How to Create Your Own Water Feature: A Simple DIY Garden Project

 

Welcome back,

In today's post, I am sharing with you how to create a water feature for your garden, balcony, or any other outdoor space. 

Below is a photograph of the water feature in our garden. 

My daughter Alicia made it as she is the gardener in our house since my health decided I wouldn't be able to do it anymore. She has always loved gardening, and as a little girl, she helped me. She had her own little tools and gardening gloves, and she loved to go outside every morning to check the progress of "her garden" This is something she still does now as an adult. 

I love that Alicia enjoys gardening. I loved it too. Sadly, since becoming unwell and disabled, I am no longer able to do the gardening, but I enjoy seeing what Alicia has done with it. I go to the garden centre with her to choose new things, and then she loves to show me where she's planted them and how they're doing. It's something we both love. 

Alicia is also growing vegetables this year and really enjoying that too. 

What You'll Need: 

1 Large Planter. 

1 Bowl Style Planter.

1 Solar Water Fountain.

1 Bag Of Compost.

Bedding plants of your choice. 

A hosepipe or watering can. 

We Bought These:

Large Planter - Click me to buy

Bowl Style Planter - Click me to buy

Solar Fountain - Click me to buy

Compost - Click me to buy

Bedding Plants - Click me to buy

Because the large planter is very large, a tip is to either place some cardboard or broken pots, any will do, if you have any chipped mugs you don't want, you can smash them and pop those in, or cut up a pool noodle into 2/3 inch pieces and pop them in the bottom of the planter. This just saves on how much compost you will need to use and is good for drainage. We had a big box from the planters, so Alicia ripped those up and put them in.

How To Make Your Water Feature:

Before starting, put your large planter where you want it in your garden, ensuring it's in a sunny spot. 

1: Drill or use scissors to make quite a few holes in the bottom of the large planter. 

2: Use cardboard, cut up pool noodles, broken pots or plant pots and put them in the bottom of the large planter. 

3: Put the compost into the large planter, leaving a big enough gap to put your bowl planter in. 

4: Once the planter is filling up to where you want the compost, take the bowl planter and put it in the middle of the large planter and add compost around the sides. DO NOT DRILL HOLES IN THE BOWL STYLE PLANTER. 

5: Once you have the amount of compost you want surrounding your bowl planter, plant your bedding plants around the bowl planter in the space around it. 

6: Add water to your bowl planter and water your bedding plants. 

7: Open your solar fountain, read the instructions and pop it in the water. 

8: You may need to swap out the different spray options on your fountain until you find the one you like best. 

9: All done, you now have a water feature. 

10: Alicia added some solar lights in our water feature, it looks lovely at night. 

Our Water Feature At Night:

Total Cost Of Our Water Feature:

Large Planter - £25.00 

Bowl Style Planter - £15.99 

1 Solar Water Fountain - £8.99

1 Bag Of Compost - £8.00 

Bedding plants of your choice - £14.99 

Total = £72.97 

The same costs we had were the two planters and the solar fountain. Our bedding plants were bought at a local garden centre and cost around £10.00, and our compost also came from our local garden centre and was around £6.00. So it was slightly cheaper, but the items I have listed aren't badly priced, as I searched for the best prices.

So, that's how to create a water feature like ours, which is easy to create and looks really pretty. I especially love our water feature at nighttime when it's lit up. Alicia has done such an amazing job, our garden looks so lovely, and she's worked really hard on it, especially since she currently has a broken foot in two places! 

To buy all the items listed, you can find the direct links by clicking HERE.

Do you think you'll create your own water feature? Or do you already have one? I'd love to see if you do have one. 

Thank you for reading, 

Zoë x

Links included in this post are affiliate links, and if you buy something through my links. I may make a small amount of commission. 

