About
Hi! I’m Katie, the creator of Dory & Dinghy Designs—a small business born in the winter of 2025. What started as a simple task for a preschool fundraiser (and, honestly, a way to justify how much I love making this kind of stuff) quickly turned into a full-blown obsession, a late-night design habit, and now… an actual business
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By day, I’m gently reminding preschoolers that glue sticks are not chapstick and do not need to be “tasted.” By night, I’m at my computer designing digital resources—newsletters, cubby tags, allergy forms, activity bundles, and seasonal classroom templates. I also make things for home, like visual morning routines, behavior charts, and chore charts. I’m usually covered in golden retriever fur and supervised by one very judgmental rabbit.
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I design digital resources that make life easier (and cuter) for teachers, parents, and organized-ish people. Everything is meant to be practical, editable, visually appealing, and ready to print or use instantly—without wrestling with margins, fonts, or design platforms at 11 p.m. From classroom newsletters to allergy forms and daily routines at home, I create the things you actually use—the pieces that make your classroom feel thoughtful, your day run smoother, and your kids or students feel seen.
Why "Dory & Dinghy"?
Because every good story needs supporting characters—and mine just happen to be furry, slightly dramatic, constantly shedding, and completely unaware that they don’t actually have jobs.
Dory is one of our golden retrievers: loyal, fluffy, and always mildly concerned about everything. She’s soft, attached to my side, and fully convinced she is the emotional support animal for both me and this business.
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Dinghy is our Flemish/Continental Giant mix rabbit—equal parts angel, chaos, and snack-obsessed. He is certain that anything that crinkles, crunches, or sounds remotely like food is meant for him, and he supervises with the kind of judgment usually reserved for reality TV show judges.
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They don’t exactly help with the design process, but they do provide the company, the entertainment, and—originally as a joke—the name. When I first started making templates for work, I joked that if I ever turned it into a business, I’d name it Dory & Dinghy Designs. And then… I actually did.
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P.S. Ellie, our other golden retriever, would like it noted that she also supervises the creative process. She’s the older, wiser co-pilot—gifted in dramatic sighs, gentle judgment, and earning treats simply for existing.
Dinghy
Ellie
Dory
