Katie Gardenia now lives in a self-proclaimed fairyland but her growing up was anything but. She spent time in an orphanage and struggled through her formal education being kicked out of various schools along the way. She began making dolls around the age of 31 because she never had a doll as a child. Katie's whimsical figures have a magical almost old-world quality about them. Bringing fabric and texture together in such a way to evoke personalities in her doll-like figures so that each evokes a unique character. Katie also creates jewelry, unique upholstery, and items of clothing such as an embellished shawl that she made for the rock legend Stevie Nicks. Another one of Katie’s greatest pleasures was designing and needlepointing 12 dining chairs for Lady Bird Johnson while living in San Antonio, TX.
For years, Katie owned the whimsical Bubble Room restaurant on Captiva Island. It was famous for serving the biggest slices of homemade cake which looked like they were designed for an art gallery. Katie authored a book entitled “A Bubble Moment” which is a combination of a cookbook and a coffee table book. In her book, she shares all her recipes, including red velvet cake, bubble bread and orange crunch cake.
Since selling the restaurant in 1989, Gardenia has concentrated on her art. She is a gifted artist who brings the world of dreams and fantasies to life with her creations.