The Hidden Harm in ‘Funny’ Christmas Jumpers

Welcome back 

Today’s post is a little different, but it’s about something I’m incredibly passionate about. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ll know that I’m a strong advocate for eating disorder awareness and mental health. The reason for this is deeply personal — my eldest daughter has been suffering from Anorexia Nervosa for the last 21 years. Even after all that time, there still isn’t anywhere near enough awareness surrounding eating disorders, particularly anorexia. Considering it’s the biggest killer of all mental health conditions, that’s just not good enough.

Christmas can be a very difficult time for those suffering from or recovering from an eating disorder. Recently, I saw something that honestly left me stunned, especially in 2025. It was a Christmas jumper on the Next website. I love Next as a brand, and it’s one of my favourite places to shop for clothing, shoes, and homeware, so I was genuinely shocked to see this jumper being sold on their website.

This is the jumper in question:

I am absolutely appalled that this is on sale, not only in Next, a reputable clothing store, but at all, in 2025. Why do we need diet culture rammed down our throats any more than it already is? January is already a minefield of “new year, new you” messaging, but I haven’t seen anything like this before Christmas for quite some time, and certainly not from a brand like Next.

The wording on the jumper is outdated and dangerous. Young children seeing it and asking what it means could lead to unnecessary and potentially harmful conversations. I’ve spoken before about how we talk around children, saying things like “No thank you, I’m being good” when offered cake. Being good? As opposed to what, being bad for eating a piece of cake? Children absorb everything, and this kind of language can plant unhealthy ideas about food and self-worth, especially if they’re already predisposed to mental health struggles.

A slogan implying “eat whatever you want, because it’s Christmas” might sound light-hearted to some, but it’s equally damaging. Because the moment Christmas Day ends, the messaging flips, suddenly we’re told to lose weight, get “summer body ready,” and join slimming clubs. Diet culture goes into overdrive on Boxing Day, and every TV advert seems to be about dieting, “healthy” food ranges, or gym gear.

It’s not just Next, either. Marks & Spencer is just as bad with their food adverts. One minute, it’s all “indulge” and “treat yourself” and we all know the slogan, “It’s not just any Yule Log…” and then, come Boxing Day, it’s all about the M&S “healthy” range. I understand that diet culture is a multi-million-pound industry, but I wish these companies would take a moment to consider the impact this has on people who find this time of year incredibly difficult.

And to release jumpers with slogans like this in October, meaning they’ll be on display for months, just makes it worse.

If the CEO of Next had a child suffering from an eating disorder, would they still think this jumper was acceptable? I doubt it. I’m not saying people shouldn’t buy it or wear it,  that’s a personal choice. But please, think about how it might come across to others. And if you hear someone say it’s funny or harmless, try to gently educate them about the dangers of eating disorders.

I’m not trying to dampen anyone’s Christmas spirit, I absolutely love Christmas. But I also love my daughter, and watching your child suffer at the hands of anorexia is absolutely devastating. It’s something I wouldn’t wish on anyone, and as long as I have breath in my body, I’ll never stop trying to raise awareness of eating disorders and the damage caused by careless messaging like this.

I hope my post today has come across as I wanted it to, not preachy or miserable, just a mum who's trying her best to educate and raise awareness of a condition that, when my daughter began suffering with, I had no idea what to do or where to turn, there wasn't any information out there for me to get advice. This is one of the reasons I do what I do, because if I can help one mum or dad, friend or other family member from feeling as desperate as I did, well, it's all been worth it. 

Thank you for reading, 

Zoë x

Outfit of the Day: Comfortable & Effortless Style Inspiration

Welcome back

Today's post is something I haven't done for a while here on my blog, it's an OOTD or outfit of the day post. 

Around 3 weeks ago I wore this lovely co ord from River Island and thought I'd share it on here. The video is on my Instagram account but I thought I'd share it here too incase any of my blog readers wanted to see it too.  In the video, I'm not wearing any shoes, but the shoes I wore were my usual chunky trainers which I will insert a photograph of below. The photo shows a white pair, but mine are silver with a white sole. 

