entering a new year. Is it really 2026 already? If I were to offer some visual representation of how I feel as time progresses into my 57th year around the sun, I think this little “Ode to Blue”¹ sums it up - partly melancholic, hopeful, simultaneously unbound and deliberate, and reaching upward toward the unknown.

So far, though, I see in 2026 some sentiments being tossed around I can easily appreciate - including what looks to be a trend to get off social media (psst - let’s just ignore the social media component of Substack for the moment) and, even more intriguing to me, a return to all things analog. Yes, please! (As I scroll my phone for the latest news updates.) No, my analog attempts are not perfect, but I’m consciously choosing to recalibrate my priorities. With that in mind, as a proponent of physical mail, I hope to spend more time writing letters on real paper (Sunday writing project² anyone?), or maybe even typing them on a typewriter? (Adding typewriter to my 2026 studio purchase goals).

Basically, I hope to spend more of my social energy in 2026 reaching out in ways more personal and increasingly analog.

So, before we dive into highlights from my collection of 200 mini collages and a bevy of prompts to get you excited for another year of collage-making… three New Year’s Resolutions (nope, another 2026 trend to join), nay, “thoughts”, for my studio practice.

1. Find and act on more opportunities to thoughtfully engage with other artists and arts enthusiasts in 2026.

2. Center reading and writing as an integral part of my art practice while finding meaningful modes of discourse.

3. Reduce an online presence while building analog connections (starting with an analog newsletter!)

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2026 - The Year of Analog Newsletters

Inspired by literary friends and, in particular, an analog newsletter approach³ - I hope you will consider signing up to receive (free to US enrollees via US Mail) a quarterly newsletter/zine launching this year. For now, I expect to send four mailed updates in 2026. I may include a mini collage or two along the way (or maybe just a few collage tidbits to add to your collection). There will be only one version of this project (that is to say, if you follow my ArtistNotes Substack, or receive my e-newsletter, I will offer the same sign-up opportunity in my next notes there. No need to sign up multiple times.

(Side note: I also offer paid versions of this effort in my Studio Store as Collage, Postcard, Sticker, and Notecard Clubs. If you are a member there, you don’t need to sign up here. I will include my analog newsletter within these subscriptions.)

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The inspiration behind 200 Mini Collages

When I started creating my mini collages in 2023, I didn’t realize how connected to the process and the materials I would become. Turning it into a weekly activity, “Collage Friday”, is what prompted me to start this Collage O project - sharing my enthusiasm for collecting interesting materials and finding ways to glue and stitch them together into little works of art.

A RECAP of 2025 Collage Prompts

While I fell remarkably short of my 2025 goal of 52 weekly prompts, I did manage to share 16 unique collaging inspirations developed from my mini-collage approach.

#1 - Simple Collaged Embellishments | #2 - Prepare a Rainbow - #3 - GREEN (or your color of choice) | #4 - Yellow Brick Road | #5 - Birds | #6 - REPEAT | #7 - Scraps | #8 - Silhouette | #9 - Story | #10 - A POEM Prompt | #11 - Landscapes | #12 - Botanical | #13 - X-Stitch | #14 - Chain Stitch | #15 - Simplicity | #16 - Whimsy

What started as a curiosity about materials and collage methods soon became a project of its own within my studio practice.

The BKind Project (and serializing the collage process)

text included with each packaged BKind collage card

200 Collages later, I still love making and sharing each one. As an artist who is very sporadic with my sketchbook use, I’ve come to realize that these little collages ARE my sketchbook. I use them to regularly develop compositions and relationships - both materially and emotionally. When the piece comes together, whether quickly or slowly, I find a deep sense of satisfaction and joy. Simply put - they make me happy!

As I’ve continued collaging, I’ve found myself putting them in different “Series” to categorize them and keep easily inspired. Each series has its own set of “rules” within a range of sub-series “categories” that help me stay grounded and focused as I work, and provide just enough creative impetus to keep me coming back week after week. Series 1 through 5 are fairly developed and established. I’m still working out the framework for series 6, 7, and 8.

BKind Series 1: Using a Promotional Postcard Collage Base

Sub-series in this collection are based on my promotional and art postcards: Rise-Up, Moonrise (shown below), Goldfish, Bodies, and Formations.

BKind Series 2: “It’s Personal”

This series is focused on personal items in my materials collection and includes the following sub-series:

Storytime (featuring a handwritten text “story” included with the art piece) | Vintage (featuring a vintage focus collage piece) | Travel (featuring travel postcards and stamps) | Samples (featuring fabric from my mother’s handmade catalog of fabric samples) | Memories (featuring a photograph from my personal childhood collection - sample below) | XO (offerings of love)

BKind Series 3: Narrative

Incudes: Poetry (featuring found and generative poetry) | Tiny Book (featuring mini collages made from vintage books) | “She Said” (featuring phrases from a woman’s perspective - sample below) | Life Lessons (and Fairy Tales featuring pages from vintage storybooks) | “Wish You Were Here” (featuring stitched text on vintage postcards) | Letters Home (featuring correspondence) | Archived (featuring vintage photos)

BKind Series 4: Stitched

Includes: Loose Threads | Past Lives | Swatched | Windows & Doors | Portals (sample below)

BKind Series 5: Prophesies

Includes: Rainbows and Wands (aka Sticks) | Notes from Beyond | Hidden Messages (sample below) | Oracle Cards

BKind Series 6 through 8

(6) “Embellished” (Postcards with Embroidered Stitching); (7) “Botanicals” (featuring printed botanical material); (8) Scapes (featuring sea, land, tree, and fantasy scapes) - (sample below)

In the beginning, I often knew within which series I was working. Over time, though, the series seemed to identify itself after I was done, more often than not. I’m okay with either approach - whatever keeps me inspired to create!

And I hope seeing my approach to series generation inspires you too!

Collage 200

Finally, here is my 200th BKind mini-collage catalogued—I say catalogued, since I probably missed scanning and notating a few collages in the early stages of development— since their humble beginnings in 2023. It is a simple throwback to my first series, created with a base layer of an old promotional postcard featuring my “Foundations” digital art layered with printed papers and machine stitches.

To the next 200!

Happy Collaging,

Jennifer

1. “Ode to Blue” is available at JenniferLommers.com/store along with 55 other of the over 200 mini-collages made to date.

2. https://www.thesundayletterproject.com/
Intriguing penpal method - exchange letters via local stationary stores. It looks limited in scope thus far, but I look forward to see where this goes. Right now, my closest point of contact is in Paper Luxe in Gig Harbor, WA (oddly enough, the town where I grew up).

3. Modeled after the “Paperless” Newsletter option offered by Portland artist, and friend, Alexandra Schaefers.