Today we’d like to introduce you to Linda Bonner.
Hi Linda, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Linda Bonner Studios got it’s start with creating miniature art and note cards for Art-O-Mat. Art-O-Mat is a company that refurbishes vintage cigarette machines to dispense original art the size of a cigarette carton. I discovered this opportunity in 2018 and was hooked!
One of my first project was called Petite Notes, miniature handmade note cards and envelopes that are 2″ x 3″. I loved creating these tiny notes and working with different papers and embellishments. As I shared them with my friends I started getting requests for full-size greeting cards for various occasions.
My first request was for business thank you notes for a small business and Linda Bonner Studios was born in 2021! Since then I’ve created over 10,000 miniature note cards and 1000’s of full size greeting cards for just about every occasion. Everything from birthday, get well, and baby to holidays such as Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and July 4th.
I simply love the design process and love innovating and developing new design ideas.
I initially sold my card at vendor shows and craft fairs and truly enjoyed meeting new people and helping them connect with handmade greeting cards. In 2024 I was ready for a change and was inspired to start teaching card-making workshops to local senior communities.
This simple idea has grown and expanded beyond senior communities to disability and other nonprofits and local businesses with service projects. By the end of 2025 I will have taught almost 100 card-making workshops!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
While the journey has been fairly smooth, the biggest challenge was helping communities understand the value and benefit of card-making for seniors. I’ve watched this creative process inspire connection for seniors and others. It brings people together to connect with each other and they connect with the process and experience a sense of belonging and accomplishment.
My initial challenge was designing the overall workshop. I wanted it to be accessible to all ages and abilities. My first decision was to pre-cut all the paper and put kits together. This took a lot of time initially until I developed a system and started working in batches.
Another challenge was to determine how many people I could serve in each workshop. I did a few with 15+ people and found it was very difficult to manage. I finally decided that 10 was the ideal number of participant that would allow me to help everyone and provide personal instruction.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I consider myself a multi-passionate creative! In addition to creating miniature art and designing greeting cards I’m also a writer and author.
In 2024 I published my international bestselling book, Blessed with Extraordinary. It’s a book of resources, support, encouragement and hope for families raising children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). My why is my son, who was born with Down Syndrome. It’s a privilege to use my lived experience to help other families navigate this amazing parenting journey.
Specializing in miniature art has certainly set me apart from other artists. Through my work with Art-O-Mat I’ve developed 4 specific miniature projects that include Tiny Dresses (miniature ball gowns), Artful Cottages (torn paper whimsical tiny houses), Birds of Encouragement (miniature birds with encouraging sayings) and Petite Notes (miniature handmade notecards and envelopes). I love the process of working in miniature, creating handmade mini masterpieces that bring joy and hope to those that purchase them. I get emails often from individuals who have found my art in Art-O-Mat machines around the world.
I am most proud of the widespread success of my unique custom card-making workshops. I’m excited to watch them expand to service project for veterans, children with cancer, those struggling with food insecurity and others in our communities.
What matters most to you?
Living with a sense of gratitude and being of service to others are the things that matter most to me. I am grateful for the many people and opportunities in my life, both big and small. I believe it’s important to express gratitude in everything we do. Gratitude helps us reduce stress and anxiety and live a full and meaningful life.
There are many ways to be of service in our lives. Taking time to check in with someone, offering a heartfelt compliment or just a smile can make a world of difference to someone. Service can also be larger things like volunteering, serving meals, or providing free professional services to those in need.
Both gratitude and being of service help build strong and vibrant communities and brings happiness and a sense of belonging.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lindabonnerstudios.com/
- Instagram: @lindabonnerstudios and. @blessedwithextraordinary
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-bonner-4953211a7/
- Other: https://www.blessedwithextraordinary.com/
