Baroque Gothic Splendour… The Blogcademy: Minneapolis At Public Functionary!

The Blogcademy: Minneapolis at Public Functionary

After a night pontoon cruisin’ on Lake Minnetonka, a day strolling around uptown and a cheese curd fest at Psycho Suzi’s, we were well and truly ready to teach a class full of babes.

When we arrived at Public Functionary early on Saturday morning, we didn’t know what to expect. Owned by a friend of my friend, all I knew was that it was a recently-opened art gallery that had been funded by Kickstarter. (Pretty cool.) I expected to show up and be confronted with a big, white, empty room.

…But the joke was on us, because we walked into an opulent, gothic baroque daydream. There was crimson shag carpet on the walls, golden stencilled wallpaper and a 20 foot chandelier boxed up in a packing crate. Trisha, the owner, apologised… But we loved it. It was SO cool, and so unexpected!

I think Marilyn Manson would have approved. (What will it take to get him to one of our classes?!)

The Blogcademy: Minneapolis at Public FunctionaryWhen Shauna first sent us the boat design for Minneapolis, we didn’t really get it… But after experiencing lake life, we do now! (If I lived in the Twin Cities, I think I would get L-A-K-E-L-I-F-E as knuckle tattoos.)

The Blogcademy: Minneapolis at Public FunctionaryWe couldn’t resist this disco ball balloon… Or Alex in a pair of ears!

The Blogcademy: Minneapolis at Public FunctionaryAmber won our scholarship… Remember, we offer one for each class!

The Blogcademy: Minneapolis at Public FunctionaryAlexandra Franzen was an amazing addition to our class, and had so much juicy info to share!

The Blogcademy: Minneapolis at Public FunctionaryIt’s a proven fact: Crown And Glory ears help you think during activities.

The Blogcademy: Minneapolis at Public FunctionaryKatie cuted us all out with her flower crown.

The Blogcademy: Minneapolis at Public FunctionaryCheck out that goodie bag bulging with treats!

The Blogcademy: Minneapolis at Public FunctionaryThank you to Crown & Glory for the ears, The Young Aesthetic for our chandelier-esque crystal necklaces, Cicely Margo for our rainbow-coloured ring pops, Classic Hardware for delicate but edgy earrings, Tumi for the sunglasses, and Casetagram for the custom phone case vouchers! Spoiled rotten!

The Blogcademy: Minneapolis at Public FunctionaryFrequently asked questions: “Do you guys coordinate your outfits?” Um… Definitely!

The Blogcademy: Minneapolis at Public FunctionaryOur Minneapolis group was so sweet!

“There’s a lot of noise & nonsense out there about how to become a “professional blogger.” The Blogcademy headmistresses bring it back down to the beautiful basics: Killer content. Artful packaging. Consistent posting. Personality & charm. If you’re a baby blogger, consider this workshop your official initiation. If you’re a seasoned pro, think of it as your finishing school. Gala, Shauna & Kat walk their talk — and blog their walk. A weekend well spent? No question, for me. Get thee to The Blogcademy!” (Alexandra Franzen)

You know, I used to think that The Blogcademy was about teaching bloggers how to get ‘er done: straight-up tactics, plain ol’ strategy. But recently I had a revelation.

The Blogcademy is really about encouraging women to have a voice. We help babes step up and claim their piece of the blogosphere. We urge women to demand their worth and to push harder. We champion individuality and coax ladies out of their comfort zone.

The feeling of support between everyone in the room is strong, and it doesn’t just fade away after class is finished. After our recent NYC reunion, Blogcademy success story Latanya said…

“I realized that the Blogcademy was more than just a two day workshop but a sisterhood. I already had an overwhelming feeling of unity between all of the wonderful women I have met and continue to meet because of the Blogcademy. This feeling is so strong. Like, Incredible Hulk strong.” (Latanya Rene)

She’s right. After spending an intense two days together, we feel like we know one another… And we’re all invested in each other’s success. Our blogcadettes know they can come to us anytime for help, and they have an in-built blogging posse that isn’t just constrained to the one class they attended; they’re part of a badass club that includes all our students.

When it comes to blogging, I think your success is my success… And vice versa! That’s one of the best things about Blogcademy, and it’s what I’m most proud of.

Girl power! Like, actual, REAL girl power!

Photographs by Gene Oh.