Hey there! My name is Katie and I am an artistic soul with a passion for spreading awareness about mental health. It's unfortunate that society has made it taboo to not be okay, which only perpetuates the stigma surrounding mental illness. That's why I actively advocate for a better understanding and acceptance of these struggles. Through my art, whether it be painting or writing, I try to shed light on the human experience of dealing with mental health issues. By using creativity as a means of expression, we can encourage conversations that lead to understanding and support rather than judgment and isolation. So let's work together towards making our world more accepting and compassionate towards those who may be struggling - because everyone deserves love and kindness regardless of their circumstances!

A more personal look at what brought me to this point: I established Dapper Doodles in 2019. I was quitting a job that stopped sparking joy for me and started impacting my mental health and overall well-being negatively. I started therapy a couple years prior when my marriage turned abusive and I learned how important self-compassion is. "When you look at someone with rose-colored-glasses, all the red flags just look like flags." This line from BoJack Horseman explains it pretty well. I didn't realize what I was sleeping next to and trying to cling to because I "painted pretty pictures" as I would call it. I highlighted all the good and shoved all the bad under the rug. I didn't realize how detrimental he was to me how bad he was until it escalated to something scarier but at least I couldn't lie to myself anymore about what I was putting myself through by staying. I started caring about myself and it was work. It still is work loving myself when he had done such a thorough job of convincing me I deserved nothing. I started my art therapy as a huge part of my self-love journey. I went to a Comic-Con in Ohio and impulsively bought a quill calligraphy set from a Harry Potter stand and slowly started writing myself love notes. My most meaningful mantras were and still are "I deserve good things" and "momentai" which means "relax" in cantonese. Learning to love myself means setting boundaries and saying "no" when I need to. My partner encouraged me to leave my toxic workplace that didn't appreciate me and my twin sister told me she could take the hand lettering I was getting better at and print it onto shirts or mugs or wall art etc with a Cricut machine and Dapper Doodles was born. Chelsea, my sister and Jay, my partner have never given up on me I am encouraged and supported in ways I'd have never been receptive to if I'd not started really caring about myself. I struggle daily with PTSD and CPTSD symptoms including severe anxiety and depression. These definitely take tolls on me but I am worth so much more than what my head has me believe. I hope to keep sharing my story so people who need to hear it, do. I felt so alone in my marriage and I'd isolated myself by not being honest about the abuse. I'm very transparent about who I am and that we are all vulnerable in our own ways. Today I am getting ready to marry my best friend in September I've found love I didn't know was possible and I'm finally the mom I've always wanted to be to Jay's two beautiful kids that bring me so much joy and a real purpose. I was told at 17 that I'd have a very low chance of going full term with a healthy baby. My ex used it as a reason to call me useless and I believed him. I have PCOS which stands for polycystic-ovarian-syndrome or trouble-conceiving-hormones-on-a-rampage-enjoy-your-beard-syndrome. I don't believe in karma or things going according to a plan but Jay and I were meant to have high school crushes on each other, part ways and meet again years later. I want people to know who I am, who they're giving their money to. I'm a real person with a real past and future. Supporting me is supporting me now really painting pretty pictures. ♡