I've recently added a new painting to HenAndChickArt.etsy.com. I painted some peonies that I photographed from my garden this summer. It started slow.

Added some darker tones, then it sat for a while.

After a while, I finally got it back out and finished it.

I was pleased with how it came out! Now it's available in the Hen and Chick Art shop as a greeting card, 5 x 7 print, and 8 x 10 print.

Do you like it? Is there another size of print I should offer? What should I paint next?

It has been such a great summer in so many ways. it's a bit hard to say goodbye to it, but my consolation is we are headed to autumn which is my favorite season.

Here is my look-back on the last few month's joys and creations.

Every once in a while I get a custom doll order that gets me even more excited than usual.

When a mom contacted me about making Laura and Mary Ingalls dolls for her little sweetie's birthday, I couldn't wait to get started! As a little girl, I loved the show Little House on the Prairie, and even more close to my heart are the books by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

I started with red calico and brown braids for Laura and blue calico and blonde braids for Mary.

Another essential piece was going to be the bonnets. I made these from some really pretty Liberty of London-esque vintage cloth napkins.

I modified the bonnet from a vintage Holly Hobbie doll pattern to fit these dolls. Isn't this sweet?

The dolls also needed some little white pinafore aprons over their prairie dresses, and then faces painted. Laura with violet eyes and Mary with soft blue.

Here they are completed and in their bonnets.

And here they are in their special winter cloaks, a sweet extra my brilliant customer added on.

I enjoyed this project so much and was so inspired by it that I've decided to reread the Little House books this summer, starting with this one:

If you are interested in a custom made doll of your favorite book character, click here for doll options, and here for costume and outfit extras.