Oops and Daisies

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My 10 Favorite Books From the 59 I Read in 2025

January 1, 2026 by Liz SanFilippo Hall Leave a Comment

Favorite Books of 2025

I almost hit my Goodreads reading challenge in 2025: 60 books read in 2025! (I was only one shy, and I blame the fact that I typically read two to three books at a time). Even so, as usual, I read a huge variety of books, from middle-grade fiction with my kids to lengthy fantasy books based on incredible worlds.  So, out of these 59, which were my favorites? Keep reading for a round-up and why … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Uncategorized, Writing, Books, & Resources Tagged With: book reviews, books, historical fiction, inspiration, middle grade fiction, young adult fiction

Oops, Daisies, and Dreams: Interview with Author J.M. Guilfoyle

December 3, 2025 by Liz SanFilippo Hall

J.M. Guilfoyle

A supportive writing community can make a world of difference in an author’s journey, and that’s precisely where I met Jenn, who publishes under J.M. Guilfoyle. Our local writing group hosts more than just educational monthly meetings; the group features a number of “paths,” based around interests. From a critiquing group to a tech path (which Jenn leads), there are an incredible amount of ways to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Interviews with Creative Moms, More than Mama, Work From Home, Writing tips Tagged With: author, creativity, interview, interviews with creative moms, j.m. guilfoyle, types of writing, writing advice, writing community

5 Gift Ideas to Encourage Creativity in Kids

November 28, 2025 by Liz SanFilippo Hall

5 Gift Ideas to Encourage Creativity in Kids

One corner of our house is bursting with art supplies, the drawers full of colored pencils, markers, beads, pipe cleaners, construction paper, and oh so many odds and ends. The kids use all of our random art supplies when they just want to explore and experiment. That alone can be an incredible way to encourage creativity in kids.  But sometimes kids just want a project to play with, or to test … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: art set, arts and crafts, Christmas, creativity, drawing, gift guide, gift ideas, life with kids, sensory kits, stem kits

Network Marketing was a Mistake… But I Don’t Regret It (Completely)

November 7, 2025 by Liz SanFilippo Hall

I used to sell makeup through network marketing.  Oof, that felt a bit hard to admit! The industry as a whole is controversial, and I get that. To some, it seems scammy and annoying. To others, it feels empowering and a great way to earn financial freedom on your own terms.  It was that second part that got me. When my first was born, money was tight. I had gone from working full-time to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Inspiration, Journaling, Network Marketing, WAHM Life, Work From Home Tagged With: creativity, direct sales, energy, freelance writing, journal, mindset, network marketing, work from home, work from home jobs

Oops, Daisies, & Dreams: An Interview Series with Creative Moms

October 30, 2025 by Liz SanFilippo Hall

When the kitchen is overflowing with dishes, the toys are everywhere except put away, and the calendar is jam-packed with work, school, and extracurricular activities, it can be hard to imagine doing anything other than ‘surviving.’  But there are moms who have carved out a creative space for themselves in this world.  Maybe they’ve incorporated their creativity into their own … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Interviews with Creative Moms, More than Mama, WAHM Life, Work From Home Tagged With: creative moms, creativity, inspiration, interview, mindset, mom life, more than mom, oops daisies and dreams, self-doubt, wahm

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Recent Posts

  • My 10 Favorite Books From the 59 I Read in 2025 January 1, 2026
  • Oops, Daisies, and Dreams: Interview with Author J.M. Guilfoyle December 3, 2025
  • 5 Gift Ideas to Encourage Creativity in Kids November 28, 2025
  • Network Marketing was a Mistake… But I Don’t Regret It (Completely) November 7, 2025
  • Oops, Daisies, & Dreams: An Interview Series with Creative Moms October 30, 2025

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oopsanddaisies

Developmental Editor | Creative Writer & Author | Coach
Just an imperfect mom trying to inspire and support women who want to write and create 👇

