Last week, we received this wonderful email from one of our incredible scholarship winners, MJ Valentine.  It was so fantastic that we just had to share it with you.  This is the power of The Blogcademy!

Hi there beautiful Headmistresses,

I’m typing this sitting on the floor in Melbourne airport, after my four most magical days since the Blogcademy back in November. After having only spent two days with the other Blogcadettes last year, I am literally floored by the tremendous love that has grown between us all.

Ashley threw a Blogcadette Roof Top party at her house, just because I was coming to town. We ate glitter-covered cake pops supplied by Michelle, who I was overjoyed to learn has upped the ante on her blog and launched her cupcake business course, which is going global this year. Pearl and I giggled over sex stories and champagne. Lisa came with me to see a stage play in North Melbourne and Brittany and I doubled a sleepover at my hotel with tickets to a burlesque show. I trawled art galleries and ate cupcakes with Millicent and talked iClouding with Lemon.

I am so filled with love and massive, extraordinary happiness for my Blogcadettes. I have never in my life felt such a shocking connection with such a large group of women. It’s been months since I last saw them, but it may as well have been minutes. I know, more than anything else, I have finally found my tribe. And that’s the only thing I’ve ever really wanted.

I can’t express my gratitude to the three of you. If it weren’t for you, I’d be winding up a dull day in the office right about now, feeling miserable and uninspired. It’s so weird – I’m not religious, and yet I feel amazingly, undoubtedly blessed. I’m heading back to Adelaide with the kind of fire in my heart that tears down walls, creates insane art, burns away fear and liberates nations.

I owe everything to you three and I don’t know how I could ever repay you. My Blogcadettes are some of the best people in my life. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

MJ Valentine xxx

Photo by Corey Sleap.

Calling all party people! Got an eye for detail? A flair for the dramatic? A yearning to put the “arty” in party? We need you!

The Blogcademy is growing, and we’re looking for someone to help ensure our events are fun, beautiful, and run seamlessly. We’re on the search for an Events Coordinator!

(This is a virtual position, but if you’re based in the USA, we’d love to work with you in person.)

You will be responsible for…
+ Researching and securing a great venue
+ Managing and liaising with sponsors and vendors
+ Coming up with a vision for how the event should look and feel
+ Sourcing any decor items
+ Coordinating with florists, caterers, etc.

In a perfect world, you…
+ Are familiar with The Blogcademy and what we do
+ Have drop-dead style
+ Hold yourself to exceptionally high standards
+ Are a quick and efficient communicator
+ Have events experience (not essential, but preferred)

Right now, we’re looking for someone to help us plan one event. Let’s see how it pans out from there! Pay is commensurate with experience.

To apply, email headmistresses@theblogcademy.com with an introduction and your résumé. What do you think you can bring to our team? We are less interested in what you have done than what you envision doing for us. Dazzle us with your creative vision!

The deadline for applications is 1st February 2014, and you can click here to download a PDF about the role.

Best of luck, and we can’t wait to hear from you!

The snow is falling, our homes smell like pine needles, and hot chocolate is becoming one of our major food groups. This can only mean one thing: Christmas is on its way!

We’d be miserable headmistresses if we weren’t celebrating it with all of you. And guess what? We have four more Blogcademy goodie bags to give away!

Every bag has its own special mix of treats from our favourite sponsors. Handbags from Iron Fist, pouches from Basik855, sparkly nail-polish from Lex Cosmetics, jewellery from Moorea Seal, glittery shoe clips from Head Full of Feathers, ring pop rings from Cicely Margo, glitter hair bows by MARGRAVINE x Sewmaryann, greeting cards by Mr. Yen, scarves from The Pink Samurai and (of course!) glitter ears from Crown and Glory. They’re all up for grabs!

To enter: We have four massive goodie bags, and you can enter to win on either Facebook or Twitter! What we want to know is: in your wildest dreams, what do you hope to do with your blog in 2014?

It’s easy to enter. Like us on Facebook, and leave a comment on this post telling us your blogging goal for next year, share the post on your own page, or follow us on Twitter, and hashtag your blog dream with #theblogcademy!

Each action is a new entry, and you can do it as many times as you like.

Terms and conditions:
Contest is open to everyone over the age of 18, regardless of where you live on the planet (and yes, blogcadettes are welcome to enter, too!) You have until 11.59pm Tuesday the 31st of December, NYC time, to enter. Winners will be notified on Wednesday 1st January via Twitter or Facebook message and will have one week to email us their address to claim their prize. Depending on your home country, you may be liable to pay customs charges to receive your prize. The prize may not be exchanged or transferred and no cash alternative will be offered. Liability cannot be accepted for entries which are lost in transit or not received due to technical difficulties. The Blogcademy’s decision and any decision taken by the promoter is final and no correspondence will be entered into. No purchase necessary.

Much love to you all, and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Do you know that we offer gift certificates for The Blogcademy? I mean, what could be a better surprise for that special blogger in your life?

Buying one is easy, just register for the city of your choice, and then drop us an email letting us know the name of the person you bought it for. We’ll whip you up a lovely certificate that you can print out and hide under their tree!

Happy holidays, everyone!