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 6, 2022
Welcome to Part One of our two-part home office renovation series. We take you from idea conception to, well, the giant hole in our house. This project — like most of our projects — was a long time coming and an even longer time desired. Before the reno, our (now) bright and airy office was […]
July 6, 2022
I decided to come back to writing here. But, I’m writing with no agenda, no expectation, and — most importantly — no pressure or promise. I’ll start by writing in a journal and then transcribing what I wrote here, mistakes and all. If I add something as I type (which I’m sure I will), I’ll […]
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 12, 2022
One of my favorite things about having a camera in my hand is that I can create magic out of “ordinary” moments. I guess I wouldn’t really consider these moments ordinary since Sam’s whole family doesn’t get the chance to be in one place super often—usually only a few times a year—but the idea still […]
October 8, 2021
The 2021 Woodworking Shop Tour with Sam is here! This is a tour of his two car garage work shop where he creates Shadow Boxes and gets after whatever I’ve thrown on his honey-do house list! Sam made this video per the request of Burlington City Arts. He has been working with them to get […]
May 23, 2021
The most recent Sam Macy Designs youtube video shares 9 tips for a successful art show. These are things we learned through trial, error, and a lot of question asking! We get it, if you’re an artist trying to book your first show it can be overwhelming to know where to begin. We suggest starting […]
April 4, 2021
The Sam Macy Designs Shelburne Farms Collection is complete. It is now hanging in Burlington and Shelburne Vermont. Check out the videos for a behind the scenes look at the pieces in the collection, how they were made and where you can find them. Shelburne Farms Collection Trailer Before Sam began building his seven-piece collection, […]
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 […]
