Self Love Series: #1 Oh this life journey

Hiya Gorgeous,

It has certainly been awhile since I wrote a blog let alone a lifestyle blog. 

A LOT has happened since the last time I wrote. I had a baby in October, and let me tell you being pregnant and then postpartum definitely paid a toll on my self love psyche. Having a new baby, hormones and everything that comes along with that, can 100% make you feel like your aren't enough or beautiful AND loving you, is set aside.

Now after 6.5 months (uhmm where did that time go..) I am feeling great. I am working on taking care of myself more and more everyday. Along with looking after everything else, I have made it a priority to work out, eat well (as often as possible) and do things that make me happy. Hubby and I make sure we go out at least once a month, just us and no kids, to regenerate and have some fun one on one.

I find that I was so hard on myself as I journeyed through pregnancy, all those habitual thoughts of not being good enough, of being over weight swam through my mind constantly. It hindered some of my relationships and made me feel small. NOT to say that I didn't also enjoy growing my tiny little human but at times it was mentally straining. Doing the best I could to feel good was all I could do. Spending time with family and preparing for my baby bear was what kept my spirits up for sure.

Postpartum - at first I didn't have time to care about what I looked like or my weight, all I focused on was keeping this precious miracle alive. It was amazing having Brayden home with us after a hard labour and 4 days in the hospital. BUT then as the months passed and I was feeling better, those unkind thoughts came up again. We are most mean to ourselves then any one else could ever be to us, I know this as fact. Constantly reminding myself that I was doing the best I could and that my body is an amazing tool to create life in all its glory. SO now that is what I do, and as I kept changing the negative thoughts I noticed something, I can now quickly shift just like I had pre-pregnancy.

It has been quite the journey and let me tell you and its not over yet! With the support of my wonderful man letting me know that no matter what he loves me and my body, I breath a sigh of relief that the only one who is making me feel insecure about my soft belly is me. I am where I am right now, and in this moment I L-O-V-E my body for all that is has done and all it can do. I am fit and strong and will continue to be.

At the end of the day my lovelies, old thoughts show up to heal us. Sometimes it will show up in a big way and others that are easy to shift through. Remember you are doing the best from where you are right now in this moment. CHOOSE appreciation in these moments whether it is about the situation or something else you love, this will help you to keep shifting and moving forward. After all that's what we are meant to do.

Loads of love to you my friends <3

I hope this serves you.

Your Designer,

Amanda Garrett


Check out my blog on Selflove and to know a little bit more about my journey to where I am now.

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Prom & Grad Season

Your Prom or Grad dress can the most original when having it created, all your dress 

dreams can come true.

I love creating dresses for the next step in life. Whether it is for Grade 8 graduation or your final year with Prom, this is one of the most important transitions. I remember wanting the most specific dress for my prom and then found something completely different. I am glad that now I can create dresses for young girls to create their dream dress that fits perfectly.

"Wonderful experience from start to finish. Amazing customer service and open communication throughout. We are extremely happy with the end result and would highly recommend her without hesitation!!"

"A.M.E.G. Designs took a dream dress for my daughters graduation and made it a reality. From our first meeting through to the final fitting it was all amazing. Thank you Amanda for making this such a pleasant and memorable experience!!"

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Wedding Season, here we come!

From the wedding dress to the flower girls dress your designer Amanda Garrett can make all your dress dreams come true.  

The best part of what I do is the final fitting, seeing the look on my clients face when she puts the dress on and sees that it is exactly everything she wanted and more.  From beginning to end the whole process is personal and exciting. Getting to know each clients wants and needs is very important and I take extra care so that your experience will be just as special as you are.

"..I told her what I wanted and she did it. It was the exact replica of what I expected. The entire experience was so beautiful and professional. I absolutely loved my dress when it was finished and it fit me so perfectly.  I recommend Amanda to make any dress if you want to feel like a princess. Thank you Amanda, I would have never thought I ever could have had a more perfect dress." - Tanya Ellis

It's my birthday SPECIAL!

Receive 20% off until January 31st when you BOOK NOW!

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Dress Making Report: 1970's Secret Garden Shoot

As those of you who follow me know, I love my collaboration shoots! It's great to be able to get a team of incredible creatives together and bring to life moments like these. THIS dress was so much fun to create. From finding this perfect lace, which challenged me because I had never worked with it before. It had quite a stretch to it and with the beautiful lines it has, patience and a good eye really needed to be used for this one. I wanted to do a 1970's piece because I think it is so wonderful to create from different eras, so be prepared to see some other staple pieces from specific times. The sleeves, neckline and hemline make this dress exactly what it is meant to be, timeless. Take a gander at what our amazing team did together and with only 15 minutes of light on the day of the shoot. 