To see the video, click here.  I hope you enjoy it and you like the outfit, I do say where everything is from but I will also list everything below too. 

Co Ord - River Island

White Vest - Next

Shoes - Russell and Bromley

Bag - Marc Jacobs

If you would like to check out any individual pieces or check out exclusive content, wish lists, gift ideas and more, check out my LTK Account by clicking this link. 

Thank you for reading, and watching

Zoë x

If you would like to know more about affiliate links on my blog, please click here.

Say Aloha to Stitch: Disney Bluetooth Earbuds & Holder You’ll Love

This post features a PR - Gifted Item. 

Welcome back 

Looking for a fun and practical Disney-themed tech accessory? Meet the Stitch Cable Guy with wireless earbuds, a super cute   Lilo & Stitch tech holder that also includes a pair of Bluetooth earbuds. Whether you're organising your desk or hunting for the perfect gift, this Stitch stand delivers on both style and function.

This has to be the sweetest tech accessory I've seen, and is a perfect cute tech gift for any Disney fans or for anyone for that matter, it's insanely cute and although, I'm not a huge fan of Disney, I think this is adorable! And since the release of the recent Lilo And Stitch movie, these would be a great gift for a lover of the movie too.  

I'll share with you, what the brand Cable Guys have to say about the Stitch Cable Guy:

Introducing our Buds Pro Bundle, featuring advanced Bluetooth 5.3 technology for seamless connectivity and effortless pairing. These wireless headphones are designed with a Stitch theme and come with your very own Stitch figure to hold them in his hands. Ditch the cords and embrace true wireless freedom – Stitch style.

Product Specifications:

Battery Life:

• Earbuds: 30mAh, 4-5 hrs per charge
• Case: 500mAh, 7-8 recharges
• Total Playtime: 28+ hrs

HD Stereo Sound:

• Impedance: 32Ω, Sensitivity: 110±5 dB
• Rich, clear audio for music and calls.

Dual Dialing:

• Connects to two devices simultaneously.

Clear Microphone:

• Mic Impedance: -42±3 dB, ANC: 50-800 Hz, 24-26 dB depth
• Clear calls with effective noise reduction.

Comfortable Fit:

• Ergonomic in-ear design with multiple ear tip sizes.

Charging & Connectivity:

• Bluetooth 5.3, Range: 33 ft (10m)
• Type-C and Wireless Charging supported.

Accessories:

• Type-C cable, ear tips (S/M/L).

Product Dimensions

Approx 22cm / 8.5 Inches.

Product Warnings

Devices Not Included: Smartphones or other devices shown are for illustration purposes only and are not included with this product. Product Appearance: The actual product may differ slightly from the images displayed. Not a Toy: This item is not a toy and is not designed or intended for use by children.

The photographs above show some more detail and what's included in the box too, this really is lovely and such a perfect gift too, or as a treat to yourself. If you're like me and have always shied away from other earbud brands and always go for the one with the fruit logo, that rhymes with grapple, you may just be pleasantly surprised by the quality of these, for much less money, and they're cute too. 

We maybe in the height of summer with blistering temperatures at the moment, but the C word will soon be upon us, and these would be a brilliant gift to get you started on the shopping for it, or for any birthdays you may have coming up. Whether it's for a Lilo & Stitch fan or a Disney fan, or just someone who loves cute, quirky accessories, they're sure to be a hit. 

The cheapest place I have found the Stitch Bluetooth Earbuds And Holder is Amazon where they are £43.06 which is just under £7.00 cheaper than other retailers, you can also find them on the EXGPRO website where they retail for £49.99. 

Click HERE for the EXGPRO website and HERE for the Amazon website. 

I'd love to know if you purchase one of these, so please let me know either in the comments, or via email or social media which are all linked at the right side of my blog, over there  → 

Please also share my post with any Disney fans you may know, or anyone you think would love this as much as I do. 

Thank you for reading, 

Zoë x