When we have The Blogcademy on home turf — meaning New York (where I live), London (Kat’s home) or Portland (Shauna’s stomping ground) — none of us will admit it, but we get a bit competitive. We want to have the coolest venue, the raddest students, the best photographs, so we can say OUR city was the best. And, well, look. I’m sorry Shauna, I’m sorry Kat… But I think New York kicked London and Portland’s asses!

There are a few reasons why…

The venue. Oh my STARS. Rent Patina was the perfect arena and then some. They rent furniture and props out for weddings, events and parties, and as you can imagine, their entire space is like one big treasure hunt. Their ginormous warehouse space in Bushwick is crammed full of exquisite vintage furniture and precious knick-knacks, then flooded with light. Right outside, you’re faced with some of the best street art in the city.

As you scroll through the pictures, you will understand!

The Rent Patina babes are mistresses of the perfect vignette… A fact which was reinforced when, a few days later, we shot with them! (Yes, that is foreshadowing!)

Oh hey, it’s just some boxes, cameras and books, artfully arranged.

This really needs to be what my living room looks like.

Too good.

I dare say, it’s hard to go back to folding chairs after a spread like this!

“The two days that I spent furiously scribbling notes at The Blogcademy were the equivalent of an amazing thrift shop score/non-substance induced unicorn sighting/beautifully manic sugar high, without the crash.” (Tracy Poppers)

Our blogcadettes. Every class is a delight, but there is definitely some hometown pride at play when you get a group like this. What amazing women. Girl crushes for everyone!

Thysha signed up for class on Saturday morning (!!!), and hot-footed it over to Brooklyn to join us! We’re so glad she came!

Stephanie is too cool. She turned up in a unicorn horn, for crying out loud!

You know you’re fucking fabulous when you have your very own wind machine.

Kristin, Kat, Lola and Stephanie strike a pose.

I found a kindred spirit in Madelin. And how badass does she look in those Tumi sunglasses?!

Jasika has one of the greatest laughs!

Nicole wears those ears, they don’t wear her!

Shauna and I getting up close and personal during activity time.

“It was great to be in a room full of women who are serious about blogging. I was shy about exposing my little blog to the world because there are so many improvements to be made. However, I left Sunday with an arsenal of resources, a clear vision of where I want my blog to go and how I am going to get there. I might wear my blogcadette ears every day to keep my journey glittery and fun!” (Rosanna)

Our assistants. Dude. We are eternally indebted to Nikki and Hillary for doing everything they possibly could to help us out during this insane weekend.

Nikki is our MAIN BABE in New York City. No one is more helpful, takes more initiative or has more sass. Nikki helped us out at our first ever class in New York, and we adore her so much that we invited her back! She also looks damn good in a glitter crown (thanks, Paige Lavoie!).

Thank the heavens for Hillary Weiss, Nikki’s brilliant accomplice, Instagram pro and wearer of holographic sneakers.

“Hands down, the best experience I’ve had – from learning, making new friends, and finding MY kind of people.” (Kristin Antosz)

Our sponsors, who always turn it out. I think this was one of our best goodie bags yet… And even better, the front of it was emblazoned with a turquoise Empire State Building!

Who could say no to a Cicely Margo ring pop?!

Everyone got a teeny tin of delightful perfume from Milk And Honey Naturals.

Rosanna balances some Zevia on her noggin…

I am SO IN LOVE with these glitter heart pouches from Alphabet Bags! I’ve been filling mine up with lipstick and jewels.

Sparklebeast created these necklaces exclusively for our blogcadettes! And Alexis is a natural model.

“The Blogcademy is fucking life-changing. I sold half of my wardrobe (no joke) in order to attend and I’d sell the other half and show up in nothing but my undies and black eyeliner ten times over: these women are legit. Their energy is through the roof. Their knowledge is powerful. Their commitment is palpable. And they will give you the necessary kick in the ass you need to own your identity, no matter how scary that might be. Between the sparkles, sea of hair colors, and resounding tribal spirit, I kept waiting for Jessie J to burst through the window on a Tarzan rope belting out ‘Just be true to who you are’. (I wouldn’t put it past these three. I believe them capable of anything). But all in all, whether you have to walk 500 miles, subsist on Ramen noodles for a month, or fly on a broomstick to get there…GO. Stop thinking about it. GO. I kid not when I say it will alter the course of your professional career and, by extension, your life.” (Madelin Smith)

Our photographer. June Cochran is our new favourite person. She flew all the way from Hawaii to shoot our class! She made us look amazing, too… No mean feat in a 100 degree room!

Shauna, hard at work preaching the branding gospel.

With our scholarship winner, Kirstin!

“Lol!”

Now that’s a class photo!

YAY!

What a fabulous class. If you’d like to attend our next one, our last US-based date for the year is in Austin in August. After that, we’re hitting up London, Brisbane, Melbourne, Auckland, and Melbourne again!

If you’d LOVE to come but don’t have the budget, don’t despair! We give out a scholarship to one person in each class. Just come up with something creative — a blog post, a video, a drawing, whatever! — and post it to our Facebook page. We pick the winners a month before the actual event, which gives you a week to make an Austin entry!

Thank you to all our blogcadettes — you make our world go ’round! — and to the whole team for putting this together! HIGH-FIVE!

Still daydreaming about tufted sofas,