Photo Credit Brendan McFater

Floral Design Raindrops on Roses 

Make & Hair Beauty by Sacha
Model Catherine Flanigan

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Dress Making Report: A Spring Photoshoot

Last month I created a simply elegant bohemian wedding dress for a Spring Photoshoot with Michelle Liane Photography. 

My favourite thing about these collaboration shoots, is that I am given a rough idea and can run with it. Being creative is one of the best things life can offer, the joy I feel when it all comes together is just the greatest thing!

Working with so many other amazing creatives is so worth while. You will see that the beauty that comes from each of us illuminates through the moments that were captured in the shoot.

Floral Design: Raindrops on Roses

Make-up & Hair: Melissa Cutler

Cake Design: Lipstick Baker

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Lifestyle: Allowing fear

Hello Lovely!

As I have shared before relationships were always a very hard thing for me, allowing situations and not so nice people remain in my life for many years. Sometimes within the wonderful relationships that I now have, things show up that I can make assumptions about and over think. When I allow the fear to take over, I panic and get paranoid. I literally can feel like I am loosing my mind, creating a mountain out of a not so existent mole hill.

When I finally let myself step back, and that could mean having a conversation with a friend who provides a perspective that I really needed to hear. 

OR asking myself the questions; 

1."What do I really need right now?"
2."Am I taking responsibility for myself or blaming someone outside of me?"
3."How can I better understand this (insert feeling, experience here) and learn from it?"

I can then start shifting and moving out of the fear. Loving myself even though I am "being" a way that I think is "wrong", can be really empowering. Showing up and loving the dark parts of ourselves, is what we all need to do. How can we expect anyone else to love those parts of us if we can't seem to. 

I had a friend once tell me after hearing how "crazy" I felt I was being, "You need to stop saying you're crazy because you're not... I care about you and I am proud of how far you've come." Those words changed my perspective, allowing me to know that no matter how "crazy" or "silly" I am feeling. I am still loved.

I truly believe that we are not given anything we can not survive, everything shows up for us to heal, learn and grow.  Take good care and be kind to yourself when feeling down or have not had a great day. YOU are always, deeply loved.

I hope this serves you.

Your Designer,

Amanda Garrett

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Lifestyle: In the moment

Hiya Sweets!

I know you may hear this all the time to be present, be in the moment or be in the now. HOW many times a day do we get lost in our own thoughts? A heck of a lot!

BUT being in the moment even for a few seconds can be beneficial to your self love journey. So take time to breath and close your eyes for even 10 seconds. If you do this 6 times a day, that's a whole minute and juicy in the now time!

What about when something amazing shows up? Something you have been asking for and dreaming of for a long time. AND boom there it is right in front of you! Dwell in that happiness, soak it in like feeling the sun on your skin after a very looooooong winter. I have had a few wonderful things show up in the past 3 weeks and it is just astonishing that I have to pinch myself. The more you're in the moment and feeling good then the best is yet to come. HAVE faith, hope and trust in yourself.

So take that moment, dwell in that morning ritual, that great conversation with a friend or cuddling with your favourite animal. All your dreams and anything you can imagine will definitely come true. AND sometimes in even better ways than you could have ever thought were possible.

I hope this serves you.

Your Designer,

Amanda Garrett


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Accessories: Every Detail Matters

In the summer of last year I had the amazing opportunity to work with such a wonderful bride. Her dress needed some alterations and she wanted to add some accessories that made her feel so incredible on her wedding day.

She had been nervous and had some doubts about the dress before the alterations. When your body changes during and after pregnancy, it can be hard not to worry about how clothes look on you now compared to what that used to be. Let me tell you though, my biggest goal is to help you look and FEEL absolutely beautiful inside and out. After altering and adding a fabulous sash to her dress, as well as, making a hair piece to complete the ensemble. She was absolutely stunning! But see for yourself.

Photo Credit: Picture Pro Studios

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Lifestyle: Resistance

What you resist persists. - Carl Jung

Have you ever found yourself avoiding something, a conversation, a decision or a feeling? Resistance is definitely part of being a human, but when do you finally let it go? Did you know that when you do, it can feel like a huge weight is lifted? Like all of a sudden you can see clearly now. Any time I release resistance to something, that song 'I can see clearly now', pops into my head. Honestly, because once I released a relationship that was holding me back, while I was driving to work I finally said okay I'm done. The song came on the radio and a truck drove past that said FINALLY.. serious the universe is amazing at providing guidance and signs we just have to let it flow. 

When we're stuck, we put up a wall that block our connected-ness. This may sound heady or woo-woo to some but when you believe in a power greater than yourself and you allow it to come in, to take the burden, something incredible happens. You experience a miracle. Miracles don't have to be these massive changes, it can just be a small shift that gets you from feeling stuck to feeling clear.

