hi, i'm Ali
Photographer, boy mom, dog mom, chocolate-lover, reader, and wife to a busy maker. I'm the voice you hear and read at Life Outside the Shop. From new project how-to's and DIY home updates to the ins-and-outs of building a family & multiple businesses, Life Outside the Shop shares what is really looks like to figure it out as you go.
July 11, 2024
Snowshoeing into camp is one of our very favorite things to do. And doing it with an almost 11-month-old is a whole different ball game… especially in the middle of a snowstorm. In retrospect, it was too much. If we had Sunday’s 40 and sunny weather on Saturday (30 and heavy snow), it would have […]
April 1, 2024
Every “Saturday after the Saturday after Thanksgiving,” we dawn our winter coats, gloves, and hats, throw the dogs (and now, the baby) in the car, and drive to our favorite off-the-beaten-path Christmas Tree farms to make one of the toughest decisions of the year. I use “off the beaten path” lightly. It is still anyone’s […]
September 4, 2022
Camp is one of our favorite places in the entire world. You can read more about it HERE. We love sharing it with people we love. So, bringing our friends Lex and Sarah with us to hike, hunt, paddle, and enjoy the changing seasons was the perfect way to ring in Fall here in VT.
July 11, 2022
Journal Series #3 It’s easy to get stuck thinking I’ve seen all there is to see around the home we’ve created for ourselves here in St. Albans. It’s also easy to get stuck in a routine and forget how quickly we can throw our paddleboards on the back top of Sam’s truck, text our friends […]
June 14, 2022
You know it was a fun trip to Paris when the post-vacation gallery you share with your sis and friends is categorized as “before wine” and “after wine.” Carrying my nice camera around the city made me a little nervous (given, you know, the wine), so I took most photos on my phone and picked […]
March 8, 2021
Looking for some Shelburne Farms art? Sam Macy Designs is launching its FIRST official collection on March 23rd, 2021 featuring one of Vermont’s most popular places. Collections are inspired by iconic locations, landscapes, and themes so Shelburne Farms was an obvious first choice for us as born-and-bred Vermonters. Here is a sneak peek at what […]
February 17, 2021
Guys, we’ve been sitting on some pretty cute footage of Blue and it seemed about time to put my editing hat back on (for real, it has been a hot minute since this girl opened up Premiere Pro… I felt like I was completely relearning everything) and play around with throwing it together. It is […]
February 1, 2021
Thinking of a camper van honeymoon? Well… so are we! Technically, we’re not just “thinking” anymore since the van is booked and the flight confirmation is sittin’ in my email inbox! But figuring out where to visit and what company to use was #stressful. So, if you’re thinking of renting a campervan exploring out west […]
December 10, 2020
One of our favorite Christmas traditions is Christmas Tree shopping the weekend of (or the weekend after, this year) Thanksgiving. Then, we come home, put on a Christmas movie while we wait for the branches to fall… and put on movie #2 or a bangin’ Michael Blubé Christmas playlist while decorating. Our movies of choice? […]
December 3, 2020
I have a snoring pup on my lap who had the BEST time at camp this holiday weekend. Sam’s parents like to say “we’re all aired out” and that is exactly how we all feel on this sleepy, Sunday afternoon. Sam’s family shares a camp in middle-of-nowhere northern Vermont and it was the perfect place […]
