Melbourne, you are one amazing city (and not just because you know how to make the best chai lattes in the universe).
I’ll admit it, I was a little thrown off by the first few days of our trip, though — to say that it got off to a rocky start is a slight understatement. So rocky in fact that Kat and I comforted each other the night before class, sipping wine in bed and falling asleep to Michael Bolton videos on Youtube (there’s nothing quite like a familiar voice to soothe your soul). When you’re traveling and a handful of things go awry, it can feel like the end of the world without the usual comforts of home nearby.
I woke up for class the next morning, hoping for the best and then…we ended up in a traffic jam like no other. But boy oh boy, all my worries disappeared when I sauntered into The Establishment Studios.
Housed behind a totally nondescript door was a treasure trove of props, colorfully painted walls and enough furniture to outfit an entire boutique hotel.
To me, it was the equivalent of winning the prop lottery. Industrial racks filled the far corner of the space lined with antique dishes, vases, taxidermy, wallpaper, books and every trinket imaginable. You could basically be the star of Instagram if you had this haul in real life.
And, our class. Our class! Their sense of style blew my basic black dress and sneakers away. And, their personalities shined just as brightly — just check out that class photo below!
Cath and Steph had flown in from Port Douglas, a.k.a. the ultimate paradise. I loved these two — their big smiles and great questions livened up the front row.
What’s a class without a few ridiculous selfies as keepsakes?! Kobi, Anna and Tillie were instant BFF’s.
Some of our still life compositions got….ahem, very creative.
I don’t remember my class photos EVER being this lively. I mean, if school was this fun, I never would have wanted it to end.
WORK IT, GIRL.
On breaks, we took full advantage of this gorgeous white room, covering it in confetti. On my to-do list for this year is to practice my throw — that robotic stance isn’t the most welcoming!
Green Press brought by oodles of delicious juices and dear lord, I want a case of the almond vanilla sea salt flavor. If they ever make it to the Northern Hemisphere, I’ll be the first in line. #fangirl
By the end of the two days, our class was ready to move in and make the prop studio our permanent residence. Oh, maybe that was just me. 😉
Melbourne, I love you. I love your alleys, your array of well-branded juice bars, arcades of random shops, your appreciation of a well-blended chai and your beautiful walls of graffiti.
Special thanks to our Melbourne sponsors including: Brand Me for the mugs and colored pencils, Reeta Krishna for the WordPress For Beginners books, Pepper Ink for the tattoo transfers, Fizzy Bunting for the confetti, Violent Maiden for the eyeshadows, and of course, Crown and Glory for the sparkly ears (an absolute necessity).
Branded Photo Booth strips? Nothing is better than coming to class….and having your favorite vice waiting for you. Thanks to The Photo Booth Guys for making dreams come true (hire them for your next party — their setup has an INSTAGRAM PRINTER!)
We’re only doing six in-person classes this year (because an online version of our workshop is launching on January 29th!) so if you want to join us, learn in person and get some extra one-on-one feedback about your blog and small business, here are the cities to make that happen in:
LOS ANGELES
February 28 – 1, 2015
LONDON
June 13 – 14, 2015
SAN FRANCISCO
September 12 – 13, 2015
NEW YORK
September 19 – 20, 2015
MELBOURNE
December 5 – 6, 2015
SYDNEY
December 12 – 13, 2015
Come on out — I can’t wait to meet you in person!
Venue: The Establishment Studios.
Photographers: Urban Safari and Madeline Kate.