Lately, I have been resisting my own stuff a lot, something that has followed me for so long. Relationships for me have been very hard at times. My ego trips a lot, and I find it hard to breath at times. I have lived in the projections my mind created about relationships(family, friend or romantic), and I believe them. "I'm not enough", "I'm going to be left all alone", "Who am I to be happy?", "What's wrong with me?" etc, etc. Then the blame shows up, something doesn't happen, they don't call or text me and I get upset and all of the above happens.  Disappointment can be a dark place if you let it, and you get mad at the other person, projecting your shit onto them. 

SO I believe that every person in your life is like an "assignment", for us to learn, grow, and heal.  It will keep showing up, in different relationships or circumstances until it is healed. When I take a step back and say, "how can I grow here?", it allows my inner guide to take the lead a little bit. A mantra or prayer like, "Thank you, inner guide(god, universe, spirit, source etc), for helping me see this with love".  Then a meditation to get still and allow any guidance to come in. Just by doing this, I feel light and more grounded. CHOOSING not to stay in my mind and rather let the fear sit in the back seat, no driving allowed, it can't even touch the radio. This allows me to react in a calm way instead of allowing my frustration to take control of any conversation. I am able to shift, even a little bit out of what I had been resisting, and oh what a feeling. When the anxiety drops, there's just relief. 

This then leads me to books like Gabby Bernsteins 'Spirit Junkie' or listening to something from Abraham Hicks. Whatever I need I am guided to and you will be guided to also. BUT you have to be willing to see things differently, to ask and sit in patience for what you really are needing. The universe has your back, you just have to allow yourself to lean on it.

I hope this serves you.

Your Designer,

Amanda Garrett

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Dress Making Report: I LOOOOOVE Gold!

Twelve yards of sparkly golden tulle was spread all over my studio floor as I began to create this ahhhhhmazing skirt for a photo shoot at the end of January. This soft yet BOLD fabric left an imprint on me ❤. Everything in my house is now covered in golden sparkles, but who doesn't love a little bit of that kind of dust!

The shoot was fantastic, I love working with like minded and creative people! Whimsical with an edge, this skirt was brought to life as the model put it on. Her make-up done by Sacha was fierce and beautiful, she has an incredible way of enhancing everything she touches. Thank you so much for including me and I can't wait to do a little something more with this golden beauty.

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Lifestyle: Self Care

Hello Sunshine!

Do you ever feel really tired after working your butt off all week, or even running none stop for a whole day?  That's your body saying, "Let's rest," my love. There were long periods of time that I used to go, go, go and do everything that I had to do including things that others asked of me. After my concussion in the summer, learning to say no was an absolute must. Almost 6 months later, and still having symptoms, I have to really pay attention to my body and how much I can do. It really was a blessing though, because now I listen when I am exhausted instead of trying to do more and pushing myself way too hard.  Sleep is incredibly important whether you have a head injury or not, it allows us to regenerate and be able to go full force again.

Take time for YOU, every week or better yet every single day, so that you can be the best you there is! We can not help anyone if we don't take care of ourselves first. I know, I know easier said than done sometimes, but just learn that you are just as important as anyone or anything else. 

Have a relaxing night with someone you love, friends, family whoever that may be. Do some yoga, or an exercise that moves your body where you feel relaxed and nurtured after. Meditate, have a nap, go to bed early, whatever you need to do, DO IT! I promise you will get all the things you need done and even better when you do this for yourself. 

Oh yeah, and LAUGH, get that funny bone tickled! Laughter helps every cell in your body feel ecstatic, so watch that HI-larious comedy or cat video. You'll thank yourself later.

So much love for you my friend.

I hope this serves you.


Your Designer,

Amanda Garrett



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Dress Making Report: Oh my Lace

Who doesn't just LOVE lace?! It is definitely one of my favourite fabric, it comes in all different textures, weights and colours. You can use it to dress up any dress, top, skirt, or even jean shorts. When your a designer fabric shopping is your happy place. Where you can find that perfect one to create something basically out of nothing.

Every single time I shop for a client and I find that exact fabric I was looking for, O-M-G such an awesome feeling! I know she's going to love it and it gets us so much closer to making all her dress dreams come true. Now, some clients can be very vague when it comes to the fabric, colour etc and others can be so specific, I may have to dig through piles and bins to find that needle in a hay stack. BUT, when finding that exact colour in the lace overlay and lets say a satin underlay, it's like the universe knew I would go crazy if I don't get exactly what I am looking.

That's when this amazing dress for a Momma on her baby's baptism day was born! I love the uniqueness of this dress and oh that keyhole back. My client loved it oh so much.