Do you remember your first big writing “accompli Do you remember your first big writing “accomplishment”?I don’t even remember what the short story was about, but I do remember opening the envelope. The letter had been printed because this was around 1994.I had won.The arts council chose my story—mine—for an award, and they were honoring me at an upcoming reception. They liked my story!!! The sheer fact that someone enjoyed my writing thrilled me… but I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. I put the letter on the counter and left it there.My mom found it later that day. “You won?!” she had asked me. “Why didn’t you tell me?”Decades later, I honestly still don’t know. I was beyond proud of myself… but I didn’t want to toot my own horn. I knew my parents would find out, eventually, because, duh, of course I wanted to go to the reception, but for some reason, I just didn’t want to make a big deal out of it.Writers, have you ever had a reaction like this to one of your accomplishments?#LizsWritingJourney #WritingLife #SelfDoubt #ShortStory
3 signs your writing spark is still there… waiti 3 signs your writing spark is still there… waiting for you to be ready. #MomLife #LifeWithKids #Writing
I launched my in-person journaling workshop today! I launched my in-person journaling workshop today!We’re harnessing the power of journaling to unlock our voices and stories. Week one was all about different ways to journal that I have personally used many, many times over the years. We talked about 10 different techniques and put one of them into practice… can you guess what the 10 are?#WritingLife #Journaling #YourStoryMatters
Ready to make some big progress with your writing Ready to make some big progress with your writing this year? But feel like you need some accountability? I’m hosting a free Creative Writing Accountability Club every Thursday, starting 1/8 at 10:30 am Central. Think of it as a co-writing space, where the only goal is to give ourselves permission to sit down and work on our writing projects. We’ll start the hour with super quick intros, then spend at least 40 minutes working in silence together. Who this is for:* Anyone who wants to make progress with their creative writing in the new year. * Anyone tired of *thinking* about their ideas and ready to get them onto the page. * Anyone ready to work on their writing. Rules: 1. Show up on time 2. Be supportive of one another. That’s it! When you show up, you’re showing up for your goals. We’re aiming for progress, not perfection, during this Creative Writing Accountability Club.Interested in joining? Send me your email address!#WritingCommunity #NewYearGoals #CreativeWriting
I may have already posted my 2025 wrapped, but I I  may have already posted my 2025 wrapped, but I feel like I need to give a special shoutout to the things I was up to in December specifically. Because, if I’m being honest, I’m spending a whole lot more time focused on writing projects… both paid and (currently) unpaid ones (like drafting and editing my New Adult manuscript). 2026 is the year I publish more… which means I’m pitching more. Writing more. Editing more. More of everything I love to do!So, what work-related “accomplishments” did I have in December? Here are some of them: * Completed my first editing project for a Big 5 publisher* Launched my 28-Day Creative Spark Workbook digital download for moms who want to write* Drafted a poetry collection (43 pages and counting!)* Started conducting interviews with people about creativity and how they fit self-expression into their busy lives (if you want to chat, message me)* Wrote myself an editorial letter and started to dive into developmental edits for my NA contemporary manuscript* Published one post over on OopsAndDaisies.com* Inched forward on my content audit of all my past publications (this is taking longer than I expected, because, let’s be honest, it’s at the bottom of my list right now)* Sent out multiple pitches for literary essays to a variety of publications and anthologies* Applied to multiple grants to scale Oops & Daisies* Announced Sparks & Scribbles, a free 12-week writing challenge over on Bluesky - we started today; come join us!So much writing and creating is going on! Cheers to the new year and giving ourselves permission to carve out time for the things that fire us up.*** Hi, I’m Liz, and I’m a creative writer who is learning to step out of her own way. I’m also an editor and creativity coach who helps people and companies tell and share their stories. Interested in working with me? I’d love to hear from you.#WritingProcess #CreativeWriting #LizsWritingJourney #WorksInProgress
Why yes, I did write an editorial letter to myself Why yes, I did write an editorial letter to myself. Before I dive into developmental edits for my own New Adult contemporary book this week, I wrote a letter similar to the ones I write for my clients. I always start off with what I like about a manuscript, and, not gonna lie, it felt pretty nice to compliment myself and what I like about the book, even if it was a super messy draft zero!#WritingLife #BookInProgress #AmEditing
I filled six journals in 2025. Most of them are fu I filled six journals in 2025. Most of them are full of random musings, small moments in time I wanted to remember, nuggets for stories and poems, and anything and everything I felt called to record. And most days? I only wrote in these journals for 15 minutes a day! (With the occasional late night hour-plus sprint). I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: journaling is a lifeline for me, my way of figuring out what I think and why I think and the list goes on. Do you journal? Why or why not? #MomLife #Journaling #2025Wrapped #WritingLife
It felt like just about nothing went as planned th It felt like just about nothing went as planned this year… so I have some thoughts as we close out 2025. #2025Wrapped #MomLife #NewYear #WritingLife #DreamBig
What ‘mode’ are you in right now? With my kid What ‘mode’ are you in right now?With my kids home on winter break, I’m in 100% creator/artist mode. We’re doing art projects, making vision boards, doodling, painting, and, of course, I’m working on my creative writing. Sometimes together, sometimes side by side, sometimes in totally different rooms. But either way, this ‘quiet’ week is one of creation, making messes, and having fun.Next week, I’ll return to CEO mode and dive into client projects as well as growing my blog/writing & editing business.I love this concept of balancing artist mode with CEO mode. Amy Suto @sutoscience talks quite a bit about it in her motivational book, “Write for Money and Power,” which comes out in January. As she says, “Love alone won’t sell your book, build your audience, or fund your next creative sprint. Passion without systems equals burnout. Enter the dance between Artist Mode and CEO mode.”So, which mode are you in right now?#Creativity #ArtistMode #MomLife #AmWriting
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