"Getting my custom dress from Amanda was great. The dress was made for my daughters baptism and I received a lot of compliments on it! Having two kids doesn't leave me with a lot of time but Amanda was accommodating knowing this. She also altered and changed the bow on my older daughters dress to match my dress. My whole family matched :) The Dress made me feel pretty and it was very comfy. What's great is, it can be altered if I ever need because it's custom! Love it!" 
- Catherine Spagnuolo

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Lifestyle: Self talk

Hiya Beautiful!


DO any of these sound familiar? 

I am stupid.
I am ugly.
I hate my thighs.
I am not enough.
I am useless.
I am so fat.
I hate my hair.
I'm not good at anything.
I can never win.
My nose is huge.
No don't take my picture, I look awful.

I've been having a lot of conversations with people in my life about negative self talk. I hear it all the time, and hey I'm totally guilty of it in some cases too. I work on this every day. Some days are harder than others. WE talk so poorly about ourselves at times, we do not realize how much it hurts.

I asked a friend who said she hated her legs, how she would feel if someone walked up to her and said that. HER face said it all, pretty friggen horrible! So why do we say these things to ourselves? They become subconscious after a while. Even with all the work I have done I still have that, I am not enough thought show up. Depending on the situation I can either easily shift and choose that I am enough or I get stuck. Creating problems that may not even exist. 

When this happens changing your words towards yourself is incredibly important. If I look in the mirror and say "ugh I've gained so much weight." I now say towards my body, "Thank you for the ability to choose my health." At first it is really hard, know that eventually it gets easier. When you show up for yourself and witness your thoughts, your life will change. HOW you treat yourself and others will get better and even how they treat you will change.

Mantras are very useful especially with negative self talk. Any time I'm fearful (anxious, panicking, frustrated etc), finding words that feel good like, I choose to feel better now, I choose peace over this or just simply I love you/Thank you. Repeat the words that help you feel a little better over and over, until you know you're shifting. Breath. Step back. And really feel what's going on, this is all part of the self-love process.

If you're willing to heal, grow and learn, you will be able to continue to move forward in the best possible way. Yes, there will be great resistance at times but, just remember you're human, you are a magnificent being with extraordinary potential. Big Love my friends.

I hope this serves you.


Your Designer,

Amanda Garrett


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Canada's Bridal Show

Hello Sunshine,

How grateful am I! On January 6th - 8th I had the pleasure of being apart of Canada's Bridal Show for the very first time. THIS has been the biggest show in Canada running now for 32 years! It was a complete success my friends. To all those who joined us, a huge thank you. 

My team was unbelievable, getting the word out about A.M.E.G. Designs and helping each women get one step closer to her dream dress. I have emails pouring in with requests for quotes and so many beauties have been added to the list, YAY!

Each person in my life leading up to and during the show were amazing too! Getting me closer to my vision and checking in every day, thank you to all my supporters, each of you are so wonderful.

There was a contest for a custom head piece or veil with a very lucky, excited winner who is now thinking of all the ideas she can so we can create something beautiful for her special day! Each dress shown in the pictures were a hit! I debuted a plus size model (the only one at the show), so every women could really see the difference in size and what A.M.E.G. Designs really offers. A perfect fit for every body! 

Overall I have no complaints, meeting so many wonderful vendors as well as brides, I am so excited to see what this year has to unfold. Wishing you a very Happy New Year lovelies!

Your Designer,

Amanda Garrett

Christmas Gifts a Plenty

Hello Lovely,

The Christmas holidays were filled with so much love and food, family and friends.  This year I created most of the gifts for my loved ones, and you know what, it felt so much better then buying anything ever has. NOT to say that it doesn't mean as much to pick out a present that will be just as a appreciated, but I really felt the thanks when each of them found out I made their gift. It wasn't anything extravagant, place mats for the adults, all of them loved that I took the time to create something just for them. My Nana received a beautiful purple infinity scarf and was so very happy with it, I chose the fabric because it was so her. A few blankets for the kids and their reactions were priceless "this is my favouitest blanket ever" one proclaimed and the other jumped up and down as he squealed. Pjs for the boys, which were a bit too loooooong for 11 year olds but hemming can always be fixed (thank goodness) but overall I think they were appreciated. Baking is always a hit as well, truffles and snickerdoodles for one and all!   

I really realized that we don't need to over spend and get super stressed about money. It's the little things, like creating a gift or just spending time with one another that truly counts. My family and friends are so generous, I am so very thankful for all that I received over Christmas. Definitely the season of giving! Hoping your Holiday season was filled with so much love, that you feel full and excited to greet the  new year with joy and enthusiasm.